Tag: God

Your Word is Your Bond

Author, Nicole L. Ross2 Comments

Don__t_lie_by_swede

There was a time when a person gave their word, one could be certain that the promise would be kept.  Now and days it just seems as though many people say one thing and five minutes later turn around and do something else.  The part about it that is even worse is that they have no conviction about it.  Whatever happened to your word being your bond?  Why does it seem so hard to just do the right thing and have some integrity?  Integrity is something that is proven over time by our behavior.  In my opinion, it is a reputation of trustworthiness.  When you say you are going to do it, then do it and if you can’t be man or woman enough to then say so.  Even better, simply think about what you say before you say it so that you are not making a commitment you cannot fulfill.  Do not be afraid to take a moment to think before answering a question.  Use wisdom.  I had to learn to do this because on multiple occasions I put myself in situations when I would say something with good intentions, but when it came time to actually fulfill that commitment it was a lot more than I had anticipated.  We have to get to a place of individual accountability and take responsibility for not only our actions or lack thereof, but our words as well.

Here is something to think about, when people have a good talk game, which is what I like to call it, but their deeds do not line up that eventually leads to a lie making the person who didn’t keep their word a liar.  Just in case you do not know, a liar is a person who is not honest and cannot be trusted because they do not speak with truth out of their mouth.  No one likes to be called a liar.  One must understand however that lying is not just when someone asks you something and you answer with a false response.  Lying is saying you are going to do something and never do.  Every time you go back on your word, the value of what you say decreases.  Here is where that integrity I was talking about earlier comes in.  If not for you, have enough respect and reverence for God.  He sees all and knows all, so if you love Him and don’t want to disappoint Him then think twice before you communicate so you don’t disappoint your creator.  I leave you with this, what’s your word worth?  Is your word truly your bond?  #iDeclare #yourwordisyourbond

 8073815558_13e1c4ebe1_z

Prayer:

Father God in the name of Jesus, help me Lord to keep my word.  Please forgive me for times when I have said I was going to do something and did not follow through.  I decree and declare on this day that I will think before I speak and I will hold myself accountable for what I say and do.  Thank you God for hearing my prayer and for helping me to be more mindful of the speech that comes out of my mouth.  I am not a liar and I will not allow my carelessness in dialogue to cause me to sin.  Thank you Jesus for helping me be more cognizant and operate with a spirit of integrity and uprightness.  In Jesus name, Amen. 

Scripture Reference:

Proverbs 12:22 NIV “The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”

Ephesians 4:29 ESV “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

We Share In This House

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

help

Is it just me or do people seem to be stingy these days?  I mean it just really seems like people are all about themselves and what they can get out of folks.  This is one of the many things that seem to stick out to me now more than ever, not saying this doesn’t happen everywhere, but it has just become more prevalent in my environment.  Maybe because for my whole life back in the states I pretty much stayed to myself and the people I did associate with were family or true friends I have had for quite a while.  Granted, even some friends and family will still use and abuse if you let them, but for the most part I already know who operates like that, so I love on them from a distance.  The law of reciprocity is vital in any functional relationship.  There is give and take but it is not a one-way street, it comes from both ends.  I remember reading a book a while ago and it talked about the different ways people love.  I found this book to be very interesting because immediately I could point out one of the characteristics that fit me perfectly, and that was a giver.  I have no problems giving to people, in particular people who I have a relationship with.  Over the years though, God has shown me that I have to be very discerning in my giving spirit because the enemy will try to use that as a means to attack.  At first I didn’t quite understand how the enemy could attack me in my giving, after all it was a choice I was making.  The way the enemy moves is through people and what he will do is use people to try to take advantage of me.  Let’s be clear, I am not simply talking about physical things either.  Yes, when you think of a typical gift it’s something tangible, but tangible stuff doesn’t mean all that much to me.  It can easily be replaced.  If I give you a new shirt, I can go buy a new shirt tomorrow to replace it, no big deal.  I’m talking about giving as a whole.  Giving your time, your attention, making sacrifices for people, etc.  All of the above is a form of giving because it requires you to take away from yourself.

Yes it hurts when I figure out that someone is only trying to get what they want out of me and I am sure it hurts you too, but what bothers me even more is when someone does this to God.  As a servant of God and active member of my church, there have been so many people simply use God.  Now of course, this is just my take on the situation because God knows what’s going to happen before it ever does, but it just seem like problem after problem people will come asking for this and that from God and as soon as they get what they want, they turn their back and walk away from Him.  This makes me so angry.  How can we do God like that?  He is our daddy, our Heavenly Father who loves us so much but yet we only come to Him when we want something or when we are going through a tough time.  As a parent, I can only imagine how this would make me feel.  The crazy part about it is God is such a loving, gracious and merciful God.  He knows what we are going to do and how we are going to do it, yet He still allows us to walk around His earth breathing in His air, eat His food, have a roof over our head not to mention all the other things we take for granted.  The law of reciprocity should not only be applied towards other individuals, it should be applied towards God as well.  I don’t have to ask what He’s done for you, but I will ask what have you done for Him lately?  God is God, so there really isn’t much we can do for Him anyway, but we can pray and talk to Him, we can spend time with Him, we can tell other people about Him, overall we should at least do our best to have a true reciprocal relationship with Him.

It’s funny because while God placed this on my heart to write about, I keep hearing my three-year old daughter in the back of my head saying, “we share in this house”.  That is what her dad and I taught her when we had our youngest daughter so they can learn to share with one another.  One of the best things about having children is that you can lay the foundation early and teach them how to share.  I want my babies to know how to have a reciprocal relationship with people and I hope and pray that they teach their children to do the same.  God has been too good to us to just take, take, take and not want to give anything back to anyone in return.  Count your blessings, then start passing them out to others, I know I will.  After all, my baby girl said it best, “we share in this house”.  #iDeclare #weshareinthishouse

Is-it-Better-to-Share-on-Google+-Facebook-or-Twitter

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I come first and foremost repenting. Please forgive me for times when I have thought only about myself.  Forgive me for always taking, but not wanting to give in return.  You have been so good to me God, please forgive me.  I decree and declare that from this day forward I will operate in the law of reciprocity.  I will not just be a taker, but I will be a giver as well.  In Jesus name, Amen. 

Scripture Reading:

Hebrews 13:16 NIV “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

1 Timothy 6:18 NLT “Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.”

Get A Life!

Author, Nicole L. RossLeave a comment

curtains-get a life - smaller

What does your typical day consist of?  Do you get up and go to work or maybe stay home and take care of your family?  In the midst of all that you do for everyone else, do you actually have a life?  What do you do for yourself?  Having a job that you go to every day is understood and so is staying home to be a homemaker but if that is all your life consists of, we have a problem.  I titled this article ‘Get a Life’ because so many people in my path seem to live lives that revolve around others.  I used to be that same way until I realized that my loved ones and friends lives should be a nice addition to my own.  It should accent and compliment what I already love to do.  This means that if they are not in the picture for one reason or another, I can still be content with doing me.  Prior to meeting my husband, this was something that God dealt with me on in regards to mates.  It seemed as though when I would date someone, all of a sudden my life became immersed with whatever they had going on.  I specifically remember praying and crying out to God one day and He said as clear as day, ‘Get a Life’.  I was a bit taken back because I thought I had a life, but when I sat down and deliberated for a moment I realized God was right, I didn’t.  Yeah I went to work and even went church and took an occasional shopping trip here and there, but that wasn’t much of a life.  I had to think about some things that I really loved to do, just for fun and do them.  My goal today is to encourage you and really push you to go out there and have some fun.  What is something you’ve always wanted to do but never got around to it?  What’s holding you back? I’ll answer the second question for you, NOTHING.  Go skydiving, ice skating, bungee jumping, white water kayaking, zip lining, travel the world!  Whatever it is just do something.  Life is too short to just stick to the same ole, same ole everyday all day.

An interesting piece that I wanted to add is directly related to the body of Christ.  On numerous occasions I have talked to people about being saved and living for God and one of the first things that comes out of their mouth is that being saved looks boring.  They don’t feel like they can have a relationship with Jesus Christ and have fun.  I always laugh at this response because it couldn’t be farther from the truth.  The unfortunate part about it though is that this is the image that is projected by people in the church and who claim to be saved all the time.  Anytime somebody halfway talk about doing something that’s not read your bible they want to look down upon or condemn folks.  Let me first say this, nowhere in the bible does it say that we have to read our bibles all day everyday.  But my theory is this, examine your motives.  I’m not gone look down on you.  If you like to dance, do your thing cause so do I but does that mean you have to be in the club dancing until three in the morning every Saturday night, not so much.   I had a blast when I was in the world, so I figure I’m gone do it even harder now that I’m saved.  I just got a different partner.  I’m rolling with Jesus now, so my approach is gone be a little more discrete.  You might catch me in a dance class instead of in the club where the atmosphere is a little different.  Whatever your thing is, examine your motives because when you accept Jesus into your life as your personal savior and begin to have a true relationship with Him, your spirit will become more sensitive to things and there will be certain places and certain things you won’t want to do anymore because you know that He is living inside of you.  That being said, there are still lots of ways you can have fun and still be saved, many of which I listed earlier.  Even if those things aren’t of interest to you find something that is and do it.  Have fun.  Get out and do something different.  Get A Life.  You’re worth it. And I promise you, God wouldn’t want it any other way.   #iDeclare #getalife

 

 getalife2

 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for this life you have given me.  Help me to get a life.  Show me ways I can go do fun things that I’ve wanted to do for a long time but never got around to it.  I decree and declare that from this day forward my life will not revolve around other people.  I will have fun.  I will do something different and I will enjoy it.  Thank you God for showing me that I can have fun and live righteous at the same time.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture Readings:

John 10:10 KJV “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Psalms 118:17 NLT “I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the LORD has done.”