The Only Way to Win!

Today is January 16, 2017. According to my Renew Your Mind Calendar, it is Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday! Today I am so thankful that I can discern a spiritual attack when it is coming full force at me. To say that last week had some brutal battles in it would be an understatement.

I can not imagine how things might have gone down did I not know that I am forgiven, that I am a saint, that the father of lies is our biggest accuser. He used to come at me in thoughts, referred to as flaming arrows in Scripture. I carried around so much regret and guilt that I was like a puppet in his hands. That very thing is what drives me to share the message of grace, the gospel of peace and hope with others. I once was literally a slave to the evil one, I allowed myself to be bound by all my mistakes. This is not the life that God intended us to live. Far from it!

Through my walk with God and as I became acquainted with Christ, the evil one changed the battle strategy against me. Now that he could not directly convince me that his lies were real, He came at me in my dreams. He has dragged me to court and so much more. As I faced each battle, I never forgot where my strength came from. This is not to say that I did not cry or fall to my knees multiple times. The battle is real. Don't think it is not. It's why so many find themselves trapped in depression at times so deeply that suicide appears to be the only way out.

Another way that the evil one comes at you in battle is through loved ones; those best able to make a chink in your armor. I have said it before, "If you are not a warrior for Christ Jesus, then you are a moveable pawn for the evil one."

In waves over the course of the last two and a half years, the evil one has used a particular person more than all others combined against me. Yesterday the battle climaxed having begun days prior. It is to date one of the worst that I have been dragged into. I went to church and asked for prayers; I understand the power of them. It is why it is so important to surround yourself with fellow believers. The enemy loves nothing more than to seclude you. There will be times in your life where you need the prayers of others, it does something that nothing else does.

After church, the assault reared its ugly head again. It was as if it was making one final effort, but I had gone to my source of strength; I had stoked my own fire. I had brothers and sisters in faith praying over me, I was being encircled with a field of protection so great that it forced all negativity and noise right out of my life literally.

Within four hours of leaving church, I found myself completely alone with God. Every single distraction had been removed. It was in all essence, heaven. I sat and pondered on God and just how incredible He is.

Yes, there is an enemy to humanity in this world. Yes, He seeks to steal, kill and destroy. But He who is in me is greater than He who is in the world!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10, NASB)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.  You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (John 4:1-4, NASB)

Today, I encourage you to seek the one who can truly protect you from the evil one and all his ploys to destroy you. The world is growing colder and darker. Evil is amping. It has worked long and hard to take out those who love the LORD. I know he is coming after me because of the current book I am working on. He seeks to shut down anyone who is fighting to wake up their fallen brothers and sisters. The harder he comes at me, the more I lean on the LORD, the more I see His power is indeed greater, the more bold I become in proclaiming the good news. What he means for evil, my Father in heaven will use for good. I've seen this promise come to fruition time and time again. 

Recently, I have been gifting an electronic version of my book to someone each week. The messages I have gotten back are blessings of encouragement to keep sharing all God reveals to me. If you think you might be in a battle and are seeking a movie or a good book that might remove the clouds of darkness but for even a moment, one that might perhaps even leave you wiser to the evil one and just how powerful our God is, then please treat yourself to my story. It's only $3.99 and you can download it today by clicking here.

Father, thank you for your protection and provision. You truly amaze me and I am forever grateful. I pray that more and more come to know you the way I do. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, mom of many.

© Wendy Glidden 2017

Are You Ready for a Change?

This morning I awoke to another encouraging word that lead me to seek more understanding of what exactly was being spoken:

[13] Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? [14] But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, [15] but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:13-15, NASB)

Mike often says the problem he has with my writing and talking about Jesus Christ is how loud I get at times. By loud I don't mean volume, I mean that I don't hide my belief. Quite the opposite, I profess it daily. He is afraid of what others may do to me for my faith in the LORD due to how I express myself.

I tell him, when it is my time to go, it is my time to go. I am not going to stay quiet in fear that I may end up beheaded one day. I know the world is crazy. I know people are being beheaded for their faith even today. If that is the way I exit, then that is the way I exit. Fear of death enforced by man is not going to become my silencer. If I am meant to be a martyr then so be it. Until that moment arrives, I will continue to profess my faith in the LORD Christ Jesus. I simply cannot help myself!

As I read this mornings verses, my thoughts fell to Stephen and the defence he gave in the book of Acts. He was one I feel that was stoned before his time. He was an incredible speaker who did a great job at defending his faith in Christ! Where he went wrong in the end was in the way he called his accusers out. Perhaps that is why Peter advises us to speak with gentleness!

For those of you not familiar with Stephen or his defense, allow me to summarize it a bit.

[8] And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. [9] But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cicilia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. [10] But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. [11] Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God." (Acts 6:8-11, NASB)

Due to this, Stephen was brought before the council, which in today's time would be the same as being taken to trial only back in the day, one represented themselves! Stephen eloquently addressed his accusers by calling them brethren and fathers and instantly began his defence in the retelling of their history beginning with Abraham, flowing right into the story of Jacob, Joseph and onto Moses. Since it was Moses that he was accused of blaspheming, he eloquently retold his history. He continued the retelling of the Ancient Israel's own history by then speaking of Joshua and next of David and Solomon.He made mention of the fact that it was Solomon who built a house for the Lord. It was after this that he pointed out that the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. From there he quoted from Isaiah 66 and after having said all of this, he finished his speech like this:

[51] "You men who are stiffnecked and uncircumcised in the heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. [52] Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; [53] you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it." (Acts 7:51-53, NASB)

His accusers were deeply angered by the truth that Stephen ended his speech with to the point that they lost there minds and drove him out of the city in order to stone him. This is also the same moment that we are introduced to Saul. He was present at the stoning of Stephen. This is the very Saul who later was renamed Paul, who is also the very same person that wrote so many of the epistles we read to this day!

Paul is one of my favorites people in the bible due to his never ending zeal for the LORD after his conversion. You see Paul was a mighty force for God all along. However, in the beginning, he did not have faith in Christ. He was actually the major persecutor of the Christians! It was upon meeting Christ on the road to Damascus that everything about Saul changed. The LORD renamed him Paul and as they say, "The rest is history."

If today you find yourself struggling with who Christ is, I encourage you to send me a message saying such. I have a beginners bible study that I can do with you over the internet that I did with the women I was in jail with over the course of 6 days prior to my charges being dropped.

During this study, eyes were opened and hearts were moved to accept Christ as their personal Savior. One woman inparticular pulled me to the side to share her amazing story that the bible was now coming to life for her and she was suddenly able to understand what she was reading. This will be one of the incredible things I share in my upcoming book "16 Days and Two Head Counts"

Until then, if you long for a change in your life that will provide you with a confident hope that no one can rob you of, consider doing this short bible study program with me via the internet! Father, one of the best times I had was diving into your word through this study with my fellow sisters behind bars. It has been my prayer to lead others to you in the same way ever since. Please expand my territory, please use me in multiple ways. I long to be a mighty seed caster! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, Mom of Many!

And All the People Said, "Amen"

As many of you know, I subscribe to K-Love's encouraging word; it is also one of my favorite radio stations. This morning the song 'All the People Said Amen' by Matt Maher began playing and my heart was overjoyed to have all my children sing and dance to the song. It is a catchy tune you know! If you've never listened to it, click on this link and get ready to bust a move!

The more you get to know God, the more you see Him moving in your life with your 'faith eyes' and the more often you find yourself uttering the praise, "Amen". Psalms is one of my favorite books in the bible; who am I kidding lol. In going to college I have taken so many classes, I have been blessed in reading and understanding parts of all 66 books. Regardless, this is the verse I am sharing today:

Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us and not we ourselves. (Psalm 100:3, my alphabet picture)

I think one of the most interesting things I have read in the last year came from a book called, 'The Fear of the Lord' by John Beverre. In it he shares the truth that in man are the very elements found in the earth. Seeing how man was formed from the earth, it makes perfect sense that this would be the case. However, until I read it, I had never thought much about it. Today I think about it every time I till the soil.

I bring up God alot in my daily conversations with others. I can't help it. Often when someone is sharing things about their life and why they are stressed or worried, I ask them this simple question, "Where are you in your walk with God?"

When you begin walking with the Lord and building your relationship with Him, the biggest thing you will notice is that you are able to find peace in the midst of turmoil and stress no longer holds you in slavery. This stems from the promises He makes His children:

1. Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
2. Psalm 91:15: "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 

When it comes to worry, Jesus lays this to rest with one simple challenge:

Matthew 6:27: "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?"

These verses, these truths, speak volumes to me for I have seen them play out in my life. Those of you that have read my book know that I did not create an easy path for myself, however, God, true to His promises, has indeed used all of what I thought was rotten and useless and has in turn allowed me to see others blessed by it. I promise you when stuff like that happens you are often left in utter joyful tears. I blogged on such an instance once. I still cannot read this post without crying! Lost or on a Mission?

When it comes to trouble, I often joke that it is my middle name. I know I am not alone in that thought for I have had others tell me the very same thing. As I have built my relationship with the LORD over the last few years, trouble has come barreling down my door. Through it all I have managed to stay positive and at times I have even flourished through it all by leaning on the promises of God. Indeed, He has not only rescued me, he flipped the situation and I have found myself redeemed if not at times honored. Knowing the LORD is FULL of blessings, I encourage you to join a bible study group or better yet, read my past entries and build your own personal relationship with the LORD. It will truly enhance your life no matter what you get sidelined with.

I still have moments where worry tries to grab hold of me, but I have gotten pretty good at raising my shield of faith. I have found humor helps in the midst of worry and that is what I find in the advice Jesus gives on the subject of worry. When it comes to adding an hour to my life, I know that God alone is responsible for that. I say that because I died in a house fire and I was given breath and brought back to life. It is one of the stories in my book You Are Worthy Too: The Proof is in the Pudding!

I know many people have prayed for something and have not seen it come to fruition, I have been in that boat as well. I have also witnessed my prayers being answered and when I read that when I call on Him, He will answer, I also know that this has been the case. I have several stories about answered prayers in my book. Often I read my own stories because oddly enough, they remind me of who I am to God. They remind me of who we all are to God. We are His children. His creation. You can fight against that truth all you want to but it is a fight you will never win. 

I think the most confusing things about God for many are tied directly to the biggest gift he allotted to mankind; free will. God knows your heart, while He may try to reach you through circumstances that take place in this fallen world, one thing He will not do to reach you is strip away your Free Will. 

So, as I have asked many in person, I ask you today, "Where are you in your walk with God?" If you are in a place of doubt, I encourage you to go to Him with that. As I wrote recently in a post titled Come as You are, But Don't Stay There!, God will meet you right where you are. The true question is, "Are you ready to meet God?"

Today I say for you the same prayer said by Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus:

Ephesians 1:17-19: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. [18] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the surpassing greatness His power toward us who believe. Amen!

May you be blessed in your travels with the LORD.

Wendy, Mom of Many, walks with God

© Wendy Glidden 2015

Blessed by Curiosity!

This morning my encouraging word from K-Love began with the word 'rather' according to my personal study bible the word mentioned is 'but'. The verse was such that curiosity rose in me to see what came prior to that conjunction. Curiosity is said to have killed the cat, but I am human and when it comes to the Word of God, curiosity is often blessed! The verse they shared came from 2nd Peter. I was curious enough to get out of bed, grab my bible and check out what preceded the advice given in the shared verse. Before I knew it, I had read most of 2nd Peter! I am always amazed when this happens. It is like the book jumps to life before my eyes and I find my soul on fire for the LORD. I wish I could simply take what is in my heart and brain and transfer it all into each person I meet in life that is lost and lonely. The best I can do is use the talents that God gave me and pray that the seeds I cast out land on welcome soil. With that being said, this is the full encouraging word that I felt led to share with the world today:

[3] Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, [4] and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." [5] For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, [6] through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded by water. [7] But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 

[8] But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. [9] The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

[10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up. [11] Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, [12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning and the elements will melt with intense heat! [13] But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. [14] Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, [15] and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, [16] as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. [17] You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, [18] but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. ( 2 Peter 3:3-18, NASB)

I know that is a lot to bite off, but I could not simply share the last verse and expect you to get full understanding! This chapter has a lot of helpful advice as well as warnings in it. For instance, how many of you don't attend church because you feel in your heart what is being preached is designed to control you or manipulate you in some way? How many of you feel that the church is full of hypocrites who say one thing and do another? How many of you believe their is no point in reading the Word of God because you have been told that it is full of contradictions? All of this is easy to believe if all you have ever done is step inside of a church. We go to church to find other true brothers and sisters in Christ because in them, we find encouragement. I spent years of my youth going to church only to be taught things that made me feel bad about myself. Some churches pound home the message of sin and while we all must admit that we are sinners, God does not want us to focus on that aspect! He actually wants us to walk with Him and grow. He wants us to discover the truth, for the truth as we know will set you FREE! It is this exact FREEDOM that drives me day and night to want to share all I have learned with others. 

I have a lot of parts of the bible that I would consider favorites. This conversation between Thomas and Jesus would be one of them:

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. [2] In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. [3] If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. [4] And you know the way where I am going." [5] Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" [6] Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. [7] If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also, from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."

If you truly long to know God. To understand His nature, His thoughts, His LOVE for all, you should truly get to know Jesus. We are blessed to be able to get to know Jesus through the Gospels. Jesus is loving, compassionate, clever, witty and so much more than all of that! 

You cannot say that you long to know God yet never pick up the book He had written for all humanity through 40 writers with the help of the Holy Spirit over a span of 1500 years! As I have mentioned before, you could spend your entire life reading the bible and never learn all the truths and mysteries it holds inside. It is in reading His Word thought that you begin to understand how He communicates and in that aspect, you will begin to hear Him for real. 

All relationships take work; that includes your relationship with your Heavenly Father. When you work on this relationship, it actually will enhance all of your relationships. You cannot get to know God and remain stuck in who you are today. You will evolve, you will grow and you will love who you are in Christ. I tell people that if you were to meet me without Christ, you would not always find a kindhearted person! It is only Christ in me that guides my footsteps as well as my tongue! If I did not know Christ and understand God's Word, I would be capable of unkind acts left and right. However, in knowing who I am in Christ, I am reminded that I am here to love, not to hate. Christ in me, keeps me in line, convicting me of the truth, and protects me from the ways of the flesh.

[19] We love because He first loved us. [20] If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. [21] And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. 

(1 John 4:19-20, NASB)

Life will become abundant when you seek the LORD. It will become more colorful and you will become more joyous, not being constantly dragged into depression, worry, anxiety or fear. That is not to say that you won't have days where life comes to kick your rear end; no, quite the opposite. This is why as you get to know the Lord, you also learn about your armor. Your shield of faith is vital to your well being. I encourage you to learn about all of your armor for as you learn who you are in Christ and discover true freedom, you may be driven to share the truth with others. As you do this, you will be attacked by the enemy, but fear not, Christ already conquered Him. While we may be engaged, it is our faith in Christ that will keep us safe. As King David famously said, "The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?" (Psalms 118:6, NASB)

One of my favorite songs to this day is "Whom shall I fear?" by Chris Tomlin. It speaks volumes to me. At one point in my life, I did believe the very things He sings about and in more recent days, I have come to understand the truths he also mentions in this song. For those not familiar with the tune, this link will take you to a YouTube video with the words included. May you be lifted and blessed in your listening! 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my post. I am simply a girl who sought and found and truly longs for all others to find as well for I know the FREEDOM that comes with the truth. It alone is worth the effort! May you be blessed today in all you do, in all you read, in all that you understand. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, Mom of Many, walks with God

© Wendy Glidden 2015

Jesus Truly Is a Blood Relative to the Gentiles!

As I read that the son born to Ruth and Boaz was Obed, I knew that she was who I wanted to do my character sketch on this week. In reading that the book of Ruth was mainly the story of Naomi, I could not help but think it was more than that.

In Ruth, I see a girl who was more than just humble and loyal. We are not told much about her relationship with her first husband, but we do know that Ruth viewed Naomi as a mother. When Naomi was preparing to head back home to Bethlehem, she insisted that both her daughter-in-laws remain in Moab and put their lives together again. Ruth refused the offer and made a commitment to follow Naomi until they were parted by death! She forsake the gods of the Moabites and instead told Naomi that her God would be Ruth’s God and Naomi’s people would be her people.

Ruth must have truly loved Naomi. I think she had great compassion for her as well. It may have been easier for Ruth to have stayed in Moab but she chose to stand by her mother-in-law insisting upon following her into a strange land. Not only did she insist on following her, she promised that Naomi’s people would be her people and that she would serve only Naomi’s God.

Ruth appears to have had a genuine servant’s heart. We read about her asking to go glean ears of grain. Naomi did not ask, Ruth volunteered without prompting. In those days, farmers were required to leave sheaves behind for the needy.

As it turns out, Ruth catches the eye of Boaz who inquires about her. You can tell that Boaz is taken in by Ruth because of the protection and provisions he offers her. Not only did he offer her protection in the fields, he tells her that when she is thirsty, his servants will draw her water. Ruth, being truly humble, is recorded to inquire of Boaz “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” ~ found in Ruth 2:10 (NASB)

From that point forward in their conversation, it seemed that Boaz revealed his admiration of Ruth to Ruth. We are told he had her sit close enough to dip her bread in the vinegar. It is also reported that he served her! After she had finished eating, Boaz commanded his servants once again regarding provisions for Ruth.

I truly believe that Ruth’s servant heart, her immense loyalty to her mother-in-law as well as her willingness to follow her into a strange land, was what caught Boaz’s admiration. I also firmly believe it was the protection, provision, favor and kindness of Boaz that appealed to Ruth. Before chapter 2 ends, we learn that Ruth understood that Boaz was one of their closest relatives and she had confided to Naomi that he wanted Ruth to stay close to his servants until the harvest was finished. To me, it seemed that she planted the seed in Naomi’s head to arrange for her to be married to Boaz.

In the end Naomi and Boaz are married and neither one of them is credited with any improper behavior. Ruth and Boaz end up having a son and we are told that he is given the name of Obed by Naomi’s friends! Obed is the grandfather to King David! I truly love knowing that in the lineage of Christ there is a gentile; A Moabite woman no less! I also could not help but notice that Ruth and David seem to have the same type of heart, for their words of devotion are much the same.

Ruth asked Boaz who was she to have found favor in his eyes and David is recorded as asking the LORD what was man the He should take thought of him. The similarity in their humbleness cannot be ignored.

We are told in Psalm 138 that the LORD regards the lowly, the humble. I believe the sovereign LORD united two of his most humble servants to fulfill His purpose.

I know the story of Ruth, according to Arnold and Beyer, is truly the story about how Naomi’s life was turned around, however, I found it to be an inspiring story about a girl who was loyal, humble, hard working, dedicated, devoted, loving and grateful. Who, due to her inner beauty, caught the eye of a godly man. In the end all parties involved were blessed. Through Ruth’s story we see a sovereign God at work.

© Wendy Glidden 2015, written originally for my History of Ancient Israel College Class

References

Encountering the Old Testament, 2008, Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group

http://www.womeninthebible.net/1.13.Ruth.htm, 2006, Elizabeth Fletcher

The MacArthur Study Bible, 2006, Thomas Nelson Publishing

The Unfolding Mystery Discovering Christ in the Old Testament, 2013, Edmund P Clowney, The Edmund P. Clowney Legacy Corp

Jesus and John The Baptist

Jesus and John The Baptist:

Recently I heard on Moody radio a snippet of a discussion. I listened long enough to learn another young black man had been shot and killed by a white police officer. I also listened long enough to discover that the verdict was fresh in acquitting the officer of any wrong doing.

I didn’t listen much longer because I wanted to focus on something bigger than what the world had to say on such a subject. You see, this year while taking an English composition class, I had to write a thesis paper. I chose to write mine on media and the effects it has on your mind and your mood. What I learned was truly scary. Especially when you understand that we are in a spiritual war.

So, here I was, hoping that I would catch a great bible teaching and instead I found myself in the midst of media taking my mind and emotions in a direction that would be sure to ensnare me. I keep a CD in my car for such times. It is full of words that make me remember the big message: “Love God above all and Love one another” Every time I get too far in a direction off of the path that I am to walk with Christ, this song, “People Matter” by Rick Stump, helps me pull myself back in.

As proven by the research I had discovered for my paper, this news story grabbed my mind again and again. This morning I awoke and within the first forty five minutes, this was once again front and center in my thoughts. The coolest thing about my mornings is the few moments I manage to squeeze in with God, our Heavenly Father. Your mind is a really cool thing. The closer you draw to God the more natural and open you become with your thought conversations with Him. I call them thought conversations because that is truly what they are. So I pondered, “What would Jesus do if one of His friends were killed for absolutely no reason?”

Instantly God filled my head with the story of Jesus and John the Baptist! I now know without a shadow of doubt, just how Jesus would handle this situation if He were here.

Some of you may think of Jesus as docile. Some of you have heard the stories of Him getting righteously angry and turning over tables in the temple. Some of you think of Him as a great teacher. Many people in the world say He was a good man. Others say He was a prophet. In the words of CS Lewis: “He didn’t leave that open to us. Jesus is either the Son of God or a lunatic!” As for me, I have no doubts when it comes to who Jesus is.

With that being said, I think before any of us take action in this war, we should arm ourselves with the knowledge of truth and the wisdom of God’s word. There are many examples of how Jesus handled situations involving death. My mind sought for a closer type of death for this situation. That is when God pointed me to John the Baptist.

John was related to Jesus. He baptized Jesus and he was prophesizing about the coming Messiah in the wilderness as foretold by the Old Testament prophets. You cannot deny that John was more than a stranger to Jesus. They were the same race and they were related. During the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, John was imprisoned by King Herod, who later beheaded John at the request of his step daughter. Talk about a wrongful death! Prior to John’s beheading, this is what Jesus had to say about John the Baptist after he was visited by the disciples of John:

When the messengers of John had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” Luke 7:24, (NASB)

I imagine He spoke these words because John was facing a very certain death. To the end John wanted to ensure that He had lived and done the will of God. Jesus was pointing out that even as events of the world came against John and his disciples, John had remained firm in his faith, not easily swayed by the wind.

We do not read of Jesus rallying troops against the gentiles once John was put to death. He did not point out major differences between the gentiles and the Jews based on their races. When it came to the two races, He only stated that God was the God of both the gentile and the Jew. Just as God is the God over all races of humanity.

When it comes to our differences, our problems with each other, our anger, bitterness, any iniquity we face, God gives us this advice: Forgive one another.

Never once does Jesus tell us to get angry. Never does He teach that we are to take a stand against others or point to examples of how to drag up past history full of hurts and unfairness or to hold onto past events that only have confusion and anger to offer. Rather, He warns us to forgive our enemies and to keep our focus on the truth.

Instead of pointing to past examples of unfairness, for they are never ending in all situations, we should focus on the truth. Jesus came for us and our children. My biggest question is did this boy know who He was in Christ. Had he accepted Christ as His Lord and Savior? I pray He did. I pray all of our children do. I pray we all begin praying for our children to accept Christ. I pray all the children in the world realize that their future days are not promised and that they begin to seek the truth and in turn find Christ, have an abundant life here on earth and live eternally once they pass from here.

Let us not dwell on the past. Tragedies take place every day. Innocent lives are lost every day. With this truth facing us so boldly, we, as the body of Christ, should go forth sharing the message of the Gospel, not the message of bitterness and unfairness. Yes this could have been someone we knew. This could easily happen to our own child. Because those statements are so very true, it should be our mission to share the Love of Christ with as many people as we can every day. Do not forget for one moment that the evil one came to steal, kill and destroy. He will attempt to do that daily by any means possible. Do not get caught up in the schemes of the devil! Put on your armor and fight with the weapons God gave us!

Be blessed my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, be a light for others, pray for the broken angry hearts of those who are held in bondage. May they feel the love of the Lord. May they be filled with a sense of peace. May those of us who are following Christ, find our faith strengthened today and all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

In ending, I am leaving you with the link to the song "People Matter" by Rick Stump. I took the time to type out all the words ~ I pray you listen and love and listen each time you need a boost in your day <3 Be blessed my friends and be a blessing to others <3 

Wendy Glidden, walks with God, mom of many

© Wendy Glidden 2014

The god of Slavery

Recently someone was sharing their view on religion and how those in charge have been using it for binding people and they shared a few books they had been told to read. One of them was something like my blog post title. This particular book, they explained, insinuates that God enslaves his people by forcing them to worship him. In the midst of me saying how ridiculous that notion was, I was challenged on why my faith in the Bible should stand over these other books and they had to say on the matter.

I didn't reply immediately. I reached into myself and searched my own faith foundation. I started out with this:

"Often I feel like I got to cheat my way to faith. As a child when I say I walked with God, I mean I walked with God.

My home life wasn't the greatest when I was little. One day I found myself in a heap of trouble. In a moment of great duress, it was suggested that God was my only hope and I should pray to God to help me. That day I said my first fervent prayer and being true to who He is, he saved me from my punishment. I was so amazed I began talking to God every day. He was my best friend. He taught me a lot of things that today when I read them in God's Word, I can't help but sit back a moment as tears of thanks well up in my heart. Its in these moments of recall that I am overwhelmed in ways I cannot even put into words. It was in the midst of my next truly fervent prayer that God once again spoke to me, calling me by my name. Since then, God has allowed me to be part of a healing that I had prayed for in a very direct way.

I can't tell you what it is like to witness tiny miracles that are 100% undeniable.. He has sent angels to sing to me as an answer to prayers. He has brought me back to life when I should have died in a house fire and then sent angels to guide me through it all.

I KNOW God is Who He says He is and He is far from the god of slavery. That so called god is Satan himself. He is the God of slavery. He binds you and does everything he can to keep you from freedom. He is great at the game and he is the master of all the false religions and how to enslave people."

From there I shared what I had learned about the manuscripts through school among others things I had discovered while reading the Bible. I'm not sure if I realized just how strong my faith was prior to that or not.

I am in awe of all the things I have read in the Bible and the mere fact that they have stuck in my head without trying to make them stick into my head. I love the promises that God has made. I have come to know how faithful He is. I am blessed to see His hand moving in my life. I am blessed to read the Bible and have it come to life before my eyes like a movie.

Many people read things in the bible and they don't get the true meaning. They truly are blind to the message just like the Pharisees were blind to the truth. Sadly many who actually take the time to pick up the Holy Bible read things like; 'read His law, walk in the path of righteousness, don't sin, etc', and they see it as a binding kind of thing. In other words, life without fun.

That too is a trick by the evil one. Think about it like this; sometimes when reading a text from someone, without hearing their voice, you could take one sentence in two completely different ways. In some situations, you could even find yourself from one end of the spectrum to the other; being offended when that was not the intention of the author.

Sometimes our own feelings portray things in written form in a completely different way than the author meant for you to take. When I read things like "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, But finds his delight in the law of the Lord" (Taken from Psalms 1) I honestly know that even the wicked are blessed by God. So this is not saying if you are a 'sinner' you won't be blessed by God. You will be. I know because when He had me write my story, he revealed blessings I never saw the first time around. I was at moments as wicked as wicked gets and yet He was honestly keeping me from absolute destruction. He is true to his Word.

Matthew 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous!

We are blessed beyond measure when our eyes are open to our  blessings and we find great joy in all the Lord does for us. It is hard to get down when you feel the Love of God full blast. When you recognize all the amazing things he does on your behalf! The Lord loves for you to recognize your blessings. He loves songs. David sang to the Lord. It is why he is one of my favorite people in the Holy Bible to read about. My children love it when I make up songs for them with their names in them. Girls often swoon when a boy sings to them, let alone when he makes up a song for them.

If things like that touch our heart, don't you think the Lord relishes those things as well? He is Love afterall!

What everyone in the world needs to know is God LOVES YOU! He KNOWS you by name. I promise you; He is always trying to give us advice, to point us on the right path. All the way back to Cain, the Lord has been trying to get us to recognize that sin is crouching at the door. The one thing the Lord won't do is take away your free will. With that truth, how could He ever be called the god of Slavery. He came so you could have life and live that life abundantly!

NOW, the king of deception, the father of lies, he my friends is the god of slavery. There is one person that walked this earth that Satan could not conquer and place in chains. That is why there is power in the name of Jesus to break all the chains! He conquered death! He did that for you!

There is a song that spreads this message. I am not sure if you can view videos on the device you are using so the title of this song is "Break Every Chain" by The Digital Age. This is a link to a video so you can search it out for yourself: http://youtu.be/EtyVdC7E6Wo

I love it when they sing, "There's an army rising up". I am a part of the army and I am humbled beyond words to be a servant in the Lord. Their is honor in this fight. I am fighting for you and all those in the world. I pray in Jesus name that the chains of slavery are broken for all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I know full when how those shakels feel. I was bound by them for much of my life. I also get what it feels like to be free and it is impossible to fully put in words for words are interpreted by the reader more than the writer. We try to paint the scene but it is your imagination that is the true artist. I can only say, "I once was blind, but now I see" Amazing Grace. It is just that. Amazing. We certainly are not deserving and trust me when I say the enemy will pound that point till the end of days. You need to arm yourself with the Word of God so that you can hear what HE has to say about YOU! I promise you will like it much more than what the god of slavery has to say.  I ask, "Do you think of your children as slaves?" Then how could your heavenly Father think of you in such a way?

Today's word of encouragement is this: Proverbs 17:22: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

It is true that negative people, negative media, negative thoughts can pull a person under and sap their energy leaving them depressed or angry. If God was a god that wanted to enslave his people, would he be an encourager? No, he would be an abuser. Wake up to the truth and be thankful we have the opportunity to worship a God of Love.

Father today I pray that you continue to shine your light on those who are lost. I pray they too find their way back to the truth as I did. I know too well what it feels like to not be close to you. Please use me Lord to be a light that others see. Allow me the opportunity to share my story with countless. I love to sing your praises for you saved me from the one who enslaves and I am so thankful for your grace and the true freedom you provide for all your children. Help me make your truth understood. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden, 2014

Roll With the Punches!

Today is Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday. My miracle today would be that I know who I am in Christ and my faith is so great due to the miracles God allowed me to be a part of. For decades I doubted who He was and whether or not He loved me or anyone else who wasn’t perfect. This is why I am so adamant about sharing the message of grace. It’s a game changer and once you get it and then totally understand that Jesus is who He said He was when He walked on this earth in His own flesh, you simply cannot help but long to share that with all who are longing for something but not sure what that something might be.

Personally I know a few people who believe they are all they really need. They say they believe there is a God but mistakenly believe they don’t need a Savior. They view that thought as a sign of weakness. This morning I was thinking about a conversation I had with someone who was talking about how Christian music seemed to always be admitting to a weakness and the need for a savior and how they thought that was pitiful. My heart ached for them. So much so that their complaint stopped me in my tracks and I couldn’t get their attitude out of my mind. I so badly wanted to help them see what they were missing. It was while being in that mindset that this came to me. Thank goodness I travel with pen and paper or I might not have gotten this down:

People say the Christian lyrics they hear
Often express that we are weak
But the outsiders just don’t understand
How much blindness they reveal when they speak

They claim they don’t get weary
Or fall short on their own
They hear phrases like “I was broken”
And instantly they groan

At one time I guess I was the same
A large ego and full of pride
It was in realizing my burden was too big to carry
That I set myself and my own will aside

I found myself down on my knees
Praying to God, “Your will not mine.”
That is when He spoke to me
It’s when my purpose and I began to align

I am and will continue to be
Both a Saint and a sinner
It’s why I love the concept of grace
Satan says that I’m nothing but God says I’m a winner!

There is not one person who has ever walked this earth that hasn’t had problems or tough times. Not one. Even Jesus battled with Satan. In the end he was crucified. The only difference between Him and us is that He never fell from righteousness. We all have. It is only by Grace through Faith that we are saved.

I often pray for others to have their eyes opened. I know God wants all of our eyes open. Many wonder why he doesn’t answer such prayers and simply open the eyes of all who are blind. That is a simple one for me, in order for Him to do that, He’d have to strip us all of our Free Will. Now our government wants nothing more than to take away our Free will; to mandate what is safe for us and what is not and they do this all the while claiming it is in our best interest and certainly it is for the children and they lead you to believe it is out of love but it is not.

True love is letting go and allowing a person to walk on their own. Sure you can show them the way. You can lead them to the water per say. You can counsel, advise, write a book with all they need to not just survive but to actually thrive. This is what God did for us. He put together 40 authors who all wrote various books over a spance of 1500 years and presented us with it. If you truly want to know the truth. If you wonder who you are, what your purpose is and why you are here, you will find all those answers in the same place. All you have to do is seek the truth and as promised, “The truth shall set you free.”

It is in this place of freedom that you discover peace, rest and joy. If you are lacking those in your life, I encourage you to knock on the door, seek God with all your heart. Hold nothing back from Him, He knows it all anyway. He is your creator. You want to know what your talents are, ask Him.

All relationships take effort. Even friendships. How can you expect to know God if you don’t spend time with Him everyday. You should always devote your first waking moments to talking to God or seeking His wisdom. The reason it is so important to do this first thing is because life will deal you blows daily. If you want to roll with the punches without losing your cool, you truly need to seek Him in the morning and design a way to keep your focus on Him throughout the day. It is easy to get dragged down. It takes effort to walk in the Spirit. It is in our weakness that we fall prey to the flesh. Those who say we are weak because we admit we need and have a Savior are blind to the truth about themselves. I say let’s pray for all of them. Weren’t we there once ourselves? Perhaps it is due to the prayers of others that we discovered the path to Grace. Let’s pay it forward today!

Father today I come to you with great thanks. I know how blessed I am to have witnessed so many amazing miracles. I was blessed to have sought you as a child and to have built such a solid friendship with you when I was young. I just wish I could give to others what I know as truth. I wish I could help them see the truth, help them find their way back home. Please Lord instantly answer all who seek you. Let them feel your presence. Let their doubts be washed away. Open their eyes to the truth Father. As soon as they question, make it known. I ask also that anyone who is in the midst of a crucial battle be strengthened. Put their minds at rest Father. Break their chains and free them once more. Bring a hand or foot of Christ into their daily path until they begin to put on their daily armor themselves and strengthen them Father as only you can. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014

Unending Love, the Theme of the Bible

Jesus is the theme of the bible and through him, God not
only created all we know, He reveals his unending love and purpose for us.

John 1:1-5: In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things
came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that
has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than having been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him.

From the very beginning, God revealed his pleasure in
hanging out with Adam.

Genesis 2:19: Out of the ground the LORD God formed every
beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to
see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature,
that was its name.

As a parent, I have experienced the pleasure in my own
children learning the names of things. I can only imagine the joy the LORD
experienced as he brought each creation before Adam to decide upon its name.

As we continue to read the story of Adam, we are introduced
to Eve, the perfect helper and companion God created for Adam out of Adam.

Genesis 2: 22-23: The LORD God fashioned into a woman the
rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh’ She shall be called
Woman, Because she was taken out of man.”

God continues to show us how much he loves us and enjoys
hanging out with us by sharing the truth of how we came to live in a fallen
world. As a child, I can honestly say I walked and talked with God on a daily
basis. I have even felt him chuckle at the way in which I thought I would be of
great use to him. This foundation is what helped me through the toughest and roughest
years of my life. In the story of man’s creation, we are not told how long Adam
and Eve enjoyed their face to face relationship with the LORD, but we know it
existed!

Genesis 3: 8-10: They heard the sound of the LORD God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid
themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said,
“I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked,
so I hid myself.

How many times have we tried to hide from the LORD God only
to discover at some point, He has pursued us as well?

While the LORD God could have ended the human race right
then and there, he instead chose a way to reconcile us to Him once again.

Genesis 3:15: And I will put enmity between you and the
woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And
you shall bruise him on the heel.”

As the story unfolds, we are next introduced to Cain and
Abel. Once again, it is revealed that God speaks to his people.

Genesis 4:6-7: Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you
angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your
countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the
door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.

As we know, Cain chose not to listen to God and instead
opened the door to sin and murdered his brother. One might think after this the
LORD would give up on the human race, but he doesn’t. Adam and Eve are
appointed another offspring that they name Seth. Through Seth’s descendants, we
are introduced to Noah.

In the days of Noah we read that the LORD grieved over his
creation.

Genesis 6:6: The LORD was sorry that He had made man on
earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

We are told he was so grieved, he said he would wipe out
even the animals, the creeping things and the birds. Just as one might think it
was over for mankind, we read about Noah and discover that he found favor in
the eyes of the LORD.

We are shown that Noah enjoyed a close relationship with the
LORD. I say that due to the faith Noah showed in building an arc as the LORD
God commanded. When the flood was over, God established a covenant with Noah
and his descendents. He blessed Noah and his sons telling them to be fruitful
and multiply, and fill the earth.

We are shown that without faith it is impossible to please
God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who seek him earnestly. It was by faith that that Noah built the
arc in the middle of dry land. It was also by faith that Abraham went out to a
place to receive an inheritance without knowing where he was going.

In God’s eyes, the greatest heroes of the faith are not
those who achieve prosperity, success, and power in this life, but those who
treat this life as a temporary assignment and serve faithfully, expecting their
promised reward in eternity. (Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven Life,
Rick Warren, 2004 by the Zondervan Corp, p37)

We are also shown that opening yourself up to God is the way
to obtain a closer relationship with the Lord as we read the story of Job. As
it comes to a close, we are once again shown that God communicates directly with
His people. We see he values the relationships he has with those that depend on
him and he does indeed reward them for their faith.

Job 42:10: The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he
prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold. 

All through the Old Testament books we are shown example
after example that God is more than involved, we are shown that He is fond of
us. Even when Moses threw a temper tantrum of sorts, God revealed he would do
as Moses had requested. We are told that Moses found favor in the LORD’s Sight.
He even tells us that God knew Moses by name! Calling someone by their name
confirms that you know them.

Exodus 34:17: The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this
thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have
known you by name.”

Again and again we read about God and the relationships he
has enjoyed with those who seek him and come to him with thankfulness in their
hearts; fully knowing, believing that He is the Most High God deserving of our
worship.

In reading the Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven
Life, we are shown that we were created for God’s pleasure. We are also shown
that we were formed specifically for God’s family. It is with that knowledge
that we begin to understand that we were created to become like Christ and we
were shaped to serve God.

God loves us so much, He sent his son to save us. I don’t
know how much more proof man needs to be able to see the depth of God’s love
for mankind than that! However God takes it one step further and lets us know
that he did not come to judge but to save thus putting sinners minds and hearts
at ease.

John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have
eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him.

As we read in our text book, we discover the message in the
Book of Acts is this: Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
(Knowing the Bible 101 A Guide to God’s Word in Plain Language, Bruce Bickel
& Stan Jantz, 1998 Harvest House)

In closing, I would like to share a reading from my favorite
devotional:

Seek my face, and you will find fulfillment of your deepest
longings. My world is filled with beautiful things; they are meant to be
pointers to Me, reminders of My abiding Presence. The earth still declares My
Glory to those who have eyes that see and ears that hear.

You had a darkened mind before you sought me wholeheartedly.
I chose to pour My Light into you so that you can be a beacon to others. There
is no room for pride in this position. Your part is to reflect My Glory. I am
the Lord! (Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, 2004 Thomas Nelson, page 165)

For all of these reasons and more, I know that God loves me
and my purpose is to serve Him by revealing His Glory through my testimony.

References

Knowing the Bible 101 A Guide to God’s Word in Plain
Language, Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz, 1998 Harvest House, p. 239

Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, 2004 Thomas Nelson,
page 165

Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven Life,
Rick Warren, 2004 by the Zondervan Corp, p37

The MacArthur Study Bible, John MacArthur, New American
Standard Bible, Updated Edition, 2006, Thomas Nelson Publishing

How Good is Good?

Today is Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday. Have you considered the miracles that have taken place in your life? Many of us don't give credit where credit is due. We decide to instead believe in a thing called Karma. Bad things happen to good people so how does that work in the Karma formula? Do you believe that if you are good enough, good things will happen to you? If so, I ask you, "How good is good?"

Jesus once asked a man why he called him good; allow me to share that conversation with you:

From the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 10, verses 17 -

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother."

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

We all have heard the saying 'love of money is the root to all evil'. Some shorten it to just say money is the root of all evil but it is truly the love of it. Our God does not like us to worship false idols. Money is a false idol and it rules many lives. It is even said that God is a jealous God, but we think in human terms when we hear that word. When God is jealous it is out of a form of protective love. When we love or think of things, money included, and put more importance on that thing than on God we lose out big time. Not so much because He stops communicating with us. He is always chasing us. It is because we have stopped seeking, listening, asking. When this takes place, we also begin to lean more toward sin than righteousness because we are no longer walking in step with the Holy Spirit.

The truth of the matter is, you can't be good enough on your own. We are all sinners. I sinned just this morning by allowing impatience and irritation to take the wheel for a moment and I was not exactly kind to my husband. I should have immediately stopped realizing where I was headed but I did not. My morning started before I had a chance to read even a snippet of God's word and I read it daily! But today was a new day and mine began before I had even dressed for battle. This is how quickly we are capable of sliding out of our righteousness into our flesh. This is why we need Jesus and this is why we need to wear our daily armor. The plain truth of the matter is we are never going to be good enough without Christ at the wheel.

The devil hates Christ and he hates freedom. He wants to bind you up in sin and tie you down with laws. He wants to convince you that there is a chance you can be good enough but lets face the truth, for that is what Jesus teaches. In Galatians 5:1, we read this:

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.

What does that verse mean you may be asking yourself. It means this; when you judge your brother by the law, you are also placing yourself under the law. We are not here to judge one another but to love one another. Not one of us is perfect and without sin in our lives. Don't be picking the speck of dirt out of anyone else's eye when most of us wake up with a few specks of our own each morning. Jesus covers all of this in the Bible as well. Just flip to the Book of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 1-5:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Do you see how clearly it is stated that if you decide to govern others by the law, you are also yourself under the law and the law will bind you quickly when you are also seeking to please God with your life actions. Again, we will stumble, we will fail, we will have wicked thoughts, the evil one will use all this non good to cancel out your own good even in your own eyes and you will begin to have thoughts of doubt as to your goodness and the wheel of self doubt will begin. You of course will need to go out and do good to make up for your bad and soon you will discover yourself running in a senseless circle. Just realize today that no matter how 'good' you are, you are not good enough to enter into the kingdom of heaven on your own. Christ is the key to true salvation and an abundant life on earth.

I know this because in 2009, I began banging on God's door and as he is faithful, he opened the door and showed me many truths over the last 5 years. Now I am in college going for my degree in Biblical Studies. I am almost at the end of my first class which was 'An Introduction to the Bible'. When you ask God for knowledge, you just never know how he is going to give it to you!

God also has been giving me the desires of my heart as is also promised within the pages of the Bible. I did not seek him to have him grant the desires of my heart, I sought him because I was at the end of myself. Everything did not happen overnight. God certainly has things timed out and for a purpose that we may not always understand. I love what he has done through me. I love what he is doing through me. To date, I have written three books and I am working on my fourth one now. While all three can be read separate of one another, they are truly a wonderful collection that has a much deeper and fuller meaning when read together.

Today, I encourage you to help yourself by helping my ministry. Whether you prefer print books or e-books, all three of my published books are available on Amazon. In print, they will cost you $25.00 in electronic format, they only cost $13.00. My ministry receives the same margin of profit either way. In return, You will receive a priceless gift as you enjoy a true life story of a girl, her dreams, her failures and her finding her way back home. What are you waiting for? Buy your copies today!

www.amazon.com/author/wendyglidden

Wendy Glidden, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014

Less is Often More!

Today is Thursday, May 15th! On my calendar it is clearly marked as Tremendously Thankful, Thoroughly Thoughtful Thursday. Today I am thankful for having less.

Last weekend was Mother's Day. The best part of that day is getting the cards the children made me while at school. My second graders filled in balloon prompts on a card. My favorite line on Michael's card was the one that said, "My mom likes smaller houses."

I literally laughed out loud when I saw it. He must have overheard a conversation I had had with his father while driving in the car. I was chatting away explaining to him how much time I saved by us living in a smaller house. I said I loved living in a small house because it didn't take me anytime at all to clean the place and have the rest of my day.

On Marissa's card she had said she enjoyed watching me read the Bible everyday. That made me smile but for a completely different reason. Recently since we downsized from a three bedroom apartment back into the house that God gave me, we donated the majority of our books to a laundry mat as well as a Goodwill. Each one of them is responsible to read for ten minutes each night. I decided rather than check out books at a library, that it would do the children good to read out of the bible. I have selected certain Chapters and verses that I pray cause them to become curious for more of what God has to say about things.

Recently we have read out of Ephesians, Timothy and Philippians just to name a few. I think one of my favorite readings was from Philippians, chapter 4. The children discovered that the phrase 'whatever' was used in the bible. I shared with them that the phrase 'As if' can also be found in the bible. I used that to explain how many think the bible is old school and there is nothing in it that applies to our age. Sadly that is a lie spread by Satan through those who either don't take the time to read God's word for themselves or those that are simply too self involved to recognize the truth within the pages.

I sit back today reflecting all that has taken place in the last 6 months or so. I moved out of my small home as winter closed in and moved into a gigantic apartment that was always cold and much too spacious in all honesty. I used to joke that I had to walk to another state to hang the girls clean clothes up in their closets. It literally took me the entire weekend to organize and clean our home each weekend. In those few short months, I somehow managed to publish three books in both print and e-book formats. The apartment is something I should have never been approved to move into. As it turns out, when it comes to apartments, the federal rule states that you can only have two heartbeats per room. For those of you that have followed my blog, you know that when I first went to apply for this apartment, I had recently left Mike or rather he had actually left me and moved to Florida. You also know at the time, I had six children with me; four of them were girls and two of them were boys. Any way you slice that pie, not only did I have more than two heartbeats per room, I also had more than six on my original application. I knew God had moved me to go to that apartment and I also felt He was in the process of moving me again before things went into motion. By the end of February, the maintenance crew had done an inspection of my home and had discovered that we had one heartbeat too many living in the apartment and they gave me a 60 day notice to vacate. I was not formally evicted through the court system, I was simply sent a letter stating I had to be out by April 29th.

I guess some people in my shoes would have been caught up in a whirlwind of emotion. I on the other hand have gotten much better at praying for direction and then waiting for an answer. I always believed that God gave me my home on wheels for a reason so that is where we went back to. Winter is over, although tonight it will dip down to a chilly 37 degrees, so the mobile home truly is a great place to go back to. Now, while I do not have Internet or even 24/7 electricity, I have all I need. A bed for each child, a warm shower, lights that run off of our battery power and a very small house to clean! While I lost space, I gained massive amounts of time, including quality time with the children. We hang out at the library or the park more now because our day is not gobbled up by constantly cleaning floors! Less truly can be more. It all depends on how you look at it.

Today, seeing how it is Thankful Thursday, I am going to leave you with the advice found in Philippians 4, beginning with verse 4:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

What you focus on with your mind will alter how you go about your day. This is certainly why we are advised to renew our minds. Make sure you renew yours daily with a bit of God's word which has much encouragement to stay focused on the truth. That being said, Mercy Me just came out with a new album which is titled, "Welcome to the New". It is full of wonderful songs but I really really love the words sung on the song also called 'Welcome to the New' for those that can listen online via my link, enjoy. For those that cannot view it on your electronic device, take the time to search them out on You Tube when you have the opportunity!

I would also like to invite you to read my full story ~ well the parts that I have published anyway. I have many more books to follow. I think I could write everyday for the rest of my life and still have stuff to share. For now, you can find all of my books in both print and e-reader formats at www.amazon.com/author/wendyglidden for less than $13 you can own all three on your e-reader and if you prefer print over electronic, you can own all three for less than $25. With each purchase you are supporting my ministry. I truly appreciate each purchase!

Be blessed and be a blessing <3,

Wendy Glidden, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014