The JOY of the LORD

 

Hosea 6:6

King James Version

6 For I desired mercy, 

and not sacrifice; 

and the knowledge of God 

more than burnt offerings.

Does anyone care to know, what pleases God?

I thought about that this morning.

I had been deep in my grief for 52 days now, after my baby sis passed away.

Searching Scripture for comfort, I came upon this verse, with the curious, catchy phrase a few days ago:

Nehemiah 8:10

King James Version

10 Then he said unto them, 

Go your way, 

eat the fat, 

and drink the sweet, 

and send portions unto them 

for whom nothing is prepared: 

for this day is holy unto our Lord: 

neither be ye sorry; 

for the joy of the Lord 

is your strength.

And I thought to myself, what was the "joy of the Lord"?

For if I found it, then I'd be able to derive strength from it.

It will surely help, as I mourn.

Looking deeper into it, I found these articles Spirit and I have written the past years, which answered my own question:

What GOD Looks For

Something God Likes

Why Did God Create Man?

What Does Jesus Want Us to Do?

How Does JESUS Wish to be LOVED?

What does the LORD require of us?

HOW to KNOW the WILL of GOD

JESUS as the FOUNDATION of Our Life, Home, and Work

The BORN AGAIN heart

WALKING in the SPIRIT

The ONE, TRUE GOD

REPENTANCE

In contrast, it's also good to know what displeases God, so we may know where we need to be corrected by SPIRIT, and be perfect in the eyes of GOD.

What are ABOMINATIONS to GOD?

Things To Get Rid of In Your House Right Now

AWARENESS of sin

When you think of GOD, you think less of self.

And that's where healing will begin.

I thank JESUS, and the HOLY SPIRIT, for this wonderful gift.

Strength in Jesus

Prayer to JESUS
Where do you wish
to take this heart of mine
that has YOU in it?

I'm just beginning to know Jesus.

Since I became a born-again Christian nearly 11 months ago, I'm beginning to know the LORD.

He has showed up in my dreams at least several times, decades ago.

In those dreams, He was the golden light filling the doorway, the Jesus in place of the emerald tabernacle at my favorite church, the landlord, and the path that I have "walked before".

Strange that last one.

I still haven't decoded that first dream.

But I think He had been keeping an eye on me, and once, I saw the LORD in my dream, His hands outstretched by his sides, looking at me, saying nothing.

But He also showed me how it was to be for me in another dream, where precariously narrow steps led up to a second-floor doorway, filled with golden light.

Those steps were so narrow, you can only put one foot in front of the other, one at a time, with the steps cantilevered from the wall.

Try imagining that as you go up the stairs.

There was only the wall to the left, with the white dove painted on it, the narrow, wooden steps attached to the wall, and that doorway filled with light.

There was no railing for support.

That dream was decades ago, and true enough, my life reflected all the challenges that came with those almost impossible stairs.

The Lord also showed me many dreams and images of what is to happen, what is happening, and my role in it.

How do I know these things were of Christ?

Well, I had not bought into the world, thus, the many challenges.

19 If ye were of the world, 

the world would love his own: 

but because ye are not of the world, 

but I have chosen you out of the world, 

therefore the world hateth you.

John 15:19 

King James Version

Fortunately, my father taught me well, how not to sell out, how to endure, how to have fortitude.

Of course, God chose my parents, for they will be teaching me as I grew up.

Every circumstance of my life was perfectly-designed by God, for teaching, learning, wisdom, and correction.

He also knew I had a cheerful heart.

I taught myself to look at the brighter, funnier side of life when things looked bleak.

Perhaps, that's His God gene in me.

Of course, that gene got more pronounced as I got older, most especially when I became a born-again Christian in the fall of last year.

I just wish I turned to Him when I was in pain during my earlier years, not knowing where to turn to.

In those days, I had no idea.

No one told me the beautiful things about God, that I finally learned through the Holy Spirit in September 2019.

God waits for us to go to Him for our pain. 

Only God can cure our pain, for it is not just pain of the body, the heart, the mind, but also the soul, and the spirit.

That's what God does.

He allows suffering, so your soul will wake up.

He doesn't enjoy that we suffer.

There is no vindictive bone in God's body.

24 God is a Spirit: 

and they that worship him 

must worship him in spirit 

and in truth.

John 4:24 

King James Version

It is our ignorance and stubbornness that gets us into trouble.

And when you finally embrace Christ in full, as born again, prepare yourself for God's TRUTH, through the Holy Spirit.

Would I live my life all over again, the same way, knowing what I know now?

Is there any other life that would have taught me so much, so long, and so lasting?

Is there any other life that has tested the mettle of my spirit, and my love and devotion to God, my family, and my work, despite my many imperfections and errors?

This is the life I was given.

I take it.

I accept it.

I thank God for it.

It is a beautiful life created for God.

May I live up to His expectations.

He created me, as He created you -- in Their image and likeness.

God doesn't make mistakes.

We do.

And yet, in His divine mercy, He sent us His SON Jesus, He sent us the Holy SPIRIT to teach us, and He's always there for us.

I believe all that to be true.

The WORD of God -- Scripture -- tells me so.

And the dreams and images He gave me, told me so, too.

I feel the love, and the protection.

One day, I'll be able to tell you more.

For now, I live the life I'm given, I follow the path of Jesus, I listen to the Holy Spirit, and I love God even more.

How can this life be anything but beautiful!

Updated 21 January 2022

6 Things For a Beautiful 2019

A new year will be here soon.

Another wonderful opportunity to think, speak, and do better.

And while we're still at the doorway, we can assess how it's all been for us and see what we can do better this time around.

Every day, as always, is a golden opportunity to create more wonderful and positive things and to be kinder to others.

It's your life.

You must give attention to how you're living it.

Have a desire for God so great that nothing can ever dampen your spirit.

When you love God so much, you will also make sure others become know about Him.

What really matters most anyway in life?

1. That we love God above all.

2. That we know God's will.

3. That we believe in Jesus.

4. That we are guided by the Holy Spirit.

5. That we live by Scripture.

6. That we respect each other's rights.

7. That we love each other.

It's always good to stick to the few basics.

Doesn't make sense to over-think it, really.

But these are what always spring from my soul.

I'm sure you'll have your own "tenets" for living.

After all, it's your life and you ought to live it your way, the best way you alone know how.

I created this blog primarily for myself, to document my own life and thinking at each moment, and to help me remember stuff I may have forgotten.

If people care for my thoughts, I'd be so honored that you'll want to look into my 60 blog posts so far. That will give me the added boost to keep writing and remembering.

I've also got other blogs and loads of projects I wish to accomplish. By the Grace of God, I'll have the continuing creativity to do all that.

It's really good to say goodbye to the past and to greet 2019 with a new heart, a new resolve, a new form of creativity, and a more open mind.

May all of you achieve and enjoy all your heart's desire for yourself and your families.

Here's wishing all of you a magnificent 2019!

Updated 21 January 2022

The Secret to True Communications

It has been and will forever be.

The secret to true communications is "listening".

Take that further and we can say the priceless secret to true communications is "listening with the heart".

Listen with your whole being.

You can tell if people are just tolerating you when they sort of listen but they're not really interested in what you're sharing. They're more intent on speaking or don't really get what you're all about. And possibly, it doesn't matter much to them.

And oftentimes, those who really have a lot to say don't get listened to, only because they're basically quiet, non-invasive, highly-sensitive, and shy.

That's why a lot of people end up in the nut house. These are the forgotten people. They never get to share their wisdom -- drowned in all the world's cacophony.

People don't listen to them, make fun of them, think they're weird, think they're crazy, think they're of no value, just have them along for the ride, and even ridicule them.

But there's a very strong possibility these "forgotten people" may make more sense than we seemingly-normal people do.

Of course, they can't tell us anything anymore because they've gone off the far edge from our neglect and ridicule. This profound and touching movie I saw a few days ago will show you a very good example.

I honestly believe EVERYONE's an interesting person for we are all children of God. And if I had the time and space in the world, I'd listen to ALL of you. Maybe I can still do that. I'd listen to your stories, to what made you who you are, to everything you had to go through, your joys and your pain. I'd listen to your dreams. I'd make it easy for you. Because no one made it easy for me, but I can do it for you. I have it in my heart to do so. That's my dream and my reality. It's my mission. By the Grace of God, I will be able to pull it off.

It takes great heart and sensitivity to be able to "detect" what people truly need. It takes all the listening with our hearts that we can muster. If we can do that, we'd all learn a lot from each other and all our lives will be transformed beautifully.

Interestingly, there's that word "detect" in "detective". Like a good sleuth, you have to find out what people really need or want by listening to them. Oftentimes, the key is in what they're not saying. Coax them to verbalize it.

That's how we can communicate better. Let's listen with our whole being to who people are, what they are, what they have to say. 

I've even trained myself to listen to those who cannot speak. I live and breathe it every single day. They test our love, care, attention, and compassion.

The eyes speak much. So do the hands, the face, the voice, the smile, the inflection, the tone, the person's whole countenance, the things they do, and the things they don't do.

Everything actually speaks for you before you even open your mouth.

The only question, has been, have we been listening?

Do we know the message behind the words, the laughter, the tears, the joys, the sorrows, and all that sharing?

Do we listen with our heart?

Do we listen with our whole being?

Do we listen with the God in us?

You will love all the things you will learn just by listening that way.

And your life will be forever changed because you made time and realized what  mattered most. You will be grateful for everything.

Make time to listen to others now and really listen with your whole heart now.

You don't need a stethoscope.

Updated 21 January 2022

The Soul of an Enlightened Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs live in the idea zone.

But Spirit-filled entrepreneurs, the caring ones, live in the vision zone.

They envision something that would help themselves and everyone on the most precise level.

They will shun many projects, offers, and ideas if these don't truly help people, even at the risk of having to personally live super minimally till they get a project they believe in, going.

They will not work with people who merely wish to aggrandize themselves.

That's not the whole objective of their work, you see. Thus, many people think enlightened entrepreneurs are deluded beings with no sense of reality, but of course, how very off-base they are.

Such entrepreneurs will not create products and services that will make people addicted to it. That's what makes them an endangered species in this world of ours.

Enlightened entrepreneurs are not interested in making a fast buck for that's pretty easy and yet can be soul-less.

Sure, they may sell everything they own in pursuing their vision.

As they say, they will sell everything except themselves, their families, their friends, and their community.

That's tantamount to saying, they will not sell people so they can reach their objectives.

That's why it takes a clear vision, a magnanimous heart, and precise planning to get work done.

He will work with what he has, who he is, what God fires him up to do so -- and will only create stuff with real value.

There will be no empty promises for that will not fill his heart and help others.

It's the hardest thing to do, of course, for the world style goes totally against his own style of working.

But that's what real entrepreneurs are for -- to think independently of others.

That's his personal DNA.

He's cut out for the toughest job of finding or creating that which will be of real value to people. His search will be relentless.

He values your hard-earned money, for he, too, works hard to earn that dollar, even as you think he's a careless nut.

The enlightened entrepreneur can't really sell you useless stuff. That won't reflect all that praying, meditating, visualizing, thinking, sweat, and the God in his heart that powers him so.

Not to mention his boatloads of "experiments" to get things done as he carves a path for himself. Every experiment leads him closer to his ultimate dream or project.

He follows every conceivable thread God puts upon his path. He may work solo but it's not really so.

The enlightened entrepreneur is patient, persevering, tenacious, creative, kind, energetic, dynamic, imaginative, awake, and aware.

The man's got "soul".

Entrepreneurs usually work for themselves because they work and think fast, plus, they don't have the time to listen to a bored...I mean highly-paid board of directors. 

The best minds in art, business, science, and technology know all about ideas that come from God, so they must pay attention. 

Thomas Alva Edison was reputed to have a ball in each hand as he sat on a chair and napped (for he napped often) and if he came awake, the two balls would fall on metal pie plates positioned right below those creative hands. I haven't really heard if they accidentally fell on his foot. Now, that would really jolt the dude awake.

The idea being he'd remember what that dream or idea was.

We're now full of light bulbs because of him. He turned on the physical light for us and that made us work longer than we're already working but entrepreneurs don't mind. We have a built-in Energizer battery -- we just keep going.

Expect real entrepreneurs to be quirky, crazy, lost in their own wonderful, dynamic world of creativity and magnificent imagination. A lot of them see what we don't see, that's why we call them crazy. Still, they remain at it, oblivious to all naysayers and criticisms.

That's really how they test the strength and validity of their own vision anyway -- if their faith holds despite the clamor they do something more "normal".

Translated?

Normal is boring for true entrepreneurs. It goes totally against the core of their being. They don't mind your calling them all the delightful words in your cuss vocabulary. They have a mission to do and that day is now.

Sometimes, they forget to live in the real world where people have to sleep, eat, and be nice.

They're usually off in their art and science world, communicating with God (if they're the genuinely caring and prayerful ones), or talking to themselves as they work out all the variables of an idea.

Not all are like that, of course, but they do get off course from the human mainstream.

They're like frogs you will not be able to pin on a board and dissect for they don't like being pinned to a board and getting dissected. They love their freedom to think and be.

Entrepreneurs are a crazy, imaginative, hardworking lot who can create non-stop.

The only difference with the usual entrepreneur and an enlightened one is that the latter ALWAYS creates with heart and awareness. He's got so much faith in God that he will NEVER ever knowingly create products and services that will make people addicted to those. All for what? Repeat sales and ROI? 

Nah, he's not that unimaginative.

The dude's got heart.

With God in it.

All the time.

21 January 2022