Freedom of Speech

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

This is the first amendment in the United States Constitution. Please, take notice to the part about freedom of speech. We all have the right to say what we feel. It's constitutionally acceptable. As long as we're not discriminating, we can even hurt people with our words; and it's perfectly acceptable.

Matthew 12:36 "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken."

James 1:19 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath"

Psalm 34:13 "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile."

This is what the bible says about our speech. Yes, we have freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean we won't answer for what we say. As Americans, say what you want, say how you feel, say what you think. As Christians, we are required to watch what we say. 

We are held to a higher standard. We are separate from this world. We were not created to slander each other, but to love each other, as Christ loved us. If I served a god who would slander me instead of encourage me, I would have a world of things to say to people. But my god, Jesus Christ, He is a god of encouragement. A god of love. A god of second chances. Therefore, I don't say the first thing that comes to my mind. I don't want to hurt someone.

We say things out of anger, out of hurt feelings, out of ignorance...it happens. We're human. But we need to be aware of our words. I don't ever want someone to be able to say that I hurt their reputation. I do not want to be held responsible for creating an obstacle for someone else. I want to be the person building my brother/sister up, rather than tearing them down. I want to be an encouragement.

We all have freedom of speech. It's a privilege. It's what allows us to go up to a stranger and tell them about what Jesus has done for me. But some are a little too free with their speech.

Words hurt.

What people say, hurts.

And we're lying if we say otherwise.

Don't be the person who causes the pain.

Loans...

"We never own the people in our lives. They are on loan from God. We have them for a moment and then they are gone. But we can't be mad at God for the moments that we will miss. We need to thank Him for the moments we had with them."

What a profound statement. There are many people in my life who have left me whether by choice, or because God called them home. Either way, I don't ever want to blame God for "taking" them from me. Because they were never mine to begin with. He loaned them to me for a purpose. But ultimately their purpose was to fulfill His purpose. So I can only thank Him for letting me have them for a time.


Karen Kingsbury truly has a gift from God. She can write like no other. Her books are inspiring, her characters are incredible. Kristen introduced her books to me. We used to make fun of Kristen because she said that the characters, "spoke to her." But they do! I feel like I'm a part of those books. Like everything the Baxter family is feeling, I'm feeling. Like I'm a part of the family. This is one of her many inspiring quotes from her Redemption series. Check it out.

SILENCE

"To everything there is a season...a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." Eccl. 3:7

Lessons Learned

Over the past few weeks I've learned quite a few things....

1. People are going to take advantage of you. 

They will use you, abuse you, and think nothing of it. 

But you know what? 

God has a plan and purpose for everything under the sun. 

They way they treat me does not determine who I am, 

but the way I react determines who I am.

2.  Don't jump to conclusions.

Deal with the problem before it gets to big.

Or better yet...

Let God fight your battles, 

and just be still until He tells you to move.

3. My God heals. 

My mom had a doctors appointment yesterday, 

and the rare disease they diagnosed her with, is GONE. 

Praise Jesus!

4.  At some point in time, 

you will have to close a chapter of your life.

No one said it would be easy, but God is there.

Be patient, wait on the Lord, let Him direct your paths.

5. I'm not perfect. 

I make mistakes. 

I forget things. 

I lose things. 

I'm late. 

I'm rude. 

It happens. 

But I must not forget to try to be the best I can be. 

It may be impossible to be like God, but it isn't impossible to try. 

6. "Go with the flow." 

It isn't always easy, but it makes life easier.

7. God's timing is perfect. 

Sometimes, just when you think you've gotten through that one storm, 

it resurfaces. 

It's like an earthquake and the aftershocks that come. 

They can come weeks later. 

 But God has a time for everything. 

And He has a plan for my life. 

So, if what He gives me will mold me and shape me to be like Him, 

I'll take whatever He has for me. 

Because, "all things work together for good to them that love God."

...Lessons Learned

My God heals. What does yours do?

My God heals. 

All my life, I have heard that Jesus heals. 

He can heal cancer, diabetes, broken bones, even broken hearts. 

He gives power, strength, comfort, encouragement, and so much more. 

He can raise from the dead. 

He answers every prayer. 

All of these I've experienced. 

Except one.

I know my God, THE GOD, can perform miracles. 

I've seen it done all my life. 

He performed many, many financial miracles for my family. 

I've seen him save both of my parents lives. 

I've seen firsthand the miracles he can do, without a problem. 

But, I've never seen him heal.

Oh, I've heard the stories. 

"So-and-so walked for the first time in 20 years tonight." 

Or, "So-and-so was healed of his cancer at service last night." 

I've heard it, but never seen or experienced it. 

And I've prayed for it for many people, but it has yet to occur. 

Last September, the doctors found a brain tumor in my Dad. 

I prayed and prayed and prayed. 

I'm not sure I had ever been that prayed up. 

I asked for a miracle, I couldn't tell you how many times. 

But it didn't come. 

He had to have surgery to get it removed, 

and will be on shots and medications until God sees fit.

It made me question if God really could heal.

Last November was Josh and Kristen's accident.

That tore my world apart.

I thought God should have saved them.

What kind of God couldn't save them from a semi?

Do I really serve a God that can't do all he says he can?

I questioned his existence yet again.

 Now, my mom is in the hospital for the second time in 3 weeks. 

I prayed for a healing the first time, but it didn't happen. 

She still had surgery. 

And now, complications from the surgery may result in another surgery. 

But you know what? 

I still believe that my God can heal. 

My faith has been shaken enough over the last 

9 months for me to believe that God can't heal, 

that He doesn't exist, 

and it almost worked.

But scriptures say that God has sent us a comforter. 

And that comforter gives us peace that surpasses all understanding. 

I may not have ever experienced God as a healer, 

but I have experienced the peace He gives. 

That alone restores my faith in God every time I think he can't heal.

So today, as I drove to the hospital, again, to see my mom. 

I told God this, 

"I have not ever known you as a healer. 

But I know the peace that you can give. 

Therefore you can heal. 

So, God, make this the time that I come to know you as a healer. 

Because with all my heart, I believe."

Without a doubt, He is THE healer.

Revelation 20:10

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone...and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Justice. That's what this is. It encourages me to fight to the end because when everything is said and done, I will be victorious. The devil will have lost his fight and I'll be with my Saviour.

When life gets tough, and the devil has beaten you down, remember this verse. Let it speak to you. That no matter what we've been through...cancer, loss of job, death, tumors, even trivial things...no matter what we've been through, we have the victory over Satan. It's not that he won't win....it's that he CAN'T win. It's not possible.

What we are put through daily, is nothing compared to the pain and agony that will face Satan for all of eternity. To be straight with you, I'd rather go through death, tumors, sickness, lack of money, etc...than to be with Satan for all eternity. It's worth the fight, I promise. Because in the end, 

We Win.

What will you lay down?

Reality often hits us like a ton of bricks. We can't fathom what is happening, we just know it is. Tragedy can strike in minute and leave us utterly breathless and confused. Blaming God won't get us anywhere. Embracing God, now that will take us beyond anything we could possibly imagine. To lose people so young, kills us slowly. At least in our minds. We can't comprehend it, we weren't meant to. We were not created to understand or to experience death. But we do. Thank the Lord, that he can provide us with peace of mind, strength, and a higher purpose.

A higher purpose: Our Calling. That is something that we were created to do. Everybody's calling is to minister the Gospel. But each calling is different. Sometimes we have to leave everything we've ever know. Others will stay where they've always been. We all will grow, and we all will leave something, or someone, behind. But that doesn't mean we ever forget. We just continue on. We don't choose our calling. God chooses it for us. He then plants a desire in our heart to act on our calling and live our lives accordingly. Again, we won't always understand it, but God's ways are perfect.

We live our lives with the understanding that nothing can harm us, that God will always protect us. And then someone close to us is taken. What gives? We so often think that living for God means everything will always work out. We'll get the job, pay the bills, get the healing, survive the accident. But is just doesn't always happen that way. Lots of times we lose the job, we miss a payment, we get unsatisfactory test results, our friends don't make it. Where does that leave us? 

I once heard a very wise young man say this, "God isn't a genie in a bottle." Or something of that nature. He doesn't give us everything we ask. But that doesn't mean he doesn't hear us or answer our prayers. I don't understand why my dad had a tumor, I don't understand why my mom is sick, and I don't understand why Josh and Kristen didn't survive. But I understand this: God has a plan. He has a purpose. Everything will not always work out, it's not always supposed to. So while he won't grant my every prayer, he will hold my hand through every storm. Leading and guiding me through the unknown, so that one day, everything will make sense because I'll finally be with Him.

Don't ever underestimate God. Or his calling on your life. No matter what trial we face, we'll make it through if we follow him. God called Simon and Andrew to follow him. They dropped their livelihood for him. They laid their nets and followed him. 

What will you lay down?