Life is Journey - Abundant Grace Church Sparta, TN

# 5 - Our First Word

10/15/2019

Communication is the key to our lives. Without the spoken word we have trouble communicating with others. All parents work diligently to get their small child to speak. They will stand for hours over the child saying dada, mama, or etc. So this makes me wonder, is our first word more important to us or to our parents? Could it be that it is more important at that moment than in any other time in our life? Have you ever given this much thought? A parent can not wait for their child to begin talking but strange that by age 3 they want them to hush.

Communication is the key for the born again believer also. Unlike a small child in the natural, the first word is not just any word but is the actual Word of God spoken through them. Theirs is the Rhema (spoken) word of God, and the Logos (written) word of God that comes to them that will be the beginning of a communication that will last forever. The difference between the natural and the spirit is that God never tires of His children asking questions or just repeating back what they have heard.

Just as a natural parent can not wait for the child to begin to speak, our Heavenly Father can not wait for the born again believer to speak to Him in prayer and call him Abba (daddy) Father. The Word of God says we will speak with new tongues, with stammering lips and as the Spirit gives the utterance (ability to speak). Just like the new born baby will speak the language of their birth parents so the born again believer has the ability to speak the language of their Heavenly Father.

The old saying we were taught as a child that says "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me" is a lie from the pit of hell. Sure sticks and stone can break bones but the breaks will heal. Words can kill the soul of a child, can damage their self image, can prevent them from ever walking in victory. All of us from the youngest to the oldest should remember that our first "Word" to someone needs to bring life and not death, blessing not cursing, hope not despair to the person we are speaking too even if we are only talking to ourselves.

# 8 - Time Out / Detour

10/15/2019

Just as our journey in this life some times causes us to have to take a time out or a detour along the way, so did I from this blog. I thought when I started this that I would be able to write at least one a week but for what every reason I have not. Just like a child who has misbehaved or been out right disobedient and has to be put into time out so that they can examine their actions and deeds or their attitudes we as born again children of God have to take a time out or maybe the better word would be Selah that the Bible uses. We all need to pause from time to time to evaluate where we are in our fellowship with our Lord and Savior along with our fellow man.

Have you noticed that all children are different? What works with one may not work with another one even if both children have the same parents. You may be able to sit one in a chair for 10 minutes and see the immediate change in attitude or you may only have a defiant attitude from another one. Aren't you glad that God knows the best way to handle His children when they need to be corrected or encouraged. Most of the time His children think because He is correcting them that they have done something wrong, but just like the steering wheel on your car has to be corrected as you drive to keep you from being in a bad wreck or minor accident God has to correct us to prevent us from making a detour in our life that could lead to disaster.

God once told me that even though I chose to take a detour off the path He had laid out before me now that I was back on that path He would use all the mud holes and rough holes along that detour to minister to people who would not have listen to me if I had not taken the detour. You see now I had walked a mile in their shoes and could have more compassion and mercy for them. The detour was not His desire or His plan for my life but He will now use what the enemy meant for harm to His good.

Please take a time out before detouring from the path that you know God has set you on. I was blessed to have a second chance. If you choose to detour you might not escape the snare of the enemy on your detour and could end up in a place of no return.

# 7 - Dirty Diapers

10/15/2019

Dirty Diapers is something you have to expect with a new born infant. They are normally runny and stinky. Have you ever watched a new mom especially one who is young? She will let her mom or someone else change the diaper if she can because it is messy and it makes her want to throw up. Some formulas or food makes the messy diaper smell worst and can make it like liquid which runs down the legs which makes a mess out of everything it comes in contact with. The one thing parents learn very quick is that the baby does not have just one dirty diaper but many and for at least two years before there will even be a hint of not having to change those diapers anymore. Once a child is potty trained the parent will still have to clean their little bottoms until they can learn how to do it for themselves.

Why then do we as born again believers expect our new born believers to know how to change their own diapers and to clean up their own dirty diapers without help? They are just like the infant they will eat things that will cause them to smell bad and their mess will contaminate everything it touches. We as spiritual parents, brother and sisters to the new believer must help to clean the mess off them even though we want to gag our insides outs.

Thank God that no baby (in the natural or in the spirit) is ever thrown away or disowned due to messing in their diaper. Begin to help change the diapers even if you have to wear gloves and put a clothes pin on your nose. Sow seeds of forgiveness, mercy, grace and long suffering into someones life. Don't forget the powder and the oil so the child smells good.

# 6 - Our First Steps

10/15/2019

Before we can take our first step as a child, we must first learn to sit up, pull up, crawl and then we begin to stand with the help of others. We must build muscle and learn how to balance before we are successful to take our first step alone. We take many steps with the assistance of our parents or others before being able to walk on our own. Have you ever noticed that when a child begins to walk we normally try to coax them to walk with a toy or something to get them to come to us? All parents are excited when their child takes it first step but they have to watch it fall down many times before that happens and experience pain from the falls. Once the child does learn to walk on it's own it will not be long before the child is running and leaping. An old saying I grew up with was "As a child they want on your feet. As an adult they walk on your heart".

Now let's talk about a new born believer first step. Just as a child they do not know how to walk to begin with and they have to learn with the help of spiritual parents or others. There are many different scriptures that talk about walking and we will mention some you are familiar with . Ps 23 says "Yeah though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil". Just like a child we must take it one step at a time and remember that He will never leave us or forsake us so there is no reason to fear or to stay in the valley of death. The Word says that the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. Just like our parents who guided our steps when we were learning to walk so will the Holy Spirit lead and guide our steps if we will only allow Him too.

There is a song that I love that says "Lord I can't even walk without you holding my hand". Then it goes on to say "down on my knees that where I learned to stand". If we want to walk in victory during this life then we must learn how to stand and we do that by reading the Word and by prayer. Another song I like says "I am going to walk right out of this valley lift my hands and praise the Lord. The FIRST STEP to do that is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10: 9-10, 13 tells us (paraphrase). If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for your sins, after 3 days rose from the grave and is seated at the right hand of God then you shall be saved. Thanks to all of you who have take the FIRST STEP now pray for others to take their first step. Don't forget to confess to someone that you have accepted Jesus as your savior.

# 3 - Our First Food

10/15/2019

We've discussed the first days of our life both natural and spiritual. Now we must begin to grow up. The first year is an exciting time because the babe learns all sorts of things and experiences many firsts holding it's own bottle, rolling over, crawling, sitting up, walking, solid food, and even baths and haircuts. Let's talk for a very minutes about the eating habits of a new born. A baby starts out on milk. A new born again believer starts on the milk of the Word.

Have you ever been giving a baby a bottle and they start spitting it back out or maybe it sours on its stomach which is spit up all over you. Did you try to feed it too fast or too much? Did you have to change the type of milk you gave it or even maybe have to put some syrup in it? That can also happen to a new born again believer. They have to begin to be fed the Word of God and if the spiritual parents are too eager for the babe to grow then they will end up with sour milk being spit up all over them. You see most people are not aware that the comparison between the life of a natural baby and a new born again believer is a must.

A baby starts on milk but must soon have cereal and baby food added to their diet. If they continued on milk only they will not grow properly. It's the same with a new born again believer. They can not stay on the milk of the Word forever. Let's look at a natural truth for a moment. When you go to the grocery store to buy milk what is the one thing we look for first? I know at least most of you said "The Date". Yes we look at the date because we do not want to buy milk that is ruined or will sour in a day. Well have you ever wondered why some believers are so hateful, sad or sour? That's right they have been on the milk of the Word to long. They do not even know what solid food taste like. It like seeing a 50 year old with a baby bottle in their mouth.

It seems like some babies in the natural can never seem to get their little belly full. They whimper or cry all the time. They are not getting enough nourishment from their bottle. I remember when my granddaughter was born she nursed constantly and cried all the time. They came to visit and I told my daughter that child is hungry. She said according to the doctor and the books she had read she was too young to eat cereal or baby food. I went to the store and got her some cereal anyway. I will never forget how she smiled and giggled when I put the first bite into her mouth. She was hungry and when her body received the food she stopped crying. We have a special bond and I know it's because I gave her the first bite of solid food.

Please consider that we have many new born again believers in our midst who do not know how to feed themselves or even what type of food they need to eat. Remember a baby has to have the bottle held for them until they have strength to hold it for themselves. Are you willing to help feed a new born?

# 2 - First Days of our Journey

10/15/2019

As a baby we are taken home by our parents who care for us. Changes our diapers. Feeds us. Sits up with us when we are cranky or sick. We are not able to help our selves because we are just a baby. Just like when we are born again, we need parents in the Spirit to take care of us. We need some one to change our diapers when we make a mess. Sometimes the mess in the diaper will cause even the parents to up chuck due to the smell. The Word of God says that those of us who are spiritual are to restore those that are taken in a fault. Hence the dirty diaper.

It may happen, but thank God, I have never seen or heard of it happening but no one throws the baby away with the bath water or kicks it out because it has a dirty diaper. Then tell me, if you can, why is it that we do not care for the born again believer like we would a natural baby? We do throw them out and do not even try to clean them up. We might get the stench on us. We soon forget what it was like when we were a new born believer and we lose sight of the grace and mercy that was shown to us. Just like a natural baby will not remember all the times it lay with a wet or messes diaper just waiting for someone to clean them up.

It will take a new born baby months to get to the place that it can sit alone, then roll over, crawl and even a year or longer to walk. Then why do we expect a born again believer to know all things and to act like a grown mature person in the Lord who has been serving God for years within a week or a month.

The question is not whether we will ever outgrow the diaper stage but whether we will have parents whether in the natural or in the Spirit that will potting train us and teach us how to wear pull up pants and how to clean ourselves. Then the question becomes are you the baby needing someone to clean you up or why are you not being a parent who is doing the potting training? Only you know where you fit in the picture I have just painted above.

# 1 - The Beginning

10/15/2019

Where does life begin? When we are born naturally or did it begin before? God created us in His image. He is spirit so we are a spirit who has a soul (our mind, will and emotions) and we live in a fleshly body.
There are so many who say that life does not begin until a baby is actually born. I ask you, does the baby have a heart beat, does it move and kick while it is still in the womb? I call that life how about you?

I guess that one reason this is so dear to me is that I could have been one of those babies that could have been aborted. You see my journey in this life began in the womb of a 17 year girl who may or may not have been married to the man you planted the seed of life into her that caused a baby girl to be born. This young girl chose to give me natural life and to then physically give me to a couple that would raise me as their own daughter.

I would like to discuss another birth that takes place and you may be 6, 16, 36, or 60 when that birth takes place or any age. The birth I am speaking of is the spiritual birth or the "born again" experience it is called today. A man once was as confused as some are today about this born again experience because he asked Jesus how can a man (or woman) when he is old enter into his mothers womb and be born? He can't. Jesus was not talking the natural birth of a baby but the spiritual rebirth of a person's spirit (the inner man in all of us)

The Word of God tells us we must be born of the water and of the spirit. I suggest to you this is the natural birth into this world and the born again experience. You see a baby is surrounded by water in the mother's womb before it entered into the earth's atmosphere and to be born again you must first be a human who has a spirit and soul. Angels can not be born again. Animals can not be born again.

So we begin our journey in this life as a natural baby and continue on this journey all of our lives. The journey may be on a path of beautiful flowers with all the wonders of life at our beck and call or it may be full of pot holes and disappointments but it will be our attitude that will cause us to either fail or overcome victorious in this life.

Until our next glimpse of our journey.

# 4 - Our First Touch

10/15/2019

Our first touch in the natural would have been most likely the hands of the doctor or nurse who helped to deliver us. We can not recall that touch in our conscious mind but I wonder if those hands were gentle or harsh and if they might have left an impression in our subconscious mind. Just like when we are born again, who administrator the first touch we felt. Was it from love, out of fear, full of condemnation or guilt? Did that first touch leave a lingering effect that would affect us for the rest of our lives?

A new born baby needs to be touched often. Have you ever noticed some new mothers with their first child and it seems all the baby does is cry? It is because the touch they feel is fully of fear not one of security. A new born must feel secure in the arms of the person holding them. Just like a new born again believer must feel secure in the love of God. If a new baby does not receive the proper nurturing from it mother / father then that baby will not develop a sense of love or security and could produce lasting affects.

Some new mothers are filled with condemnation and guilt due to the circumstances surrounding the birth of their child and therefore do not give their child love but rejection or condemnation. Just like some Christians are so filled with condemnation and guilt that once a new born again believer comes along all they know to do is condemn every move they make instead of loving and nurturing them until they can begin to grow and mature.

So remember touch is important. There is a time and season for all kinds of touch but the first and most important touch must always be LOVE. There will be time for discipline when the baby becomes a child but then it must still be based in LOVE or you will abuse the child. Remember LOVE covers a multitude of sins so handle the new born believer with LOVE to allow them to grow and become a child then they will be able to handle the discipline that comes with serving God.

The Word says to train up a child in the way it should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. (paraphrase) Most thinks this means to train them to go to church but this is in all things. If you child grows up in a home full of Love with healthy touching then they will treat their children the same way. If a child grows up feeling secure in the Love of his parents and family then he will be secure in all areas of his life. I choose to only deal with the positive here but you should realize that if the touch you are giving to either the new baby or the new believer is not one of LOVE then there will be consequences to your actions and deeds in your life and in theirs.

Remember that the Word says: Perfect (mature) love cast out all fear. God did not give us a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind.