1 Working together with Him, we strongly urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain [by turning away from sound doctrine and His merciful kindness].
2 For He says,
“At the acceptable time (the time of grace) I listened to you, and I helped you on the day of salvation.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—
3 we put no obstruction in anyone’s path, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but we commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: in great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in sleepless nights, in hunger,
6 in purity and sincerity, in knowledge and spiritual insight, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [like holding the sword to attack] and for the left [like holding the shield to defend],
8 amid glory and dishonor; by evil report and good report; branded as deceivers and yet [vindicated as] truthful;
9 as unknown [to the world], yet well-known [by God and His people]; as dying, yet we live; as punished, yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet bestowing riches on many; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.
This is a season of jumping back onto the potter’s wheel like clay and allowing me to redefine your shape and how you look. You have been one shape for a long time, but I am the master poster, and I want you to jump back onto my wheel. Where I want to break down the broken areas, mend the cracks of your life, and raise you and form you into my image. This reshaping comes with a fresh anointing and energy for the seasons ahead. My weary wonders find purpose in the new way I am guiding you.
But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8 (ESV)
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”
3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.
4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me.
6 He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.
When cold, hard places grip the land, My spring is possible.
My fire burns in the world and in you to bring the hope of change.
Because I am risen, death and defeat are not permanent.
The hungry will meet My love, for My home is there for those who are looking.
I am unstoppable.
A risen God and Lord knows your every need and has defeated defeat.
The risen God has the final word. ‘I will dance with you, my warrior people, on the wars of selfishness, death and inhumanity.’
Because I AM, I choose you to share all my risen power.
Because I am risen, I reign supreme and in control. Be risen with Me.
Sit at my feet.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand.
Colossians 3:1 NLT
My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
The Lord is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield; My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him.
Psalm 28:7 (AMP)
We wait [expectantly] for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
Psalm 33:20 (AMP)
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11 (AMP)
“As for God, His way is blameless and perfect; The word of the Lord is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge and trust in Him.
2 Samuel 22:31 (AMP)
6 in purity and sincerity, in knowledge and spiritual insight, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [like holding the sword to attack] and for the left [like holding the shield to defend],
8 amid glory and dishonor; by evil report and good report; branded as deceivers and yet [vindicated as] truthful;
2 Corinthians 6:6-8 (AMP)
Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
1 Why are the [a]nations in an [b]uproar [in turmoil against God], and why do the people devise a vain and hopeless plot?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand; and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed (the Davidic King, the Messiah, the Christ), saying,
3 “Let us break apart their [divine] bands [of restraint] and cast away their cords [of control] from us.”
4 He who sits [enthroned] in the heavens laughs [at their rebellion]; The [Sovereign][c]Lord scoffs at them [and in supreme contempt He mocks them].
5 Then He will speak to them in His [profound] anger and terrify them with His displeasure, saying,
6 “Yet as for Me, I have anointed and firmly installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
7 “I will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son; This day [I proclaim] I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will assuredly give [You] the nations as Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall shatter them [in pieces] like earthenware.’”
10 Now therefore, O kings, act wisely; be instructed and take warning, O leaders (judges, rulers) of the earth.
11 Worship the Lord and serve Him with reverence [with awe-inspired fear and submissive wonder]; Rejoice [yet do so] with trembling.
12 Kiss (pay respect to) the [d]Son, so that He does not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled and set aflame.
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] are all those who take refuge in Him!
Psalm 2:12 The word in the original is bar, taken to be the Aramaic for “son.” But it is surprising that an Aramaic word would be used here. The ancient rabbis maintained that a different word with the same spelling in Hebrew was intended, whose meaning is “pure.” They claimed that it is a reference to the Torah, on the ground that all the words in the Torah are pure.
A fortnight ago, I lost my grandad. He was almost 97 years old. It would have been his birthday on Thursday 16th December. Many condolences were received, but some thought it ok for the first thing to be said that he lived to a good age. That may be so but, it doesn’t replace the grief or mean you feel none because he has lived to a ripe old age. You still feel pain that a loved one has gone. This is especially if you spent the day with him before he died, albeit with him being in hospital. He was admitted in the hospital on Sunday and the worst was to be expected: the worst is expected every time someone is admitted to hospital and they are of a certain age. However, I can now say he has lived to a ripe old age, because time has passed; he is soon to be laid to rest.
The last I had seen him was at some point in 2020 or the early part of this year. It was the usual case that I would go with my sister to visit him, but we didn’t do it during the lockdown; or at least, I didn’t. The fact there was a lockdown I didn’t dare go, because I am considered vulnerable, as I have Sickle Cell Disease. I stayed confined to my home, because I was a little hesitant to go there, even when lockdown had lifted. However, I did go with my Mum, at some point towards the end of the year, to do a little cleaning. Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today. I am thankful that I wasn’t ill on the day before he died and was able to go and see him because if I was, I would have been feeling a lot differently right now. He died only a couple of hours after I left. He died minutes after midnight and I left after 21.00hrs; I had been at the hospital for the majority of the day.
Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today.
Thomas Jefferson, 1825
In preparation for his funeral, whilst assisting my Mum with creating the Eulogy, it is then I found out a bit more about the beginning of his life, and character. I even learnt a little more about my Grandmother. She died in 2012. It left me feeling hurt that I hadn’t asked him a bit more about his life. The last in-depth conversation I had with him was in 2019 and I had asked him quite a bit; in fact, I was quite pleased with the conversation, because it had been the first of its kind, where he had opened up to me. My Grandad was a quiet man, but apart from his ill health, there was so much more about him, which I regret not knowing. I would usually ask him about his later life but he wasn’t always very forthcoming. Things he said on the aforementioned visit in 2019, escape me right now, and I hope they return. I don’t know why I can’t remember things when I really want or need to…
This morning, I received a link to an article dating back to 2013, called What Does The Bible Say About The Cremation Of A Dead Body. It was very interesting, as I’ve always thought to myself that I wouldn’t want to be buried and take up space. I would no longer be there. My spirit would have vacated! What captured my attention the most was the importance of making the most of our time alive.
“By the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Genesis 3:19 (AMP)
We know not how long our time is on this earth but it should be our goal to touch as many lives as possible. This is the same whether you are a believer in God Most High, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, or not. If you do not have a belief, you should be aware that there is a life after death and there is a choice to be made.
We are to make the most of life. Everything we do should be done with purpose. If you are a Christian/Ambassador of Christ you should live with meaning.
Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) where you are going.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 (AMP)
Many think that living a life as a Follower of Christ is boring and that there is no excitement involved. However, there is much joy, excitement and pretty much the same as everyone else but we live a life that is guided, protected and focused on God Most High. We acknowledge the Maker of Heaven and Earth. We know and commune with the One Who threw the stars into space. He knows the beginning from the end and holds our very lives in His hands; whether or not you acknowledge it, doesn’t change a thing. Don’t get me wrong, there are changes to be made BUT you only have to turn yourselves to Him and He will do the rest. You become a new creature.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)
When you have turned your life around, have looked towards The Great I Am that I Am, YHWH or Jehovah, you will find there is a great work to do. It’s no longer about you, but it’s all about Him. Don’t get me wrong, we receive the things I mentioned before, and additionally abundance, prosperity, hope, peace, purpose and so much more (which is a bonus). However, there is so much that we have to do, as well as fulfilling our assignment, which I will touch on in another piece. Once our lives have been touched, we need to touch others; and spread the Good News. I’ve done my part, now it’s left to you.
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few.
Matthew 9:37 (AMP)
“Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 3:2 (AMP)
Prayer of Repentance
Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, I believe you are the Son of God Most High, that You died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to the Heavenly Father. I choose now to turn from my sins, my self-centeredness, and every part of my life that does not please You. I choose You. I give myself to You.Amen
If you have said the above from the depths of your heart, buy yourself a Bible and begin to attend a Bible believing Church. If you do not have a Church near you, there are many Church services that you can link to on YouTube or Facebook. It is also possible to access the Bible online via www.biblegateway.com, which is in an excess of 90 translations and a variety of versions. Another one is www.biblehub.com, which is roughly the same. You can either begin at the start, Book of Genesis, which opens your eyes to the creation of the world OR the Book of John, in the New Testament. The Book of John is approximately halfway into the hardcopy, the fourth book in of the New Testament. The Holy Bible is divided into the Old and New Testament and go hand in hand, telling you about before and after the Lord Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach). Happy reading!
As I previously said, I’ve done my part and spread the Good News. It’s now left to you.
Unapologetically Marcia 