a few words on Guilt

Last night the topic of guilt came up in our bible study. Immediately my mind took me back to the days when guilt and shame were my shackles of choice. Guilt was a familiar feeling that I believed I had to live with.

You see, I carried the guilt of my friend's hopelessness with me that led her to suicide. I held myself responsible for my grandfather's death. I accused my lack of faith, wrong decisions and attitude for the straying away of a loved one. The shame of my past bound me. I understood that God had forgiven me, but I could not forget myself.

That is till a friend spoke words of truth into my life. In short she said, "Raquel, your grandfather died because that's the hour the Lord chose to take Him. Do you really think that you are greater than God? Or that you determine life and death? Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! These words shook me and took me for a ride. Not only was my grandfather's death flashed before me, but every guilt and every shame that had crippled me.

I had a questions to deal with in light of the truth my friend had spoken:
Was I assuming to be greater than God by not forgiving myself? Would I continue believing the lie that I was responsible and accountable for what God had willed and permitted? That night began a process of God replacing truth for lies, a deep healing, and setting me free. His grace was so gentle and sweet.

For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 1 John 3:20

Dear Friend, has guilt made your heart its home? Is your mind clouded with shameful memories? Is your faith crippled? Have you made yourself responsible for choices God has made or the choices others have taken? Are you holding yourself accountable for actions or events that the Lord has forgiven you for? Do you find it difficult to forgive your self and move forward?
God is greater than your sin.
God is greater than your shortcomings.
God is greater than your mistakes.
God is greater than your failures.
God is greater than you.
God is greater than your heart.
God is greater than your memories.
God is greater than your ability to forgive and forget.
God is Great.

Allow today for the grace of God to shatter the shackles of guilt and deliver you from the shame that condemns you. God is love, and it is His perfect love that will perfect you. It's a process, be patient with Him as He replaces lies with truth, heals you, and sets you free.

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. 1 John 4:17-18

But love covers all sins. Proverbs 10:12

Addiction

Good Saturday to you!
I was so blessed and encouraged to read Francine Rivers' blog post this morning and without hesitation I am sharing it with you. May the Lord speak both wisdom and comfort to you. May He bless you abundantly.

Addiction
By Francine Rivers
Www.francinerivera.com

Upon our return from the Panama Cruise, Rick and I learned someone we love dearly had disappeared. We knew what that meant and our hearts sank. Some knew where he was out there in the night going through his own private hell. All we could do was wait and pray and hope the turn-around would come quickly and he wouldn’t die this time.

I’ve been told by recovering alcoholics that it’s the first drink that kills you. An alcoholic doesn’t start back at the beginning. An alcoholic starts where he/she left off and accelerates. Think of being on a slide. If you stop partway down and stop yourself, you’re still there. Lift your hands and down you go. Without the strength of God working in a person, giving up the things that kill us is impossible. To sum up the 12 step program: I can’t, God can, I think I’ll let Him.

Years back, I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t pay close attention to the dirty, disheveled man holding a sign at the entrance to the freeway. Now, I look for them. I make eye contact. Sometimes I have enough time (before the car behind me is honking) to hand them a bottle of water or a Christmas box.

Why do I see them now? I’ve experienced the anguish of wondering where my loved one is and whether I’ll ever see that person again this side of heaven. I’ve heard the stories of what people go through out there, drunk and alone, looking at a dumpster as a possible warm, dry place to sleep for the night.

Jesus said the poor are always among us. And so they are. Poor in ways beyond not having money.

I try not to worry, but some in my family say I have a worry gene and so it is a miserable default pattern in my life to fall back into it. I have a good imagination. That’s a blessing when I’m writing a story. It’s a curse when I’m imagining all the things that could be happening to someone I love who is out there on the mean streets, homeless, hurting and too ashamed to call for help. Every time the phone rang, my heart jumped. Night time calls always seem to bring bad news.

We are at war. In Iraq and Afghanistan. We’re also in a war here at home, and this war has countless fronts.

What do I do? I pray through my long list of friends who are going through the same thing I am right now. I pray for the many I know who are struggling with addictions; drugs, alcohol, computer games, pornography, food, work. Our nation breeds addiction. Sometimes I lay awake and go through the lines of David’s Psalm 23 or make an alphabetical list of the attributes of God.

And that’s what brings peace in the midst of the storm. Knowing God, remembering how deep and wide and high His love is for each of His children. Knowing Jesus lived out 33 years as a man who faced and overcame every temptation and now stands as our advocate before His Almighty Father who longs for us to return to Him.

Wherever my loved one is, God is there, too, waiting for surrender, ready to lift and restore. God loves my loved one far more than I do. God has a plan in all this and it isn’t to tear us to pieces, but to build us up, to give us a future and a hope.

I may not like the pain that comes with waiting, but it’s in the waiting that my faith grows.

Lyrical Friday - Conquering Lion

Happy Friday! 
I am posting very early today because one of my best friends is getting married later today. I am so excited. Maybe I'll have her share her "love" story on the blog. Anywho, unto lyrical business. 
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Today's post, Conquering Lion, is one that is sure to get you kneeling and praying. The Lord has gently convicted me of my approach to unbelieving family, friends and strangers. As you read last week in Tear Down The Walls, God revealed to me that in pointing out someone's sin, I was not winning them over to the Lord but rather kicking a dead horse. He has taught me that love covers a multitude of sin and that if I am surely to win anyone over to Christ it will be by the power of the Holy Spirit's love. 
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This week, through the lyrics of this song and through a short passage in 1 Kings I want to to encourage you to pray for those in your life who do not know Jesus personally and intimately. 
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Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! 1 Kings 17:17, 19, 21-22

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Dear Friends, may we be men and women who are prayer warriors as Elijah was. May we lay down our lives in prayer, standing in the gap for those who do not know the saving power and mighty grace of God. Through our prayers, immense strongholds and the strongest of chains can be broken. May our prayers be the fuel that revives these dead lives, may our prayers be heard by the Conquering Lion who can break any and every chain. 


Conquering Lion, Dominic Balli 



Bound up I saw him drowning today
He never look or even question
Is the burden of his free choice death
Cuz he can’t see and he can’t touch his chains
Well the Bible says to whom that you obey
To this one you become it’s slave, child
Either of sin leading to death or of
obedience leading to righteousness
Do those shackles bring freedom?

Chorus:
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain
Shall break every chain

Another day another time and I will break it then
My life, it’s my choice, I’ll choose how and when
But on the other side a battle cry
A fight for life and a life worth fighting for
Triumph’s loss if you never take it home
Victory is vain unless you claim your gold
One life to live you’ve got it one life to give
And when your freedom’s in the balance will you stand or fold?

Mind captive can you feel it pressing harder
Freedom born with now stolen by sin
Bound by your disbelief the fear enlarges
Conscience dead to what true love is
Liberty and justice, surety and fullness
America’s dream has not brought much contentment
Equality from within, prosperity and freedom
Is it just a figment of our imagination?
Or are we living free?

Lyrical Friday - Break Every Chain

photo by Bloncorded

Happy Friday! 
I have a friend that when she prays, she always prays, "there is power in the name of Jesus." I love that at times, that is all she can mutter out. Sometimes that is all we need to know, acknowledge and pray.

There is tremendous power in the name of Jesus.
For only Jesus has overcome this world, overcoming death itself to set you free- He can surely break every chain. He can break any chain and every chain that is holding you captive:
Disordered Eating
Cutting
Depression
Drugs
Alcohol
Gambling
Debt
Fornication
Jealousy
Idolatry
Self Worship
Pride
Malice
Wrath
Legalism
Forgiveness
Wrong self image
Sexual Immorality/Addiction
you name it _____________. Whatever the chain may be, no matter how strong or inconspicuous, our Lord Jesus can break that chain and set you free.

Meditate on the powerful lyrics of this song and surrender to the One who can break any bondage in your life. Cry out to Jesus, ask Him to break every chain. He has a glorious plan for your life and no power on the earth can shut that door. Why wait any longer? Enter into the freedom and life that you were created to live.
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Therefore if Jesus sets you free, you shall be free indeed. 

John 8:36

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Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces. For He has broken the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two. 
Psalm 107:13-14,16
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A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. Psalm 68:5-6
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I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name. Isaiah 45:2-3-
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Break Every Chain, Jesus Culture



There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
To break every chain
To break every chain
To break every chain

All sufficient sacrifice
So freely given
Such a price bought
Our redemption
Heaven’s gates swing wide

There’s an army rising up
There’s an army rising up
There’s an army rising up
There’s an army rising up
To break every chain
To break every chain
To break every chain (4x)
There’s power in the Name of Jesus