The Root of the Issue

Matthew 3:10

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

A while ago I revisited the need to deal with the root of issues. So often we focus on the fruit. If we were to pick a tree bare the fruit would eventually just grow right back. Mark Chironna use to deal with roots of issues in his early ministry...I had never seen anyone administer deliverance like that. I am sure there were others but his was televised. I am sure that alot of the attacks and temptations that flooded him were all attempts to stop him...excuse me while I trail off...a relative and I were talking about prayer and declarations and I said if we pay attention to the strategies of our enemies we can learn the key to their defeat. When the devil wants to stop you he normally doesn't just hit you with one blow. Its blow after blow until you tap out. Tired and beat up we still have to keep fighting...to keep praying...to keep prophesying and declaring. It is hard to fight wounded but that is the time we need to fight the most.....Back to the root. A ministry that I watch talked about dealing with the root and I was reminded of Mark Chironna. I was also reminded of a time when I reflected on the root of some of my issues. One was my relationship with money. As I thought back I remembered some things from my childhood one was my cussing grandfather (lol) always saying "It's money's mammy around this son __ __ ______." He was from the south with a dirty mouth but still a decent person. What he was saying was there is always something to take your money. I can't count the times I heard that. It impacted the way I thought without me knowing it. I also remembered my glass piggy bank. I had a glass piggy bank when I was growing up that I loved loved loved loved. I got to the point that when the doorbell rang I would take it out and make the people at the door pay a toll for entry (lol). They thought it was cute so soon they brought me dollars instead of change. One day I was showing it off to my cousin and it dropped and shattered. When I told my mom she scolded me and took the money. I think the incedent with the piggy bank affected the relationship that I have with money the most. I know that one day I will be entrusted to steward over alot so it is imperative that I receive deliverance in this area. I have been making declarations about my finances, while writing this I came to the conclusion that I need to add declarations about stewardship of my finances and began praying and studying scriptures about it well. Last night I went to walmart and I saw a piggy bank that was a stuffed animal and I felt it was symbolic of what is going on in that area.

Its super cute!

Good News

I made the decision some months ago to start what I call a "spiritual feast". I pick out  a group of scriptures and read the same scriptures daily for a month or 21 days. I decided to do this because it was like I was being bombarded by the wrong things. I made a conscious effort to feed and strengthen myself with the Word of God. At the end, the scriptures I have been studying will become my foundation. Scriptures that I meditate on daily and pull from when needed. My cousin and I began talking about the effects of removing prayer from school and how you can get reprimanded  or worse if you discuss God on the job. What it has done is make it uncommon to talk about God in certain environments. I remember when God was a common part of conversation. It quickened you...it made you think of God more often. It kept the fire burning. Today while waiting for someone to come out of the store I used the time to listen to the scriptures I was meditating on today and I noticed that after a while the people in the car next to me turned from the station they had been listening to, to a station playing Christian music. Now there is therefore now no condemnation because I listen to secular music too (not bragging about it, just being honest and transparent) but I have to take a moment to reflect and remember that we have the power to change our environment. I am going to begin to share the love of God again until it is common place.


*Update* I felt the need to share the scriptures that I am studying and meditating on. Although I really like a few of them they are not my favorite scriptures per se....one of the chapters I am reading is Hebrews 11 which talks about faith...that in itself is good. I really like the part about "Women receiving their dead to life again" and I also really love Psalm 24 which flows like a melody...I have sung it more than once. I am going off on a tangent so I will share this and real it back in but my favorite scriptures are: "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15 and "I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me" Phillipians 4:13. I have them both on the wall in my front room...they are called wall stickers you can order them online; you just have to peel and stick.


Here are the chapters of scripture I am "feasting" on: Hebrews Chpt. 11, Joel Chpt. 2, Psalm 91, Isaiah 61, Isaiah 40, Jeremiah 29, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 34, Ephesians 6, Romans 8, Psalm 103, Matthew 5, Psalm 18.
The first month I choose 4 chapters of scriptures and read or listened to them each 3x per day. If you decide to feast on scripture pray and ask God for direction. I am sharing what I did as an example only.

Oh yeah! The Good News today and everyday is God Loves you and so do I! Be Blessed.

Lovely

A friend and I were talking a couple of weeks ago and we began to talk about staying hopeful and optimistic. She told me that she keeps a journal and wrote down something good that happened to her everyday. Later I was reminded about a class we had taken together and the class started out each time with something called "New and Good". It always positively shifted the atmosphere because no matter what you had been through that day or that week there was always good. My friend had implemented that lesson learned in her life and it was inspiring. As we talked further I thought on a  play we had gone to see together earlier that day and I told her about how while getting ready I needed a purse that matched my outfit...I had a purse that would match but I had not seen it in months and the start of the play was drawing near. Suddenly, where I should look came to mind and when I looked there it was; I exclaimed "Jesus, you are so good to me" and when I did, it quickened something in me. The same day of our conversation I began to journal the good that had happened each day. I start each entry out with "Jesus, you are so good to me". The saying has become cliche but it is yet true..."God is good all the time and all the time God is good". We only have to take a moment to think about it...the good is always there and I am not talking about "I woke up this morning, clothed in my right mind" although those things are very good because some didn't; but there is always more if we but look and acknowlege. I love you with the love of Christ Jesus.




Phillipians 4:8
 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.