Tag: Pure

~ Leap Ahead, Stay Ahead. ~

 Your Life is Important.

Who & What You 'Believe' will Determine 'How' You Live Your Life.

A while ago I was talking with someone who has been struggling with their Faith & Belief in God for well over 10 years.

I've known this person for quite a long time and I know that they have got a Deep Love for God & Jesus, but something is Blocking them, and they struggle to Believe 'God's Truth' and they fall for the 'worlds Lies'. 

While we were talking, they said, “It seems like Every time I take 'One Step Forward', something happens and I end up taking 'Two Steps Backwards”.

I asked God to Guide me with what was holding them back.

A few days later I was looking for a book to give as a gift to a Different person who also struggles with their Faith & Belief.
I was looking for a book with Daily Positive Inspirations that they could read Every Day to Guide them. I came across a book by a women who I had never heard of before. As I started reading, it seemed to be quite good, but then I read a sentence that 'Stopped me in my tracks'. 

It was describing How to Live Your Faith on a Daily basis, especially when you are New to Faith. The line that Stopped me was this:
“you should take Little Baby Steps of Faith”. 

It was like a 'Warning Alarm' went off Inside me. It felt like God was saying 'That's Wrong Teaching'. It was a Very Powerful Warning.

I remembered the conversation I had with the person who said “It seems like Every time I take 'One Step Forward', something happens and I end up taking 'Two Steps Backwards”. 

I felt God Guiding me “It's because they're taking 'Baby Steps of Faith”.

I remembered my own 'Journey of Faith' and how I had taken 'Far Too Long' before I made a 'Full Commitment' to Jesus.
I realised a Big reason for that was because I had taken 'Little Steps of Faith'. 
I've wrote this before but, “I wish I knew then what I know now”. 
I would have made my 'Full Commitment' a 'Lot Sooner'. 

I asked God to Guide me with how I can Help others so they don't 'Waste' their Lives away like I did 'following the world'. 

God Led me with this Wonderful Guidance, and it's relevant for Everyone, whether You're New to Faith or You've been Following Jesus all You're Life:

“If You're only taking 'Little Steps of Faith', 
then the devil can 'Run' passed You and 'Set Traps' to Trip You Up”. 

This Image came to me:
Imaging if You're walking along a Path in a Forest. If You're only taking 'Little Steps', then the devil can send 'his followers' to 'Run' Passed You, and without You even realising they will 'Dig Pits' for You to 'Fall In', they will put 'Boulders' in Your way to 'Slow You Down', and they will 'Set Traps' to 'Keep You Stuck'. 

That's what happens with people's 'Faith in God & Jesus' when they take 'Little Steps of Faith'. 

The person who I spoke to who said when they take “One Step Forward they end up taking Two Steps Backwards”, had 'Wrongly' been Taught at the Beginning of their 'Faith Journey' that 'It takes a Long Time to get rid of your Old ways when you Follow Jesus, and it's Hard to Change'. 

The Truth is, it takes 'As Long as You make it', because it's 'Your Choice'. 

That person though has had the Wrong 'Mindset' that it Takes a Long Time, and even though it's been Over 10 years, they haven't got out of that 'Mindset'. 

Jesus Never taught Anyone to take 'Little Steps of Faith'. He simply said 
“Follow Me”. The Disciples Didn't Waste Time. They Simply Followed Him. 

The Solution then is:

'Take the Biggest Leap of Faith You can Take Every Day'.

Don't Waste 'Your Life' with Little Piddly Steps.
Leap Ahead of the devil, and Stay Ahead.

If that seems like a lot of 'hard work', then I can Assure You, it's even 'Harder work' when You get Trapped by the devil.

I've been in the 'Traps', and I've also took 'Leaps of Faith'. 
It's a Lot Easier to take 'Leaps of Faith', and it's a Lot More Enjoyable.

The Bible says in (Hebrews  12:1),
 “Let us Run with Endurance and Active Persistence
the Race that is set before us”. 

It says 'Run'. It doesn't say take 'Little Steps'. 

The Only way a Runner can 'Win' a race is by 'Out Running' their opponent.
Nobody has ever 'Won' a Race by taking 'Little Steps'. 

The Bible says “Run with Endurance and Active Persistence”.
It doesn't say Run on a Sunday morning and do nothing the rest of the week.

You need to 'Run and Keep Running'. Because if You don't, the devil will just 'Run Passed' You and 'Set the Traps'. 

It's far More Exhausting trying to get out of a Trap, than it is to Run.

Long Distance Endurance Runners are Very Talented. 
They know how to 'Set Their Own Pace', whilst at the same time Running at the 'Fastest Pace they can Possibly Run'. 

They don't have a 'Mindset' of “O this Race is going to take a Long Time, so I'll just take Little Steps”. They take the Biggest most Powerful Steps they can take.

   And they know How to do that because they have 'Trained'. 

You need to 'Train Your Faith', so that You can take the 'Biggest', most 'Powerful' Steps of Faith that You can take.
You Train by 'Doing'. Put Your Trust In God. Believe His Word. Do His Will.
The More You Trust God, the More Power You will have in Your Steps of Faith.

If You're New to Faith and new to Following Jesus, then it will seem different to the 'worlds way' of Living. 
And Yes You should take Steps to Learn the 'Truth' about God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit. Read the Bible. Learn God's Way of Living & spend Time with Him.
But don't let Anybody tell You that You should take 'Little Baby Steps of Faith'. Let Your Steps be the 'Biggest' Leaps You can take.
The Sooner You get Ahead of the devil the Better.
Run and Never Stop Running.
You have got the Power of God In You, and God is a 'Winner'. 

If You've been on a 'Journey of Faith' for many years, and You still find You struggle with Faith & Belief, then it's time to 'Change Your Mindset'. 
Throw Away any Wrong Teachings that are Holding You Back.
Run like You've Never Run before. Leap Over the Walls of the devils 'Trickery'. 
And then You will Enjoy the Freedom of an 'Open Path' in front of You with No Pitfalls, Boulders, or Traps. You Will Be Free.
Use the 'Power of God' In You to 'Leap' so far Ahead of the devil, that even if he tries to catch You, he will Give Up through Exhaustion.
The devil 'Can Not' Out Run God.
You are “Made in The Image of God”. 

So whatever stage You are at in Your Own Personal 'Journey of Faith', 
let God's Mighty Power Surge Through You,
so that 'Every Step' You take will 'Propel You Forward'
like a 'Mighty Rocket'. 

~ In His Image, In This World. ~

 There's  a Very Meaningful Chapter in the Bible in 1 John, Chapter 4.
It describes the Love of God & Jesus, and how we are to Love Each Other.

It's also Very Special for my Wife & I because we chose a big section of it to be read at our Wedding.

Over the years I've read it Many times and about a week ago I was reading it again. Even though I've read it Many times, when I read it this time, there was one particular line that stood out Very Powerfully.  That line was:
“As He is, so are we in this world”, (1 John 4:17). 

I kept reading it over and over as I was Drawn to this Powerful Word of God.

The next day my Wife said to me that she had been reading through 1 John and she was up to Chapter 4. She said that a line had stood out to her in a way that she had never noticed before. The line was:
“As He is, so are we in this world”. 

WOW ~ I knew straight away that God was Guiding us that there was Something Special about this line. 

My Wife said when she read it she thought, “WOW, there's so much Power in that one line”. 
She also said “Even if people would just Believe that one line, then the devil would have to pack his bags and Leave”.  I Completely Agree.

The Bible says in (Genesis 1:26), God said, “Let Us make Man in Our image”. 

The 'Us' and 'Our' that He was referring to was God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit.

That means that You are made in the Image of God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit. 

When You put that Together with: “As He is, so are we in this world”, and You 'Believe it, then the Amazing Power of God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit is Released in You.

Then the devil will Not be able to 'Trick' You, 'Trap' You, or 'Tempt' You.

The devil has NEVER defeated God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit.

He tried to 'Trick' Jesus by 'Tempting' Him in the Wilderness, but Jesus 'Outsmarted' & 'OverPowered' the devil by using God's Word: “It Is Written”. 

Jesus 'Knew' & 'Believed' that the devil has got 'NO' Power over Him, and He saw Straight Through the 'Lies & Deception' of the devil.

Jesus used His 'Brain' to OverPower the devil with 'Truth'. 

Your 'Brain' is made 'In The Image' of Jesus' Brain. 

WOW. That means when You use Your Own Brain when the devil tries to 'Trick' You with 'Lies & Deception', then You will see 'Straight Through' it and use 'Truth' to 'OverPower' him. 

~ The devil will use 'Other People' to try to 'Tempt' You to Do Wrong things.
~ He will use 'Past Memories' to 'Trap' You into Living a Miserable Life.
~ He will use 'Anything & Anybody' to 'Trick' You into Believing 'Lies' about 'Who You Are', instead of Believing the 'Truth' about 'Who God Says You Are'.

The devil has got Many ways to 'Lie' to You, but when You Believe that You are Made In The Image of God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit, then the devils Lies 
'Can Not' & 'Will Not' defeat You.  

While I was talking to my Wife about the Powerful Bible verse (1 John 4:17):
“As He is, so are we in this world”, my Wife said, 
“The Important word is 'Are'. We 'Are' as Jesus is in this world. It Doesn't say we 'Might' be, or 'Maybe one day'.  It says “So Are We””. 

That's Very True. The Bible doesn't 'Mess About' with Words. It speaks the 'Truth'. When You 'Believe' God's Word in the Bible, it will 'Set You Free' from the 'Traps' and 'Lies' of the world.

You and I Live in 'This World'. 
Jesus came down from Heaven and also Lived in 'This World'. 

By the 'Way' He Lived His Life in 'This World', He showed us 'Who We Are'. 
“As He is, so are we in this world”. 

You and I have a Perfect Example of 'Who God Created Us To Be', by looking at 'Who' Jesus is in the Bible.

  ~ Jesus is Loving ~ That means You 'Are' Loving.
         That's 'Who God Created You to Be'. 
  ~ Jesus is Caring ~ That means You 'Are' Caring.
  ~ Jesus is Honest ~ You 'Are' Honest. 
  ~ Jesus is Not Stubborn ~ You 'Are' Not Stubborn. 
  ~ Jesus is Kind Hearted ~ You 'Are' Kind Hearted. 
  ~ Jesus is Full of Joy ~ You 'Are' Full of Joy. 
  ~ Jesus is The Light of the world ~ You 'Are' The Light of the world. 

There are Many other Wonderful Characteristics of Jesus that give You a Beautiful Guide to 'Who You Are'. 

When You 'Believe' God's Word, instead of the 'worlds word' about 'Who You Are', then You will Discover 'Who God Created You To Be'. 
And when You 'Live' as that Person, ' You Will Be Free'. 

The New Testament was wrote by Wonderful People who knew Jesus 'In Person'. They spent time With Him 'In This World'. And they Lovingly wrote down 'Their Experiences' With Jesus so that we can All 'Know' Who Jesus Is.

When You Believe the 'Truth' of  'Who Jesus Is',
then You will be able to Believe the 'Truth' of 'Who You Are'. 

“As He is, so are we in this world”. 

~ The Titanic of Today. ~

In 1912 something happened that Shocked the world.
The Titanic, known as the 'Unsinkable Ship', Sunk.

There has been many films made about the Titanic, and when the 1997 film came out, I took a keen interest in the Ship itself and the Titanic's History.

There has been a Lot of research into what caused the Ship to Sink, and it's believed that there was Many Reasons for it. Some of these include:
Arrogance, Neglect, Stubbornness, Pride, Ego, Corruption, Manipulation and many other 'Society Led' Wrong Ways of Living.

The 1997 film gives a Very Good representation of Life in 1912. There was a Clear Division in the 'Society Classes'. Even the Ship itself was Split into 
1st, 2nd & 3rd Class Passengers based on their 'Society Status'.

The 1st Class Passengers were Treated like Royalty, and the 3rd Class Passengers were Treated like Peasants. Yet they were All travelling on the Same ship.

God 'Did Not' Create people to be Treated that way.

God Created 'Everyone Equal'. 

The Titanic film shows that Many of the 'High Society' people of that time were Living very 'Fake' Lives. It was all for 'Show'. 

The character of Rose was being Pressured into marrying an evil Manipulative man called Cal, who she Clearly Didn't Love. She was being 'Pushed' by her 'So Called' Mother to marry him just so that she could gain the wealth of his inheritance. The 'So Called' Mother had lost her own wealth  and she was 'Using' Rose so that she could stay in the 'High Society'.

There's as a scene where she puts the 'Sob Story' on, and tries to use 'Emotional Blackmail' to get Rose to 'Feel Sorry' for her so that she would marry Cal. 
She tried to make Rose feel 'Guilty' that if she didn't marry him, then the 'Family Name' would be 'Shown Up'.

To God, that is NOT 'Family'. 

God will NEVER Guide a 'True Parent' to Pressure their child into Doing Anything that is Wrong, especially just because the 'So Called' Parent Wants them to.

And God will Definitely NEVER Guide 'Anyone' to use 'Emotional Blackmail'.
That is the 'evil Schemes' of the 'wicked'. 

Even though it's a film, this type of Treatment 'Did' happen, and it went 'Unnoticed' by the rest of the 'High Society'. It went on 'Behind Closed Doors'. 
The character of Rose said that on the 'Outside' she was Everything a girl should be, but on the 'Inside' she was 'Screaming'. She later went on to say that it felt like she was 'Screaming' at the Top of her Lungs, but Nobody was Listening.

They were All to 'Obsessed' with putting on their Own 'Fake Show'. 

The reason I'm writing this is because this type of Treatment 'Still Happens Today'. It might not be about 'High Society' or 'Pressuring' people into marriage to gain wealth, but there are evil people who are Using the Name 'Family' to Manipulate people in Hurtful and Deceitful ways.

They use 'Emotional Blackmail' to 'Trick & Trap' their own 'So Called' Family.

I've Personally Seen it happen to people that I know. And I've Seen the 'Damaging' Consequences of how it Ruins peoples Lives.

I know people who were 'Mentally & Emotionally' Abused as children (and in later years as well), and even though they're now Adults, they're still 'Trapped' by 'Inferiority' and a lack of 'Self Worth'. They Believe the Lies that the evil people said about them. And they Live Miserable Lives. 

But that's NOT Who God Created Them to Be.

God Created them as 'Wonderful Individuals' with a 'Loving Heart' and a 'Very Important Purpose' in God's MasterPlan.

And the devil knows God Created them with a Special Purpose, and that's exactly why the 'evil people' Treated them so badly, and called them 'Childish & Pathetic' names.

It was the devils 'Scheming Plan' to try to Stop them from 'Being Who God Created Them To Be'. 

In the Titanic film, Rose had been 'Mentally & Emotionally' Abused. She said she saw her whole Life 'Planned Out', and she felt there was 'No Way Out'. 

But then, along came Jack.

He 'Saw' Rose for 'Who She Really Was'.
He 'Saw Through' the 'Fakeness' that she had been 'Told' to 'Put On'.  
He 'Saw' the 'Real Rose'. 

As they got to know each other, they 'Fell In Love'. 

But Rose's 'So Called' Mother saw him as a 'Threat' to her 'wicked scheme'. So she used 'Emotional Blackmail' to try to keep Rose away from Jack.

There's a very Important scene in the film where Jack & Rose go into the gym area to talk. Rose says to Jack that she can't see him anymore, and she tries to make it seem that she loves Cal.

But Jack 'Sees' Straight Through it, and he Lovingly & Powerfully says to her:

“They've got you Trapped, and you're going to die if you don't 'Break Free', maybe not right away because you're Strong, but sooner or later that 'Fire' that I Love about you, that 'Fire' is going to Burn Out”.

~ That is Exactly the 'devils Plan' for 'God's People'.

He wants the 'Fire' that God put in 'You' to 'Burn Out'. 
He wants You to die on the 'Inside' so that You won't 'Fulfil' God's Wonderful Plan for Your Life.
And the devil will Use 'Anybody & Anything' to try to put that 'Fire' Out.
He wants to Sap Your 'Joy' and 'Trick' You into going down the 'Wrong Path of Life'.   

But the 'Good News' is that God Will Always Send Someone into 'Your Life' to Show You the 'Right Way', and to 'Re-Ignite' that 'Fire' Within You.

God 'Never Gives Up' on His Own People ~ He Will 'Never Give Up' on You.

In the film, Rose makes her 'Own Personal Choice' to 'Turn Away' from her evil 'So Called' Mother, and to 'Turn Away' from the 'Fake' Society Life.
She 'Decides' to Start a 'New Life'. 

She is 'Willing' to Turn Her Back on Wealth, a Family Name, and a 'High Society Status', because she knows there is 'Something Better'. 

She Immediately feels 'Free', and Experiences 'True Freedom' for the First Time in her Life. 
Even the clothes that she then wears demonstrate how she is more Relaxed and doesn't feel the need to wear the 'In Trend' clothes of Society.
~ She's Relaxed & Free ~

Then there's a Beautiful scene at the front of the ship when Jack helps Rose up onto the railings and they look out over the Vast Ocean ahead of them. They Experience a 'Wonderful Moment Together' that feels like they're 'Flying'. 

When You 'Turn Away' from the 'worlds ways', and You 'Join Together' with Jesus, He will 'Lift You Up' and You will 'Soar on Wings Like Eagles'. 

Rose had said 'Goodbye' to her 'Old Life', and she was now 'Free'.
But some of the evil people from her 'Old Life' still wanted to 'Manipulate' and 'Control' her into 'Their Way' for Rose to 'Live Her Life'. 
Cal tried to 'Set Jack Up' to make it look like he was a thief.

When You 'Turn Away' from the world, 'BE AWARE'  that 'worldly people' will still try to 'Trick & Trap' You with 'Lies & Manipulation'. 
But the 'Good News' is that when You are Committed to Jesus, He will Always Help You to 'See Through It' and 'Strengthen' You to Defeat them.

In the film Call had Jack handcuffed to a metal pipe in the hope that he would be 'Trapped' there.
But Rose searched for him, and when she Found Him, she Set him Free.

Jack asked her how she found out that he wasn't a thief.
She replied, “I didn't,  I just Realised that I Already Knew”.

When You Follow Jesus, He will Help You 'See Things Clearly', and Help You to Realise the 'Truth' from the 'Lies'. 

As the ship started sinking, Rose was told to get in a lifeboat.
Cal still tried to Trick her by saying that Jack could get in a boat with him.
As lifeboat was being lowered, there was the Beautiful Moment when Rose realises she Doesn't want to be without Jack. She feels so much 'Gratitude & Thankfulness' to Jack for 'Setting her Free', and the Deep Connection that was made between them, that she 'Leaps' back onto the ship to 'Be With Jack'. 

Jack asked her why she did that. She replied, “You Jump, I Jump, remember”.
She remembered how Jack was Willing to Risk his own Life to Save Rose when she was hanging off the back off the ship, and she became 'Willing' to Risk her Life to 'Be With Jack'. 

When You remember how Jesus 'Gave Up' His Own Life on the Cross to 
'Save You', then You will be 'Willing' to 'Give Up' Your 'Old Lifestyle' of 'worldly ways' to 'Be With Jesus'. 

When that 'Loving Connection' is made 'With Jesus', You will Never want to be without Him.

In the film when the Titanic had Sunk, people were dying in the Icy water.
Jack did his 'Absolute Best' right to the Very End to 'Save Rose', and he Did.
Rose was 'Saved'. 

Even though Jack died, he Continued to 'Live in Rose's Heart'. 
She 'Never Let Go'. 

Jesus may have died on the Cross, but He Continues to 'Live In Your Heart'.
'Never Let Go' of the Love & Faithfulness for Jesus. 

At the end of the film it shows photos of Rose's Life after Titanic. 
It Clearly shows that she Never 'Turned Back' to her evil 'So Called' Mother or her 'Old Lifestyle' of 'High Society'.

She spent the Rest of her Life 'Being Free'. 

She was Free to Live as the 'Person Who God Created Her To Be'. 

When Rose Spoke the 'Truth' about what happened on the Titanic, she said these 'Loving Words' about Jack,

“So there was a man named Jack, and he 'Saved Me'.
He 'Saved Me' in 'Every Way' a person could be 'Saved'”. 

When You and I Talk about Jesus, and Speak the 'Truth' about His Life, 
and what He has Done for us, we can say those 'Loving Words',

“So there was a man named Jesus, and He 'Saved Me'.
  He 'Saved Me' in 'Every Way' a person could be 'Saved'”