God Resists the Proud, Gives Grace to the Humble

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” 

James 4:6-8

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After months of doing well, I am experiencing a temporary setback. Humbled by muscle weakness, PTSD from childhood and clinical depression, some days, like today, I find it hard to get my bearings. In fact, everything seems difficult: breathing, swallowing medication and some foods, walking, talking with garbled speech. On those days, for me, joy in the Lord fades a bit, personal pride feels bruised, days seem bleak and the Lord seems ever so far away. Sometimes I wonder if God allows this condition to keep me humble. It is not unusual on such days for me to pray for an ‘Attitude Adjustment’…and soon, by the grace of God, it arrives, often by the third day!

As a believing Christian, I am often reminded during these times of this encouraging Bible passage:

 “…For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7  

For when we walk by faith, rather than by sight, we are no longer subject to the whims and ways of this world. Pride, greed, lust, being self-made, unwarranted competitiveness, getting ahead of others, keeping up with the Jones’, success at all costs, and quick fixes for life’s problems, amoung other things that get in the way of a grateful heart betrothed to Jesus.

The great temptation is to think at such times that Jesus is no longer with me, and it is a significant temptation for me to throw in the proverbial towel, and give up. Yet experience tells me that is not the best or right option. Could it be that giving up while in the throes of a ‘depression temptation’ is exactly what The Enemy desires to happen???                                         

Well, I say…Not on my watch!!!

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.⁷ So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”James 4:6-8

Worldly Ambitions vs. Godly Aspirations

Worldy ambitions call us to enhance our mind with ego-driven thoughts and intellect; while Godly Aspirations call us to grow in heartfelt love and deeper compassion for others.

The ways of this world promote dependence on one’s self, while God’s way beckons us to give it all over to Him. Every grief, every hurt, every failure, every loss laid at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ.

This world celebrates pride in health & fitness, beauty, riches and professional accomplishments, that is, your value is driven by appearances and what you do. Of course these things are not inherently bad, they just should be balanced to make room for God’s ways, and put Him above all.

The Holy Bible, however, teaches us to focus more fully on the 9 Fruits of the [Holy] Spirit: Love, joy, peace, compassion, kindness, faithfulness, patience, persistence, and constancy. And the cyclical nature of these 9 gifts is indisputable…The more you pray and invite the Holy Spirit into your heart, the more you experience God’s presence in your life as evidenced by the presence of these “fruit.” In the latter, what you are in the eyes of God matters most.

This world focuses on survival of the fittest, while Jesus’ Beatitudes’ clarion call to Christians is clear: “Blessed are the meek.”

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The Sermon on the Mount. “^1 aWhen he saw the crowds,^[b] he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. ² He began to teach them, saying:”

The Beatitudes^[c]

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
⁶ Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,^[g]
    for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.                                                                                                                                           ¹¹ Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.                                                        

^12 jRejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  Matthew 5: 1-12  [New American Bible]

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Adele M. Gill  |  Copyright 2016                                                                                 www.theinspirationcafe.net

The Caretaker Generation

             “Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.                 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”      Matthew 11:28-30

I have a very dear friend named Nancy, who is extremely busy and is presently struggling. Like so many women, at 58, she has run the gamut in her adult lifetime from raising her children as a working single parent, to caring for her 87 year old mother who is now on hospice at home. And of course that also includes looking after her 88 year old Dad, as well. The doctors say her mom's prognosis is about a month, but in the meantime Nancy and her family are trying their best to stay positive and keep her as comfortable as is humanly possible.

For Nancy, and so many other women in the "Sandwich Generation," being ever available, so "on" for loved ones over the years that it has left her feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, weary, and frankly, somewhat cynical at times as she often asks at the end of her hectic days:

"Is this all there is to life? Is there more to life than care-taking for the generations???" 

Life is full of opportunities. Opportunities to choose your purpose, opportunities to pray, opportunities to love and be loved, opportunities to stand with Jesus or walk away...Yet, we always need to remember everyone has choices and purpose(s) in life. In fact, a blessed life often entails a series of God-given purposes throughout one's life.

Sometimes I find that my first purpose is serving God through family, other times my purpose involves completing a task or project and /or helping people through my chaplaincy. I consider serving God with all my being as my primary purpose in this life, and at the present time, my secondary purpose seems less altruistic than other times in my life...

Squarely focused on improving my personal wellness to regain muscle strength and good health after decades of living with disability and infirmity. In this purpose, I am fully dependent on Jesus for all my needs ~ fortitude, patience and strength. As I pray throughout the day, and am getting stronger by the day, I am growing in gratitude to Jesus for the signs of healing great and small that He is bringing, and in that way, prayer does not disappoint. Actually, I am growing in gratitude as my prayers are answered in due time as only God can.

Regardless of what your chosen purpose is at any given time, ongoing gratitude to God is essential for a peace-filled and joy-filled life. Gratitude to God is so important that it can even be the deciding factor in how you decide your purpose. It also allows you to put aside all negativity to embrace Jesus and your subsequent purpose with fervor and open arms. Clearly, some jobs/tasks are easier to accomplish than others. Sitting at the bedside of a loved one can be most difficult, as can three decades of care-giving while caring for a growing family. However, one who embraces each God given purpose prayerfully will find the work load lightened and enabling one to accomplish each purpose with greater ease, regardless of what must be done.

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28
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Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  /  NABRE Version
There is an appointed time for every affair under the heavens.
2 A time  give birth, and a time to die;
    a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal;
    a time to tear down, and a time to build.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
    a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
    a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
6 A time to seek, and a time to lose;
    a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew;
    a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate;
    a time of war, and a time of peace.

Adele M. Gill  |   2016 Copyright 

Easter: Jesus' Great Invitation

“Thus says the Lord: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”’   Matthew 11:28

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As we approach Holy Week, and we celebrate the beginning of spring, it is a great time to review the above Scripture, one I call, “Jesus' Great Invitation.” This is Jesus’ invitation to all people to come to him, and in return, He will give you peace, joy, rest for your soul, and discernment for your mind. Best of all, He died on the cross for your sins, and mine, and in so doing, granted Eternal life to all who follow Him with fervor.

In essence, we all sin. Every last one of us sins. We all break the 10 Commandments through our intermittent participation in the 7 deadly sins:

1)      Pride

2)      Envy

3)      Gluttony

4)      Lust

5)      Anger

6)      Greed

7)      Sloth

Imagine how different this world would be if we all recognized our own sins, repented of them, and turned back to God. Would it be like heaven on earth??? Clearly, the Bible tells us the day is coming when we will be in the full presence of God in paradise. However, in the here and now, we must learn to deal with our own shortcomings, and the sins of those around us. With God’s help, we must continue to grow in discernment, love and practice forgiveness with those who offend us. We must ask for forgiveness again and again when we have done something wrong to hurt another. For to do so is an act of love in accordance with Jesus’ 2 part mandate to love God, and to love one another.

No one is exempt from the throws of sin that separate us from each other, and most importantly, from God. Yet, for Christian believers, the debt of our salvation has been already paid by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Because of His unconditional love and his unmerited favor and grace, we are free to seek God in earnest, and place our hope in Him for all of eternity with confidence. We are effectively able to battle our sinful ways DAILY through the power of the Holy Spirit, putting aside anything and everything that keeps us apart from the love of God and each other.

No sin is too great for the Love of Jesus to cover over and remove, even wipe the slate clean, as if it never happened. For our God is a loving, merciful, forgiving God, one who always sees the best in us. He stands in wait for us to but call out His name, “Abba Father!”

Far beyond any relationship we have here on Earth, Jesus is there for us. To heal, to forgive, to protect, to comfort, to guide… Jesus beckons humanity closer and closer to himself, and wraps his arms around his flock.

So as we venture into Holy Week, what will you do to move closer to Our Dear Lord, Jesus Christ?

Will you go to his house to commemorate Holy Thursday and the last supper?

Will you be there at church for the Triduum, the 3 day celebration that starts on Holy Thursday, the feast of the Last Supper, on Good Friday for the reading of the Passion, the crucifixion and share in the pain Jesus experienced on the cross??

And what about Easter Sunday, what will you do that day to embrace the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb of sin and hatred???

Yes, Easter is upon us and we will never be the same. Let’s celebrate this beloved holy day this year like we never have before. Don your fanciest clothes. Plan a nice brunch for after church services and bring family or a friend with you to church. But most of all, let’s remember with gratitude the unparalleled sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for you and me, and make this a special day to remember!

Let this Easter be a fresh, new beginning for you and yours!

Copyright 2016   |   Adele M. Gill   |   www.theinspirationcafeblog.net

How to Prevail Against All Odds

All too often, we as humans feel like we need to be right all the time, dominate, and have the last word during times of confrontation. Yet the Bible reminds us that with faith in God, we do not need to fight our own battles to prevail, but sometimes we must simply step back and leave room for Jesus to act on our behalf, as we relinquish the need to be in control. We need to remember that Jesus is our Savior, in all things great and small. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He is with His flock wherever we go protecting us, comforting us, providing wisdom and discernment through His Word, and paving the way for victories great and small as we call upon His Holy Name. 

For Holy Scripture tells us:

“The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”

“…Stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land...They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.”   Jeremiah 1:4-19

With all the current events swirling around us regarding the Sanctity of Life, this Scripture reminds us that all human life—including your life and mine--is a precious gift from God. This beautiful, uplifting biblical passage also serves as a wonderful reminder that God is our Creator; and that He knew each of us intimately before we were even born into this world. That is, He not only knew us, but created a plan for each soul in the building up of the Kingdom before we were even born!

This prophetic writing from Jeremiah beckons us to recognize and embrace our God-given mission here on Earth and to resist feeling defeated by our adversaries and enemies who fight against us. Rather, God tells Jeremiah to hold on and resist the temptation to slip or walk away in defeat—to stand up and use the Word of God as a sword to fight His battles.

Further, God tells Jeremiah in this reading that he has power and strength to fight, with God at his side. “For it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass against the whole land. They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.”

Clearly this Holy Scripture found in Jeremiah chapter 1stands as a poignant reminder to us all that when we follow God’s commands and seek Him in earnest, He will fight our battles with us, and even FOR us at times.  For with God at our side, the fight has already been won before it even starts. The Lord delivers us from turmoil and our adversaries again and again; as we turn the other cheek and defer to Him in all things. God’s ways are not our ways, but make no mistake about it…Jesus IS the reason we are able to prevail against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Adele M. Gill  |  Copyright 2016  |  www.theinspirationcafeblog.net

The Servant Witness

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The Servant Witness

Thus says The Lord:

“Get up now, and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of what you have seen [of me] and what you will be shown.”

“I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles to whom I send you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith in Me.”  Acts 26:16-18

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As I look back over some of the events of this past week, this Scripture comes to mind…

For the first time in many, many years, perhaps a decade or more, I was able this past week to walk over a mile in the mall with just my cane, leaving my walker behind. Truth is, my Jawbone step tracking device was omitting many, if not most of my daily steps. So I thought if my hands were free rather than grasping the handles of my walker, it would remedy the situation. Turns out my Jawbone is defective, but in the process of trying to walk without my walker, I made a tremendous personal discovery: I can now walk long distances without a walker!

I guess it’s really true that necessity is the mother of invention. ‘Likely never would have tried walking without my walker that day, had my Jawbone been working correctly. The implications are many as I have been working diligently on building my strength since getting out of the wheelchair in September. Walking distances allows me to strengthen atrophied muscles head to toe, lose weight, improve stamina, focus and concentration, and get valuable endorphins I have been missing for years by having to be sedentary per doctor’s orders over the past 33 years.

Most of all, it reminds me there “is a season for every purpose under Heaven.” I look forward to this new season with great anticipation as I read the Scripture above:

“Get up now, and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of what you have seen [of me] and what you will be shown.” Acts 26:16

I look forward eagerly, not only because this is a hopeful time, but a faith building time first and foremost for myself, as well as for those around me. It is a time to celebrate with great joy that “Jesus, the Great Healer showed up!” Not only did “He show up,” this is a tremendous answered prayer for all those who have been praying for me, as well as my own anguished pleas.

God really does hear and answer our anguished cries. He has surrounded me and my family with God loving, Jesus believing friends that have provided tremendous encouragement along the way. God has also seeded my soul with the resilient desire to believe in miracles and lots of them, even and especially when all seems lost. When I pray, I expect a miracle and an answer from the Lord. This is called expectant prayer. And He always comes through!

 In my 58 years of life God has healed me and delivered me from so many medical conditions and circumstances, including epilepsy, a brain tumor, respiratory muscle weakness, a severe speech impairment, a uterine tumor, as well as major depression, PTSD associated with pervasive childhood trauma. And the list goes on and on!

How blest are we to serve the merciful, Triune God of grace, who created the universe!?! How blest are we to serve our God who is so very present in our times of need? Yes, we are truly blest to have the privilege to walk by faith, not by sight! I believe that the greatest difficulties in life come when we refuse to believe, or forget, just how loved we are by God. That is when depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, and a myriad of other challenges can take root. Yes, God loves each of us intimately and unconditionally through the power of the Holy Spirit and gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation.

God stands in wait for humanity to simply follow His 10 commandments and call upon the name of Jesus so He can intercede on our behalf. But the power of free-will is so strong, addictive, even, and it is sometimes hard for us in our humanness to let go of pride and control, so God can do His finest work in our lives. To do so, we need to try to put aside every obstacle [sin] that pushes Him away.

Most of all, we need to thank Jesus and invite Him into every circumstance BEFORE we become aware of our need for Him. No need for eloquent speech, just a willing servant’s heart for God and those in need, and a willingness to witness to others about His unearned grace and unsurpassed generosity. Just pray, “Jesus I trust in You.”

Yes, God has been so good to me and my family. But it’s not about anything exemplary that I have done. Rather, it speaks to His glorious Love for all of humanity!

“All things work for good for those who love God.”  Romans 8:28

Adele M. Gill   |   Copyright 2016   |  www.theinspirationcafeblog.net

The Christmas Blessing

Greetings From the The Inspiration Cafe Blog!

The Christmas Blessing

John 21:17 [Full Chapter]

"The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep."

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For those of you who know me, you know well I believe in miracles...And lots of them! It is with much awe and excitement that I share this today on Christmas Eve, "The Christmas Blessing ..."

Just about four weeks ago, around Thanksgiving, I was praying and praising God for so many blessings received, when I was done, I found myself fervently asking God to bring a new soup kitchen into our community to help us feed the poor. One week later, to the day, I was approached by a woman at Manna House named Joyce Price.

"I need to talk with you...It's really important," she said emphatically.

"Of course. How can I help?"

"My son, Rafael Mack, is president of an organization called the Esquires Motorcycle Club in Aberdeen, Maryland. He and his organization just purchased a large food truck and want to start a new soup kitchen in our community to feed the poor. He needs your help to get started"

You can only imagine my awe and excitement. Yes, I thought, God absolutely heard my prayer for the poor and has already put a plan into motion to feed our local poor! Joyce arranged for me to meet Rafael the next Wednesday at Manna House. One week later I was able to meet with Rafael, which was the start of something blessed, and plans are now underway for a new local soup kitchen in Harford County, Maryland! What a Christmas miracle in progress!

If you would be so kind, please join me in prayer for this new effort....

Dear Father God,                                                                                                                                         Thank you for awakening Rafael Mack and the Esquire Motorcycle Club to the dire needs of the local poor. You have heard the cry of the poor, and are providing abundant supply to meet their needs. I pray that you will swiftly bring this new effort to feed the poor to fruition, and help it flourish. May you open the doors and windows to the planning process for expedient, enduring implementation, via providing funding/grants, understanding of Health Department regulations, and volunteer workers. As we meet to bring Your plan into being for years to come, we pray you will send who you will to help with this effort, and to benefit from this service. I ask all this in Jesus' mighty name...

With Jesus at the helm, I have no doubt that this effort will flourish for many years to come!

Adele M. Gill  |  Copyright 2015  |

http://theinspirationcafeblog.net/the-christmas-blessing/

Prepare the Way!

THE INSPIRATION CAFE BLOG

by Adele M. Gill

Prepare the Way!

PHIL 1:4-6, 8-11

"Brothers and sisters: 

I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. God is my witness,  how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception,  to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God."

 

Many of you have asked about the distribution of this blog. Each time I pray and post what comes, it goes out to about 1000 people via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Mail Chimp. It is my own little evangelization effort designed to lead souls to Jesus Christ. Special thanks to all who like or share these posts, as it is an easy way for my readers to help to spread the Good News even further into the blogoshere!

 

Please know I pray regularly for you and all my readers for Jesus' presence in your life through the power of the Holy Spirit, and for His mighty blessings upon your lives and that of your family. Most of all I pray for discernment of God's Will in your life. That you will embrace God's Divine Will for you and yours with great fervor, and passion. That Jesus will provide abundant supply for your every need, and infuse you with sublime trust and faith in Him.

 

For God has started a great work in you, and desires to pull you close to bring it to fruition. He knows you better than you know yourself, and desires to be the center of your world. To accomplish that means you must place your trust in Him, and believe He will act on your behalf. The Bible tells us God has a plan for your life and mine, and we must simply ask with confidence for whatever we need, and He will do it.

 

Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

As we celebrate the Advent season, perhaps it is a good time for each of us to take a closer look at our own "proverbial life boat." Are there rhetorical cracks or holes in your life boat that must be addressed before it can glide on water and not sink? Surely a boat with cracks and holes below the water line will let water in and the boat will sink when put to the test! Sin is the same way...You must do your part to repair and remedy any issues before setting sail to do God's Will, lest you be stopped in your tracks, weighed down by sin.

 

"Discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God."

 

In practical terms, this means we need to address and remove anything in our lives that is not of God. Yes, He is a loving, kind and merciful God. But He is also, at times, a jealous God. He demands our full allegiance and attention. He can and will perform miracles in our life, but He first asks that we approach Him with a repentant, blameless, clean heart. For instance, dabbling in pornography or the occult could be major obstacles to receiving His love in full measure. If we pray for God's holy intervention in our lives, we must be willing to ask for forgiveness and reconcile with Him first...

 

Prepare the way of the Lord!

Adele M. Gill  |  Copyright 2015  |  www.theinspirationcafeblog.net