God's Valentine Invitation

In Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus talks about what the kingdom of heaven is like. 

He compares it to a wedding banquet, or a wedding reception. 

I like to think of it as a Valentines Party. 

Here’s my more modern rendition:

The King is having THE party to end all parties to celebrate his Son and his True Love.  He invited a group of people, but they refused the invitation.  The King then told the servants to open the invitation up to EVERYONE.  He told his servants to go out and stand on the street corners, telling everyone about this fabulous party and that they are ALL invited.

Every single person was invited this time, not just a select group.

They found all the people both good and bad and invited them to come into the Grand Hall to wait for the party to start. Just as the King came in to the hall, he noticed a man there who wasn’t wearing the proper party attire.  The King called out to the man, “Friend, how did you get in here without being dressed properly for the party?”

The man was speechless.

He was totally caught off guard.

He thought he was dressed properly, he thought he was prepared for the party just like all the other invitees.  The King then told the attendants to kick the man out of the party outside of the palace walls while everyone else went in to celebrate the love between the King’s Son and his True Love.

The party that everyone is talking about in this parable is a reality.

It’s God’s Valentine Invitation to the whole world.   The King is God the Father.  The Son is Jesus Christ.  His True Love is his church; believers in Jesus as well as the attendees.  Those who choose to reject his invitation of Love will not be clothed in the proper

attire and will miss out on the celebration.

Everyone is invited!

John 3:16 is one of the most popular verses to show God’s love for us.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son.  That whoever believes in him will have everlasting life.”

In Galatians 3:27 it shows us how to be ready with the proper party attire, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

How will you respond?

Intentional Acts of Kindness

Earlier today I posted a quote on my Facebook page about 

kindness.  {See link in upper right hand corner}

Then after thinking about that word for quite a while, I 

remembered that just over a month ago, I had received a gift.

That gift was a Christmas ornament with the word 

kindness written on it. 

I think God is trying to tell me something….maybe…just maybe...

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I thought I had that word conquered.  I actually would think to myself, “Hey, that one’s easy. Why would God want me to focus on being kind when I’m so good at it?”

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So now, I’m writing this with a new perspective on humility. 

I’ve realized that I need to be more kind. 

Not just more kind.

Not just random acts of kindness, no, that’s easy.

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I need to have intentional acts of kindness.

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It’s easy to be randomly kind to a stranger, holding the door for them.  Giving a smile.  Maybe even lending them change at the store register.

It’s much harder to think of ways to be kind in advance to people whom you interact with on a regular basis.

Your spouse, your children, your parents, your in-laws, your co-workers, your staff, your neighbors.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 

forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

gentleness and self-control. Against such 

things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

-Whew! Good thing God is asking me to focus right now on only ONE part of that fruit!  I think I have a lot of work ahead of me!

What area is God asking you to focus on?  Be intentional about it and see what happens! 

Diving into Deliverance

People are fascinated with the term DELIVERANCE. 

Maybe it’s because of all those supernatural themed television shows and movies that freak everyone out.

Or maybe it’s because everyone knows there could be something lurking inside wreaking havoc in their own life and they need freedom.

Either way, it’s a great subject because whether 

you are a Christian or not, it’s possible for demons 

to influence your soul and at times your physical body.

When I say soul, I mean your mind, your will, and your emotions.

When I say physical body, I mean just that.  As an example, many times demons assigned to sickness and disease can manifest in our physical bodies.

Are you still with me?  

I don’t want to freak anyone out.  In fact, if you are a Christian (that’s someone who’s decided to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior), then the demons are AFRAID OF US! 

I know that my title is Diving into Deliverance and I could write for days on this subject……but I won’t….at least for now.

#1 The thief, the Devil, desires to 

do only 3 things to us in life.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  John 10:10

#2 Jesus has come to set us free.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,” Luke 4:18

In those two truths is the beginning of the knowledge and the understanding of deliverance.

You must begin to sort out what in your life is being stolen from you, trying to kill you, and destroy you and what in your life brings life and freedom.

I highly recommend a book that I began my journey of educating myself on deliverance.  It’s called “When Pigs Move In” by Don Dickerman. Which is found on Amazon.

It not only is full of testimonies, but also a step by step process to become free.

If this is a subject that proves a lot of interest, then I’ll continue to share more.

My husband and I have ministered in 

deliverance for several years now and 

have seen many set free from illness 

and other afflictions.