JESUS' NATURE TAKES OVER AND REBELLION FADES AWAY

JESUS’ NATURE TAKES OVER AND REBELLION FADES AWAY

My boss wanted me to paint on the sculpture’s hand but I wanted to finish what I was painting on the leg. My rebellious nature wanted me to argue and give the reason why my idea was better. But I didn’t say anything because something has changed.

That rebellious nature I’ve exhibited since a child has dissipated and I’ve watched myself take on a much humbler and yielding attitude. It’s like being outside myself looking at a totally different person. It has to be Jesus’ new nature in me because it’s certainly not the old Carolyn. I hardly recognized my new self.

On my last several jobs I found it easy to yield to my bosses and fellow workers. I’m more sensitive to their wishes. If they asked for a suggestion, I gave it, but I didn’t butt in with what I thought. And the thing is, I’m loving it. It’s fun and peaceful and rewarding and most of all, it’s not fake!

Only Jesus Christ could make that change in me so remarkable and permanent. And why it happened now instead of years ago, I can’t tell you. I’m just so pleased to see it.

I was a rebellious child, an even more rebellious teenager and it continued in my personality over the years. I think most people have issues with rebellion of one sort or another. It’s because rebellion was inherited from the first man, Adam, and it was passed down through generations in the blood.

But the birth of the second Adam, Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:45), changed the nature of human blood for those who receive him: “The first man, Adam, became a living soul (an individual);” the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit [restoring the dead to life].”

Once Jesus was born, there was one man with an uncontaminated, non-rebellious nature in His blood. That is a really big deal; no wonder a multitude of angels showed up and were rejoicing at His birth: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’” (Luke 2:13-14).

New blood and consequently a new nature was introduced on earth. Jesus didn’t get his blood from his mother, Mary, but from God. Jesus’ blood was not prone to disobedience, rebellion, pride, or other human failings.

When people get born again, they receive that new nature of Jesus. There are at least 19 million cells in one square inch of skin and each one is affected by DNA and blood. The pure life blood of Jesus effects every cell in us.

The old nature begins to fade and Jesus’ nature takes over. Some things may change immediately, but others take time, but they will happen when we keep seeking the changes only He can produce.

Jesus’ meek nature was working in my blood for years until it just suddenly popped out as the new true me and I’m so much happier now.

Jesus says this about being faithful: “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matt. 25:23).

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30). He knows that if we will continue to love Him, the gift of His son Jesus Christ will continue to bless us and change our very natures to be more like His.

Second Corinthians 3:18 tells us: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

The word “glory,” that we change into, is translated from the Greek word “doxa” which means “magnificence, majesty, brightness, personal excellency, dignity and grace.” It just gets better and better.

Love, Carolyn

QUESTIONS AND EASY CHALLENGES

1. Name one supernatural change you’ve experienced in your life. What supernatural changes would you like to experience?

2. Where did Jesus’s blood come from?

3. How many cells are in one square inch of skin? Does the nature of Christ effect those cells?

4. Cite a verse where Jesus talks about being faithful in a few things.

5. What is the first commandment (in the New Testament)? Cite the scripture.

6. When we change “into the same image from glory to glory,” what is the Greek word for “glory” and what does it mean? What would that mean for you personally?

A GOOD WAY TO MOVE FORWARD IN OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

A GOOD WAY TO MOVE FORWARD IN OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Two painters were teamed up on a small six-foot scaffolding. I looked over and my friend, Karen, was ducking and trying to move away from the flailing arms of her partner, Jill. Jill was on meth and jumping erratically all over the scaffold, arms and legs going in all directions. Sometimes we act like Jill.

We get ourselves going in so many directions that we aren’t really moving forward.

To become a more grounded Christian, we need to slow down a bit and take charge of our lives, and move forward diligently. The dictionary definition of diligence is “a constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.”

But we have to remember that we can’t really do this alone. All the human effort we make to do God’s will and live a more holy life is only empty religion and rules, if the Holy Spirt and the Lord Jesus Christ aren’t involved in the process. 

Jesus told the disciples: “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send, shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

This is how it works: The Lord leads us to something that resonates in our hearts; we connect with it, acknowledge it, and make up our minds to pursue what He is leading us into. Sometimes if He shows us a direction to take and we don’t listen and instead we get busy going a bunch of other directions, the Lord will just stop and let us go ahead and do our own thing.

He’ll wait for us to wake up and come back to where we left Him. The Holy Spirit reminds us to go back to the idea He gave us before. Yep, the one we didn’t follow the first time He told us. The Lord is patient. He’ll wait a long time for us to “remember, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Each person’s journey will be different. John 16:13 tells us the Holy Spirit is present to guide us: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things.” WOW! How awesome for the Spirit of God Himself to take the time to really show something to each of us, individually. That’s love.

Isaiah 48:6 says: “Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shown thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.”

How exciting and fulfilling it is if we just take the time in our frenzied lives to take notice of what He’s really doing for us and give Him some credit for it.

Job 8:7 tells us, “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” As we acknowledge the Lord in our daily lives, we grow spiritually and we see even more.

Hebrews 11:6 says: “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” How amazingly wonderful can the rewards be when they come from the creator of all things?!

QUESTIONS AND EASY CHALLENGES

1. What truth have you received from the Lord lately that has resonated in your heart?

2. Describe a time when you were going in way too many directions at once. How did it effect you?

3. If you think you might be going in too many directions now, what is one small change you can make this week to change that?

4. What good thing has happened to you recently? Have you acknowledged the Lord for the blessing?

5. What verse gives us hope that even though a beginning may be small, later it will be much bigger?

6. Where does it say the Lord will show us new things? Do you believe it?

Love, Carolyn

If you’d like a free PDF download of 6 chapters on seeing with Spiritual Eyes, let me know at cjmolica@hotmail.com.

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I THINK I'LL DO IT LATER

I THINK I’LL DO IT LATER

I was in the scissor lift 30 feet in the air, painting stripes on the ceiling of a new casino. I had to get the stripes painted in between two beams and there was one small space that was hard to reach. I hesitated. I could just barely see it well enough and if I stretched out from the lift, I could do it. But . . .

I thought maybe I could get a better chance at it from the other side of the column. Bad decision. I moved the lift around the column and got as close as I could, took the lift up the 30 feet and I couldn’t reach that one little spot. Shoot!

You guessed it. I had to go back down, drive the lift around to where I was before, maneuver it into the tight opening without hitting the column, go back into the air the 30 feet, stretch out over the edge of the railing and paint stripes on a piece of ceiling that was no bigger than six inches by six inches!

That experience made a lasting impression and the mental video runs in my head whenever I am in a similar situation, in my painting and other categories as well.

If we can see it now and think we can reach it, do it now. Challenging? Yes. But definitely worth it. It’s not fun to go backwards and waste time trying to do something we could have done the first time. And besides that, if we hesitate and balk at opportunities in life, there’s a chance they may not come around for us again.

Ephesians 5:15-16 says: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” The word “circumspectly” comes from the Greek word which means “exactly and diligently.”  

We’ve all experienced the rush of starting off being diligent on eating right or exercising or any other great project but then we burn out down the road.

The only way we can really be diligent consistently is by allowing Christ to take an intimate role in our lives every day. True and lasting diligence is supernatural.  

Jesus Christ will be coming back to gather those who believe in Him and we don’t know when that will be.  “But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone” (Matt. 24:36).

No second chances after He comes. No time to go back and do things over again. So if you were ever thinking you might like to look deeper into the things of the Bible, and learn more about GOD; or if you thought you might, someday, want to find out who Jesus Christ really is, and how He can bless your life, I admonish you to start now.

“Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My [Jesus’] words will not pass away” (Matt. 24:35).

Don’t be like me on the scissor lift thinking I would reach that six inches later. Let’s take full advantage to seek what the Lord presents to us today.

Love, Carolyn

Here’s the link to Amazon where you can order my books: Sample books with 6-7 chapters are only $0.99. http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=WINGS%20Carolyn%20molica&linkCode=ur2&tag=jmbcsds-20&linkId=XQMVLVZYNBLYAGEM

HOW TO PRAY, USING THE SCRIPTURES

HOW TO PRAY, USING THE SCRIPTURES

Step 1: Find the scripture that speaks to your heart regarding the issue you’re praying for. Sometimes that’s not as easy as it sounds. A lot of the names we use today for sicknesses and diseases aren’t written in the older Bible versions. Sometimes we need to look up something in more general terms. Where do we look them up?

There are two online sources that I use a lot: Bible Gateway is the first. It’s easy to use. I just type the word I want into the search box. Then I have the option of finding it in several different Bible versions. Often when I scroll down to see all the verses where the word is used, one or two will pop out to me and then I go to read the context and get more out of it.

The second resource I use is Blue Letter Bible online. On this site, I have the option of looking at the Strong’s Concordance definitions for the word I’m seeking. This is really helpful. (I’ve included the links to both these sources at the end of this article.) There are other great topical books, both online and hard copy for finding scriptures on various subjects, including health issues and so many other things.

We have all prayed for some sickness or ailment to go away, but if we don’t have a solid scriptural backup in mind, we can get distracted or lose our healing because our minds have nothing solid to latch on to.

Even though it takes more effort to actually find a scripture or two, it’s totally worth it. God speaks through revelation when we go to read His written words.

Once we find a scripture that we like, we read it and thank God for helping us to receive what it says. Even if we start off pleading with God or the Lord Jesus Christ to please help us get well, that’s perfectly okay. In Isaiah 43:26 God tells His people, “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.”

But at some point we need to get to the place of not just asking and begging and pleading, but of believing and thanking Him because we know He has heard our prayer and He loves us enough to answer it.

Step 2: Once we have said our scripture back to God, to remind Him and us of what He has said and what he has promised, we need to use the scripture as a sword to slice the devil, prefacing it with, “It is written!” Satan is the one who stands in the way of our healing, and it is those true words of God that will make him back off. Proof of that is found in the New Testament.

This is what our Lord Jesus used as His weapon against Satan in the wilderness, and the devil had to back off. This is a way to aggressively move forward with prayer.

“Then saith Jesus unto him, ‘Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve’” (Matt. 4:10). And in Matthew 4:6 “[Jesus] answered and said, ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

God stands behind His Word. The Almighty God calls it a sword and buckler (Eph. 6:17 and Ps. 91:4). A sword is an assertive hostile weapon. Generally we think of a buckler as an implement that will shield us. That’s true, but it also has projections on the front to pierce and injure any enemy. We push Satan back with the sword and buckler. Jesus said, “It is written” to directly confront the devil and we can too. The written Word of God is a signed contract telling us what is ours and what is true. We need to remind the devil that what God has written, is true, and when we believe it, the devil has no power to stop it. And that’s brings us to step 3.

Praying this way makes it real. Yes, it’s a bit of an effort, but it will strengthen our prayer life and bring the results we seek.  

Love, Carolyn

These are the links to the resources I mentioned above:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=navel&t=KJV&ss=1#s=s_primary_0_1

https://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

PRAYER FOR YOUR TOOL POUCH

A PRAYER YOU’LL WANT TO KEEP IN YOUR TOOL POUCH: “LORD, GIVE THEM A GOOD OFFER THEY CAN’T REFUSE”

When Jane worked at the university library there was a young man who insisted on annoying everybody. David was one of those guys who argued about everything. No matter what project needed to be done, his way was a better way to do it and he let everyone know it. And he constantly argued the rules with the boss, Pat.

We didn’t want to pray anything against him but we just wanted him to not be around if he was going to continue to be so obnoxious. Jane was talking to Pat one morning and casually made the comment, “I need to start praying for him to get an offer he can’t refuse.”

Pat looked at Jane with doubt, but Jane and I prayed every morning, “Lord, give David a great offer he can’t refuse.” It was amazing. Jane got another job at the university but two months later she ran into Pat, who told her that David had handed in his resignation. He had been offered a teaching job at a university in the South Pacific, something he’d always dreamed of. So David got his heart’s desire and those who still worked in the library were happy to be free from his pestering.

This prayer benefits both parties and we’ve prayed it successfully many times since the library incident. Only God knows the true desires of a man or woman’s heart. Only the Lord would know for each person what would be an offer they can’t refuse. “For thou [God], even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men” 1 Kgs. 8:39).

And God always answers our prayers. He says, “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you” (Jer. 29:12). Psalm 66:19 tells us, “Verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.” And Psalm 6:9 says, “The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.”

The Lord is concerned about every detail of our everyday lives. Luke 12:7 says, “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Love, Carolyn

WINGS: A JOURNEY IN FAITH

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JESUS SHOWED ME A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT CAR REPAIRS

JESUS SHOWED ME A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT CAR REPAIRS

When I got out of the truck after work on Friday, I could smell the radiator. The engine was way overheating so I had to make a car appointment for Saturday morning. I really hate doing car repairs, so as I was listening to a teaching before my appointment, I started to make a list of all the things we WON’T have to do in heaven. Car repairs was at the top of the list!

I only got to the second thing when Jesus stopped me. He said, “That’s not a good way to think about it. Think of it as an adventure with people.” So I changed my attitude and the atmosphere seemed to change too.

Off we went in the rain to get the truck fixed. Even that was fun! It was early in the morning and because of the rain, it felt fresh and alive in the air. The woman who helped us at the car place was super nice and they got my little truck into the garage and started working on it immediately.

We had packed our computers with us and since there was only one other guy in the waiting room, we used the empty chairs to set them up and get our work done.

The repair went quickly and the mechanic was really good. We even got an extra benefit from the adventure: we found out that they do air conditioning too. We only have one vehicle, and my regular mechanic said he might have to keep it for two days to do the A/C, which would have meant I would have to rent a car for the time he had my truck. So now that problem is totally solved.

Every day it seems I am learning to trust God and His son Jesus Christ more. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

I hope that I will remember to look at more of the things I used to consider unpleasant, with the attitude of: “It’s an adventure with people.” If Jesus is with me, it can’t be that bad.

Love, Carolyn

I would love for you to have a copy of some of my writing. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=WINGS%20Carolyn%20molica&linkCode=ur2&tag=jmbcsds-20&linkId=XQMVLVZYNBLYAGEM

HOW TO KEEP OUR MINDS FROM GETTING A TWISTED PICTURE

My friend Tina, from work, went to a paint and wine event the other night. Each person got a small canvas and had the opportunity to paint a picture as the leader gave some instructions. Tina explained that she had a little trouble with the waterfall and that her painting looked better from a distance.

We all examine things and people too closely sometimes and don’t see them in their true light. Our foreheads wrinkle up and our minds get a confused and possibly twisted picture.

I did that with a faux wood sample I was working on. I got up right next to it and was seeing a really light tan color as the base color. I tried to make my copy by starting with that color. But no matter what paints and tints I mixed, I just couldn’t get my copy to look right.

The next day I sat eating lunch across the room from my sample and it hit me: I was looking at it too closely! I needed to back up and see the big picture. When I did, I saw that the overall base color was much darker than I’d originally thought. I started with the new base color and finished my copy.

When I lived in Chicago I liked going to the Art Institute and looking at paintings by Ivan Albright. He is “noted for his meticulously detailed, exaggeratedly realistic depictions of decay and corruption” (Encyclopedia Britannica). In his portraits he painted every wrinkle, every hair, every pimple, every mole. His paintings were fascinating, but kind of ugly and gruesome. He was looking too closely.

I’ve noticed that this principle of narrow and intense examination can work negatively in real life as well as in paintings. If we start looking too closely, we’re more likely to see flaws and things we don’t like. If we back up to see the bigger picture, and make more of an effort to see people the way God sees them, then we won’t see all the little uglies that get our minds going in the wrong direction.

We only have the right to see others as God sees them. We can’t make ourselves critical examiners. We don’t know a person’s whole story. Our job is to be meek to God. If He shows us some ungodly characteristics, it’s because He trusts we will at least pray and perhaps do more as the Lord directs us to help them or even just get away from them.

Jesus said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” (Matt 7:1-3).

These are really powerful words. If we are sick, or are upset about some problem at home and we come to work or school and speak harshly to others, do we want them to judge us and think horrible things about us? No. We want them to accept us, maybe pray for us, forgive us and still think the best of us.

Jesus told us “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). If we can go to that place within and tap into the big picture of how God sees us and others, that’s where we want to be. Our pictures will be true.

When Tina showed me a photo of her painting, I was very impressed. I found out that it was her very first painting. She did an awesome job.

When my wood-grain sample was finished, the head designer came to look at all the samples we’d completed. When shown the piece I did, the designer asked, “Is it real?” Well, in my business, that’s the biggest compliment you can get.

I’ve tried to remember this lesson at work as well as in relationships: Always take the time to step back and look from a distance to see the overall picture. Treat people like you want to be treated. Try to see people from the Lord’s point of view and let Him deal with the dirty details. It’s not always so easy, but it’s what God wants for us. This way of thinking will keep us humbler, healthier and happier.

Love, Carolyn

My sample books with 6-7 chapters each, are always ON SALE for only .99 cents. Parts 1-4 and the holiday section (each with about 14 chapters) are only $2.99. I would love for you to have a copy of some of my writing. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=WINGS%20Carolyn%20molica&linkCode=ur2&tag=jmbcsds-20&linkId=XQMVLVZYNBLYAGEM