Mercy &Truth

"Let mercy & truth never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." Prov 3:3-4

 

We cannot literally wear mercy and truth around our neck. But like a necklace which you do wear to show off something that you have of value or beauty; I believe that mercy and truth should be what a person sees first in your life. It should be a priority of what you model and wear...an ornament like your wedding ring signifying faithfulness and love. 

Mercy defined: a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion

Truth defined: sincerity in action, character, and utterance. The real facts about something : the things that are true.


So how do we show Mercy and Truth everyday? Well first by getting it in our hearts. The scripture says to write it on the tablet of your heart. Well I am pretty sure we do not have tablets in or around our hearts. Hee hee. But what I do know is that our "hearts" refer to one's mind and character, the true inner self which determines who we really are. Jesus addressed issues of the heart when He spoke these words in Matt 12:34-37

 "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

A tablet is a place where that we take notes so that we can refer back. We need to constantly refer to the "notes" that God gave us so that we can live this life the way He intended. But first we need to make it a part of us and what we think is important in our lives.

If God is love and He has given us love, mercy and forgiveness then we are to also give it away. Is it always easy? No! That is why the scripture says to "bind" it. What is binding? It is to "tie or fasten something tightly." So we have to make sure we aren't just wearing it but that we make a concerted effort to fasten it tightly to us! 

Intentionality is the key here. The more we soak in His truths then the more it will become a part of of us. And don't you want to be something beautiful to Jesus? Because mercy & truth is His heart and everything we do and whatever we are is all for the glory of our God.

Checklist for the day: Got Mercy? Check. Got Truth? Check.

 

Adjust that Crown!

Jonna

"Oh-fences"

When I was little my brother & I went through a barbed wire fence. When we finally came out on the other side...he was wearing a skirt and I half a shirt! Haha. 

His shorts were ripped open and we were both all scratched up. It looked easy to navigate but once one leg stepped over that wire we both realized we were in a mess that was going to take a while to get out. When he moved a wire it tore into me and vice versa.

It so reminds me of the mess people find themselves in today. When you are "in a fence" or as it should be spelled...an "offense" it tears up everyone that is involved. I liken it into a visual picture of a person caught in a section of fencing and  they are walking around and mobile but hurting and tearing at everyone they meet or encounter. They feel uncomfortable and are pained by their circumstances but they do not realize how badly they hurt people around them with the barbs of hate and lack of forgiveness. 

How do we as Christians find ourselves in such a predicament? Well, like my brother & I, it starts in being disobedient. My mom told us to never go to the other side of the fence to where the cows were but we decided that we knew what was best. We just wanted to give them a good pet! Well...that wasn't the greatest choice. 

Forgiveness isn't just a "good and healthy" thing to do... it is a matter of obedience according to the word of God.

"And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."
                                                                                                             Mark 11:25-26

This Scripture makes it pretty clear that you will not be effective in your prayers if you will not forgive others! My how forgiveness is so important to Him. Many times an unforgiving spirit comes from a heart filled with pride. We often feel justified in our unforgiveness because of the wrong done to us OR the thing done against us was so bad in our own mind that we cannot possibly forgive...who would?

Probably the most common stumbling block in this area is when we say that we have forgiven someone outwardly, while we still harbor the resentment or anger in our hearts. Jesus illustrates God’s viewpoint on this matter in Matthew 18:23-35 when the king’s servant, who had been forgiven his debt, turned around and refused to forgive the debt of a fellow servant. The king turned his anger towards the man, threw him in jail and ordered him to pay back all that he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).

I have seen so many in a jail made by their own actions. Many don't even realize that they are imprisoned and just think that "this is just how life is." Never experiencing the true joy or freedom that God intended them to have. I am just so passionate on this subject because I see it all around me everyday. If people would stop feeling so JUSTIFIED because of the actions of others...it is a curse of today's society.

It is unfortunate that offenses ever occur, but the Bible indicates that if we keep our focus upon God and His Word, He will maintain such peace in our heart that we can become resistant to offenses.




              “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them”
                                                                                       Psalms 119:165 KJV


  “You will keep him in perfect peace,whose mind is stayed on You,because he trusts in You."
                                                                                                         Isaiah 62:3


The Lord is our reliable source of peace in all the circumstances of this life. If we simply obey his Word and allow it to renew our minds everyday then we will not find ourselves in such predicaments. Thinking the best of others and asking Christ what He thinks about a situation is the key to not only healthy living but one that might save your life. Ask Jesus today to forgive you of the feelings of being justified in your thought life regarding a person or experience. Ask Him to help you let go of the feelings of bitterness and unforgiveness and no matter who was in the wrong...ask God to forgive you and take away the sin that is in your heart. Forgiveness isn't about THEM....it is about YOU. Then pray for that person and ask God to bless them. You will be amazed how quickly you can be delivered from a snares of the enemy. God's Word is powerful and reciting it and praying love and blessing over your perceived enemies will bring you great joy.

Obedience is the key to the Oh-fences in your life....please do not ever find yourself in a situation of hurting people because you have been hurt. Lay down the "fences" that so easily entangle you (Hebrews 12:1 NIV) and run with perseverance the race marked out for you. You cannot run and win any prize in a race if you are carrying an offense. It is too heavy and you really cannot see clearly to be victorious at all! Lay it down and be all that God has called you to be. A person that loves their neighbor as their self; one that will lay down their life for a friend, one that people will know that you are His disciple by the love that you have for one another.

Adjust that Crown!

Jonna


*This blog is written by Jonna Gibson for "Invisible Crown". You can follow it at: Jonna-invisiblecrown.blogspot.com






 

Food for Thought

We went out on a limb and bought the best dog food for our two Airedales, Harley & Roxey. Roxey has shown signs of an allergy since we have gotten her by the fierce itching and scratching; especially at night. It would get so bad she would whine and moan and me being the light sleeper would get woken up continuously during the night. We tried different soaps when giving baths, we made sure she didn't have fleas, worms or anything else plaguing her. So we were then advised to switch foods to see if her symptoms would disappear due to a possible gluten allergy. Yes...we were feeding her Kibbles & Bits with occasional table scraps...don't judge!!

Well we invested in a 22 lb bag of gluten-free Blue Buffalo dog food that was quite painful to purchase since it cost $65!!! Well we did it with a sigh and wouldn't you know it...the dogs turned their nose up at it! They would not eat it! They went on a two day hunger strike and would sniff their bowls and turn away. I was not very happy....in fact I was furious. I had thoughts of force feeding it to them! ha ha. Strangulation was another. Here I had spent a fortune on this stuff and it's good stuff...made of bison for goodness sakes and these ungrateful dogs refuse to eat it. Well finally after a few days they starting nibbling a bit at it and they weren't happy about it. They had this forlorn looks that Airedale owners know about...they have this personality that can show sadness unlike any other breed. It is actually hilarious.

What we noticed too was that despite this dog food that was practically made with gold nuggets was sitting in their bowls and when we let them in the house....they literally RAN to the garbage can with joyful glee and sniffed, dug and attempted to eat from the TRASH! Yes..you read that right...they wanted the nasty scraps that we threw away despite the good that lay before them. They went straight for the things that will ultimately make them miserable instead of what would heal them and make them healthy.

My how that reminds me of the great sacrifice the God made in giving us his son Jesus to die for us. But yet we ignore the value and the freedom and sometimes choose to go the other way where we know isn't good for us. Somehow we find our selves running to and actually digging in our past experiences and temptations despite where that has taken us before bound and lost with no hope. It costs something to say "no" to our desires and say "yes" to a life with Jesus but it is well worth it! Let us remember the "Prodigal Son" who ran from his destiny and found himself one day in the pig pen fighting the sows over their food. Yet we know the end of the story of how the father forgave and redeemed and restored him to his rightful place at the table eating only the best. God can do that for you...despite anything you have done. You just need to make the choice and keep making the good choices and one day you will be shocked by the things you used to be a part of.

God help us to understand that what is best for us might not always be the easiest, might not taste the best and might cost us much initially; but it sure will find us living the way we were created....as a child of the King....not perfect but victorious, favored and blessed!

Adjust that Crown!

Jonna

*This blog is written by Jonna Gibson for "Invisible Crown". You can follow it : Jonna-invisiblecrown.blogspot.com

 

In Tune

 

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

Isn't that a powerful verse? Yet so many of us tend to say "I can't hear God speaking. I need to hear Him and I can't!" What IF maybe you weren't really listening so that you could hear Him?

Just like losing your favorite station when you are on the edge of town and the signal is getting weak...you try to find it and get static and just move on to a station that you would never listen to like say Tejano music...I have never listened to this style so why did I find myself tuned into it? Well because I searched and couldn't find anything so I was happy just to hear anything! Let me propose to you a thought...what IF you were okay with the static for a bit and you just waited...just maybe what you were waiting for is there and you just needed to be still for a bit. Your radio is still "in tune" with where you want to be but the problem is that you are not HEARING what you want...

 

All Christians have heard God’s voice sometime or another. In fact the Word says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him."  It was the voice of God that drew you . In your inner-most being you heard God saying, “I have chosen you and ordained you, come unto Me”. So why do you think that you are either not capable of hearing His voice or that you cannot hear it? Well we have all been there before and it won't be your last! BUT maybe this will help you out....

The beginning of your communication with God was when He was calling you to salvation. But your salvation was only the beginning of your calling. He continues to call you and woo you to places you have never been before.

 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:8-10)


Jesus asks us to walk in His steps and come to where He is. The Holy Spirit always draws us, He pulls us though and never pushes us. We are to follow Jesus and be led by the Holy Spirit. There is a yearning of the Spirit in you calling you to do some thing or go some place, this is the voice of God in you! Don't doubt it or constantly question it! Sometimes we dismiss things so easily. I have often heard myself say, "Oh that was just me not God." Well...HELLO...Christ is living in me just like He is living in you...so why would we doubt hearing His voice?

The Lord goes before us preparing the way, and He goes with us on the journey. When we are following in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we walk in the presence of God! We experience His love, joy, and peace....even in the worst of circumstances!

 And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." (Deut 31:8 NKJV)

God is always drawing you into His presence, when you meet Him at the place that He has called you to; it is there that you will experience an intense anointing to serve Him. That is the place that you can worship Him in Spirit and in Truth; for to obey God’s voice is worship. Worship is expressing love to God and Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15 NIV)
  
 Having the mind of Christ means that through the Holy Spirit we have access to the will of God, the thoughts of God, and the emotions of God. Just as we can experience God’s joy through actions of love we can also experience God grieving through our actions that hurt people.

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Eph 4:29-30 NKJV)

We have all said things that have hurt others and then we immediately felt bad inside. What we need to recognize is that is that the “bad feeling” inside was God feeling bad because of our sin; it was the grieving of the Holy Spirit in us. This is God’s voice communicating with us directly, not with just words, but His very emotions! So can you still say that you do not hear the voice of God in and through you? I know you have! It is NOT natural to have these thoughts because flesh says that you are justified in these feelings. But God's ways are not the world's ways...they are quite the opposite!

      We know that God’s love, God’s joy, and the peace of God in your heart is an indication that you are hearing and obeying the voice of God.

"For you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace." (Isa 55:12 NASB)

When there is a lack of God’s peace in your heart it means that your relationship with Him is lacking and that is why you are only hearing the static in your life. The Holy Spirit will then try to guide you back into a righteous relationship with God, and if you follow His leading you will once again experience the peace of God through the Holy Spirit in you. He will not leave you or forsake you! You only need to wait upon the Lord and ask for His instructions....sometimes we have just got to be okay with the static because it is in those times that we stop and be still and really start listening to what God is saying in our lives. And soon enough you will start hearing just what you are needing and longing to hear...the sweet melody of Christ in your heart. Being in tune with Him is what gives our lives meaning and puts that skip in your step no matter where you are at in life.

Adjust that Crown because you are a Child of the King!

Jonna

*This blog is written by Jonna Gibson for "Invisible Crown". You can follow it at Jonna-invisiblecrown.blogspot.com

 
 

Crab Basket

 

I have fond memories as a child spending weekends camped at the beach and we would all go crabbing. My dad would put chicken on a string and we would go to the jetties and "lure" those crabs close and someone would quickly scoop them up and put them in a wire basket. I remember watching those crabs trying to get out and they were a tangled up mess. When we took the lid off to put another crab in there; there was always one trying to escape. The funny thing is that the other crabs would grab him just when he got close and pull him back down into the basket! It was so funny to watch. 

Isn't that like old friends, old temptations and old habits in our life? We try to do what is right and work hard and just when we start to get to a new level or breakthrough; something or someone pulls us back down and drags us back to the bottom! 

If you find yourself today in a basket full of crabs I pray that you find a way of escape. There is nothing more exhausting to put effort into something and it all be in vain. You need a breakthrough so that you don't ever find yourself chasing a chicken neck when there are so many better options out there for your life. God has amazing provisions for you....you just need to position yourself with the right influences and people!

Adjust that Crown!

Jonna

*This blog is written by Jonna Gibson for "Invisible Crown". You can follow it at Jonna-invisiblecrown.blogspot.com

Circumstance

Have you ever looked around yourself and wondered how in the world you got in the circumstance that you are in? Your stuck in a dead-end job, having financial issues, living in a house that is in bad need of repair, having marital problems etc. Your thinking, I love God and believe that Christ died for my sins and I have asked him into my life. Now why in the world am I living in the state that I am in? Someone said that getting saved was a great thing but I am just not seeing it!

Circumstance is actually two words; circum- meaning to encircle and stance- meaning to stand. In other words, when you are going through hard times you are encircled by what is happening to you. What you tend to see is the circumstances around you and not past that. It doesn't take long to start having feelings of being overhwelmed and feeling desperate!

 Proverbs 13:12 states that "Hope deferred makes the heart sick."

 Hebrews 11:1 states, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."

If the enemy can get you to lose hope then he can get you to stop living by faith. Isolation is a dangerous thing and when all you can see is the bad and the negative around you and you no longer see things in faith and through the glasses of hope...well you are on a slippery slope. 

Your circumstances are natural things that are important but are very temporary. In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers explained that not everything that happens to us as Christians makes human sense. "To turn head- faith into a personal possession is a fight always, not sometimes. God brings us into circumstances in order to exercise our faith."

So God wants us to take ourselves outside of the circle of defeat and see the bigger picture. If you are not including God and what the word says in your daily struggles then you are living life on your own terms. God wants to be in your surroundings whether they be good or bad. He wants to use the tough times in your life so that you will learn to call out in faith and trust in Him. 

In every hard time I have been in there has always been that moment where the light bulb came on & I had that "aha" moment. I would say, "ohhhhh that is why that happened!" It is so much easier after you have been through a thing to see that God was guiding you every step of the way. God wants us to follow Him even when we do not feel His presence or see where the next step your supposed to take will be. 

So take that circle that you have around yourself that gives you a limited view and create a bigger space to include the God who loves you and wants you to succeed in everything you do. 

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Adjust that Crown, 

Jonna

*This blog is written by Jonna Gibson for "Invisible Crown". You can follow it at Jonna-invisiblecrown.blogspot.com