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Showing posts from August, 2010

August 30, 2010, "Pursuing God? Or pursuing the benefits of God?

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." ~ Hebrews 12:1 & 2 ~ Pursing God? Or pursuing the benefits of God? I was guilty of the second; pursuing the benefits of God. I focused on being holy. I focused on the blessings. I focused on the fruit of the Spirit. I focused on the provision of God. I focused on the healing of God. I focused on the miracles of God. I focused on the Kingdom of God. I focused on resisting the devil. You name it, and I claimed it. Yet, I realized even in this small focus blunder, it is ALL idolatry. What?!?! Yes, I said it, and I am guilty of it, 'Idolatry'. This may seem a bit hars

God Is Enthralled By Your Beauty, Chapter One

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Triumphant Victorious Reminders As in the last two posts, I have mentioned that I would place excerpts from my book, "God is Enthralled By Your Beauty" Finally Looking Into the Mirror He Sees You In...below is the full chapter from chapter one. Chapter One: What Mirror Are You Looking Into? Definition of Mirror: 1: A polished or smooth surface (As of glass) that forms images by reflection 2: A true representation. “For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].” I Corinthians 13:12 (Amp.) I was enamored by the luxurious golden room filled with purity; draped with elegance and beauty. Secretly watching with delight and awe as this beautiful girl gazed acros

Warrior Moms of Christ In Prayer

As a new school year begins, I wanted to remind you of the power of prayer through Jesus Christ. If you click on the following link, you can read a post that I wrote in 2008 in regards to the prayer group that the Lord laid on my heart to start. I pray that this post will encourage and uplift you as it did for me. I was reminded of the power of the tool of prayer as we fix our eyes on our Awesome God! Click here or click below: http://warriormomsofchristinprayer.blogspot.com/2008/11/purpose-of-our-prayer-group.html

August 22, 2010, "God Is Enthralled By Your Beauty" Introduction

Triumphant Victorious Reminders As mentioned in my last post...for the next few weeks, I will be inserting excerpts from each chapter of my book, "God Is Enthralled by Your Beauty". Today's excerpt is from the introduction of the book: The power of beauty seems to have disappeared and all that remains is the cloud of smoke that has sadly settled with perversion. The world’s definition of beauty mutilates and destroys as shallowness attempts to replace the true definition of depth. This is a charge to all women, from the young to the elderly! We must know and realize the power of beauty and purity. The power of purity is not to be confused with timidity or fear; but beauty and purity of the Lord avails powerful strength; revealing who He is. We have tremendous responsibility to stand in our rightful place as daughters of the King. We must break down the walls of seclusion, insecurity, shame and masculinity disguised as feminism. We are not called to be men; we

August 21, 2010, "God Is Enthralled By Your Beauty"

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Triumphant Victorious Reminders Inspired by the Holy Spirit Written By: Teresa Criswell "Hear, O daughter, consider, submit, and consent to my instruction: forget also your own people and your father's house: So will the King desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, be submissive and reverence and honor Him." ~ Psalm 45:10 & 11 ~ Starting tomorrow, for the next few weeks, I'm going to insert the content of each chapter of my small book that I started writing in March 2004. The book is titled, "God Is Enthralled By Your Beauty" Finally Looking into The Mirror He Sees You In. I pray that it will inspire and captivate the heart of each woman who reads it. If you are a gentleman reading this, I pray you will also be tenderly overwhelmed by the beautiful love that God has for each of us. God Is Enthralled by Your Beauty was self-published in 2007 and over 100 books have been printed. Yes, I know, this is a very small number, as most of my books have

August16, 2010, "Cookies"

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Triumphant Victorious Reminders Inspired by the Holy Spirit Written by: Teresa Criswell "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." ~ Proverbs 16:3 NKJV~ "Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed." ~ Proverbs 16:3 Amplified ~ Cookies. Who doesn't love cookies? Ok...there may be some out there who don't prefer them; but I know many who do; and I'm one of them. God knows that I long for the day to get to be a vessel in blessing someone financially...but in the meantime, He is showing me to give what I do have. In my case, it has been giving my time in making chocolate chip cookie bars. Sounds silly, doesn't it? There have been many times where I would rather not embarrass myself with making something so simple, seemingly nothing profound; however, I am learning when I commit it to G

"Presumption" Post Written by: MTJ

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Today, I wanted to introduce you to a blogger who goes by "MTJ" from My Thought-filled Journey www.mythought-filledjourney.blogspot.com For myself, this post was insightful especially in regards to something we all fall into, and that is 'Presumption'. I pray you will be blessed as I was. I know he will welcome you anytime as you come by for a visit. Be blessed... "Presumption" I’m reading through 1 Kings as part of my morning bible devotion, study and meditation and I have just finished the reign of Solomon ( chapter 11 ). The interesting thing to me is that God told Solomon to, “ Ask what you wish me to give you. ” 1 To which Solomon replied: “ …So give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil… ” 2 I remind myself that God is never caught off guard or surprised by the things that occur in His creation but this is written in such a way that I’m surprised at what Solomon asked for because of how God responds:

August 11, 2010, "Am I fasting my spiritual food and water?"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders Inspired by the Holy Spirit Written by: Teresa Criswell "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." ~ Matthew 5:6 ~ I woke up this morning writing in my journal to our son who is 18 years old. As I was writing to him, a phrase came forth upon the page as the ink flowed from my pen: "We cannot fast our spiritual food or water. We must hunger and thirst for God's righteousness moment by moment." Upon reading this, I was led to Matthew 5:6...don't you love it when you receive confirmation from God's Word? The Holy Spirit within us desires and longs to reveal Who He is in us and through us. As I thought about this phrase that I was led to write, I realized the times where I unknowingly fasted from God's word. I unknowingly fasted from my communion with Him. I unknowingly fasted from stirring up and drinking from the Rivers of Living Water, revealed by the Holy Spirit. Another

August 6, 2010, "Motivation by the signals to trust"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders Inspired by the Holy Spirit Written by: Teresa Criswell "He who believes in Me (Jesus) as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." ~ John 7:38 ~ To be motivated by who you are...is a wowing, awesome revelation of Who You are! You have given our bodies a mechanism of pain to motivate us for relief. You have provided a mechanism of tiredness to motivate us to rest. You have caused the mechanism of hunger pangs to motivate us to eat. You have given us the mechanism of cravings to reveal the vitamins we lack. You have caused the mechanism of thirst to quench that thirst motivating us to become re-hydrated. Lord, I thank You for your provision of what is triggered when there is a lacking not only physically but also in our hearts. May we see that Your provision of health is right before us. May we not deafen the signals by resisting what is needed; and may we not deafen the signals by overdoing what is needed.

August 4, 2010, "Sedition"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders Inspired by the Holy Spirit Written by: Teresa Criswell "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit." ~ Proverbs 15:4 ~ I have been convicted by the Holy Spirit in many areas. The one I highlight today is in regards to talking about others. The Holy Spirit was ministering to me the other day, the words whispered into my heart went something like this, "If the person you are about to speak about, if they were in the room, would you be saying what you are about to say?" The answer most of the time; ABSOLUTELY NOT! With that conviction, it stopped me. As I stopped and turned, I realized that when we go into conversations with this reminder; just imagine what awesome things we would see in building up other believers. When we realize what we say about others ~ to others, it either builds up or tears down. This conviction reminds me of sedition. It is mentioned twice that I know of in Ezra 4:15, 19,

August 3, 2010, "Fret and Worry to Faith and Releasing the burden"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders Inspired by the Holy Spirit Written by: Teresa Criswell "And let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lost heart." ~ Galatians 6:9 ~ I am in a familiar place. I don't like this sort of familiarity. The 'me' that God has called me to be is either going to be revealed; or someone else will. Lord, You know I am in this place of transition. I disdain and despise this place...but I ask myself, "Am I going to see this as a place as a place where I can grow in You Lord, as my eyes remain on You?" Or am I going to look at this place as an opportunity to go from fretting and worrying to mounting distrust? This 'distrust' is not only in regards to You Lord; it is also in regards to a person I love very much. It is not a distrust as in infidelity; but a distrust in, "Will this person make the God decision?" This place of familiarity; this place of transition; this p

August 2, 2010, "...Just Wanna Have Fun"

Today's reminder is based on a reflection of innocent beauty, pure laughter and imagination! God has given us such a beautiful gift; our beautiful and imaginative daughter. She has been utilized as a vessel to inspire me, but not only does she inspire me, so do her friends. I love the hearts of these girls as they are living out what they are being taught...to celebrate other girls and the gifts of and from God that are within each of them. They encourage each other and they have so much fun doing so! I am so excited to share with you all Tristin and Grace's four episodes they have put together! Have fun watching, and let the joy of the Lord be your great Strength! Episode 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPwQVjl5mhs Episode 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaYgdCCAvRY Episode 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpBGm26NDfc Episode 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzeFErAAgMM