...//dang 2.0

so i was writing in my journal tonight that i had blogged about the deuteronomy thing and was underlining 2 tim 1.9 in my bible when all of a sudden it hit me:
"[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago]."(emphasis added)

"a vocation of holiness" wow...God wants our vocation--that thing we do daily to be of holiness. **

and then i stumble across this verse in 2 tim 2.4
"No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him."

dang...again...so it reminds me of David and Uriah (Bathsheba's 1st hubby)...1} David did not follow God by going out to war like He as King was supposed to do> when You don't follow where God is leading--you can get messed up. 2} David messed up--when you're not where God is, your flesh is in control and you come to a point where you wonder how you got there in the first place...well, for starters, you didn't follow God and GPS (God Protection Services) doesn't work outside His boundaries 3}Uriah was a man like David, after God's heart and he understood what it meant to be a soldier> no matter who it is telling you to do something, even if that thing is a pleasurable as getting a night with your wife, i mean seriously what man would love a free night of sex with his wife--you have to know what Your calling is and what God has called you to and stand by it...don't just listen to somebody cause they're in leadership, they may not be right...you have to follow God> which is what Uriah did 4} David got entangled in civilian affairs (literally) and when you mess up and your aren't following the voice of God--people get hurt 5}look at how it affected David's lineage and how he couldn't do the one thing he wanted--build the temple.

God is not playing around when he says don't tolerate sin--don't compromise my Word. He doesn't joke around, especially with those who are drawn into a leadership position. When you mess up, He doesn't smack your hand and sit you in a corner--when you mess up because you didn't follow him, because you compromised your priorities and your vocation was no longer of holiness but of the flesh...people can get hurt--lives--and it's because of one mistake we made that can ruin someone else's life.

He continues to make His point in verses 21-23
"21So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.
22Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
23But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels."

like...dang 2.0

ciao'
bethany

**dictionary.reference.com
vo·ca·tion   [voh-key-shuhn]
–noun
1.a particular occupation, business, or profession; calling.
2.a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career.
3.a divine call to God's service or to the Christian life.
4.a function or station in life to which one is called by God.

...//a new revelation...dang

so i've been studying the Bible looking for verses for another reason other than the one i'm going to share with you now and i come across deuteronomy...mainly a book of law telling you what and not to do regarding literally it seems everything in life.

so i'm reading in chapter 18 and it's talking about the levitical priests and how they're to live their lives and i keep reading all the way up to 26 before i stop and have a selah moment... (pause and think about what you just read)

i was astounded as to the detail of God and the topics He mentions and i know that some people would look at the literal meaning of the scriptures and say "well, Jesus abolished the law" well yes thank you He did and i'm very grateful because stubborn kids who didn't do what their parents said were stoned to death.

in fact lots of people were killed immediately for things they did and it was a way to rid the city of evil.

so i'm like wow Holy Spirit what are you saying?

God wrote this law not just literally but spiritually...okay try and follow me here

He has all these things He doesn't allow and says to punish people (usually by death) when they commit the crime. Some deeds...people are forgiven, but it's eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand kinda thing...they're still punished just not put to death, but there are very specific things God puts to death and what i kept seeing over and over was that God is very black and white...sin is not tolerated at all...there is no compromise...you get rid of the evil immediately.

i'm looking at a situation where the rebellious kid...his parents take him out to the gates and the elders judge the situation...now a days, the mom's all like "no, he's just a kid, it's harmless, he'll grow out of it, he didn't mean to do it." cause she doesn't want her son to well...die...the dad's like "listen, just don't do it again okay buddy?"...

the Bible lays out for us that YOU DO NOT TOLERATE SIN!!! NO MATTER WHAT IT'S CALLED!!! we've come to this whole permissible tolerable compromising way of life that is destroying the family and the body of Christ as a whole. we say "drinking isn't really bad, just getting drunk is." or "i don't gossip, i just make sure people know how to 'pray' for others" and so forth, you know what i'm talking about...and then there's the unforgivable "i can't believe they've had sex before they got married" or "gays are going to hell" or "she's a prostitute" or other crap that's more physically represented than stuff we can hide inside or in the privacy of our home.

seriously...SIN IS SIN NO MATTER WHAT IT'S CALLED!!! God doesn't have this list of tolerable and intolerable sin He says HEY THIS IS NOT TOLERABLE IT'S SIN IT'S AN ABOMINATION AND YOU NEED TO RID YOUR LIFE OF IT.

Okay so don't go out and start stoning people now...but examine your life

what am i allowing that is compromising to my relationship with God?
am i reading books, watching tv shows, movies or listening to music that satisfies my flesh and stirs up lustful thoughts or emotions?
have i made a list of things that i tolerate that God doesn't?

look at the fact that God wants us to hunger and thirst after righteousness for His name sake so we can dwell in His presence forever...He wants us to be holy as He is holy...to be a vessel useful for the master

there are things that others may be allowed to do, or do because they think it's okay but if you are choosing to be a leader in this generation, or if you so dare to profess that you are a Christian to the world, than there is a standard that we must operate our lives by and that standard is found in the Word of God.

ask the Holy Spirit right now to show you things in your life that you must "stone to death" and dispose of immediately so that your relationship with God can become one in which He abides in daily. this may mean that you break off friendships, relationships, throw things out that cost a lot of money, or something else but keep your eyes on the eternal value of things...Jesus...He's so worth it.

people may laugh, they won't understand, they'll get offended and become angry or bitter...but truth will set them free...will set you free...and the truth is found in His Word.

i encourage you friends...
[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago]. (2 timothy 1.9)

ciao'
bethany

...//my new website

Free website - Wix.com

Rainbow Soup...

So i've been cooking a lot lately...which has stirred my watching the Food Network too...fav show so far is 30 minute meals w/ Rachel Ray and this other guy...don't remember his name

One of the many new creative dishes i've made since being home started out as Mexican Tortilla Soup...however, i don't like to stick to recipes (unless it's for cookies) and i gave it my own twist...the first time i made it, it was gone in one night...and i made a whole pot of it! my mom had thirds, so did my dad :)

so, here's my "Rainbow Soup" as we named it...mostly because of the color combinations you'll have in it

Okay:

please tailor this to your own preference for beans and veggies...you know what you like so add it in there!

Red:

-2 medium Red potatoes (diced)

-1 can of Original Rotel tomato's

-1 can of Mild Rotel tomato's

-1 large can of petite diced tomato's

-2 small Red sweet bell peppers (1/2 large bell pepper)

-1 can of Dark or Light Red Kidney Beans

Orange:

-1 large carrot chopped (2 small/10 baby)

-2 small Orange sweet bell peppers (1/2 large bell pepper)

Yellow:

-1/2 cup of Yellow Onion (if you like yellow over white/purple/green)

-2 small Yellow sweet bell peppers (1/2 large bell pepper)

-1 can of Yellow sweet corn or 1 cup

Green:

-1 cup of celery

-1/2 cup of Green Onion

-if you want a southern flair to it, add some Collard Greens

-you can also add green bell peppers if you haven't had enough peppers already!

-or for some kick, add jalapeno's

Purple:

-2 cups Purple Cabbage ( i haven't add this yet, but was gonna at some point)

Brown:

- 1 can of Pinto Beans

Black:

- 1 can of Black Beans

Grey:

-1 lb of ground beef/turkey or chopped chicken (optional for the vegetarian version)

White:

-2 cloves of garlic

-1/2 cup of White onion (if you didn't use Yellow/Green)

Use the juice from canned tomatoes ( or if you've diced them yourself, add 1 can of tomato sauce).

Drain the beans and corn and turkey.

Add all ingredients into a large pot (seriously, go as big as you got, you want room for everything to move around).

Add five cups of vegetable or chicken stock

Seasonings:

here's where you have fun with it...

Cumin-season your meat with it and your soup (i like the taste of it, season as much or as little as you like)

Chili Powder-use to season the meat and add some about half way to give a kick

Adobo Powder-Goya makes the best, it's a spice rack staple; use to preference

Paprika- i just like the color and slight hint of this in the soup and it gives the stock a nice red color

Garlic Powder- use it...even if you've tossed the garlic cloves in

Salt-a pinch or two (just enough to compliment the other flavors, you don't want a sodium taste to the dish)

Pepper-a pinch or two, but not a ton cause you've got plenty of spicy kickin' stuff in here

Cook:

turn your burner onto the lowest setting. leave you pot on there for a few hours. it's done when the potatoes aren't crunchy and the celery has a hint of a crunch in it still...

trust me... the smell of it simmering alone will drive you nuts, so stick the lid on for about 30 minutes and then take it off so it can breathe...

serve it over rice if you're going vegetarian with it...you want ur protein!

Any chef will tell you this: have fun when you're cooking...

here's my advice: put some music on- the kind you can move to...take ur shoes off...and taste everything as you go along...add stuff to the soup, take stuff out...customize it to ur family likes...

it's great any time of year really

most importantly: always add a cup of love to everything you do :)

...enjoy!

bethany

//...a covenant vow

On the Grande occasion of Y2K I made a vow I will never forget

...

I was actually at First Assembly of God in Bradenton, visiting my old youth group on a college break and at the stroke of midnight I made a major decision...

...

I prayed to God and said oh so simply, and what I thought would be a noble Christian thing to do--became the hardest uphill climb ever--I told God "I want to be completely sold out for You. The next 10 years of my life, a tithe, are completely Yours. No dating, No doing my thing... Just pursuing You."

...

Yikes...

...

BUT

...

ever since that life changing night, God has pursued me definitely harder than I pursued Him--but so far the revelation and outcome has been amazing to look back on.

...

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome was the whole relationship thing. I'm in my 20's, most of my friends were getting married, kids that I led in youth were getting married, they were starting to have kids... so this whole single thing wasn't really a fun idea anymore

...

I can remember when a light bulb went off for the first time and God opened my eyes to His perspective of relationships.

...

It was at YEX and we had this session with just the ladies and a friend at the time gave descriptions of different types of girls that were out there... you know, the "Missionary" girl, the "I'm of Age" girl, the "Is He the One?" girl, the "Flirt" girl...notice I didn't say lady?

...

‘Cause it was at that moment that God said "Husbands love your wives as Christ loves the Church." and I'm like "oh...duh, the Guy is supposed to pursue the Girl."

...

and then Elisha Skorski (at the time) said something that would rock my world. She mentioned the Prov 31:12 were it says that the wife pleases her husband all the days of her life...That doesn't mean she starts being a good girl when she gets married, she behaves and acts like a Woman of God now. Dang Elisha, you're like how old? Smack my face...

...

But the golden nugget stuck with me...and in the fall of the next year, I went on a trip to One Thing Atlanta and there I found out that I was betrothed... How exciting is it to finally realize that I don't have to think that I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life or that there's no one out there for me... Cause I was falling madly in Love with Jesus...

...

Now to kinda give you a better picture of where I was at, I honestly wasn't an experienced person when it came to relationships...in fact I had no experience what so ever.

...

I had guys who were my friends, guys that I liked and we kinda talked some, but I've never had a boyfriend and never been on a date and I'm still a virgin...I'm so proud to say those three things...especially nowadays...I'm a rarity.

...

So to come to terms with the slogan "Jesus is my Boyfriend" was sounding less cheesy and more Christlike to me.

...

And yes, I was one of the people who went out and got one of the many self help books on relationships and kissing dating good bye stuff, one book in fact suggested that whenever I think about getting married ( as you know girls do), I should write my husband a letter, even when I haven't met him yet, telling him stuff that I'm going through, little love notes, things like that, so that on my wedding night I can give him this book of letters I've written to him.

...I’m also a firm believer that “dating” is seeds for divorce.

I read over and over the verses "Do not waken love before it's time" and I was like, yeah I get it, you don't want to rush into a relationship, you want to do the "Run for Jesus and one day you'll look over and see some running next to you and then you'll just take hands and keep running" thing...didn't really understand the true meaning of it until recently.

...

Here’s a few revelations that God has shown me:

...

There is a reason why people didn't meet until their wedding day--they understood that the emotions and feelings that came in a relationship were designed to be stirred and satisfied in the safety and sanctity of marriage. God didn't create those feelings to be stopped, once they get a going, you're supposed to "be fruitful and multiply"...They understood and respected them and taught their youth purity and taught them to respect and love each other. I think if any one was qualified to give advice on "Wait...don't give in to the emotions" it's Solomon (probably because he understood the consequences of not waiting...hence the 100's of wives)

...

So if you're not supposed to "Awaken love before it's time" than why am I writing my future husband letters when I think about him...shouldn't I be thinking on things that are pure, and holy, and lovely, and of good report, and virtuous, and Godly? And what do you think stirs up those thoughts that got in there? "Oh my gosh, did you see Dear John? Isn't he handsome? Oh, I would love to marry me a man like Channing Tatum." HELLO!!! We have given into the Hollywood definition of what relationships are supposed to look like and how you get into one and what to do once you're in one and how to keep the guy with you and don't forget to get the enullment written in just in case...

...

My lord, I know I'm not a saint when it comes to watching romantic comedies, or the Notebook 10 times, or movies about a boy and girl, but I'm grateful now that I finally realize that life isn't like the movies when it comes to this part of it.

...

I don't want to learn how to be romantic from some movie or some book, I want to learn how to romance from the One who has been romancing me, the One who created me, I want to learn how to love my husband from the One that put us together...I'm not going to "expect" my husband to bring me flowers or chocolates on Valentine's Day...I'm not going to project expectations on him like that. Because he will be the Isaac that was worth waiting for, He will know where his source is when it comes to being romantic...and it ain't TLC.

...

Now, don't go thinking I'm gonna be some crazy person so Heavenly minded she's no earthly good...no, I'm gonna have accountability people that I talk to, that WE talk to. But I want to have such a close relationship with the Lord that I want to be able to ask Him how to please my husband seeing how the Lord can see my husband's heart and knows him better than me.

...

But what about the prospects that come before the "Isaac" does? Well think of it like this--If he isn't your husband, you're flirting with someone else's.

...

As a woman, it is vital that we strengthen our relationship with the Lord so that our emotions don't get the best of us. God did design us with compassionate hearts, so that we can nurture and love our family, and take care of them...I don't know if any of you ladies have ever read Prov 31, but uh...If that's my goal, I ain't no sissy...I'm a tough woman who works hard and isn't shallow or emotional over petty things. I support my husband and tend to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of my family and to do that--your relationship with God has to go deep.

...

Every time we "think" about a possibility, play around with the idea of the "maybe", we've already sinned because according to Jesus even if we think about another person in an adulterous way, we've committed adultery and we're not supposed to covet our neighbor's wife...you may think that's over the top, but if you were to be thinking about my future husband as being yours I'd be giving you a right hook of fellowship...even if we haven't met yet.

...

There is no need for us to worry about whether or not we're gonna get married...God said it isn't good for a man to be alone and when "he" finds a wife "he" finds a good thing..."he" is going to be looking for a woman who is madly in love with Jesus, not some girl that has dated, or flirted with other guys, or who is looking to get married..."he" wants to know that his wife will be able to stand beside him and not waver in adversity. That kind of guy...isn't thinking about what you look like during worship or if you are always at church or if you’re going to Applebee’s, he's madly in love with Jesus and is pursuing that love.

...

So in conclusion (so far) I'm madly in love with Jesus... I want to bring a smile to my husbands face before I meet him... I am a Woman of God who has put her hope in Him, and her "list"... oh, which brings me to that "list" that we all write, the qualities we'd like in our future spouses... I wrote one, revised it, and then gave it to God, because one day I realized that God knows my needs-He knows my weaknesses and strengthens-He knows the end from the beginning-He knows the kind of man that I will need beside me when I'm giving birth-He knows what characteristics that man should have to bring balance to my life-He knows the talents my husband should have so that we can minister together--He knows the desires of my heart because He put them there... so why should I be thinking I could pick out a man that I think best suites me when I don't know what I'm going to face in 5-10-20-50 years...

...

No matter where you are in your life today...regardless of what you've done in your past--Jesus can make you white as snow and you can make a vow today to live in purity--I wish my husband was my first kiss (I kissed a guy in 6th grade...and yes, my parents know...he went to my church) but because of the vow I made with God...my husband will be my first kiss now.

...

There's more to this story, but I've shared what I thought I should...

...

I hope my testimony can bring happiness to you and can encourage you in your walk with the Lord.

...

bethany

...//a word for Haiti

in 2003, i went with a small team from my church on a construction trip to Haiti...

everything i worked on was destroyed...

i can't wait to go back and restore what's been lost

but in a time of intercession for Haiti at the Front on Monday, January 18th,

the Lord showed me this verse

Isaiah 54:10

¹⁰For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.

and then during my personal time with the Lord later that night/early this morning He gave me another word of encouragement to the nation and our brothers and sisters there

so, i've got to share it

Isaiah 60:1-5
¹ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!

²For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem (Haiti)], and His glory shall be seen on you.

³And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

⁴Lift up your eyes round about you and see! They all gather themselves together, they come to you. Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried and nursed in the arms.

⁵Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart shall thrill and tremble with joy [at the glorious deliverance] and be enlarged; because the abundant wealth of the [Dead] Sea shall be turned to you, unto you shall the nations come with their treasures.

Isaiah 60:10

¹⁰Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I smote you, but in My favor, pleasure, and goodwill I have had mercy, love, and pity for you.

spread the Good News...

this is a time for restoring whats been lost, reviving what is dead, renewing of the old, and a re-birthing of a nation; a nation that will now be founded upon God and His word, and dedicated to the Glory of God and His Kingdom.

continue to pray for Haiti, the best homeland security is a praying church

beth

(verses are out of the Amplified Bible)

i am dumb...

at the start of this year, i began a sabbatical...

a time of just me and God speaking and working in me

He's confirmed it multiple times in His word and through people who don't know why I'm back home

but I believe that this last week has been one of the most God-moments of my life.

There has been time after time where He has spoken to me so clearly, that to think it otherwise would seem silly

The other night, I was really in this "i want to watch christian television" which I am never in because personally I don't think very highly of most of it. But I stopped flipping channels at about 12:15 and Brian Houston was on...

He was speaking about stepping into this next season of your life and that there's no need to be worried or scared because our Hope is in God.

Hope...

What is hope?

Most Christians can quote the biblical definition of faith but do we really know what hope is?

hope: the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best, to believe, desire, or trust,...

... it means to wait with all trust and believe that what you want and the circumstance you are in will turn out for the best

wait...

wait...

wait is hard for the modern day person... we are constantly trying to fill our schedules with busyness that we don't know how to simply wait for the answer...

when God directs us in the "waiting" stage, He does it so that He can answer us, not so that we can figure it out and then go do it, He wants to guide us down that path of righteousness for His Name sake.

So, I'm reading "My Utmost For His Highest" and on the 9th, one of the scripture readings was from 1 Thess 5... so I read it and it was amazing

1 Thess 5:23-24

"And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God] and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]."

What an amazing encouragement!!! and confirmation of being healed this year...

so searched out hope in the back of my amplified bible and there wasn't many references for it but I found the one I was needing because it spoke not only to the reason for the next year but why He's not allowing me to get up and minister...

Psalm 39:7

"And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are from You."

vs 9

"I am dumb, I open not my mouth, for it is You Who has done it."

Someone said to me so clearly one night that this next year is a year of refreshing, a year of consecration unto God, that there is a deep well in me, but I've let the well run dry. I am to guard this time and be very careful who I let in.

She had no idea what's going on when she said this.

God's speaking to me so clearly right now that it may seem strange to you, but what if this is the year that God prepares me for the rest of my life... and if I was to become selfish with my life and not obey the Word of God, I would be catastrophe upon myself... I would have no ministry.

but there are too many people I know God will touch through me and the message that He's placed in me and the ministry and anointing He's given to me is greater than I could dream of.

so to take a year to be filled and consecrated and set apart to Him... will be so worth it...