Jesus said Repent and Believe the Gospel!

I was encouraging myself with this today! The words of Jesus! What did Jesus tell us to do!?

As Jesus came into Galilee he said:

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:15)

Jesus said to repent, so we are to have a change of our will, a change of our mind, from what we are believing, to believing the gospel.

So what is the gospel Jesus told us to believe instead of what we are believing?

Paul declares it to us in 1 Corinthians 15, telling us we are to stand in it, to keep it in memory; and raising the question... Or did you believe the gospel in vain!? 

1: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

 2: By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

Here is the gospel!

3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

So what did Jesus tell us to change to believing? How that he, Jesus, died for our sins, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day for us. 

Romans 1:16 tells us that gospel Jesus told us to believe, is the Power of God!! And if we need the power of God to work, we have got to believe the gospel! 

We are to believe nothing else, we are to trust in nothing else, we are to look at nothing else, we are not to listen to anything else, we are not to stand in anything else, but the gospel! 

When you want to believe you missed it on a situation, or maybe you hear, "You should've done this or that", whatever the case; you must not look at believing those things, you must do what Jesus told us, change from that and believe the gospel!! 

Just encouraging myself to do the same today! 

God bless!

Misty 

A Cold Day in November

As I was growing up, I came to a place one day where I did not care about following the Lord. It seemed to me the people I saw who said they knew Jesus, had it all together, or at least tried to present themselves that way. I didn't hear people say well this is in my heart that God is dealing with, or God delivered me of this, if I had maybe I would've had some hope for myself. Instead I figured, if you had to be perfect or "so good" before you could know the Lord Jesus, well, that counted me out! I was honest enough with myself  I could see the ugliness in my own heart, and knew that was a definite sign that I did not have it all together. What I didn't know was that God already knew that was there, he had made me, and he would be the only one to perfect me, cleaning up my insides, cleaning up my heart.

Luke 11:39
...... Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter: but your inward part if full of ravening and wickedness.


Here's what Jesus said about me, and says about you.


Luke 5:32
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Luke 15:4 / 7
4: What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

7: I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.


By November 2006, I had already been born again having received Jesus, confessing him Lord, learning to hear his voice, but I had not been baptized into his death, by being baptized in water.

Romans 6:3-6
3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 


Now I could hear the Lord talking to me, and he was telling me that I needed to be baptized in water. Well, I still had some cares in my heart about what people would think or what if it had to be a big production which seemed to be what I had heard of, and then there was the fear concerning what this might mean in my life, would the Lord require more of my life now!? The answer was, and is, yes; but I wasn't so quick to just want to turn it over to him.

It was around the spring of 2006, and although  the Lord Jesus kept talking to me, I kept coming up with reasons to put it off. Summer had come and gone, and again I would find a way to reason my way out of doing it, in other words, I continued to disobey what I heard the Lord telling me to do. It was now late October, possibly November. I received a phone call that there had been an accident, the accident involved a person very close to me. When I found out the news immediately in my heart was, "It's because of your disobedience." I absolutely believed it then, and still do, and it scared me. Because of my rebellion I had allowed an opening for the devil to come in. God has a hedge around us, but I knew he could let it down too.

God had kept the person and they were absolutely fine, in fact they commented to me that I was more upset than they were; but God had my attention, and was teaching me. I saw the power of God that day, and that he controls everything, and has the power to give, has the power to take away, has the power to do whatever he wants. It put more fear of the Lord in this heart.

I knew God had been talking to me,  and that I could hear the Lord. Whatever I wondered, thought, questioned, it didn't matter, I was going to obey God, and he would work out the rest in my life. He would perfect those things concerning me.

So on a very cold day, outside in a swimming pool, I was baptized in water according to Romans 6.

Fully immersed under water as unto the death of Jesus, and raised up in the likeness of Jesus' resurrection, into a newness of life, the old Misty dead, from henceforth to not serve sin, but to hear and obey the Lord.

And the Lord Jesus, and his Father, which is also my Father,(John 8:19) hasn't stopped working in my life since, continuing to talk to me, directing my steps, and perfecting those things concerning me.

If you don't know Jesus, you can! And you don't have to be all put together either to have access to him. He's the only one who's going to get you all put back together. Don't let religion keep you from knowing Jesus, or the Father in heaven.

If thou shall believe in thine heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and confess him Lord, thou shalt be saved, born again. (Romans 10:9-13).

And the Father, and his Son the Lord Jesus will begin to talk to you, directing your steps on a daily basis, leading your life in a way that is pleasing to them.


John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me....

God Bless You,
Misty

Keep Believing God!

A friend reminded me today of this testimony from a few years ago. It is one that has ministered greatly to me and I know others as well.

Misty
(11-12-15)

(Reposted with additions June 20, 2013)
"As I was reading today I was reminded of a testimony I shared some time back. It was a good reminder to me today about some things in my own life and the days to come. I have also been considering the Israel children. God did many things for them over and over again.

Psalm 78:13 - 16
13: He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

14: In the daytime  also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

15: He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.  

16: He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. 

BUT

19: They spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness.

20: Can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? 

After all God had done for them, when they found themselves in situations they would question if God could bring them through it. That's unbelief!! That's sin!! It's sin not to believe God! And I encourage myself daily to NOT GO THERE!!!

Hebrews 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 

In Psalm 78:21 it goes on to say how the Lord heard them, and was wroth ( angry ).

Just been encouraging myself lately to keep in remembrance ALL the things God has done for me!! To keep believing God no matter what something looks like or seems!!  That's a good place to be!!


(Originally posted in 2011 with some changes added 2013:)
Back at the end of the school year, there were some things going on in our lives; school was ending, we were still traveling to Muskogee, the Joplin tornado had just happened, and we were traveling there as well. I had a personal connection to that in having a very close friend who was involved in it. Previous to the tornado, in a brief conversation with someone one day, they said, “Misty, I think it is going to be an exciting summer for you.” I didn’t say anything, but I thought, “WHAT??? What do you mean??? Do you know something I don’t!?!?”

Well, I certainly had no idea what lay in the days ahead. After the events of the tornado and having finally gotten in touch with my friend we were on our way to Joplin. We were also doing some things in the ministry as well there, along with me working out this situation with my friend.

When I arrived to see her one afternoon we went to, I believe, a large church building that had been set up with numerous people and booths, FEMA, Red Cross, etc. I had never seen anything like it in my life! People so lost. It could overwhelm you if you let it, I endeavored to keep my heart and eyes on Jesus! I couldn't look at what I saw. We went in and there would be groups trying to get you to come to their booth for this or that. If I remember correctly there were people trying to pull you over to give you counseling. I was amazed at how these large groups of people who were suppose to be helping, seemed to in some degree take advantage of others' weaknesses or helplessness in that moment. At some point there was an exchange between me and my friend with, "We don't need counseling we got Jesus!!"

It was a new place for me. I knew I was responsible for believing God for her benefit, and her and I were going to have to be bold!!  Knowing there was nothing they could help with, we began on our way out. As we were leaving there was one last stop she needed to check. In hopes that there would be something for them to help her with, but each time with her question, their response was, no we can't do that, or no to this, etc. Needless to say there was NO ONE to help, but GOD!! There is so much I could share about what God did. He also did some things in my heart through it all that I am grateful for!! My friend had been staying in contact with me about things going on in their life through the years and more so during the last few months leading up to this time. I knew of the hardships without what had just happened. Now with the recent events in Joplin, there was much that became added to their life! 

We talked numerous times, and I would share with them about believing God and what we needed to do. I knew God would have to intervene in all this! Anthony was believing too, but this was my friend and I was getting a lot more on my end with all the details and such. One of the last days I was with them in Joplin before coming home, we were setting in a parking lot talking about the things of God. They told me what they believed was right  regarding their life with what to do, and I just said, “Well, we will believe God, and if this is what He is after, He will do it!” Shortly thereafter, they came to our home and I was going to go with them to take care of some business that day. At this point, they were now in the process of finding a home to live! They had “some” cash, but only a certain amount to find a place. We were on a time schedule as well with them finding a place and a job, etc. In short, there were a few obstacles going against us! So here I was, and here they were, needing some direction from the Lord on what to do, and believing that I would hear God and get/give some instruction and that they would hear God as well! So as we venture out, there was NOTHING in my heart! Nothing in my heart about where to go, where to begin. I just kept telling myself, “Okay, you’re gonna have to believe God in this!” We drove around and we weren’t talking about the things of the world, we were talking about God and what He was after, trying to get the mind of God in this whole situation. They had some limitations on where they believed was right to look due to expenses also, so I tried to consider that along with where my faith was. I wasn’t going to get out there and say, “Hey I say let’s do this or that!”  So we checked place after place, NOTHING!! I just kept saying, “Okay, well I’ll tell you what we’re gonna do, we’re gonna believe God!!!” That's what you have to do when it ALL looks like a mess!! Or seems impossible!! You can't go by what you see or how you feel!! You CAN though BELIEVE!!! We would go look someplace else, it would be too high, or you couldn’t move in till some way later time, someone already was getting it, whatever. We’d get in the vehicle, and I would say, “Well, I know God has done this for me, or that for me, ( encouraging myself in the Lord ) and we’re just gonna believe God!!!” That is ALL I kept saying! I kept encouraging us both in the Lord, and instructing my own self what I was going to do; and that was believe! At one point I thought as I was driving, “Do you really believe what you are saying??” I would immediately tell myself, “I don’t know , but I know this, I’m gonna believe God!!” I would disregard any thing that came into my heart or head that would try to move me off of what I was believing, or discourage me, and kept saying to myself and out loud, “We’re gonna believe God!!” "You're gonna believe God!!" That is exactly what I was doing!! That was all I KNEW to do!!! I didn’t dare tell my friend!! (We actually got a chuckle about it later), I thought, “Oh my gosh, she probably thinks that is all I know or can say!” It was at that time, cause nothing seemed to be going our way! No jobs, no nothing!!!

For the most part, usually there is something going on in my heart on what to do, or I get some instruction from God or Anthony; get some encouragement that I’m on the right track, but this was different. It was a "new" place for me. But I have come to learn that God will meet you where you're at, and do things for you to get you to believe Him! He will encourage you! Then there comes a day when your faith gets a little more perfected, and He begins to walk you through others things, and you have to learn to stay steady and keep believing!!! And use your faith!!! Don't be like those Israel children who got to a place and questioned...."Could God do this?"

So, at the end of the day, they left with no place to live, no job; and a few other needs here and there to say the least. We all just kept praying!! Kept believing!! Kept expecting!!! God to show His power in this!!! That was all we could do!! And not look at what it looked like!!! Within a week or two, God was moving!!! So many things, so many details, could be shared, but that is their testimony to share about the personal things that were provided, and the specifics, and I'll leave that to them.  But briefly, here is what God did!! A place that they loved, which was not available, the people unexpectedly backed out, and they got it!! With new items/features that had been recently added! A job that a person didn't show up for became available again, and they got it!! Things needing supplied for their new place and things, they got it!!! Someone, without knowing, but God knew; gave them some money which provided their last car payment they were to make. And some being set free and overcoming along the way, we both got it!!! All I can say is what a wonderful opportunity God allowed me to be a part of! They received all those things, I didn’t help them one bit!! All I did was drive the car a few times, and prayed believing!!! God did it ALL for them, and they KNEW it!!! He did something for me too in all of this that I am so grateful for, and those things happened in my heart!!

I hope you are as encouraged as I was that day, in that when the situation seems hopeless, and the world says you only have so much time for this or that, and nothing seems to be what you need it to be; JUST BELIEVE GOD!!! I know now, and it is true; when you think you’re not believin’ keep encouraging yourself that, “I’M GONNA BELIEVE!!!” and DO IT!!! Believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! God raised that man Jesus from the dead and that same power that raised Him from the dead works today for all of us, in every situation, for everything we have need of, when we believe!! And you watch God come through!!!"

God Bless You All!!
Misty

A Sunset to Comfort Us All

I grew up playing competitive basketball beginning in 3rd grade and continued on throughout my senior year of high school. In doing so, I traveled to various locations throughout a regional area where our school was located. You came to grow up in a sense with the kids you played ball with although attending different schools. You came to know the coaches, administrators, etc along the way. When I was in junior high I also competed at a state level in free throw competitions which took me out to some other places sometimes further north than I was used to traveling, and further west in Oklahoma. Often times I had traveled with my parents to numerous locations as well growing up as we would watch our high school basketball teams compete, or other teams at times as they would go to state play-offs. So many memories associated with so many places, and people. As the years went on, I found myself in far southern Oklahoma, and other places attending basketball camps, to playing AAU basketball as far out west as Yukon. When I became a teacher, it only seemed to add to the places, faces, down in my heart, and also add a love of a community I would be teaching in. Oklahoma was in my heart; the people, the places. And, I didn't realize how much so until March 2014.

My husband and I had been a part of the ministry here at Water of Life for a few years now, he longer than I, but we would attend when it was right, and travel to Texas, or Missouri and other locations depending on when or where the ministry would be going. In 2006, my husband began leading the Water of Life Oklahoma Church, and Doyle and others here from Water of Life in Plano, Texas would attend there as God directed. In March of 2014, I was in my 14th year of teaching and going on spring break. Anthony and I had driven to Plano, to once again attend the church services. Shortly after returning home to Oklahoma, we believed it was right to begin attending each weekend, so, each weekend we began driving to Texas and attending the services at Water of Life, on Sunday mornings, and evenings, and afterwards making the 4 to 41/2 hour drive home.

There came a Sunday morning as we were heading out to church, and leaving the hotel that I had turned to close the door to our room. Immediately something within my heart seemed to turn, as if something were changing. I later told Anthony about it, and mentioning how it seemed as if God has his finger right in my belly, in my heart, stirring around and changing my heart. I didn’t really understand it, but I sure didn’t forget that morning at that door.  It wasn't long before it seemed as if God might be moving us to Plano, Texas.

There became times as we continued driving each weekend in April and on into May, I would just weep, sometimes hard, I wasn't hurt or sad, but I would just weep. I finally said, to Anthony one day while driving to Texas that I believed it had to do with Oklahoma. I hadn’t realized up until then how much that place was in my heart, how much I loved it, loved all the places, and loved the people. I said to Anthony, “How can a person love a state so much?!” It seemed so ridiculous to me. But that's what continued to happen.

There was something though I would come to find comfort in, something I remembered from when I was about seven or eight. My grandmother was from Texas. And, as a young girl, I would at times travel with her to see my great-grandmother here in Texas. I never told one person, but from that time on, up until I was 23 years old, and graduating college, I would say to myself, "One day you're moving to Texas." I had had a desire to be here since the 80's, a desire I now believe God put in my heart, but how God got me here was certainly not the way or process I thought it would be.

On the evening of Friday, October 23, 2015 my heart just seemed to hurt. I found myself that evening again weeping from deep down, and memories of certain places coming up in my heart regarding Oklahoma. I have said over time now when this comes up that I believe it is just God purging things out of my heart, so that it can be filled up with more of the Kingdom of God.

As the next morning rolled in, at 10:00 a.m. in Stillwater, Oklahoma a tragedy occurred killing and injuring children and adults during a parade for the University. A place that I had attended a handful of times, and a place that since a young age had hoped to attend college. It was clear it shook the community, and others in the state of Oklahoma. I got on Facebook later that evening and a picture went up. It was a beautiful picture of a sunset. One of my most favorite things was setting at the window that faced west of my parents' home watching the sun go down in the evenings. So when this picture went up, I noticed it was a beautiful sunset that night. I found comfort in it. As I kept scrolling, my newsfeed began to quickly fill up with numerous pictures of the sunset that evening. It really was incredible, the colors; the pictures continued coming in from all over the state of Oklahoma of the sky that night, and people recognizing that it was God who had brought forth such colors, and such a sunset. God had comforted so many, including me in my own life, just by how he had painted the sky that night for us all. It was simply the goodness of the Lord, and I thank Him for it.

Psalm 27: 13 - 14

13: I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

14: Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

 

Words That Have Comforted and Encouraged Me

These scriptures have been a comfort to me lately.... to keep on fighting the good fight of faith!! To not be discouraged, to not be afraid!! But to keep pressing on daily to what is ahead!!

Matthew 25:14 - 30

14:For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15: And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16: Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17: And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18: But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19: After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20: And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21: His lord said unto him, Well done, thou 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 the lord.

22: He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23: His lord said unto him, 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 the lord.

24: Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26: His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28: Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29: For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath.

30: And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Hebrews: 10 : 38 - 39

38: Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39: But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition (destruction ); but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.


Believe who is in you!! Jesus!! And if Jesus doesn't live in you, all you have to do is call upon his name, Jesus!! Believing he died, was buried, and rose again, and there he will be; Jesus living in you, your spirit joined to the Lord Jesus' spirit. And you will come to find, that no matter what the situation, because of Jesus who lives in you, you will always have HOPE!!
God Bless,
Misty

Humble Yourself to Obey God

I Corinthians 1:18 ( NIV )

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Jesus had to humble himself to obey God, and we will have to do the same. Join me as I share some of what God required of me so I could seek his will and not my own.

                                             New Audio: October 8, 2015
                                         "Humble Yourself to Obey God"
                                              

CLICK LINK TO HEAR AUDIO!

I Saw the Lord and He Saw Me!

Years ago I was teaching at a school in southeastern Oklahoma. I drove 45 miles each day there and back. The Lord taught me to pray while driving that road daily. I remember six miles from our house there was a stop sign just after you passed my father-in-laws house; feeling the pressing to be praying I would say to the Lord, "Ok, I'll start at the stop sign." I didn't want to have to pray. I'd reach the stop sign and start praying until I reached the other point I had marked. But one day it came to the point where the starting and stopping points no longer mattered, I found myself talking to the Lord Jesus and praying on the way there, and on the way back.

We didn't turn out for bad weather since we seemed to rarely get any that far south, but one particular day in late January 2005 I received a phone call. On the other end a person was letting me know due to a water break, school was cancelled for that day. I was so excited! I thought maybe I could lay around, watch some T.V; relax for what I'm sure felt like a much needed day off! My husband who was also a teacher at the time, and taught just a block or so down the road was on his way out that morning. As he walked out the door he looked back at me and said, "You need to be reading today." I knew what he meant.... reading the word of God and praying.


After he left I got going with my day and was doing some reading. At some point I went to our work room where we had our computer and did office things. I was facing the west wall and I was on Water of Life Ministries pages reading through testimonies; in doing so, I began reading a friend's testimony. Just as I was finishing I physically felt something lifting and spinning up out through my chest and head area. It was incredible! Immediately I knew something had changed. Everything about the scriptures, God, the Lord Jesus became real and vivid to me. I've always said it was like in that moment I knew God was real!! And that, that day, the Lord Jesus showed up in that computer room!!

Knowing something had occurred and there was a presence in that room with me, I turned around as if the Lord Jesus was standing right behind me. I didn't see him physically, but the presence of the Lord was there in that room!! He was there!! My life forever began changing from that day on. Many of those things I have shared over the years, and now with some of you all here.

II Corinthians 3: 14 - 18
14: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail (cover ) untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away with in Christ.

15: But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

16: Nevertheless when it ( the heart ) shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

17: Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18: 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.


You want to be changed? You want to have hope? You want to know the Lord? Your spirit joined to the Lord's spirit.

You can! How?

By believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confessing with your mouth the Lord Jesus! Say it, "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!" Call upon Jesus today!!


God Bless You!
Misty