notes from lisa...

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption , but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life . And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:8-10, NKJV) As the new year rapidly approaches--just hours away, many of us begin to contemplate the mistakes of the waning year, and look forward to a fresh start. Hopefully, we have grown in the year (almost behind us) and have learned new ways to handle the difficult situations and people in our lives. Prayerfully, we do not carry the old resentments, grudges, sins and errant behaviors into the future. In fact, it would be good if we would examine ourselves , daily, hourly, even moment by moment, assessing what things we need to abandon, and what we should put on. Get rid of the things that bind u...

"Yeshua said to his talmidim, 'It is impossible that snares will not be set. But woe to the person who sets them! It would be to his advantage that he have a millstone hung around his neck and he be thrown into the sea, rather than that he ensnare one of these little ones. Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him . Also, if seven times in one day he sins against you, and seven times he comes to you and says, `I repent,' you are to forgive him. '" (Luke 17:1 CJB) "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and [a]acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better ([b]more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary tha...

If you live anywhere, somewhat developed in this world, then you have probably heard about the troubles of Tiger Woods, the golfer who took the world by a storm with his golfing prowess. It seems as if we can't turn on the news, without hearing the continuing saga of his marital woes. Upfront, here is my opinion on this whole escapade: what Mr. Woods did was indeed wrong; it is a private matter for his family--and not the public; we are too involved in the personal matters of others; and we make it very difficult for people to heal, and to forgive. Why is it that we thrive on the misfortunes of others--and perpetuate the problem, magnifying it many times over, simply by talking about it? We talk too much, instead of minding our own business. Tiger needs prayer, his family needs prayer, and so do others who have fallen, and been hurt, or have hurt others. Guess what? That includes ALL of us. None of us has the right to point fingers at anyone, because even if you have ne...

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence , and the violent take it by force. " (Matthew 11:12, NKJV) Do you have a little bit of "thug" in you? If so, don't fret. Thugs, are in good company! Jesus' disciples were a bunch of "rough around the edges" guys--for the most part. They could get a little rough--they fought among one another about who would be first in the Kingdom. They were ordinary folk, who weren't always the best at controlling the negative emotions that arose. I don't know about you, but I can identify with them. It is a battle, to control (bring under subjection) my body--my tongue, my desire to fight against those who hurt me or those that I love. There was a time, when I didn't put much effort into controlling those things; the attitudes, anger, meanness rose up and manifested easily, and without much restraint. I grew up in church--a "pew baby", but althou...

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together , as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24,25; NKJV) Usually, when we think of the words, "forsake not" it conjures an image of harsh rules and difficult commands. We probably aren't focused on the consequences of (forsaking) whatever we aren't forsaking; just zeroing in on another thing--may be (seemingly) tedious, that we must do/not do. If we live our lives as "transgressors", this is how we tend to think--rules, rules and more rules, rather than finding the liberty in the commands of the Word of God. That's why the Bible tells us that, "Good understanding giveth favor: but the way of transgressors is hard." (Proverbs 13:15). However, when we are commanded to forsake or not forsake, it is because it will improve the qualit...