Saturday, June 11, 2011

Remember Who You Are in Christ Jesus

Good Morning,

HBO was showing an animated movie I love watching with my kids call Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron. The music for the movie is written and composed by an artist name Bryant Adams, and there’s a song on the soundtrack of the movie called Sound the Bugle. The lyrics go something like this…

"Sound The Bugle"

Sound the bugle now - play it just for me
As the seasons change - remember how I used to be
Now I can't go on - I can't even start
I've got nothing left - just an empty heart

I'm a soldier - wounded so I must give up the fight
There's nothing more for me - lead me away...
Or leave me lying here

Sound the bugle now - tell them I don't care
There's not a road I know - that leads to anywhere
Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark
Lay right down - decide not to go on

Then from on high - somewhere in the distance
There's a voice that calls, "Remember who you are"
If you lose yourself - your courage soon will follow

So be strong tonight - remember who you are
Yeah you're a soldier now - fighting in a battle
To be free once more - yeah, that's worth fighting for

I love this song. Sometimes its small things like a song from an animated children’s movie that can bring us back where we should be. As the song says as the seasons change – we have good times and we have bad times; it rains on the just and the unjust alike. Even through the bad times we should remember who we are in Christ Jesus. I’ve had several things that have transpired over the last month and half – I mean just one thing after another. Now I’ll blame some of it on the pregnant hormones, but I am stronger than what I have been acting this last month and a half. I mean the things that had been going on, the distractions, had my spiritual life at a snail’s pace – that’s not me. As Christians we have to learn to fight the good fight of faith at all times (I'm talking to myself too). This is why it is so important to do your confessions everyday; so that when a battle arises you have ammunition (The Word of God) to fight! We are soldiers in the army of the Lord, and sometimes we get wounded by the things that we endure. We want to give up and cave – we slow down – I did. I love the love Lord with all my heart, but I let my children getting sick, wrong thinking, unexpected financial situations distract me; I Know BETTER! For some reason it seemed to “hit me hard”. It was like I couldn’t shake this spirit of depression that was trying to take over. It kinda had me immobile. I told my pastor what was going on, and I kept saying ‘I’m stronger than this in the Lord. Why does it feel so hard to shake this?’ I remembered that the devil doesn’t like me; in fact, he hates me. Anyone that is speaking truth (The Word), winning the lost, and living their life for Christ Jesus – The devil hates you. I hope that when you think of me that you say a little prayer; but even more so, I hope that you are praying for your pastors and the leaders of your church. The devil hates them. If they are living their life for Christ and preaching the uncompromising Word of God – the devils hates them! If the enemy can strike the head or close to the head, he can cause some to be weaken enough to deceive them.

All while I was going through this, I could hear the Holy Spirit speaking to me. Sometimes I would start to pray in the spirit, and the next minute I wasn’t. Then I would think ‘Wasn’t I praying?’ But He was there all the time, never left me, and never gave up on me. Like the song says ‘From on High, somewhere in the distance, there’s a Voice that calls, Remember who you are!’ How do we remember who we are in Christ Jesus? By making the confessions of the Word of God. I am the righteousness in God through Christ Jesus. I am a daughter of the Most High God. I am blessed in the city, and I am blessed in the country. I am an over comer! My God always causes me to triumph. Jesus lives big in me, He is for me and my family and nothing and no one can successfully be against us. He is on MY side, I do not have to fear, what can man do to me! He supplies ALL of my needs according to HIS RICHES and GLORY through Christ Jesus. This is how we remember who we are – speak it out of your mouth – EVERYDAY! It has to be done EVERYDAY! You do not know when a battle will arise, but you can be ready. We are soldiers in the army of the Lord, and must fight the good fight of faith. The enemy wants to distract you and have you where you are thinking wrong and not speaking the Word of God. Do not be deceived! Now is not the time to get weary, now is not the time to be distracted, and now is not the time to have you thoughts out of line with the Word of God. The devil is bidding for your soul. Do not let him win. I refuse to let him win! The devil is a liar and a defeated foe where we Pirozzi's are concerned. Stay in the Word of God; keep it ever before you so that you can remember who you are in Christ Jesus.

Pray for your pastor(s), ministers – youth, children, and counselors - of your church. They are tempted just like you and me. Pastors are tempted to not preach the entire Word of God for fear they might offend some. Please offend me, and keep me out of hell. Pray that God gives them wisdom and strength to live the Word of God. People of the world don’t come in the church because they see ministers and some of us lay-people living just like them. We cannot do this. It is time for us to get serious about the things of God, or we will find ourselves left behind.

Remember there's a sinner's prayer on this site. If you have back-slid or haven't tasted and seen that the Lord is Good, then say this prayer. You don't have to be in a church building to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. There is a moment that will happen, and it will happen in a twinkling of an eye (as fast as you can blink), and those who have confessed Jesus as Lord and have walked according to the Word of God will be raptured up to be with Him forever and ever. Yes, it sounds too fantastical to be real, but don't take the chance that it's not and be left behind. So don't put this off. No one knows the hour or the day when this will take place, but it is for us to be ready when it's time to go. The first step is to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you say this prayer, contact me; let me welcome you and personally encouraged you in your new life with Jesus!

Did you put your armor on today???

Be Encouraged Today!!!