"The Grace of God"

 Reflections4Life™ April 9, 2023

“The Grace of God”

“For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Scripture Contemplation: Esther 2:17; Psalm 45; Zechariah 10:12; John 1; Acts 4; Romans 3

©Ruthe McDonald.

Happy Resurrection Sunday! God's grace is sufficient and it is power— the power to transform us and to create us into who God has always ordained us to be. God accepts us just as we are, but it would be a travesty to stay the same under His anointing and in His grace. Even a flower must first experience death before it grows. Even a butterfly had to go through a transformation; dying of its old self. Come as you are, but allow the love of God to transform you. God never expected us to do it on our own! That is why we have His grace.

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. God’s grace is sufficient for every aspect of our lives. However, we must be willing to accept this gift from our Father. The enemy has duped many of us into believing that we are either not worthy of such love, or that we are fine just as we are because God says to come as we are. In order to know the truth and understand who God truly is, and all that He has ordained for you, you must spend time in His presence. Then you will understand the power and dispensation of His grace and all that waits for you. The entirety of what God has ordained for you. When you do, you will know and understand you could never remain the same—change must indeed take place.

What Would You Do?

I want to make you think today. Think about your relationship with God. To think about His grace and what it truly means to be transformed by the love and grace of God; by Jesus's death and resurrection. By the renewing of our minds.

If you received everything, you ever asked for; all that you wanted, and desired, was manifested right now, what would you do? Would you be content? Would you be happy? Would you continue to seek after God and His way of doing things? Would you want to know more about who God is and whom He called and ordained you to be? Would you be interested in the teaching and voice of the Holy Spirit? Would God be first; your relationship a priority? Would you be consumed with who God is and who He is in you? Or, would all you asked for have the place in your heart and mind that once belonged to God?

I ask these questions to get you to think. Think about your purpose. Think about your intent when you come to God. Is God just a source to receive what you want? A convenient means to an end? Or is God truly King on the throne of your heart and who You desire a sincere, real, and intimate relationship with, solely because He is God?

Is God First in Your Life?

Beloved, is God truly first in your lives? When you tell God that you love Him, what exactly does that mean? Do you love Him for what He can give you? Or do you love Him for who He is? Do you thirst and hunger after righteousness, and intimacy with God. To know who He is just because of who He is? Many claims that God is first in their lives but the moment things do not go their way, they seek another avenue to get what they want. They become angry with God and refuse to fellowship any longer.

How soon we forget the mercy and grace of God when we are faced with impossible situations and God does not move when we believe He should have. We get disjointed and disappointed, not understanding that God indeed has ways far beyond what we can comprehend. Yet, His grace will carry us through if what we truly desire is God Himself and not only what He can do for us.

Do You Even Know God?

God knows who we are. He knows everything about us, every hair, every tear, every thought, every doubt, every solitary thing concerning us. Yet, do we know who God really is, other than someone who can answer prayers? Have you taken time to know His heart, His soul? Or do you only seek Him for what you can gain from Him?

Father God is not a magician or some genie in a bottle. We do not make wishes, and then sit back and wait for Him to grant us our wishes then discard Him when we are through. He is not a Pimp, yet we prostitute ourselves seeking favors and trying to barter with God for services rendered. Telling God, since we have done this, and we have done that, then He should be doing this or that. It is the only reason we serve God.

Do you show God everything? Even though He knows you, have you offered yourself to Him? Have you poured out your heart and soul and sold yourself out to who He is? Not for what He can give you or pour into you; but for the sheer reason of Him being God, your Creator, your Savior, who loves you unconditionally and you want Him to be in every part of your life? Nothing hidden. Giving Him complete access to all of you.

That’s a scary thing, isn’t it? To allow God into those secret places of shame, pain, and confusion for fear of rejection. Because that’s all it is. We fear that God will not be who He says He is. Because some prayers have not seemed to be answered, or we have given up and let go of hope, then God cannot be who He says He is. We treat Him and look at Him, comparing Him to every other person we have had the misfortune of being let down by. He is not them, Beloved. God is not a man that He would lie to nor the son of man that He needs to repent. Even in all of that, God’s grace is extended toward us. His grace saves us from countless situations that we put ourselves in, and would never be able to get out of without Him.  

His Grace Changes Everything

God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. That was the acronym I’d learned at a young age to explain the grace of God. That Christ had paid the price (the Cross) to cover the cost of the bill (Life) that came due before God. Jesus became the payment, the final sacrifice. When we accept Christ into our hearts and we pick up our cross and begin to walk the walk, it is God’s Grace, which strengthens us and brings transformation into our lives. God’s grace, His unmerited favor, ushers us into His presence and affords us the opportunity to not only be saved but to know God.

How much do you want to give to God, not for the sake of getting but for the sake of just knowing Him and being reconciled to Him? How can we partake in His grace and heaven, yet never be willing to risk anything or give up anything; sacrifice, and tell others about God and His love and how much He desires for us to be reconciled to Him in all ways. To be a recipient of His love, care, and concern, not being manipulated, and made to feel inferior, but instead loved, desired, understood, and forgiven. That is God’s grace.

My Beloveds, May the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Do your ways please God? What have you done in your life that has exemplified the love of Christ? We will all stand before the throne of judgment. Have the desire to know God for God and not for what He can do for you or give you. Accept His grace, knowing that Christ’s sacrifice made you worthy. Yes. Come to God as you are, because He accepts you just that way. However, be transformed by the renewing of your mind and the dispensation of God’s grace. The true travesty would be to be in the presence of God and never know who He truly is and who you truly are. Staying the same; stagnated. With access to all things new, but refusing to change because you have become comfortable with how things are and living outside of the knowledge of who God truly is. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2023. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"A Relationship with GOD"

 Reflections4Life™ March 19, 2023

“A Relationship with God”

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…” Deuteronomy 10:12

Scripture Contemplation: Proverbs 4; Lamentations 2; Matthew 6:25; Romans 6; 8; Ephesians 4...

Through every attack, every trial, and hardship, one thing has ringed the most in my soul: “Is my life a true reflection of my relationship with God?” What is my life saying about God? What am I saying (my actions, my deeds) when I am going through a battle? Is my speech of defeat? Is it negative? Or, am I speaking with faith and confidence in what God has spoken and promised to my heart? Is my life truly reflecting who I say God is to me?

I declare, this week's Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Be cognizant of what your life is reflecting concerning your relationship with God. Walk in the goodness and promises of God, no matter what comes your way. Stand strong in the Father, who enables you to withstand all matters of storms, and cultivate your relationship every day.

A Mask of Religion

Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.

Mark 7:6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

Actions indeed are louder than words. People will hear what we say, but look at what we do. Many shun a relationship with God because those who wear the mask of religion and say they are believers have not done such a great job of exemplifying a life that would draw others to Christ. Instead, rocked with scandal after scandal, and under the guise of saying we are believers, we have allowed and continue to allow atrocities to occur in this world, and excuse behaviors of people in power or high positions only to gain what we want instead of what God requires.

Perhaps it is because we have not fully believed. Maybe we have not sold out our hearts and souls to Christ. Because of this, it makes it easier to swallow the demands and standards we place on others but do not follow ourselves. We have mastered the art of religion and have failed at relationships. We have a form of godliness but our hearts and souls are lacking Holy Spirit, truth, conviction, and love. We are pretty edifices with decaying souls and spirits within. We use religion as a weapon, the letter of the law to shackles, bound, and kill but do not hold these same laws to ourselves. Religion without a relationship and the Spirit of God is just another way to bind and destroy people and strip the world of love. It covers the truth about who God truly is.

An Intimate Relationship

1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

I thought about how a dear friend lived her life up until her very last breath on this earth. What an example of Christ she portrayed. Her life touched many people. Her love extended everywhere. Her life spoke of kindness, love, forgiveness, hope, faith, and laughter, even amid excruciating pain. She left a legacy of greatness for those who loved and knew her. More importantly, she lived it. Every day; even through sickness and pain, she reached forward and brought light and laughter to others.

It was not her religion that captured or drew people to her but the light and love that shone through her. Her relationship with God translated into her relationship with people from all lifestyles, backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions. She did not use religion to try to persuade others to what she believed. Nor to condemn others for the lives they lived and what they thought. She gained respect for respecting others. Yet never compromised or shied away from what she, herself believed and stood for.

How many of us pay attention to what our lives are speaking? Do our lives line up with what our mouths have been confessing? Do our lives exemplify the life we say we are living in Christ? Would anyone know by our actions alone, if we were believers and loved the Lord? Would our life lead another to Christ? Would they want to partake in the goodness of God by what our lives reflect, and the fruit we bear? Are we bound to religion or free in a relationship with the Almighty King?

With Love and Kindness

Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

This is what I know; God has many things He desires to do for us on this earth. Many prayers He desires to bring to fruition. Blessings He desires to manifest in our lives. Yet, for many of us who call ourselves believers, we have fallen short in our faith and love. We have honed our skills in religion and the letter of the law, but have failed miserably in the lessons of unconditional love and relationships.

Sure, we will go to church, and say the right words, but our hearts are speaking loud and clear, affecting our actions. Our message is not one of faith, love, trust, and belief or a relationship with a loving and just God. Instead, it is a message of doubt, fear, regrets, unbelief, unjust, vengeful, and schizophrenic God. Then we wonder why the church is full of like-minded people, yet whose homes are cold and void of love and meaningful relationships, and no one knows one another. Our home, our family is our first ministry. What would our families say?

When are we going to let go and allow God to have His way? When are we going to honestly trust in God and give Him all of us? When will we let go of religion and gain a relationship with the Highest that is honest, open, healthy, and can translate into our relationships with others? Simply put, when are we going to drop the masks and stop hiding behind religion, making excuses for our bad behavior, our judgmental spirits, and our hypocritical ways?

I want my life to speak well of Christ; to be that walking epistle that draws others into a relationship with the Heavenly Father. I desire to not just leave a legacy, but to leave one of greatness by totally surrendering to God, and allowing Him to use me; even in my most testing and trying times. I do not want a form of godliness, wearing a cloak of religion, and my heart removed from who God truly is.

My Beloveds, May the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Your life has been speaking for you for a long time. It is a reflection of your relationship or non-relationship with God. Let your life express well of you and God, and you—your relationship and not religion—will draw others to the saving grace of Christ. You are blessed. Now go and be a Blessing!

©2023. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"No More Procrastinating"

 Reflections4Life™ March 12, 2023

“No More Procrastinating!”

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” Proverbs 13:4

Scripture Contemplation for This Week: Haggai 1; 2; Luke 9…

©Ruthe McDonald.

We all have hopes, dreams, and visions. For many, they have pursued them and successfully accomplished them; seeing them come to fruition, the fruit of their labor and faith manifesting. Others have lost their hope, dreams, and visions. Life has not been kind and has disappointed them. Yet, the truth is, life happened to both groups of people. Many of those who have accomplished their dreams and visions, too were met with disappointments and unkindness. However, they did not stay down when they fell. They did not stop trying or pushing forward. When one road was blocked, they found another. They did not give up. And when God told them to keep going, they did not procrastinate. When it was time to rebuild, that is just what they did. They walked in obedience to God.

I declare that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Stand in faith and walk in obedience, Beloveds. Allow the word of God to cleanse you. Walk with confidence and faith, pursuing your dreams and passions. Do not allow setbacks, disappointments, and trials of life to derail you from seeing the manifestations of God’s blessings for your life. Be diligent in your prayer and meditation this week, allowing God to be your strength, as He instructs you how to rebuild. Be swift to move and follow His word, kicking the spirit of procrastination in the butt. Everything you need already resides in you.

Stop Procrastinating

Haggai 1:2-7  “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.

God has given each of us instructions concerning His will for our lives. He gave instructions in His word, through His overseers and teachers. Even in our dreams and through circumstances and situations, God has admonished us and has sent His word on what we should do and the path we should walk. Yet, many have gone astray. They have not listened to God, but instead have followed their own desires and whims; have followed others on a path of disobedience and destruction, and have not yielded to God.

Our spiritual houses are breaking down. Our lives are not what we hoped for or expected. The truth of the matter is that many have been selfish in their pursuits, forsaking the word and will of God. We have moved away from the will of God and His instructions and have procrastinated in our repentance and have not humbled ourselves before the Lord. We wonder why we never have enough or can never move ahead or catch a break. We have been indulging in our flesh; gratifying the lusts of our eyes and ears, and have forsaken our relationship with God.

This has left many empty, in a place of uncertainty, and spiritually bankrupt. It is time to stop procrastinating, especially when it comes to following the will of God, walking in obedience to His will for our lives. We cannot continue to straddle the fence and only serve God part of the time but expect full-time blessings.

Romans 7:17-19 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

There is a war within between the flesh and the spirit, and if we desire to rebuild, to start over, and see our dreams and visions resurrected, we must walk in obedience to the Spirit, put the flesh under subjection, and stop procrastinating when it comes to following God’s instructions. We must yield to God, and do exactly what He instructs without hesitation.

Start Rebuilding

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Haggai 2:18-19 Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.”

The Father has spoken and given instructions, now it is time to start rebuilding. To begin to rebuild what has been torn down, and left in shambles. God has equipped us, enabling us to move forward. If you have repented, sought out the Lord, and have a heart that is willing to move forward in obedience, then it is time to remember those dreams and visions. God has restored hope, as He has forgiven you of your past. The only one that wants us to wallow in the past is the enemy so that he can use it to cause us to procrastinate long enough to talk us out of believing what God has already declared and decreed over our lives.

God has already forgiven you, now you must forgive yourself and start rebuilding, following the instructions that God has given. Repent, humble yourself, seek His will, the Kingdom of heaven first; allowing God to equip you with all that you need. Do not be afraid to start over, to begin again. God is with you. He will not allow you to fail when you are walking in obedience. Get your plans; the plans that the Master Architect has designed for your life. Follow His blueprints and you will not have to worry about it failing inspection. It already has the Holy Spirit’s seal of approval.

Finally Beloved

My Beloveds, May the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I declare that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Rebuild and start living your best life now! Yes, you messed up! Who hasn’t? So what, you are getting older! We all are! Take what you know—all the life lessons; including the mistakes, and grow from them. Do that thing you always wanted to do but were afraid to do. Life is too short to live with so many regrets. Always remember your hopes, dreams, and visions. Remember who you are before that tumultuous relationship, before that job loss, the broken promises, and the heartaches that may come. Life is not easy but it is worth it. So remember all of those great things. Stop procrastinating and do them! You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2023. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

“Let Your Heart Be Malleable for GOD”

 Reflections4Life™ March 5, 2023

“Let Your Heart Be Malleable for GOD”

“again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” Hebrew 4:7

Scripture Contemplation: Deuteronomy 15:7; Joshua 11:20; 1 Samuel 6:6; Job 9:4; Proverbs 29:1; Mark 8; Hebrews 3; 4; 

©Ruthe McDonald.

      Beloveds, if there is one thing that I am certain of, other than the unconditional love of God, it is the fact that the enemy is a thief and he has set out to steal, kill, and destroy us. Spiritually and physically. He does not care how but he will use every weapon in his arsenal to deceive and rob us of the promises of God. Yet, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who came to give us life and equipped us with armor to defeat the enemy. If we believe and trust Him, then we walk in obedience to what He tells us and do not harden our hearts to the truth.

      I declare that this week’s Reflections are a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Be confident in the Lord and His promises for your life. Seek Him daily and saturate yourself in the word of God. Allow the word to quench your thirst and feed your hunger, as Holy Spirit fills you with the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of how strategically to defeat the enemy, no matter how he attacks. Greater is God in us the enemy in this world.

Don’t Be Deceived

         The enemy hates the fact we are made in the image of God and are filled with His Spirit. He loathes the creation of God and the power and authority that God has given us. Make no mistake that the enemy will do everything in his power to deceive you and cause you to doubt God, sin against God, and stop believing God altogether. The enemy wants our hearts to harden toward God’s truth. He understands that if he can get into our minds (his playground) and get us to contemplate on his [Satan] lies long enough, it will become a belief, finding its way into our hearts and becoming real. It will systematically harden our hearts, weaken our faith, and make the voice of God sound distant and false. Once he gets us to doubt God, he has found a doorway and it is hard to get him out before he does grave damage.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

         Our hearts tell a tale; a tale of what we believe, what we accept as truth. What we have thought about, contemplated, and eventually believed as truth. This is why God admonishes us to pull down strongholds, to dismiss the wicked and lying thoughts and whispers of the enemy that speak the opposite of God and His plans and promises for our lives. To renounce the thoughts, habits, and curses that He has freed us from. Eventually, we reap what is in our hearts, whether it is true or not. When we allow the enemy to rent space in our heads and begin to think on and entertain his lies, whispers, and evil thoughts that were planted, instead of denouncing them and replacing them with the thoughts, promises, and word of God—they become our truth. The lies embedded in our hearts, become our beliefs, robbing us of the sincere, godly truth and promises of God. Only God can change it if we allow Him access and do not harden our hearts.

          The enemy is determined to deceive us and make us believe the opposite of what God has spoken and promised. He is good with smoke and mirrors and twisting the word of God to fit what he wants. Do not allow the lies of the enemy and the manipulation of God’s word to deceive you and harden your heart towards God and His truth. Let your heart be malleable to God’s touch and His voice when He gives you the truth and it hurts or is difficult to hear. Your salvation; your life depends on it. As do the generations following you.

Don’t Be Robbed

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

         The Father lets us know that the enemy is after us; seeking to devour, steal, kill, and destroy. The enemy desires to rob us of the promises of God, to rob us of our peace. He wants to steal our joy, courage, faith, and belief in God and His promises. There is nothing more that would please the enemy than to destroy our relationship with God. He longs for us to not believe in God; to harden our hearts at the truth and to underestimate him and his duplicitous ways. By doing so, he would successfully destroy our faith, kill our dreams, and rob us of the promises of God in our lives, and our relationships.

           God would not have admonished us, warning us about the enemy if He was not certain that the enemy would try everything to get at us and we were capable of defeating the enemy. Some of us walk with the notion that the enemy will not use whomever to get to us. Some of us believe that we are wiser than the enemy. That, we are smarter than and will not be fooled or tricked into believing such treachery.

          Think about Peter and Paul. Think about Adam and Eve. Not to mention, Abraham, Isaac, Isaiah, Joseph, David, Solomon, Samson, etcetera. We are not immune to the enemy and his attacks, but we can be equipped and ready to win the battles that come our way, and that is to stay in the word of God; to stay in a mindset where we are yielded to God and seek His will each and every day. To be fully dressed in the armor and to pull down the strongholds and dismiss the whispers and lies and not contemplate on them or entertain them until they become embedded in our hearts, becoming real and true. When you hear the truth, do not harden your heart.

What it’s All About

         This battle is not even about us. Satan is striking back at God. Even the enemy knows he has already lost. It is all about love. Satan wants to destroy love. He wants to rob us and this entire earth of unconditional love. This is why he attacks our minds, trying to no end, to distort the truth and trick us into following him and agreeing with him. The enemy wants us to turn away from God and denounce Him; giving up our birthright—eternal life with our King.

         God has already warned us that the enemy seeks to devour us. Satan studies who we are. Taking notes on what concerns us. He sees what we love, searches for our greatest fears, our worst nightmares, our weaknesses, and Achilles' heel; whatever he can use against us to destroy our relationships, especially with God.

Luke 22:31, 32 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

         My Beloveds, May the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Take heart, Beloveds. Do not harden your heart against God when He gives you the truth. Let your heart remain malleable toward the Father. We must stand strong against the wiles of the enemy, putting on our armor, staying prayerful, reading our word, pulling down strongholds, and believing what God has spoken. The moment we stop believing God's word, is the moment there is a crack in our armor and the enemy will not hesitate to pounce. Pull down the strongholds. Take courage and do all that God says. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2023. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Priceless Vessels"

 Reflections4Life™ February 26, 2023

“Priceless Vessels”

“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” 1 John 2:27

Scripture Contemplation: Luke 7; Mark 14; Colossians 1; Matthew 22:37; Romans 5; 1 John 2

©Ruthe McDonald.

To God, it does not matter what we look like, what our past entails, or what we may be facing or involved with at this very moment. He has already forgiven us and wants us to recognize that our sins do not dictate who we are. Nor does it make His love and forgiveness conditional. It is what we believe about ourselves that hinders or motivates us. The eyes of the Lord are always on us. When we accept Christ and learn of His ways, we become that precious Alabaster jar that holds the most expensive and fragrant anointing of Christ within.

I declare this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your hearts, minds, and souls. I urge you to take the time this week to spend in the precious presence of God. Allow Him to pour into you His love and anointing. The anointing that destroys every yoke and lifts every burden and gets us through all difficulties and adverse times. God has created you to be a precious vessel for His anointing, His spirit, and His power. That, in itself, makes you quite valuable. You just have to believe it.

The Alabaster Jar

Luke 7:37-38 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

Alabaster Jars were expensive jars hewn from precious stones that often gave the jars the appearance of marble. Each jar held rare ointments, oils, and perfumes. The Alabaster jars contained the fragrance of their contents until broken open; making the vessels expensive since they only could be used once. In the time of Jesus, unmarried women in possession of an Alabaster jar(s), were likely a prostitute. They used the oils/ointments to either lure men or cover any odor since sources of water were limited.

When the woman of the city came before Jesus, washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, then anointed His feet with the ointment, it symbolized her given all she had. It represented, also, the forgiveness she was seeking, and the coming crucifixion. Those around complained about the waste she made, while others questioned if Jesus was a Prophet, allowing a prostitute to touch Him in such a manner.

Yet Jesus, understanding and hearing the thoughts and words of the Pharisees around, admonished them, showing their lack of service and understanding of who He is. This woman who had many sins had committed many offenses, humbled herself, and gave all she had, recognizing who He is—the Son of God. He forgave her of all her sins. He filled her with love, forgiveness, and hope. The Holy Spirit filled her; anointing her with the power to overcome her past. And the ability to move on to the promises of God.

Priceless Vessels

1 John 3:20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

Beloveds, today we are the Alabaster Jar. We are the precious and priceless vessels that God has chosen to pour His anointing into, as well as, the Holy Spirit. It does not matter how we began or where we began, only that God has chosen us, forgiven us, and poured Himself and His anointing into us. God is in us. He loves us, no matter what our journey is or has been.

In this life, we will face many trials. We will have committed many sins and offenses. Yet God forgives us and sees the blood of Jesus that covers us. When God has called us and we answer and begin to study His word, meditate, pray, and seek Him with all of our heart, and soul, He fills us with His knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. We are already filled with His power the moment we accept Him into our hearts. As we yield to the Lord, He teaches us how to use that power, and how to walk in it.

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Just like the Woman

As the woman came before God, tired of her past and the sins she lived in, she recognized Jesus and saw what He did for others. Her desperation to be released from the bondage she was in, had her coming with everything she had, despite the ridicule and name-calling, hoping He may be able to do for her as He did for countless others. She was at a low place in her life, crying out that if Jesus was true, who many others said He was, then this was her last chance for peace from her already torrid life’s journey.

The same anguish resides in many of us. We are desperate for the touch of God, a change in our lives, and a chance to be free from heaviness, heartaches, and disappointments. Free from the ridicule and judgment of others. Our life’s journey has been difficult, leaving many jaded and empty. Yet, there remains for many a spark of hope.

It is that hope that pushes us forward, seeking God to relieve us and change our circumstances. We cry out and pour out our souls to God. He hears us, Beloved. He has heard and answered, even though it may not feel like it. The answers will manifest if we do not give up. We are stronger than we think. We are greater than we know. God has filled us with His power, His love, and His anointing that is new every day. This is why the enemy seeks to destroy us and twist our thoughts concerning our lives. The enemy will throw our past and shortcomings at us; reminding us of our failures. However, God says, as Jesus spoke of that woman, He has seen our hearts. He knows the truth and we have touched Him with our tears, our pain, and our sincerity.

My Beloveds, May the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. God has forgiven us and is reshaping and molding us into precious vessels of honor, priceless vessels that hold His anointing, His Spirit, His truth, love, and power. We have to remember and remind ourselves because, like the Pharisees, the enemy seeks to remind us of our past. Yet God says, we are brand new in Him and are now priceless vessels of honor filled with His anointing and power that can and will destroy the enemy. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2023 Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Run to God"

 Reflections4Life™ February 19, 2023

“Run to God”

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19

Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 31; 34; 139; Romans 10; 12; 2 Corinthians 10; Jude…

©Ruthe McDonald

I declare, this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind, and soul. Let it resonate in your heart and soul that there is safety in the arms of God. In the presence of the Almighty is where you will find the answers that your soul seeks. However, you may not receive the answers right away but be comforted in knowing that God not only hears you but has already answered before you called.

Everything

Psalm 34:17, 18 “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Half the battle in our lives is learning to give God everything. We can talk to God about anything. We can bring everything to Him. Everything. All of our concerns, our questions, our wants, and desires; whatever may be causing a disturbance in our spirit, in our lives. Every hurt and pain. God not only desires for us to but also encourages us to. Lay it all on the altar.

I understand that for many that is a scary thing to contemplate—everything. God is not holding us back when it comes to laying it all on the altar, at the throne before Him. It is our continued lack of trust and inability and/or fear to be vulnerable. We struggle to tell ourselves the truth. God already knows it. Most have been so hurt and disappointed by people we love and trust that it is hard for us to trust God, or anyone that God sends into our lives to help bring healing, and show us His unconditional love and trust in a human connection.

Our faith in people has often translated into our faith in God. Instead of running to God with all of our cares and concerns, and pouring everything at the altar, as He has asked us to—we hoard the hurts and disappointments. We ruminate over them like sick children, until it becomes a part of us and we cannot let God in, nor release anything. We have built a wall between our hearts and God. 

Somewhere in our minds, we blame God for allowing things to happen in our life. At the same time, the enemy has been whispering his lies; whispering that God does not care does not love us, that He has abandoned us. Which is a total fabrication that the enemy often uses to sow seeds of doubt, to get us to stop praying and bringing everything to God. The enemy’s ultimate goal is to stop us from believing in God, in His promises, and in love; closing us off to all the goodness and greatness, that God has ordained for our lives.

Believing

Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.

Believing is the other half of the battle. There is power when we believe in God. It strengthens us when we believe in and stand on His word, in all that the Father has spoken to our hearts and the visions He has granted us. 

It is not about what we see with our natural eyes but what we can believe in our hearts without first seeing. The world says that seeing is to believe, seeing with your natural eyes. God says that first believing in what He has spoken, brings to fruition what you first believed without having first seen. That is faith.

This is exactly why the enemy tries to infiltrate our minds. It is his playground, our battlefield. The enemy knows that if he can plant seeds of doubt in our minds and we continue to think and meditate on those lies and negativity, it soon becomes a belief in our hearts. Whatever we believe in our hearts becomes our truth and only God has the power to change and remove the lies that we have accepted and now justify as truths.

Our minds are powerful vessels; our thoughts are a conduit of the life that we not only desire but what God has promised. This is why God admonishes us to renew our minds daily (Romans 12:1-2) to think of pure and good things (Philippians 4:8) and to pull down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4-6).

When we believe in what God has spoken to our hearts, we meditate on it, on His word, and His promises, we are strengthening our faith muscles. We are building a defense that the enemy will not be able to penetrate. We have the power to manifest what we believe in our hearts. The problem for many is that they have been stuck in a negative space for so long, they believe that nothing but bad or negative will take place. They end up self-sabotaging their lives because where faith once was, now resides fear and unbelief. The perfect cocktail for the enemy to wreak devastating havoc and destroy one’s mind and heart if possible. I say this because here is what the enemy forgets and what so many of us forget: there is absolutely nothing on this earth or below it or above it that can ever separate us from the love of God. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. (Romans 8:38-39)

As long as God loves us, there will always be hope for us until we take our last breath on this earth. All of that doubt and unbelief, all of that hurt, pain, and disappointments?—Can be washed away the moment we accept the pure love of God, and His forgiveness, and learn to forgive and love ourselves. We must first believe. Believe that it is true; that the word of God is true. Believe in His love and forgiveness, then accept it as truth. Allow it to become the new truth in our hearts.

Run to God

Psalm 31:1-2 (MSG) I run to you, God; I run for dear life. Don’t let me down! Take me seriously this time! Get down on my level and listen, and please—no procrastination! Your granite cave is a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety.

Like David, run to God, Beloveds. He is our safety, secure place, and answers for all things. Though it may seem like God is not answering or hearing your prayers, He is. In fact, He has already answered. However, the enemy of our soul will try to always interrupt and get in the way of us hearing and seeing God. We are stronger than the enemy when we yield to God when we run to the safety of His word and in His loving arms. When we begin to speak and pray the word of God over our lives and walk it every single day, we are creating a solid foundation that is impenetrable by the enemy. Though there may be times that we stumble and fall, and times of heartaches, losses, and even disappointments, it does not mean that God is not there. 

We must learn to navigate this life with the knowledge that there will be afflictions and adversities that we will encounter, but nothing too hard or difficult for God, and nothing we cannot overcome with God on our side. Though the weapons form against us, they will not succeed (Isaiah 54:17) as long as we are standing and believing in the truth of what God has already declared and decreed in and over our lives. Remember: The enemy has no power or authority except what we give him.

My Beloveds, May the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Run to God. Give Him everything. Believe Him for all things. He is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that He should repent. Whatever God has spoken to You, has promised you; it is indeed going to happen. Have faith, think about the good things and the promises of God, and follow His navigational instructions! You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2023. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.