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Sunday, November 29, 2009 0 Comments »
The Happy Squirrel
Sunday, November 29, 2009 Posted In The Happy Squirrel 0 Comments »
Another just for fun moment...Enjoy!
Vande Zande...Just For Fun!!!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 Posted In Vande Zande...Just For Fun 0 Comments »
I just thought I'd share this tid bit of inspiration. It is entitled Vande Zande (an obvious choice...LOL). Please enjoy, and visit the creators of this layout and graphics. Thanks for stopping by...Amanda Vande Zande ©
This design was created using April Template by Amanda from http://atexaschickie.blogspot.com/ and graphics, embellishments and papers from http://creativeintentionz.blogspot.com/, Domestic Violence Awareness Kit. Thanks to these great artists for their creativity and inspiration.
Finish The Story!!!
Thursday, November 19, 2009 Posted In Finish The Story 0 Comments »One thing I don't understand, and maybe someone in the world could explain this to me.
I don't understand people that go to church and still know nothing about Jesus. Isn't church the place you go to be edified, built up, fellowship together about the things pertaining to God? Just about everyone I work with sits in church on Sunday, and just about everyone I work with knows nothing, or cares nothing, for Jesus. Here's the irony...I don't go to church. It really makes no sense to me.
If I talk to people at work about Jesus' return, they think I'm crazy. I think what makes me the most angry about this, is that these people have no assurance of their salvation. Who is to blame here? Is it the individual or is it the church. I'm sure it's both, but isn't the church's responsibility to make sure these people know the rest of the story? As it turns out...Jesus is suppose to come back for His own. Even if there is no verifiable proof of the rapture; but none the less, Jesus will be back for His own, whether by rapture or tribulation. HOW COME THESE PEOPLE AREN'T BEING TOLD?
A word to the Pastor...FINISH THE STORY!!! Thus saith the Lord: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Are we to understand that these are the words for just this life here on earth, or the eternal life that is our future and our hope?
There's this book in the bible called REVELATION. This book is filled with the mysteries of God, and with the rest of the story. This is where Jesus & John set out to explain the mysteries of what is to come. You don't have to understand all of the complicated imagery, but you do have to understand that this life is not your own, you were created by God and to God you will return. There will be judgment, but it's up to you as to what kind of judgment you will receive...
Finish The Story!!!
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
Try Jesus...
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In Try Jesus... 0 Comments »
I have been driving by this sign for two years. Everytime I pass it by, I
could just kick myself for not having my camera. Well, today was the day!!! And a perfect day it was, God had just bestowed his many blessing upon us and it was a crisp, cold, Halloween day. I mean ideal Fall / Halloween weather. There was first the climbing down the ditch, then up a hill with all this long grass you see in the picture, but fortunately through all that, there was a rock in which to set my feet. Stable ground on unstable terrain...SNAPSHOT!!!
-Amanda Vande Zande © Visit me @ FaceBook to see the entire album!
The Desires Of Your Heart
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In The Desires Of Your Heart 0 Comments »Delight thyself also in the Lord;
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalm 37:4
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalm 37:4
God gives us the desires of our hearts...now does that mean all the material possesions we want, the things that are tangible or does that mean the actual desires? I kinda think it's both. We have typical human desires...we want stuff!!! We desire a new house, or a new car. We desire a husband, and then we desire children. We desire to go hiking, or pour ourselves into our latest and greatest hobby (in my case it's this web site) but where did that desire come from?
Not every desire we have is spiritual in it's outcome, but if you live your life for Christ, and your focus stays on the things above, ALL things become spiritual (providing God has placed those desires in your heart, I'm not sure if the choice to smoke crack or not, would be your righteousness or God's...you figure it out). However, think about the things you really desire and then think about why you desire them. Are these desires driven by passion in the pit of your gut, or are they desires of tumbleweeds? Are your desires things that are easy for you to come by, or is the process of fulfilling your desire a constant struggle? Is it Christ centered or is it me centered?
This is what I have learned...if your desire comes from God, and you give it back to God...God will glorify himself through it. How could a perfect God allow himself to look foolish? He can't, he's not, so he won't. Therefore, search yourself, search your desire and delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Amanda Vande Zande ©
Amanda Vande Zande ©
The Blood
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In The Blood 0 Comments »I heard a preacher speaking about "The Blood," and then I thought about Cain & Abel, and the reference that was madeabout Abel's blood crying out from the ground.
"the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." -Genesis 4:10b
And I thought..."does the blood cry out to Jesus?" If the life is in the blood, then wouldn't it stand to reason that the blood would cry out to Jesus? So many people are saved out of desperate situtions, the alcoholic, who's blood is so thinned, his organs are shutting down, or the drug addict who's blood is so full of toxins, the blood itself suffocates. I have to wonder if maybe this is our call to Jesus. Is it really ever us that cries out to him, or is it the blood that first cries for help, and toils within us for salvation...then brings us to Christ?
Does Jesus speak to our blood, before he speaks to our minds and then our hearts? Is there some kind of unheard communcation going on in our lives from birth to death, in hopes that we would come to repenntance? Having been a former drug addict (some people may say I am blasphemous) I beleive that the drugs I was putting into my body, were designed to bring me to Christ. I was desperate. I needed something else. I needed Christ. My blood needed Christ's blood. To make me pure and whole. Was this all a design by God to bring me to repenttance? I beleive it was for me.
Who knows what is happening behind the scenes? The cancer patient that is brought to Christ and healed...the cancer patient that is brought to Christ and isn't healed. Isn't there a much larger purpose? Did the blood cry out? And what about the non-beleiver that is healed from cancer and still isn't brought to Christ? Isn't it God that heals and directs the paths of all? But the blood cries out just the same.
The blood within us all cries out for a comforter, so that we won't be lonely or angry or scared. Our blood cries for companionship, a husband, a wife, and someday that our blood may intermingle and created new life.
Life is in the blood...the blood of Christ.
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
Serve Yourself
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In Serve Yourself 0 Comments »As Christians, our duty is to serve, others and God. But do any Christians ever really serve God? I don’t know statistics, but I would be willing to bet, only a handful (God’s handful) of people on this whole planet actually serve God, and God alone.
We all struggle and we all try to serve God. If you really think about, doesn’t it all seem in vain to you, do we not actually serve ourselves, by “serving” God? We struggle with going to church, and tithing our money, and “don’t drink that beer because God frown’s down on that,” even though you’ve been drinking beer longer than you’ve ever even known anything about God. We struggle to walk righteously, and talk righteously, and behave righteously, so that we are entitled to let everyone else know when they aren’t. But does God ever really get served?
I have come to the conclusion, as along as we are here, we will never serve God. Not because we don’t want to, or that we don’t love Him, we love Him, because He loved us first. So even there, is this our service? It really is. LOVE!!! We can’t serve God because we don’t know how. We read our bibles and understand what it is that we should be doing, or want to be doing, we just don’t know how to take ourselves out of the equation. So until we learn how to remove ourselves, we will never really serve God, without serving ourselves first.
It saddens me to think, that we all think we are going to heaven, and I don’t doubt that we are, but why should we be able to? If you were God, would you want any of us? I wouldn’t, but Thank God, He’s THE JUDGE. This is the only thing we really have to be grateful for, God’s mercy, because, we have no mercy, on our selves, our husband’s, our wives, our parents, brothers, sisters, friends, strangers or even God himself. We don’t know how to live righteously, and no matter how hard we try, we never will until Jesus returns and makes us perfect.
It’s very unfortunate, that I being Christian, I am also this way, and recognize this behavior in my fellow Christians. I find it very unfortunate, in my own righteous struggle, that I sometimes think about my life before Christianity (the drug abuse, the homelessness, the hunger, and promiscuity) and have a hard time choosing between Heaven & Hell. It was more freeing (in appearance) to not be accountable to someone else’s feelings, even if that someone else is God / Jesus.
So really, the moral of the story is: I love being Christian, I love God, and what God has done for the world and me, JESUS CHRIST IS MY SAVIOR. So, even as negative as this article may be, please don’t let the people around you, Christian or not, cause you to stumble. Keep your eyes on God, and what ever you do in your struggle to serve God…serve yourself, through God.
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
We all struggle and we all try to serve God. If you really think about, doesn’t it all seem in vain to you, do we not actually serve ourselves, by “serving” God? We struggle with going to church, and tithing our money, and “don’t drink that beer because God frown’s down on that,” even though you’ve been drinking beer longer than you’ve ever even known anything about God. We struggle to walk righteously, and talk righteously, and behave righteously, so that we are entitled to let everyone else know when they aren’t. But does God ever really get served?
I have come to the conclusion, as along as we are here, we will never serve God. Not because we don’t want to, or that we don’t love Him, we love Him, because He loved us first. So even there, is this our service? It really is. LOVE!!! We can’t serve God because we don’t know how. We read our bibles and understand what it is that we should be doing, or want to be doing, we just don’t know how to take ourselves out of the equation. So until we learn how to remove ourselves, we will never really serve God, without serving ourselves first.
It saddens me to think, that we all think we are going to heaven, and I don’t doubt that we are, but why should we be able to? If you were God, would you want any of us? I wouldn’t, but Thank God, He’s THE JUDGE. This is the only thing we really have to be grateful for, God’s mercy, because, we have no mercy, on our selves, our husband’s, our wives, our parents, brothers, sisters, friends, strangers or even God himself. We don’t know how to live righteously, and no matter how hard we try, we never will until Jesus returns and makes us perfect.
It’s very unfortunate, that I being Christian, I am also this way, and recognize this behavior in my fellow Christians. I find it very unfortunate, in my own righteous struggle, that I sometimes think about my life before Christianity (the drug abuse, the homelessness, the hunger, and promiscuity) and have a hard time choosing between Heaven & Hell. It was more freeing (in appearance) to not be accountable to someone else’s feelings, even if that someone else is God / Jesus.
So really, the moral of the story is: I love being Christian, I love God, and what God has done for the world and me, JESUS CHRIST IS MY SAVIOR. So, even as negative as this article may be, please don’t let the people around you, Christian or not, cause you to stumble. Keep your eyes on God, and what ever you do in your struggle to serve God…serve yourself, through God.
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
From Crack Head to Christian
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In From Crackhead To Christian 0 Comments »What does that mean anyway?
If I wrote this in opposition, would you still read it?
Would you feel sorry for me, or would you pass me by when you see me on the street, with a look of disgust, and never think that maybe at one time, I was a Christian? Well, don’t feel bad, because I wasn’t…BUT I AM NOW!!!
If I wrote this in opposition, would you still read it?
Would you feel sorry for me, or would you pass me by when you see me on the street, with a look of disgust, and never think that maybe at one time, I was a Christian? Well, don’t feel bad, because I wasn’t…BUT I AM NOW!!!
However, to become a Christian, I had to be a crack head first. Some of the best friends, I have had, the most beautiful poetry I have written, and everything I owned, I have lost from this lifestyle. In losing everything, I gained humility, a friendship with myself, the ability to survive in the worst of conditions, a new perspective on people, and how far they will go to get what they want, even if it is just a “hit.” I also learned to hang on to the one thing I did have left…HOPE. I was living in the same clothes, sleeping in the dirt (or anywhere else I could hang my head), hanging out in a tree, hungry and high? And this hope was all I had left. Believing in the good of humanity even though I was watching the bad of it all around me and even participating in it. Still preaching my hope to the hopeless, until one day I realized, I was the only one listening.
Little did I know at the time, God had His hand on me…and apparently He was also listening.
When hope dwindles, it is a crushing stone. I am pressed, not crushed but oh, how Satan did try. I know that now. I realize now Who, How & Why Satan works, and just how weak he really is. I am stronger than the affliction he tried to place before me, at least I like to believe that. I am in a different “place” now in my life (mentally, spiritually and geographically) but I believe being a child of God, Satan is also my defeated foe, but I must tread lightly, for I am still learning and vulnerable to the desires of the flesh.
The one element I was missing in my life, my whole life, was God. My mother is a spiritual person, and really instilled that into me, I grew up with the idea that I had faith, and really believed I was going to go to heaven, I really had no idea what all that entailed. I never understood what it really meant when people ask if you believe Jesus died for your sins. I still thought, “who the hell am I?” but I’ll go ahead and answer your question with a “yes.”
On to the downward spiral: to be a crack head I had to be a coke head first, to be a coke head I had to be a belligerent, angry drunk, and that started before I was even legal to drink.
What ever questions you have about life, I could probably answer at both ends of the spectrum. I came from a loving family, yet I was a wild child, my dad was always in my life, yet I slept around with everyone. My parents said “don’t do drugs, don’t smoke, you can do anything you set your mind to,” and well, I did, I did and boy did I?
We weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor either, so there goes that excuse. Dad & mom both were always around (married 23 years), no excuse there. Spoiled rotten, didn’t go without, no excuse there either. So how do you end up married three times, in jail three times, on the back of a motorcycle, running drugs, sleeping around, shooting up and smoking crack by the age of thirty?
JESUS…or the lack thereof.
Did you know you have to know how to be Christian, before you can just jump in both feet first. You really require a spiritual mentor of sorts. Before and after the question is asked... Did you know that Jesus died for you?" or "Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior?" I didn’t even know what that meant. So of course I answered yes, I wanted to spare myself from the “conviction” I would feel if I said no, (side note: I didn’t know what conviction meant either, in the spritual sense).
Life really spills when you say these words, (Jesus died for me, Jesus is my Saviour, I confess all my sins) and say them again, and still continue to live life according to the rules you have made up, or if you let someone make them for you. So, can I claim innocence in all this because I didn’t have someone to guide me afterward? Maybe, but NO. We are responsible for each other on this earth but we are also responsible for ourselves, and myself (obviously) wasn’t very responsible. This is America, and resources are everywhere, but you got to do your part. God doesn’t rain bibles from the sky, if he did, we’d all be Christians, or we’d all complain because those bibles weren’t good enough.
So things went from bad to worse, until the same two people that created me, watched me destroy myself, loved me with sadness; then saved me. No longer married, no communication, and miles away from each other, God intervened through the same people I was gifted to. They were put together, so that I may be put back together.
Thirty years old, and I am answering to dad. He’s coming to get me from mom (from Iowa to Texas) to pick me up, (to be my hero) and save me from myself, boy did he ever. I was smoking dope right before I got in the truck to come here, did my last hit 1 block away from the folks, and said goodbye to that life style and said…HELLO JESUS!!!
I got to Iowa September 1, 2006, (this is where the being born again part comes in). I was born again September 12, 2006. London, my step-brother, explained this “question” to me, and the light bulb came on, I got it, I get it, and I live it. If you understand that Jesus didn't just come and die for you, but for the sins of mankind, you're all of a sudden not so singled out and alone as a sinner. You realize, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." Oh, I get that...Jesus isn't a threat anymore...he is love!!! Pure, unconditional, perfect LOVE!!!
So what's next for me? Well, I married London, yes, my step brother...whom I had never met before this point in time, and got a decent job. We live in a nice house and are the best of friends. I have gained a great family, another step-brother, a step-sister and a great step-mom. The icing on the cake is this great kid named Denver (my step-daughter) whom I love and she loves me very much. We're great friends. So I would have to say my life is evidence to the saving power of Jesus Christ...Thank You Jesus!!!
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
Little did I know at the time, God had His hand on me…and apparently He was also listening.
When hope dwindles, it is a crushing stone. I am pressed, not crushed but oh, how Satan did try. I know that now. I realize now Who, How & Why Satan works, and just how weak he really is. I am stronger than the affliction he tried to place before me, at least I like to believe that. I am in a different “place” now in my life (mentally, spiritually and geographically) but I believe being a child of God, Satan is also my defeated foe, but I must tread lightly, for I am still learning and vulnerable to the desires of the flesh.
The one element I was missing in my life, my whole life, was God. My mother is a spiritual person, and really instilled that into me, I grew up with the idea that I had faith, and really believed I was going to go to heaven, I really had no idea what all that entailed. I never understood what it really meant when people ask if you believe Jesus died for your sins. I still thought, “who the hell am I?” but I’ll go ahead and answer your question with a “yes.”
Maybe at one time, I had a job, and a life and a love and really wanted the all American dream.
On to the downward spiral: to be a crack head I had to be a coke head first, to be a coke head I had to be a belligerent, angry drunk, and that started before I was even legal to drink.
What ever questions you have about life, I could probably answer at both ends of the spectrum. I came from a loving family, yet I was a wild child, my dad was always in my life, yet I slept around with everyone. My parents said “don’t do drugs, don’t smoke, you can do anything you set your mind to,” and well, I did, I did and boy did I?
We weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor either, so there goes that excuse. Dad & mom both were always around (married 23 years), no excuse there. Spoiled rotten, didn’t go without, no excuse there either. So how do you end up married three times, in jail three times, on the back of a motorcycle, running drugs, sleeping around, shooting up and smoking crack by the age of thirty?
JESUS…or the lack thereof.
Did you know you have to know how to be Christian, before you can just jump in both feet first. You really require a spiritual mentor of sorts. Before and after the question is asked... Did you know that Jesus died for you?" or "Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior?" I didn’t even know what that meant. So of course I answered yes, I wanted to spare myself from the “conviction” I would feel if I said no, (side note: I didn’t know what conviction meant either, in the spritual sense).
So, here I am walking down the street (no really, walking down the street) and this question presents itself to me again, by a cop (a black cop), in an Hispanic neighborhood at eleven o’clock at night, with my white boyfriend, "yeah, we belonged there," and the cop knew it too. Fortunately, he chose this opportunity to pounce with Jesus, and not with handcuffs. He prayed for me and I cried, and I went on my marry way looking for dope.
Life really spills when you say these words, (Jesus died for me, Jesus is my Saviour, I confess all my sins) and say them again, and still continue to live life according to the rules you have made up, or if you let someone make them for you. So, can I claim innocence in all this because I didn’t have someone to guide me afterward? Maybe, but NO. We are responsible for each other on this earth but we are also responsible for ourselves, and myself (obviously) wasn’t very responsible. This is America, and resources are everywhere, but you got to do your part. God doesn’t rain bibles from the sky, if he did, we’d all be Christians, or we’d all complain because those bibles weren’t good enough.
So things went from bad to worse, until the same two people that created me, watched me destroy myself, loved me with sadness; then saved me. No longer married, no communication, and miles away from each other, God intervened through the same people I was gifted to. They were put together, so that I may be put back together.
Thirty years old, and I am answering to dad. He’s coming to get me from mom (from Iowa to Texas) to pick me up, (to be my hero) and save me from myself, boy did he ever. I was smoking dope right before I got in the truck to come here, did my last hit 1 block away from the folks, and said goodbye to that life style and said…HELLO JESUS!!!
I got to Iowa September 1, 2006, (this is where the being born again part comes in). I was born again September 12, 2006. London, my step-brother, explained this “question” to me, and the light bulb came on, I got it, I get it, and I live it. If you understand that Jesus didn't just come and die for you, but for the sins of mankind, you're all of a sudden not so singled out and alone as a sinner. You realize, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." Oh, I get that...Jesus isn't a threat anymore...he is love!!! Pure, unconditional, perfect LOVE!!!
So what's next for me? Well, I married London, yes, my step brother...whom I had never met before this point in time, and got a decent job. We live in a nice house and are the best of friends. I have gained a great family, another step-brother, a step-sister and a great step-mom. The icing on the cake is this great kid named Denver (my step-daughter) whom I love and she loves me very much. We're great friends. So I would have to say my life is evidence to the saving power of Jesus Christ...Thank You Jesus!!!
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
II Corinthians 5:17
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
II Corinthians 5:17
Healthy Thoughts
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In Healthy Thoughts 0 Comments »I thought I'd take time to understand what it is in the bible and not concerning relying on doctors, as we all have or should.
Even the word physician and it's uses. There are arguments for and against doctors today, from surgeries to healings, education, advise, drugs, medications, benefits, costs, diagnosis, etc. etc.
Even the word physician and it's uses. There are arguments for and against doctors today, from surgeries to healings, education, advise, drugs, medications, benefits, costs, diagnosis, etc. etc.
Luke, the writer of one of the gospels and the book of the acts of the apostles, the physician as stated by his ways to interpret the condition. Whether mental, spiritual, and physical needs, he addressed these concerns whole heartedly as was with Job and his friends. Their observation toward mankind, women, children, the poor and their recorded states. The recurring theme that it is all about God, tying himself together with man as it boils down to faith, rooted in God Himself. To look elsewhere is what seems to be a curse resulting in death (you live by the law, you die by the law), a form of "pagan use" (adultery) against a sovereign, jealous, and almighty God who heals at will, when He wills, but to those only who ask, and believe (In Him, His words as their Life, assurance) by faith. Do we know more than God? God forbid. Have our doctors or physicians replaced our need for God once more?
As a side note, God forbid that we should speak of healing hands, the hand of God upon elders? I wouldn't know if it worked or not because, "will I find faith on the earth". Does anyone believe anymore?
Doctors and drugs (drug doctors), the religion of the 21st century.
Most chronic illness, and I know it hits personal, as it should with us all, but is it a spiritual condition, a symptom that is (sin, unbelief) resulting in death by design for His glory, to be shared by His redemption of us (from us)?
It is always about God, one way or another. By His stripes we are healed, but I do believe there are conditions, Godly health benefits to righteous living. God uses illness for his own purposes, but does it need be? That's my intent.
I know it's not to glory in doctors (men) or drugs (pharmaceuticals). It has to Glorify Himself to be of His design, redeeming, not redirecting mankind. The Bible is just full of this!
It is always about God, one way or another. By His stripes we are healed, but I do believe there are conditions, Godly health benefits to righteous living. God uses illness for his own purposes, but does it need be? That's my intent.
I know it's not to glory in doctors (men) or drugs (pharmaceuticals). It has to Glorify Himself to be of His design, redeeming, not redirecting mankind. The Bible is just full of this!
It is scary to uncover, but are we not protected apart from a total abiding in Christ? His body (the vine) will "not" be sick, cannot! He isn't, thus we can't! This is a principle with God. Blindness, lameness, dumbness, deafness seem to be physical attributes at most to spiritual conditions. Once diagnosed, they were healed, to glory of God, but it is by faith only, in every sense of the word when it becomes realized. Jesus always asked them if they believed, always, and to sin no more! Once again the connection, I know that is quite a claim, but it is one we have to live with also.
Drugs (synthetic) are pagan, damning, a curse, murderous, deceitful and are not ignored by God. They are the invention of man. It has to slap His "I know everything about you claim" in the face of His very heart, creativity, will, and emotions concerning you. To me this would seem to be death as I could know it, personally, spiritually, emotionally, and God help us, eternally!
This breaks my heart to write this because it is the new phenomena! It is consuming us, prophesied although, none the less! "Will I find faith on the earth". Man consumed inwardly, shackled spiritually, wholly, by a body that was meant to die! Can we not except that either? All form of LIFE extinguished, except that he may bargain it a little longer with one last gamble of his own blind, deaf, dumb, and lame choosing. What is left of them, for them and from them in the end?
There to me is one way of choosing, and He IS Life, and that Life is shared by the Holy Spirit who will never die.
He is the Great Physician, able to pierce bone and marrow, thoughts and intentions. He does know where we are sick and longs to tell us where it is, convincing us of righteousness!
He is the Great Physician, able to pierce bone and marrow, thoughts and intentions. He does know where we are sick and longs to tell us where it is, convincing us of righteousness!
Can we hear? Will we listen? That is the gamble I fear the most.
Are you looking, does God have you once again looking? What is it you are looking for? That's the question most hard, but most important to answer, with all of us!
Are you looking, does God have you once again looking? What is it you are looking for? That's the question most hard, but most important to answer, with all of us!
What will a healing faith bring? It alone is in Him.
Death or Life? Ask yourself this! I see people ill from the very cure prescribed, bringing their life to death. Symptoms verses side affects, how low will we go? Limbo?
Fear the Lord and nothing else, the one who alone can save the body and the soul.
I know these sound condemning, but the guilty stand condemned. I do know this, that when we are "in Christ, who is our Lord, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, our sanctification, justification, propitiation, appropriation, and of course glorification" then for us there is NOW (ultimately, finally) no condemnation. It is time to believe by faith! Either live by faith, or die faithless!
May we continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus, bringing glory to God our heavenly father! I write this to encourage you, spur you on to Love (yourself, your neighbor, your God) and to good deeds as we continue to work out our salvation, beit with fear and trembling!
London Vande Zande ©
London Vande Zande ©
Glory Bound
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In Glory Bound 0 Comments »Glory bound, but not for the faint in heart.
Peering into the recesses of oneself, the word of the Lord.
For wisdom, she's known within the walls of the heart.
To trudge the depth and riches renown. Oh the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord are born.
I have learned to knock and have it open, for it shall be opened unto you.
Being the scapegoat of sins you'll realise, you're not of the world, To have it paralize. What will you do?
Don't cast your pearls to the swine. They will trample them underfoot as they turn around and attack you for it.
I have sought the treasure spoken through the Lord Jesus to those who have been the closest to him, and yet those who just simply touched Him, believed for Him, In Him, Faith.
The world is in need of repentence that leads to change. More important, light that exposes the changes needed, deeply rooted in the dark.
Love that will overshadow selfishness and greed, the pride of oneself.
My eye has been dim. May it shine once again!
To be judged unfair, while being convicted of and tormented of judging. Where did all the wood come from?
To have compassion instead of complaining while fighting off short cuts that swallow me whole.
To look deeply into the whole of the soul, that once was filled beyond limits, without walls. To always want to serve, for nothing more than have the love within, embraced without.
In the face of all logic, the worlds warning, beating at all we hold dear. The threat of losing everything, but yet somehow knowing there is something watering, deep within, saving eternally, growing again.
What have we missed, or have we looked to hard?
I too have seen Him, been called by Him, searched by Him. It hurts, a struggle, this is war.
To become dispared with so much love and yet..........nothing to offer?
Have we embraced the tradition that to serve you must be hired by God in some huge, so called blessing where the money is promised, and whistling.. hey tithers, the road is clear, all your needs met mentallity in the face of the world saying get a job, oh you stupid fool!
God is a belief. Give first. God is a reality for the afterlife...good luck with that!
No wonder we are confused.
To have held firm the belief the Lord will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. I had felt them within, but as yet the curtain fell and nothing behind it, no money, no one to join me, not one to think like me, and who can I tell? The prophets see, the apostles comprehend, we tell the world, but it's never the end. war or tears! No one follows, wolves eat the sheep, blind leading the blind.
Is this the result of these so called deeper truths?
We question them to bring them close while they scream that they are fine? Did I pierce even the darkness of their own soul?
What am I suppose to think when this is ALL I see? I see. Not only see but sense beyond sense! It's not about me! It's not about me, Is it?
I have a word from Lord in the face of Jesus Christ that says "It's all about God". It's all in Me(Jesus), but it's all about my Father(GOD)....and yours.
I have a simple word to tell the world, that their ambitions and fears, works and faith can be summed up around this fact; that it is not about you.
Behold I stand at the door says Jesus. I stand there and I knock. If you'd only let me in, let me in! It's not about you, but it will be when you stand at my door and I righteously have to say I never knew you. This can't be you?
I Am the door. My own hear My voice, they come and go. I know them, yet It's not about them either, We do my Fathers business...It's about Him. I too came to serve, to show you in every way the Love that nailed Me to a cross, held me their, suspended, mocked, ridiculed, and unapologetic. I knew they were hardened by their own deciet, I had to do this, for some had Faith, I have covenants to keep, They actually believe in me. My blood sacrifice is sufficient for my Father and theirs, yours , YOU, just you, all of you. Come!
You can kill me, only once, but I'll rise again. I live now, it's the glory of Our Father and He is everything, I sit right next to Him, He's In everything, designed it, yes even hell. To disbelieve or to even question Him is damned for eternal punishment, yet He forgives, merciful, though it's not God, He has accepted your pardon, satisfied, God in the flesh, Jesus, Me.
The holy atonement, that someone so dear to Himself as a only begotten son of God, Son of man. Savior. The sacrifice that can pay a sin debt so just, so holy, a spotless lamb.
Longingly, patiently waiting is He, The God of all creation, oh yeah, the universe too. The God of the lillies and the sparrows and He has created you. Justly, for one purpose and He will succeed.
I am The Lord God. I am. I change NOT. I am near you, even in you. I hear you, I have mercy and show kindness, and am long suffering with my judgements, even Satan awaits. He will be judged because of my love for Him. I will have to judge, for I am just. I am angry with him, with anyone who will not believe in Me, I am the Lord and this is My Kingdom, over all and in all. I am the King of kings, Lord of lords and my ways are true.
Condemned they'll sit there, the trial is coming, There is NO OTHER way.
My wrath is just, My anger is just, I am that I am. I have but one way to Me for you. Me, Jesus.
Jesus has reconciled the world to Me, and I to you. This is my beloved Son in who I am well pleased. Do you want to share with Me? I share Him now with you. Holy Spirit.
All that I have on earth, anything to do with the earth is now His, but Ours too. It was always this, We did this. This is for Us and you! I have willed a people, I desire a man, intelligent, born in My image, a family. You were born because of Us, don't ever question that. I created you free, but free to worship Me, Jesus, and NO, nothing else. It is I for you, and you for Me.
I am love, and I have no limits but Love itself, Myself. You may have Me too.
I created a world but they so Ignore me, I have given freely and they forever worry. For in themselves they've bought their glory, take the credit.....and are seldom sorry.
Except only a few.
Preach! says the world, Your religion is waiting to be exposed. Is it not working? I sure could use some fruit. Spit, I see men like trees, walking, gaining wealth, clouds without rain, and the poor cry out.
Are you judging or greedy and hindered by your own deceit, faithless, gods? Maybe?
Bring people to Jesus or else.... Gauging it by dollars and numbers. Where does my help come from? Faith? Tithers? We all have dusty boots. My help comes from the Lord, I took nothing with me as asked, I'll take nothing when I leave, shake it off, dusty boots. Greetings.
I have a thought, a word of the Lord........again...anyone? Why don't you bring Me to them. Not yourself, but Me, Jesus. Do you understand, can you even imagine what that means? They aren't listening to you, don't have time for another you, another vain hobby? We all would rather serve ourselves than you, programmer. I'll deal with everyone justly. They will bow down and believe when they see My face, Hear My voice, and magnify My name deep within the recesses of themselves. I'll tell you what, break free, get out of the way, Behind Me.
Your suffering dead spirit will instantly welcome the Spirit of the Lord if YOU would eliminate yourself as the saving grace. Jesus is Lord, redeeming mankind.
Come you who are burdened, I will give you rest. REST AND WAIT. You'll renew you strength in Me. Take my yoke upon you, Jesus says, it's EASY! My burden is light, light, enlightening! Why have you made this so hard?
Do you, being deaf, blind, dumb, lame, really rather go to hell, be in the dark, away from Love, light, eternal glory, just to say to Satan, the devil, the god of this world, you were wrong about me, this... this is Hell!
I thought my life was a joke, told and showed everyone it wasn't though, I thought I had everyone fooled, ah, even myself. For I too held my pride, exalted all that is above God too........YOUR THE DEVIL, YOU LIAR.........you Counterfeit one!!!!!
This is eternity folks. That will be your new song. Put on your faces and grind your teeth, for the Pride of this Life and the next has certainly won you this prize.
Surrender to the Love and compassion of the Lord that you see in the face of Him you heard of, for you are watching, longing for it...explore what it is His few followers have...kindness that leads to repentance. Truth, one accord, simple faith.
This Jesus who was abused 2000 years ago, and none the less has never stopped been being beaten, defamed, has left us generations who held His life, Love. His own have felt it, the Faithful welcome it. What is it he's truly saying and showing?
I have compassion, you need a shepherd! I can't take it anymore! I am saving ALL who Believe in Me, bring me to the cross so none who follow will loose sight of Me....I'll be your Lord, you may serve me instead. My Father is good, I'll give you daily bread. FOREVER! It's not you they hate, I'm sorry but they Hated Me too, I was first. Take up your cross, they will put you on it too. Forgive them, for this is Love. They just don't know what they're doing.
Some have faith that will cause them to believe, some just have never explored this. Have you sought yours? It's a gift. A Grace. An unmerited favor. Paid in full!
God hasn't changed, the faith hasn't changed, look up, not around will you?
Your redeemer has called...shhhhhhhhh...... He's in The garden.., listen, it's for you, you cannot hide. Tear down the wall.
Come naked and cold, young and old, humble, but bold, but please come, for I pray thee, He has come to find you.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Heaven.
God Bless!
London Vande Zande ©
Bloom
Sunday, November 01, 2009 Posted In Bloom 0 Comments »So much time wasted trying to give hope to the hopeless, succeeding in failures and trying to add depth to two dimensional lives. All cardboard cut outs positioned in a diorama that only invites insects for movement, remembering then there is no life.
And standing still, I am resurrected into my hope, drawn up and floating just right above the box. Given the gift of vision to rise just enough to see, just enough that the light washes the darkness below me now.
The world outside this self chosen cave is the outside of the hole I can never look back into, for my fear of darkness makes me afraid still. I know what lives there and I know where it's hands have been,
unwashed for days, months and years.
Laughing at me at my tears
Fabricating more fear for my fears
Relentless screaming nobody hears.
So I scream until I can hear myself again, and all of my worldly prayers are not answered, but I receive a few roses and leaves and clovers of 3 as a reminder to keep smelling, keep collecting, and keep looking because cloves of 4 are treasures for those who have advanced. And yet, all a treasure and a constant reminder to keep HOPE alive. You cannot find what you do not seek, and you must seek with open minds, open hearts, and oh yeah, open eyes.
So sad the still world remains, no salt to taste, no light to see and all the while love for them and no love for themselves. Ask and you shall receive, but the sloth cannot prevail
And the glutton cannot see
So clouded the minds of those who envy
With things which feed the vanity
Now face the wrathful mirror
Is sanity getting clearer?
It's us against the world my friends,
Those who defy us
Those who try us
Binds that tie us
Take a bite from my apple once and you have never tasted fruit so sweet. A future so unfortold, so excitement is in store, and when it's bad, it's not that bad. And when it's good, how much better will it get?
Keeping those thoughts with my first breath, as the sun replenishes my eyes and all the while saying:
Thank You God for all you have created.
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
And standing still, I am resurrected into my hope, drawn up and floating just right above the box. Given the gift of vision to rise just enough to see, just enough that the light washes the darkness below me now.
The world outside this self chosen cave is the outside of the hole I can never look back into, for my fear of darkness makes me afraid still. I know what lives there and I know where it's hands have been,
unwashed for days, months and years.
Laughing at me at my tears
Fabricating more fear for my fears
Relentless screaming nobody hears.
So I scream until I can hear myself again, and all of my worldly prayers are not answered, but I receive a few roses and leaves and clovers of 3 as a reminder to keep smelling, keep collecting, and keep looking because cloves of 4 are treasures for those who have advanced. And yet, all a treasure and a constant reminder to keep HOPE alive. You cannot find what you do not seek, and you must seek with open minds, open hearts, and oh yeah, open eyes.
So sad the still world remains, no salt to taste, no light to see and all the while love for them and no love for themselves. Ask and you shall receive, but the sloth cannot prevail
And the glutton cannot see
So clouded the minds of those who envy
With things which feed the vanity
Now face the wrathful mirror
Is sanity getting clearer?
It's us against the world my friends,
Those who defy us
Those who try us
Binds that tie us
Take a bite from my apple once and you have never tasted fruit so sweet. A future so unfortold, so excitement is in store, and when it's bad, it's not that bad. And when it's good, how much better will it get?
Keeping those thoughts with my first breath, as the sun replenishes my eyes and all the while saying:
Thank You God for all you have created.
-Amanda Vande Zande ©
