"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."~from ISAIAH 61 Bible verse for this Blog

APOLOGY to READERS who followed a SEARCH to HERE & didn't find it

On July 18, 2017, I drafted almost 3000 blog posts that I had published since 2008 when I began blogging, rather than edit each one. So if you clicked here from somewhere else and ended up with the post unavailable or error, I am sorry but this is why. It'd be too much work for me to go back and fix them. There's an explanation on 7/19/17 as I'm still learning.

Sunday, January 7, 2018

E"

"E"

... clearly, I exhausted all the words with "E" for me, when I brainstormed with the first "E" and there's still another one left that I left out on purpose in the last blog, which is one of my biggest dilemmas: [looked at as a weakness by most, and yet can be a strength (I guess if you are like me in this) or are more compassionate toward others because of it] ... EMOTIONS.

I'm sure that you can understand how EMOTION does not do so well with BELIEVE, however without EMOTION much of what one may BELIEVE, may also be limited, in my humble opinion.(lol) Yes, because God created us with EMOTIONS and we are made in the image of God, so God has EMOTIONS - no, not emoticons - real emotions that HE knows how to keep in control

[believe it or not, until recently, there has been little scientific research done on how emotions influence beliefs and how they relate, which of course is psychological, so I wonder if that takes into account our spiritual side (Emotions and Beliefs)]

Since "compassion" deals with EMOTION, it is core to iBELIEVE.

Anyways, you may think that this "E" blog post is not even worth sharing in my acronym of BELIEVE yet just because I have struggled for most of my LIFE with being too emotional or allowing my emotions to interfere with sound decision making, which probably also means living out my beliefs as I should, not according to how I feel or worse, the way I react ... contrary to what iBelieve as Paul wrote in Romans 7:15-20. Yeah, that's me

Admitting to being a sinner 
(sigh)
EXPRESSION

yet another word
God
allows us to

EMBRACE

as
we do
Him
His Word
His Promises
to us
and
BELIEVE


The reason that I even bothered with continuing to post this is because I'm sure that throughout 2018 as I ponder and watch God reveal BELIEVE and all He wants to speak to me, without a doubt, it will involve my EMOTIONS and perhaps spark some of yours. So, it has to be included with what iBelieve.

Added this on Jan. 8th, after reading my devotional "Believing God Day by Day" by Beth Moore:

"... More than any other faith challenge I face,
believing that I am who God says I am necessitates choosing what God says over what I feel."Beth Moore "... But if I'm really serious about believing God, I also have to believe what God says about me."

How about you?

Saturday, January 6, 2018

"I"

"I"

needs to be lowercase before

BELIEVE

iBelieve

so

"I" is always kept in perspective with
seeking God first
His Wisdom
His Word
His Will

less of "me" and more of Him

"I"
is the
center of this
One Word
BELIEVE
but
cannot be
the center of who
and what you believe
especially when it
comes to
FAITH
yet
the
"I"
is essential in
both words
keeping
your eyes
(I's)
on
JESUS

which leads me to
what
"I"
stands for

taken
from our "B" word
BELIEF

one of the 
KEY
core beliefs
of the
Christian
LIFE

IDENTITY

Who am I?

I believe I am significant
secure and accepted
because of
who
I am
in
Jesus Christ
{scroll down my blog to see the FICM poster of this towards the bottom}

Earlier years on my blog, I spent much time, sharing on IDENTITY ... but since I have drafted many of my former blog posts, they (and the links) will not open to what I shared (see my 'apology' note about this below my blog posts). I know my IDENTITY has suffered much until I took the time to BELIEVE the Truths found in God's Word of who I am and how God sees me because of Christ Jesus. Each INDIVIDUAL is unique, as made by God and meant to serve a unique purpose with their LIFE.

What iBelieve in God's Word and many other books I read are 
INSPIRATION
to all 
iBELIEVE

People also
INSPIRE
me
with how they live out
their walk, their faith
their beliefs so
this is what
I hope to
do
better


<><><>

[I do not know what I would do without my IDENTITY in Christ; or how others without Jesus Christ, even go about life, day after day; but from what I've seen they are centered on self and achieving everything including their identity, at the expense of others and working through everything to gain or keep a false sense of identity, or a low sense of identity, or sometimes a very superior sense of self.]

"I" is for "Independence" when it comes to believing in one self only, but believing in God, or dependence on God, when we surrender our will to His, brings us into an Interdependence with God, working together with Him and His purpose, making us confident and able to believe in ourselves as well with true freedom, true independence, complete identity knowing we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (or wisdom, or ability, or whatever). From my observation, many people in current times are having identity crisis, and seem to be confused, which we know where confusion comes from - not God.



Friday, January 5, 2018

"L"

[Before I continue on with "L" in my BELIEVE acronym, I have to let you know that "B" has more Basic Beliefs than those original 5 I listed, according to the book/devotional of Randy Frazee and also the Fundamental Beliefs of the church to which I belong since 1989, and perhaps yours as well. They were not meant to be all-inclusive, hence the reason I called them Basic Beliefs. I will at least add the rest according to the "BELIEVE" book back on that blog post, but the reason was because I read the YouVersion reading plan, which is only a sample and I went by that. Since then, I recently purchased one of the books (at a great deal that I couldn't pass up, since it is my One Word, but one of the others is also so I'm waiting for that one) which is how I discovered I was missing 5 more core Beliefs that were included. These Beliefs, included under Think, are only one third of this book. There still is a Act and Be part included in "BELIEVE" book] 

<><><>

Now unto 
"L"


although there's only one 
"L" 
I have chosen 3 words still
that are interrelated
in how
iBelieve
or
should Act because of what iBelieve

LEARN

LIVE

LOVE

{and another one closely related}

LEAD

At first, I wanted to use the Live, Laugh and Love that I've seen grouped together, but somehow "laugh" just didn't seem to fit with BELIEVE as much as the other ones (although I know God has a sense of humor and definitely know the blessings of laughter), it's not what I'm going for with God and BELIEVE ... so my second order was "Live, Love, Lead" (influenced by yet another book and YV reading plan) when I finally realized (especially when I discovered the additional "B" part above, for that blog post) that I am always "LEARNING" and wanting to LEARN all I can in God's Word and from others as relates to my faith and beliefs. I want to remain someone who "thirsts" after God and learning is essential, in my opinion, to this ... being open and LISTENING (which would have been another important "L" word, to God and also to others) most importantly to other Believers.

In the 4th reading of my new "winter" devotional entitled "A More Abundant Life" I read this:

"God doesn't call us to do Extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary LOVE."Jean Vanier
{this should have gone with "E" but it'll work here too}


So if I had to choose just one, I thought that "LIFE" or "LIVE" would have been the chosen word for "L". To "LIVE by faith, LIVE faith out loud. And never stop believing God." (Beth Moore) Loving God with all we are! Then I quickly was reminded in God's Word about LOVE, not just that God is Love, but what 1 Corinthians 13:7 tells me about Love and BELIEVE. 

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

However, it's a combination of all of the "L" words that came to mind because for me in 2018, to show what iBELIEVE, I need to LIVE my faith out loud and the best way is through LOVE like Jesus, not just His teachings that iBelieve rather how He lived as I should be living by what I read and apply from God's Word. Then I am confident that God would want me to LEAD others to Jesus, LEAD others to what I believe and LEAD others to the Truth. Not just change what others believe or don't believe, but LEAD through how I LIVE and LOVE (even when it's difficult or someone seemingly unlovable to our preferences, not in God's eyes, there is no one unlovable - NOT ONE). We have to Leave behind our way for His way completely and see others as HE sees them and loves them as He loves us. Yes, all my "L" words are interrelated in what iBelieve! Leaving comfort zones for God zone - which is LOVE LIVED out in our LIFE, LEARNING, LISTENING, LEADING ... LAUGHING; Believing all things are possible through Christ Jesus! this is what iBelieve!




aMazed
how all my devotional readings
work together
because
LIFE
is a continual process
of
LEARNING
to
LOVE
and
LEADING
others
to the
Only One
that
LOVES
us
fully and deeply
so completely
in our
LIFE
journeys
to
LIVE
more 
like
JESUS

Yep, I gotta
LIVE
what I
BELIEVE






... on a faraway sidenote, because it does start with "L" - I have to mention it here, since I think, in part, this is what may have inclined my ear toward "BELIEVE" as my One Word (although there were many innuendos toward this)... is the word "LIE". Not because LIE is part of Believing, but because of the LIES we do BELIEVE or buy into as truth when they're not (and there have been a few books written about this). Eventually, I will have to make one or two of them part of what I read, because we have to know the LIES we've believed to speak TRUTH into our LIVES (and heal).



To my faithful visitors;
all of you who spend your valuable time here with me
I do appreciate you so much!

Thank you for taking your time to visit!

Love, Sweet blessings & Hugs!

DIOS TE BENDIGA
GOD BLESS YOU

always

Peggy