Lean on JESUS when…

Lean on JESUS

JESUS My Lord and Savior

©All Rights Reserved -Anastasia Diamond

https://jesusmylordandsavior.wordpress.com/

When life is challenging (that’s every day)…lean on Jesus

When time stops on rewind, and hard memories replay…lean on Jesus

When resources are scarce, or finally run out…lean on Jesus

When hope turns to hopeless…lean on Jesus

When promises crack, and are broken…lean on Jesus

When sad songs are the melody of your life…lean on Jesus

When prayer feels impossible…lean on Jesus

When sorrow engulfs you…lean on Jesus

When tears overflow, and will not stop…lean on Jesus

When truth is made false, and lies become truth…lean on Jesus

When home is a place where there is no peace…lean on Jesus

When faith is only a distant concept…lean on Jesus

When disappointed in people, places and things…lean on Jesus

When grief is your constant companion…lean on Jesus

When friends cannot be found..lean on Jesus

When defeat is an option, and you want to give up…lean on Jesus

When loss overwhelms you…lean on Jesus

When love isn’t lovely, but tainted or worn…lean on Jesus

When abandoned, alone and forsaken…lean on Jesus

When comfort from others, leaves you still wanting…lean on Jesus

When joy is elusive…lean on Jesus

When sleep doesn’t come, in the middle of the night…lean on Jesus

When words have wounded, and cannot be taken back…lean on Jesus

When anger and rage spew like an erupting volcano…lean on Jesus

When addiction is your secret companion, destroying you life…lean on Jesus

When confusion reigns, clouding your thinking…lean on Jesus

When death is knocking on the door of your life…lean on Jesus

When evil, and false gods beckon you…lean on Jesus

When laughter depends on bad jokes, or hurtful pokes…lean on Jesus

When justice is unjust to the innocent…lean on Jesus

When suicide feels like the only way out…lean on Jesus

When family are not supportive, or far, far away…lean on Jesus

When change is unwanted, but inevitable…lean on Jesus

When envy is deep, deep green…lean on Jesus

When peace isn’t perfect…lean on Jesus

When pleasure is an empty and bottomless pit…lean on Jesus

When trouble surrounds you…lean on Jesus

When sin consumes you…lean on Jesus

When goodness, mercy and grace are foreign to you…lean on Jesus

When marriage vows break…lean on Jesus

When pain burns in every fiber of your being…lean on Jesus

When thoughts take you to dangerous places…lean on Jesus

When burdens are heavy…lean on Jesus

When communication crumbles…lean on Jesus

When wisdom departs, or wise men act foolishly…lean on Jesus

When bitterness is turning your heart to stone…lean on Jesus

When children or parents disappoint…lean on Jesus

When guidance is poor or lacking, and your path is diverted…lean on Jesus

When illness invades your body, mind, or spirit…lean on Jesus

When fear cancels all logic…lean on Jesus

When God feels like a stranger who just doesn’t care…lean on Jesus

When doubt fills your every thought…lean on Jesus

When actions cause negative consequences…lean on Jesus

When heaven feels far beyond your reach…lean on Jesus

When plans shrivel and die…lean on Jesus

When forgiveness isn’t easy, or doesn’t come at all…lean on Jesus

When you shatter and break, gather all the pieces at the foot of His cross…and lean on Jesus.

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

All Rights Reserved ©2009-2010…”JESUS my Lord and Savior-ANASTASIA DIAMOND’S Prayerful Reflections…and Photographs on a Spiritual Journey from Darkness into HIS Light” Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Anastasia Diamond is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given author/photographer and with appropriate and specific direction to the original content at: https://jesusmylordandsavior.wordpress.com/            

Read Full Post »

The Royal Family of the KING of KINGS…With Privilege Comes Great Responsibility

The Royal Family of the KING of KINGS .....With Privilege Comes Great Responsibility

JESUS my Lord and Savior

©All Rights Reserved-Anastasia Diamond

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are grafted into the royal family of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Therefore, as is tradition in all royal families, with privilege…comes great responsibility.

Earthly sons and daughters of royalty have inherited an obligation to stand for the heritage of their time-honored family, and the world-presence of their nation. These royal offspring are given amazing favor, acclaim and protection wherever they go. However, they are also held to a higher standard. They are expected to be goodwill ambassadors for their family and kingdom …and to the people of all the nations.

The rest of the world watches these favored children. How are they different? How are they the same?  How do they live? What do they think? What do they say? Where do they go? What do they do? Who are they with? What are they wearing? What are they eating? What are they drinking? Watching – watching ever so closely… to see if they will stumble.

If for any reason these children of earthly royalty do fall, the watchers are there waiting…snaring, pointing fingers, and declaring their wrong doings for the entire world to see.

Some of these privileged children may choose to denounce their royal heritage. In doing so, they make life choices that are against the dictates of their royal family calling… and walk  from the covering of royal protection. In doing so, they choose to abdicate their honored position and relinquish all former royal favor and award. In doing so, they choose to not carry out their royal birthright responsibilities as a child of their king.  In doing so…to their family, kingdom, and the world…they become a commoner among the people.

Do you see similarities with earthly royal children and the blood-bought royal family of believers of Jesus Christ? He wore a crown of thorns for us…so we can be crowned in eternal glory with Him. By accepting and receiving our royal birthright as children of the King of Kings, we have acclaimed distinction and favor – coupled with a Divine covenant of mercy, grace and responsibility. And, because God will not force HIS will on anyone…we have free will to choose to follow Him…or the world.

The world also watches Christians. How are they different? How are they the same? How do they live? What do they think? What do they say? Where do they go? What do they do? Who are they with? What are they wearing? What are they eating? What are they drinking? Watching – watching ever so closely… to see if they will stumble.

If for any reason these children of heavenly royalty do fall, the watchers are there waiting…snaring, pointing fingers, and declaring their wrong doings for the entire world to see.

With the privilege of being HIS child…comes great responsibility. With the honor, favor and reward that comes with being a royal child of the Most High God…also comes the call to stand for His Kingdom. All Christians… AKA Christ followers, are called to be salt and light in the darkness. They are called to repent and turn from their sins. They are called to be pure and holy as He is pure and holy. They are called to live a righteous life…causing none who see them to stumble or fall. They are called be ready to give a testimony of the cause of their hope. They are called to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. They are called to anoint, lay hands, and heal the sick. The are called to not be ashamed of HIM. They are called to praise Him in all things. They are called to pray in the name of Jesus. They are called to judge not…lest they be judged. They are called to stand when all around them are falling. They are called to submit their will to their Father’s will for them. They are called to have God’s Word written in their hearts. They are called to live each day, ready to go home with HIM. They are called to be fishers of men. And then comes the call  to carry out the great commission…to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Sons and daughters of heavenly royalty are Princes and Princesses in His Kingdom. They have inherited an obligation to stand for the Divine heritage of the family of God and the presence of His divine Kingdom. These royal offspring of the King of Kings are given His amazing favor, acclaim and divine hedge of protection wherever they go. However, they are also held to a much higher standard. They are expected to be Almighty God’s goodwill ambassadors for His eternal Kingdom – to the people of all the nations.

Some of God’s  privileged children may choose to denounce their royal heritage, in and through Jesus Christ. In doing so, they make a free-will choice that is against the mind and heart of God, and His perfect will for their life. They choose to step out from under His Divine covering of royal protection and Holy Spirit guidance. In doing so, they choose to abdicate their honored eternal position in heaven; relinquishing all royal favor and reward. In doing so, they choose to not carry out their royal birthright responsibilities as an anointed child of the King of Kings.  In doing so…they again become a commoner among the people.

You can choose to walk away from HIM and live in the world…to go the way of the world and do what they do. Or, you can choose to follow in the way of the Master. Choose wisely dear one. Worldly gifts and pleasures are temporary and tarnish with time. God’s gifts and rewards for HIS children are eternal and shine with HIS Divine Light. The privilege of being a royal child of the King of Kings comes with the blessing of the profound responsibility to carry HIS Word on the narrower road into an eternity with HIM.

All Rights Reserved ©2009-2010…”JESUS my Lord and Savior-ANASTASIA DIAMOND’S Prayerful Reflections…and Photographs on a Spiritual Journey from Darkness into HIS Light” Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Anastasia Diamond is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given author/photographer and with appropriate and specific direction to the original content at: https://jesusmylordandsavior.wordpress.com/

Read Full Post »

The Listening Room

JESUS my Lord and Savior

©All Rights Reserved-Anastasia Diamond

From Darkness Into HIS Light

I have added a fifth page to this blog: The Listening Room

Please click on the new ‘Listening Room’ page tab above, or where it is listed in the sidebar to your right, under My Blog Pages. The Listening Room is an interactive cyber prayer room. A quiet place to pray…and to receive prayer or spiritual guidance counseling.

Prayer-Related Scripture

I have selected and added lots of prayer-related scriptures for your prayerful reflection while on your journey from the darkness of the storms in your life…into His light.

Our Heavenly Father Loves You…and is Waiting to Hear from You

May our heavenly Father meet your needs with an overwhelming abundance of His grace, mercy, truth and love – that is beyond the boundaries of your imagination. He loves you…and is waiting to hear from you.

Read Full Post »

PRAYER: Conversations with Abba Father

Prayer is a Heaven-Sent Rocket from Your Heart to God’s Ear

JESUS my Lord and Savior

©All Rights Reserved-Anastasia Diamond

I was in complete awe when I took this photograph…and even more so when I developed it. For, to me…this was instantly a visual representation of the trajectory of our prayers. We talk to God with words, pleas, thoughts, shouts, whispers, and groanings called our prayers. Then, when we are ready to let go of them…we release and send our prayers up to Him. He listens all the while…but patiently waits for our ‘let go and let God’ release.

We have great difficulty conceptualizing how far our prayers might travel and accepting how long they will take to be answered. That seemingly empty space between releasing our prayer and God’s answer…is our time of  growing in faith, as we wait for HIS perfect will and His divine answer…in His perfect time.

The star burst above the waiting place is our prayer – received, ignited, and being answered through His divine action. Never give up on your prayers…or your heavenly Father. His ways are not our ways. Therefore, His answer will most likely come in ways, means and timing that are not within your limited expectations. Trust Him and give Him praise in the midst of the storm…while you are waiting for His perfect answer to your prayers.

Prayer is our earthly opportunity for direct communication with God. Our Heavenly Father loves you. He is waiting to hear from you about all of the circumstances of your life. May you be blessed with lots of daily two-way conversations with Him. May your relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ grow as you draw nearer to Him.

God is our Abba Father…or Daddy Father.

Many of us had or have difficult, unsafe, or no relationship with our earthly father. Many of us lost trust in – and respect for – people who were supposed to protect and love us. It is important to know that it is safe to go to Abba Father with all of our questions, concerns, heartache, joy, hurt, pain, sorrow, fear, stress, addictions, anger, brokeness, frustration, passion, hate…and everything else that affects us daily.

Our Abba Father is wise, tender, gentle, honest and truthful. He is the only one who can truly give us the unconditional love we all seek. My earthly father died in the hospital during an open-heart surgery when I was seven years old. I felt alone and abandoned. It took me a very long time to trust, in faith, that God would not also abandon me. However, it was when I absorbed the concept that my Heavenly Father would never leave me- or forsake me – that I was finally able to pour out my heart to Him in prayer.

I do not know your life circumstances at this moment. You may be a blood bought believer child of God. Or, this may be your first exposure to Christianity and the concept of having an Abba Father who knows and loves you – right now, today…in the midst of your sin.

You may or may not have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Therefore, I will take this opportunity to invite you to know Him who went to the cross for you. He is the door to eternal salvation. His word in the Holy Bible tells us that if we open the door when He knocks, He will come in. This may be your time to open that door.

If you choose and are ready, please repeat the following prayer:

Dear God, my Abba Father, I come to You because I believe Your Son, Jesus Christ was born, died on the cross for my sins, and was resurrected so that I may have eternal life through Him. I repent of my sins, and accept that Jesus’ shed blood and crucified body was full atonement for all of my sins. I submit my life and all of my works to You dear Lord. I trust, in faith, that You will make me over into Your blood bought child, and I will never be alone or fatherless again. These things I pray in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear ones, it is my honor to agree with you in prayer that your Abba Father will meet your every need in His perfect time.

Father, I come before You so humbled in Your presence dear Lord. You, who knew each of us before we were formed in our mother’s womb…and before the foundation of the world, care more deeply for us than we can possibly understand or imagine. I ask dear Lord, in the name, power, and authority of Your Son, Jesus Christ, that You meet each and every need presented here according to Your will. Father, I pray You will touch and inspire Your children through the power and guidance of the most Holy Spirit to minister to one another – in love, with mercy and hope.

I also pray Your words in Jeremiah 29:11 over all who are visiting ‘JESUS…My Lord and Savior’: For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Father I pray that each of these – your children – receives and accepts Your loving plan for them…in name of Your Son, Jesus I pray. – Amen

©All Rights Reserved -Anastasia Diamond

Read Full Post »

What is True SELF-ESTEEM…and How Do I Get It?

The Magnificent Power God’s Grace, Mercy…and Love

JESUS my Lord and Savior

©All Rights Reserved-Anastasia Diamond

Your self-esteem gages how you truly think and feel about yourself.

High Self-Esteem…and Self-Importance

It is clearly reflected in all you say and do. We live in a ‘me-first’ society that promotes high self-esteem based on physical appearance, intelligence, education, belongings, religious status, money, and position.

All of this worldly self-focus leads many to a develop a false sense of self-importance…coupled with prideful thoughts, words, and actions that overlook or ignore God’s grace mercy, and love.

Low Self-Esteem…and Self-Focus

At the other end of the ‘me-first’ pride spectrum are those with low self-esteem… those who feel they are never enough.

They are often so inwardly focused on themselves and filled with such self-limiting fear, self-pity, self-loathing and self-consciousness that no matter how good life may be, they are incapable of feeling good about themselves and do not see themselves as worthy of God’s grace, mercy, and love.

The focus is on self…not on God

Either way…Christian or non-Christian…when we possess excessively high or excessively low self-esteem, the prideful focus remains on self – not God. Our self-perception and level of self-centeredness affects every facet of our lives: home, family, relationships, work, and ministry.

Genesis 1:26 tells us that God created us in His image.

That magnitude of that scripture always gets me. Once again…I need  a moment to receive and absorb the depth of that scriptural truth. Does it affect you the same way? We – you and I…are made in the image of our Abba Father – the Creator of the all that is…and all that ever will be. That concept leaves me completely awestruck!

What God thinks about us is what truly matters…

Dear one, no matter what society says, how we think or feel, or what others believe about us, our one true human foundation is built on God’s perception of who we are. We are uniquely endowed, unlike any other creature on earth, with the promise that we are made in God’s image. Our divine heritage is in God’s family, our spiritual DNA is imprinted with His name, His nature, His love, His promises, and His vision for us.

True Self-Esteem…and Who We are in Christ

God demonstrated His love and spiritual plan for each of us on the cross at Calvary over 2,000 years ago. Our heavenly Father proved, overwhelmingly, that He holds each of us in the highest esteem when He offered Himself through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to be our Savior.

It is through receiving Him and His blood sacrifice on the cross that we have eternal value. Only He can reveal to us an understanding that true self-esteem is found through recognizing and proclaiming who we are in Christ. Then, through the purifying process of sanctification, we let go of our me-first esteem, and humbly acknowledge that we are worthy only because His worthiness healed us of our sins, while balancing our self-esteem with His grace, mercy, and love.

Read Full Post »

Who Are The Ministers?

Go Into the Deep with HIM…

JESUS my Lord and Savior

© All Rights Reserved -Anastasia Diamond

The word ‘Minister’ is a noun and a verb…both a person…and an action

A Minister is a chosen servant of Christ who ministers by serving others. That sounds like what a Pastor does. Surely that doesn’t mean you and me. Or does it?

Who are the Ministers?

Certainly Pastors, but all Christians are Ministers of God’s word, called to minister by serving others. A Minister not only sees the sorrow, loss, anger, disappointment, fear, hopelessness and pain in the world, but they do something very profound; Ministers minister.

How can we become ‘ministering’ Ministers?

God already set the foundation with the ministry gift(s) He gave us: Words of Wisdom; Words of Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues. We too are Ministers who minister when we apply our gift(s), with love, to the life issues we encounter in ourselves and others.

Minister to others

Whether apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher – our gifts were given to equip us to enlighten the body of Christ while bearing one another’s burdens with love, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Use your gifts

God intended us to minister to others through service, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and mercy.Find your gift…claim your gift…and use your gift to minister to others in HIS name.

Read Full Post »