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Written & Published by Lolita Buck  Just the thought of staying in a box or conforming to the standards of this world when it comes to the love that I have for my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ makes me cringe. That's why today I want to focus on some bad girls of the bible who God used mightily! I'll just call them "rebels with a cause". It is my prayer that this post changes your perspective so that you can see how God will sometimes break traditional rules to suit his overall purpose. Now let me first put this disclaimer out there. I'm not saying that any of these women were saints or angels. In fact, most of them were far from it. But believe it or not God can use a rebel, even still today. Lets first start with Rahab. She was a prostitute for crying out loud. After Joshua and God's chosen people had made it over to the promised land he instructed him to send two spies to view the land, specifically Jericho. Guess whose house those two spies hung out at? Good old Rahab. She wasn't an upstanding citizen by any means but God trusted this rebel to help execute his divine plan. Joshua 6:25 "Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho"  Moving right along lets talk about Potiphar's wife. She accused Joseph of wanting to have relations with her which was a bald faced lie. As a result Joseph went to prison. In spite of her dirty work however, he went on to become second in command as he found favor in prison because God was with him every step of the way. See how smooth God is? Once again he uses this bad girl of the bible to get the job done. Genesis 39:21-23 "But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did."  Last but certainly not least was the Samaritan woman. She met Jesus by Jacobs well. She didn't realize initially that it was him. To everyone else in her community she was an outcast because she had a history of sleeping with other women's husbands. But to him she was a rebel with a cause. She was so astonished and so elated that he took the time to chat with her that she went into her city and spread the Good News and led many to Christ. How awesome is that? John 4:39-42 "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, He told me everything I ever did. So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers." They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."  So as you can see when God sets his eyes on you it doesn't really matter what your history looks like. He still can get everything accomplished through you. These ladies weren't walking around with halos on and singing angelic songs. That were up to their usual mischief but God still saw puropse within each one of them. As I mentioned before I don't condone bad behavior but in God's hands even the worst of the worst become works of art. As he so masterfully shapes and molds them to fit into his divine plan. To God be the glory!
As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. With dedication & servitude Lolita #theblood
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Written & Published by Lolita Buck   So let me ask you something. Why would a women of opulence throw her pearls to the swine? In other words why would anyone put something of great value in a hog pin with a bunch of sloppy, messy, pigs who are bound to trample upon it and tear it down. Most pearls are precious, rare, & extremely valuable. Just like you! Matthew 7:6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." I could tackle this subject from many angles. The most obvious being sexually. However, I'll forego that for today's post and I'll just focus on why it is we try to remain relevant in toxic environments? This scripture screams "run Forest run". Yet so many of us constantly give signifance to things or to people that are no different than the swine that God mentions in his word. We obviously are pearl caliber ladies so why do we stay in scenarios where we have no ability to shine? Beats me, because God always offers a way of escape. Don't be tempted to stay where you are just because it's comfortable and familiar. Because it could also be stinky and toxic too. Instead, challenge yourself to step up to the level of luxuriousness that God intended for your life. Bottom line, pearls and pigs don't mix. When are you going to realize that? God saw your worth from day one. Even better still, he knew that you were someone special before you were formed in your mother's womb.  1 Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." So knowing what you now know, its time you walk in victory! Leave those swine behind they're simply not worth your time. Step out on faith and sparkle like the diamond you are. Because you truly are a gem baby girl. I encourage you to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. To God be the glory forever and ever!  As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in.
With dedication & servitude Lolita #theblood Written & Published by Lolita Buck   Every now & then I'll get a craving for chocolate or even a certain dish from time to time. I'm sure it happens to you as well. But here's the thing about a craving it comes ever so often. God is essentially looking for believers who hunger and thirst for righteousness consistently. Not just an occasional urge. Believe it or not he wants to fill us with his love continuously, he wants to draw near to us every single day, but the question becomes will we love him BEYOND THE CRAVE? Cravings are sporadic & are often influenced by our mood. I don't think God is down with the shadiness of that type of behaviour. One minute we want him like an addict wants alchohol or drugs the next minute he can't get so much as a hello from us. Sound familiar? It's okay if you don't want to admit it. I just like to keep it real that's all.   Look I can't imagine how God must feel. I just know I would feel some kind of way and it wouldn't be good. I think he makes his expectation quite clear when he says we should have no other God's before him. God wasn't messing around, I mean he laid down the law from day one. Check it out. Exodus 20: 2-6 And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me." "You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments" Now please don't misunderstand me here. The fact that anyone craves God is a good thing. Because it at least means you have an appetite for him. But I just think that God is looking for individuals who want him just a bit more than a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. If you get my drift?  So look this is just my spin on things. I too, am learning to hunger & thirst for God more frequently and make my love for him top priority as he has commanded me to do. But I'm woman enough to admit that sometimes the cravings of this world trump God. I'm a work in progress just as we all are. Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." So how about we all just encourage & uplift one another as we all strive daily to extend ourselves to God BEYOND THE CRAVE.  As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in.
With dedication & servitude Lolita #theblood Written & Published by Lolita Buck  So being single actually does have perks after all. For me, it has allowed me to give every little piece of my heart to God. Which is what I strive to do daily. When you're honoring him & making him the love of your life its the best feeling in the world! I love getting up each new day giving reverence & honor to the KING of kings & the LORD of lords. Thanking him for all that he has done. The beauty of this thing called life is that to some degree we all can give him a piece of our hearts. Single or not. That's what its all about giving him glory & honor. Essentially that's why we were created, to uplift his Holy name.  Psalm 57:5 "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." Psalm 71:8 "My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long." I think just as much as we should be infatuated with him he's just as equally happy to capture our hearts. He says that if we draw near to him he will draw near to us. And don't forget he's a jealous God. He's madly in love with each of us. So much so, that he created us in his likeness & image how dope is that?  James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Exodus 20:5 "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me." It's so sad that many of us don't have the time of day for God anymore. We're so busy living "our lives" he's simply an after thought, if that. Can you imagine what this world would be like if each of us gave God just a tiny piece of our heart? I'd imagine that depression, low self esteem, suicidal thoughts, etc would all be a thing of the past. Our confidence would skyrocket knowing that God is showering down his love on us daily & we too are reciprocating. I think that all this worldly stuff that we idolize today would be non existent. You do know that being friends with the world actually means you're an enemy of God, right?  James 4:4
"You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." So here's a thought. Although we can't rewind the hands of time i want to encourage each of you going forward to make a space in your heart for God. He's waiting with open arms. He absolutely loves praise and adoration. He is certainly worthy of that, and so much more! To God be the Glory forever & ever. As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. With dedication & servitude Lolita #theblood Written & Published by Lolita Buck   All I could hear while writing this post were the lyrics (specifically the hook) to the ever so popular hip-hop song by Public Enemy titled "Don't believe the hype." Don't-- Don't-- Don't-- Don't believe the hype Don't-- Don't-- Don't-- Don't believe the hype As you guys probably figured out by now I've taken several months away just to reflect & refocus so that God could reposition my life. Alot has changed, much has stayed the same but through it all God has remained faithful. My strategy for life has shifted & the dark space I found myself in has become a bright & glorious light once again. Having said that, I'm still putting the pieces back together & making moves. Despite the odds stacked against me God reminds me day in & day out that he is with me every step of the way. Ever so often God will put you in a position that's SO GOOD that you start to believe your own hype. I'm here to tell you, it's a dangerous place to be in. Trust me I know. Please don't ever let the things of this world put the spirit of pride & arrogance on you. Because over time you're bound to fall. God's word promises it. Proverbs 16:18-21 "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,than to divide the spoil with the proud." I've been praying continuously that I remain humble no matter what. The hype, the noise of this world, unfortunately can lead to your demise if you're not careful. No matter how richly God blesses you always walk in love, with a low spirit, allowing ONLY God bragging rights. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."  It seems to me in this day & age we absolutely love attention & notoriety. Humility seems almost foreign. God forbid we don't get an opportunity to poke out our chest or inflate our egos. Let's be real isn't that really what most of this social media stuff is about anyway? Don't get me wrong there are many positive platforms out there. But I'd imagine the majority of us use it for our own personal gratification. I too, am guilty as charged. None of it really points to God as the giver & preserver of life. The one who should really be put on a pedestal. The hype is there no doubt about. It's just not for God's glory & honor. And that's where it gets pretty scary. Because anything that indulges in flesh and exalts itself above the knowledge of God is bad news to me. So all I wanna say once again is: Don't-- Don't-- Don't-- Don't believe the hype Don't-- Don't-- Don't-- Don't believe the hype  To sum it up always remember to give God his proper due. Never put your personal needs ahead of the kingdom. Be humble always, allowing God to exalt you in due time & season.
1 Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. With dedication & servitude Lolita Written & Published by Lolita Buck  Okay so I didn't watch the Oscar's personally last night. But I woke up this morning & found out that many people that have been in the game grinding for years finally took home the coveted trophy. I don't believe in idolizing the gift but instead the giver & for all of us who have learned to trust in God's plan & his timing for our lives I can tell you first hand that the reward is so much better! Why? Because after you have suffered a while letting God establish you is a wonderful, absolutely amazing, feeling. To watch his plan masterfully come together in your life is like reading something out of a story book. I suppose we can find many references of this level of blessing in the good book. But let me tell you, when your life becomes the canvas by which he creates his masterpiece its breathtaking needless to say. 1 Peter 5:10 "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."  What I've learned in life is that while God prepares you for greatness it's tough. Because often times we can't see his hand at work. It feels like a cruel joke & the enemy will do his best to convince us of it. He wants us to believe that God isn't gonna come through, almost making our faith null & void. Oh but if I had listened to those voices I wouldn't be where I am today. I would never have been able to see the beautiful person I've become. I literally watched God take a broken, fragmented soul, myself that is, reshape & restore me. And then to top it off, use me. Yep that's exactly what God does you see it time & time again in the bible. But its not a quick fix, its a permanent change and so it takes time. But most of us never fully experience God's love on this level because it does take quite a while. And most people give up along the way which is exactly what the enemy hopes we'll do. To be honest i never set out to find God he found me in my brokenness as a little girl & over time he has made me whole. He's turned my ashes to beauty but I've had to trust his plan every step of the way. Psalm 37:23 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." As the question above asks, will you do the same? It hasn't necessarily been an easy journey but its been well worth the ride. The Academy didn't give out the awards last night God did, he established those who had suffered a while. Those trophies will sit on a shelf and collect dust over time but the hand of God will still be at work bringing those that love & trust him to their rightful position in the earth. To God be the glory, the honor, & the power, forever and ever! Amen  As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in.
With dedication & servitude Lolita Written & Published by Lolita Buck  Has the devil ever had you down for the count with only seconds to spare and you mustered up the strength & courage to get back up, to keep moving forward? If so, why not dub yourself "the comeback kid". Shoot everyone else in the boxing industry has a nickname. Floyd Mayweather went from "pretty boy" to "money" in his career & Manny Pacquiao is "pac-man". Regardless of the hand you were dealt in life I believe that each of you has it within you to go the distance. To go toe to toe with the greatest enemy on the earth. Why do I believe this you might ask? Because the God that is in you is much greater than him. And absolutely no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper you are more than a conquerer. Think I'm lying check it out. 1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." Romans 8:31-39 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  The scriptures above give me life personally because they tell me that no matter how many times the enemy tries to knock me out I'm guaranteed victory. The key however, is to keep getting back up. The bible doesn't promise that fatigue won't set in, and that we won't get a few good uppercuts along the way. Trust me we're gonna have a few scrapes & scars when it's all said & done. But if we don't grow weary in well doing, if we faint not, we will reap a harvest in due season. Boom!! Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." There you have it, the enemy will deceive you by making you think that a few minor bruises means defeat. Nope not at all, so bring it on. That's the attitude you've got to have or else you'll never win. With God in your corner as your personal trainer how can you not succeed?  I smell a knock out coming your way, a heavy weight title for the kingdom is yours for the taking. The cool part is that you getting bragging rights here on Earth but then once you leave this place he will say well done thy good & faithful servant now come unto me. The real reward will be in Heaven. Now there you go "comeback kid" whatever you do, don't ever give up on God because God will never give up on you!  As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in.
With dedication & servitude Lolita Written & Published by Lolita Buck   Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Rarely do I start a blog post with scripture. But for this post in particular I felt it imperative that I do so. The devil is surely busy & we need to stand on God's word like never before especially when it comes to mental illness. What prompted this post is the recent news about actor Kristoff St. John from The Young & The Restless soap opera. Kristoff was only fifty two years old. It is said he had been battling severe depression ever since his son committed suicide at the age of twenty four. Do you see the pathology here? The generational curse? Two precious lives snuffed out way too soon. The attack of the enemy is real people. And his most prized possession is the human mind. He knows this is where transformation occurs & his number priority is to keep us stuck. His objective is to kill, steal, & destroy. And he'll do it by any means necessary. It's so funny in preparing this message a spirit of depression came over me out of nowhere. It was almost like Satan was trying to stop me from getting this out to the people. He's a sneaky little thing. In doing research for this post I also read that Kristoff's net worth was ten million dollars & when I looked at highlights of his life it appeared picture perfect. But that's what I'm talking about when I say the enemy is sneaky. He'll give you every material possession you ever wanted but then torment you so much internally that you can't even enjoy the stuff. Crazy, right? But it's a well known fact unfortunately. Just look at the number of celebrities that commit suicide. My goal isn't to preach to you today but instead to leave you with some scriptures in the event you find yourself becoming unhinged. To offer light in what may appear to be a dark & lonely space.   Deuteronomy 31:8
Isaiah 41:10 Psalm 40:1-3 Psalm 3:3 Psalm 34:18-19 Isaiah 40:31 Isaiah 42:3 Matthew 11:28-30 Romans 8:38-39 Psalm 34:17 Psalm 42:11 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Numbers 6:24-26 As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. With dedication & servitude Lolita Written & Published by Lolita Buck  Are you giving a full-time God part-time commitment? You do realize he's working around the clock, in fact he's putting in overtime on your behalf? That's just how much he loves you! Just the mere fact that he would plan a beautiful love story of redemption for us all, speaks volumes. But who do you personally know that's willing to sacrifice their one & only son for you? ABSOLUTELY NO ONE John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." I'm appalled at how many people think that a relationship with God is a Sunday service from twelve until two once a week. Now come on, you know that's nothing more than a part-time lover at best. I mean ladies if your husband or boyfriend didn't call or text regularly & just checked in once a week for two hours you'd be highly disappointed. I'd imagine that's how God feels too. He's taking care of us twenty four seven, watching over & protecting us daily. And what do we do to show our appreciation? We show up every Sunday to put our so called relationship on display for the world to see. While our bibles sit conveniently on the nightstand collecting dust. The sad part is that God wants intimacy with each of us he's just waiting on us to make the first move. And there is no double dipping allowed. He's wants all eyes on him, check it out. James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Exodus 34:14 "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."  Ladies God isn't looking for a part-time lover. But instead he is looking for a woman after his own heart. He's looking for a heart connection with you & I. But how can we connect with him when we're so attached to the things of this world? The internet, our cellphones, tablets etc. I'll be the first to admit I'm just as guilty as the next person. But each day I strive to do better at making God my number one priority & the number one lover of my soul. One thing I do know for sure is that God's love is unfailing & I just want to make certain that I fully partake in it. To God be the glory and honor!  1 Samuel 13:14
"But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee." Acts 13:22 "And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will." As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. With dedication & servitude Lolita Written & Published by Lolita Buck  Just as wine ages with time as does our bodies, so should our faith. It is with life's many ups & downs that our faith matures. I've always been fascinated by the scripture that speaks about us having faith the size of a mustard seed. I thought to myself it doesn't take much to get this faith thing started. But let me tell you it takes a whole lot to keep that seed watered & growing so that your faith continues to grow. I think I took that scripture literally for years when it said we could move mountains with just a seed. But I've come to realize that the seed is just the beginning. We don't actually start moving mountains in our lives until we have what I like to call "seasoned faith". Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." This is a faith that has matured enough to realize that God may or may not answer our prayers the way we like. But we believe he knows what's best for us & we trust his plan no matter what. This is the kind of faith that may make you wet your pants a little bit, because fear & faith are so close together that one bump in the road & you might just have an accident. The devil has you shaking in your boots but God is quietly whispering in your ear "I've got this".  This isn't the kind of faith that looks for comfort & happy. But instead, one that's open to the possibility of brokenness in exchange for divine purpose. This kind of faith isn't for the faint of heart. For those of us who have been doing this walk with God for quite some time we've come to realize that getting weary is normal. But knowing that God promises a harvest if we hang in there makes it all worthwhile. Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  I'll be the first to admit that this kind of faith isn't easy & does takes time. But who better to put your trust in than your Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ? He won't steer you wrong I promise you. Throughout the many seasons of life he's got your back & for that matter your front as well. So remember to always to put your faith in him!
Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." As you go forward in your daily journey I extend love & peace to each of you. I pray that you find your "it" and that you OWN IT. That the chains of this world be broken off of you & that you walk in the light that God intended you to walk in. With dedication & servitude Lolita |
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