The Regrets Dialogue copy

Lord Jesus....I can't seem to shake these regrets...

they keep bothering me...I feel so bad about them...

I try not to think about them but they just  keep popping

up...sometimes out of the blue...I've asked you for 

forgiveness but I can't forgive myself  Why am I so 

adamant @ beating myself up every time I think of them? 

what's up with that?

YOU TELL ME...

.
Well,.. I think it's because I did all those things...or in this case, I DIDN'T do what 

I SHOULD HAVE done so I SHOULD be the one who pays the price.

and, even though I can think of reasons why I SHOULD forgive myself,

I can't because that'd be like giving myself a pass and minimizing the harm

I did even though I wasn't aware of it at the time...

GOT A LOT OF SHOULDS THERE....BUT I AGREE...

SOMBODY HAS TO PAY...

right....but it's not working...why is that?

YOU TELL ME

this is so frustrating...why don't you just change me and fix it all 

so I don't have to deal with this anymore?..

IT DOESNT WORK THAT WAY...I DIDN'T 
CREATE YOU FOR THINGS TO BE DONE LIKE THAT...I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH 

what do you mean?

 DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY OTHERWISE IT'S NOT LOVE..

please explain...

I CREATED YOU WITH YOUR OWN "SPACE" IF YOU WILL, AND I 

RESPECT THAT...I DONT "INVADE" ANYONE'S SPACE...YOU ARE A FREE PERSON 

AND I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU SO I SIMPLY "OFFER" 

YOU ALTERNATIVES FOR YOU TO ACCEPT OR NOT..

.

even if what I choose is bad for me?

YES..

.
That doesn't seem fair...

WHATS NOT FAIR ABOUT IT?

well....I might be hurting myself and others...

AND? .

you know....why not just stop me?

I JUST TOLD YOU WHY..

.

but what about all the consequences of my sins?...

and not just for me but for those I sinned against?

I KNOW...BUT THERE'S EVEN MORE TO IT THAN YOU REALIZE..

.

hmmm...you know...something I have to say...you get a lot of blame for

all the bad stuff...I mean sins that people do...like it's YOUR fault

because YOU didn't stop them.....

I UNDERSAND...PEOPLE ARE FREE TO THINK WHAT THEY WANT...

so...why don't you just 'set the record straight'?

THEY WOULDN'T ACCEPT IT ANYWAY AND, BESIDES, 

LIFE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY...REMEMBER...YOU'RE FREE...

why are you doing all this...I mean communicating like this...like you're right here????

BECAUSE I AM....I'M ALWAYS "RIGHT HERE" EVEN  IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BE...

THAT'S HOW I CREATED THINGS...AND, BESIDES, THIS IS NOT JUST FOR YOU.  

WHO DOESN'T HAVE REGRETS?...THIS IS FOR THEM AS WELL....

so...why me?

WHY NOT YOU?

well....I'm not the "holiest" guy out there.

..
NO...BUT YOU'LL DO JUST  FINE...YOU'RE OPEN TO WORKING THROUGH 

ALL THIS AND YOU HAVE THE ISSUES I WANT TO ADDRESS SINCE EVERYBODY

HAS THEM.....

you mean "regrets and performance" issues?

YOU GOT IT

that's tiring to even think about especially when I feel like 

I don't know how to resolve it all...

I KNOW...

.

it's like it's never ending...like a gerbil wheel...it keeps turning and turning 

going nowhere but just creates more and more
frustration / anxiety./ pain.. and never "reaches its goal"

AND WHATS THAT?

hmmm...perfection??

YOU MEAN "YOUR" IDEA OF PERFECTION....

well...what "I" want...

HMMM...SEEMS I'VE HEARD THAT SOMEWHERE BEFORE...

so you mean we're back to the start of this dialogue?

YOU TELL ME...IT'S YOUR ISSUE...I'M HERE TO HELP YOU 

REACH WHATS BEST FOR YOU AND NOT JUST WHAT YOU WANT....

THOSE AREN'T ALWAYS THE SAME THING..SOMETIMES WHAT'S BEST 

FOR YOU AND THOSE AROUND YOU IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT...

this is kind of frustrating...more circles.....

.
WHY'S THAT?

why don't you just give me what I want?

I AM

not really...

WHY?

because it's not really giving me the results I want.

..
WHAT'S THAT?

ahh...satisfaction...justice...peace...

IT CAN'T..

meaning...?

YOUR OFFENCES...WHETHER THEY'RE COMMISSION  / OMISSION

ARE NOT JUST THIS / THAT INSTANCE HERE AND NOW...WITH FINITE EFFECTS...

THEY'RE MORE THAN THAT.

..
what do you mean?

YOU'RE NOT JUST OFFENDING THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU...

YOU'RE OFFENDING ME AS WELL...

.

how's that?

YOU ARE PART OF MY CREATION...WITH MY ORDER OF REALITY....

I'VE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER

FOR YOU TO FLOURISH IN LOVE...ITS NOT 'YOUR' ORDER THOUGH 

THAT IS WHAT YOU'D LIKE IT TO BE...
YOU WANT TO BE IN CHARGE...THAT'S WHAT STARTED ALL 

THIS IN THE BEGINNING..

..
you mean Adam and Eve and the Fall?

YES....

that whole pride / rebellion thing?

YOU GOT IT

oh...you mean all this is rooted in my pride?

YOU TELL ME..

It feels like it...

HOW?

well...like I'm the one who says what is and is not...what should be or not...

I'm the one in charge who decides not YOU...who should pay and how...

how to fix things or if it should be fixed at all....it feels like it's almost uncontrollable...

like it has a mind of its own...almost more than I can handle...

ALMOST???

OK....good point...so....now what?

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

I want this to be done...over...now...

SO...WHY ISNT IT?

because I "can't do it"...it's too much though I keep trying and failing...

you know...Performance...

YOU MEAN THE FINITE TRYING TO FIX THE INFINITE???

yeah...I suppose...

.
LIKE "you're" GOD NOT ME??

I guess..

WELL...THATS IMPOSSIBLE BUT YOU KEEP TRYING...

soo...how does this change?...that is assuming that's what I want 

to have happen.....which seems to "go against the grain^

THATS BECAUSE IT DOES...IT'S  A  BATTLE ALL THE WAY....

WHO'S IN CHARGE??  AND YOU GET WHAT YOU CHOOSE...

IT'S CALLED FREEDOM..

.
I don't like all this...why can't it just be like I want it to be?

YES...I KNOW....BUT YOUR WAY NEVER WORKS WELL...

WAS NEVER MEANT TO...THOUGH YOU...MEANING HUMANITY...

KEEP TRYING...NOW...THERE IS ANOTHER WAY....BUT YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE IT...

what's that?

YOU KNOW...

.
surrender....right??

BUT NOT 'your' WAY OF SURRENDERING 

you mean I don't get to determine the whole thing from beginning to end???
I'm joking...but not really.

..
THE WORD ARROGANCE COMES TO MIND 

so...pride again...right??

SO...WHATS THE OPPOSITE OF PRIDE?

humility...

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

just. that YOU are the LORD and not me...and sin--my choosing to offend YOU 

by choosing to do what I want and not what I know YOU want or not want- 

means that because YOU ARE.THE LORD....ETERNAL...INFINITE...PERFECT
and I am not any of that....that therefore the punishment is of the same NATURE 

which I can't ever sufficiently accomplish no matter how hard I try...that gerbil wheel thing.

..
SO NOW WHAT?

so...I can't resolve this on my own

NEVER COULD....BUT I HAVE A SOLUTION...

What's that? 

HOW ABOUT I PAY THE PRICE??

why would you do that? you didn't do any of the sinning...

YOU TELL ME..

.
Love?...

IT'S WHO I AM...I'VE MADE A WAY FOR YOU...

I HAVE ALREADY PAID THE PRICE / PUNISHMENT

FOR YOUR SINS / FAILINGS....'CARRIED YOIUR SORROWS'...

BORE YOUR PAIN...BY MY STRIPES YOU ARE  

HEALED.

Isaiah 53,,,so how do I go from here - my pride -  to there...humility? 

from my way to YOUR WAY???

GRACE....JUST ASK...REMEMBER...

FREEDOM...WHEN YOU ASK ACCCORDING TO MY WILL...YOU RECEIVE....

how do I know what's according to YOUR WILL???

MY WORD AND MY SPIRIT SHOW YOU...SOMETIMES IT 

TAKES A WHILE BECAUSE I HAVE MORE IN MIND FOR YOU 

THAN JUST ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS BUT ITS A PROCESS...
YOU'RE ON A JOURNEY....YOU MADE A DECISION TO FOLLOW ME AND 

YOU AND I ARE ON THAT JOURNEY TOGETHER...TO BECOME ONE..

ETERNALLY...INFINITELY...PERFECTLY...HOLY AS I AM HOLY...

ONE STEP AT A TIME...BY GRACE - NOT BY STRIVING ON YOUR OWN 

TO METE OUT YOUR PUNISHMENT ON YOURSELF YOUR OWN WAY.WHICH

ONLY ADDS TO YOUR BURDEN AND WHICH NEVER WORKS

so...now what?

HOW ABOUT I MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR YOU?

that sounds really good...I like it...

YOU GIVE ME THE REGRETS...ALL THE EMOTIONS / PAIN / SORROW /

GUILT CONNECTED WITH THEM...ALL THE SELF-INFLICTED

PUNISHMENT...BEATING YOURSELF UP. / SELF-

CONDEMNATION / HATRED / SHAME / ANGER AND ASK ME FOR THE 

GRACE YOU NEED TO DO THAT...

it's all Grace isn't it?

YOU GOT IT...TO HAVE MERCY ON YOURSELF...

forgiving myself  in your Name...

AND BY Lord Jesus....I can't seem to shake these regrets...                COPY           

they keep bothering me...I feel so bad about them...

I try not to think about them but they just  keep popping

up...sometimes out of the blue...I've asked you for 

forgiveness but I can't forgive myself  Why am I so 

adamant @ beating myself up every time I think of them? 

what's up with that?

GRACE TO LET GO OF YOUR CONTROL...ANGER...

ACCEPTING YOUR WEAKNESSES / ASKING ME TO 

CHANGE / HEAL YOU...

and of course THANKING YOU..

YOU WILL STILL REMEMBER THE REGRETS BUT 

THE PAIN WILL BE GONE...

Thank you again for this talk...you knew I needed it...

You always know and You're always ready and 

willing to give me the Grace...Thank You again...

BE AT PEACE...I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU...

Reflection / Discussion:

-How would you summarize how to handle regrets?

-Why is it so hard to forgive yourself?

-What regrets do you have?

-Make a list...topic by topic...person by person...Journaling is helpful

-Ask for the Grace to face and surrender all of it to the Lord

-One by one, In Jesus' Name...Repent / Forgive yourself...Give it all to Jesus...

-Ask for His Healing / Peace...Thanking Him for His Mercy...

.

Well,.. I think it's because I did all those things...or in this case, I DIDN'T do what 

I SHOULD HAVE done so I SHOULD be the one who pays the price.

and, even though I can think of reasons why I SHOULD forgive myself,

I can't because that'd be like giving myself a pass and minimizing the harm

I did even though I wasn't aware of it at the time...

GOT A LOT OF SHOULDS THERE....BUT I AGREE...

SOMBODY HAS TO PAY...

right....but it's not working...why is that?

YOU TELL ME

this is so frustrating...why don't you just change me and fix it all 

so I don't have to deal with this anymore?..

IT DOESNT WORK THAT WAY...I DIDN'T 
CREATE YOU FOR THINGS TO BE DONE LIKE THAT...I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH 

what do you mean?

LOVE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY OTHERWISE IT'S NOT LOVE..

.

please explain...

I CREATED YOU WITH YOUR OWN "SPACE" IF YOU WILL, AND I 

RESPECT THAT...I DONT "INVADE" ANYONE'S SPACE...YOU ARE A FREE PERSON 

AND I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU SO I SIMPLY "OFFER" 

YOU ALTERNATIVES FOR YOU TO ACCEPT OR NOT..

.

even if what I choose is bad for me?

YES..

.
That doesn't seem fair...

WHATS NOT FAIR ABOUT IT?

well....I might be hurting myself and others...

AND? .

you know....why not just stop me?

I JUST TOLD YOU WHY..

.

but what about all the consequences of my sins?...

and not just for me but for those I sinned against?

I KNOW...BUT THERE'S EVEN MORE TO IT THAN YOU REALIZE..

.

hmmm...you know...something I have to say...you get a lot of blame for

all the bad stuff...I mean sins that people do...like it's YOUR fault

because YOU didn't stop them.....

I UNDERSAND...PEOPLE ARE FREE TO THINK WHAT THEY WANT...

so...why don't you just 'set the record straight'?

THEY WOULDN'T ACCEPT IT ANYWAY AND, BESIDES, 

LIFE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY...REMEMBER...YOU'RE FREE...

why are you doing all this...I mean communicating like this...like you're right here????

BECAUSE I AM....I'M ALWAYS "RIGHT HERE" EVEN  IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BE...

THAT'S HOW I CREATED THINGS...AND, BESIDES, THIS IS NOT JUST FOR YOU.  

WHO DOESN'T HAVE REGRETS?...THIS IS FOR THEM AS WELL....

so...why me?

WHY NOT YOU?

well....I'm not the "holiest" guy out there.

..
NO...BUT YOU'LL DO JUST  FINE...YOU'RE OPEN TO WORKING THROUGH 

ALL THIS AND YOU HAVE THE ISSUES I WANT TO ADDRESS SINCE EVERYBODY

HAS THEM.....

you mean "regrets and performance" issues?

YOU GOT IT

that's tiring to even think about especially when I feel like 

I don't know how to resolve it all...

I KNOW...

.

it's like it's never ending...like a gerbil wheel...it keeps turning and turning 

going nowhere but just creates more and more
frustration / anxiety./ pain.. and never "reaches its goal"

AND WHATS THAT?

hmmm...perfection??

YOU MEAN "YOUR" IDEA OF PERFECTION....

well...what "I" want...

HMMM...SEEMS I'VE HEARD THAT SOMEWHERE BEFORE...

so you mean we're back to the start of this dialogue?

YOU TELL ME...IT'S YOUR ISSUE...I'M HERE TO HELP YOU 

REACH WHATS BEST FOR YOU AND NOT JUST WHAT YOU WANT....

THOSE AREN'T ALWAYS THE SAME THING..SOMETIMES WHAT'S BEST 

FOR YOU AND THOSE AROUND YOU IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT...

this is kind of frustrating...more circles.....

.
WHY'S THAT?

why don't you just give me what I want?

I AM

not really...

WHY?

because it's not really giving me the results I want.

..
WHAT'S THAT?

ahh...satisfaction...justice...peace...

IT CAN'T..

meaning...?

YOUR OFFENCES...WHETHER THEY'RE COMMISSION  / OMISSION

ARE NOT JUST THIS / THAT INSTANCE HERE AND NOW...WITH FINITE EFFECTS...

THEY'RE MORE THAN THAT.

..
what do you mean?

YOU'RE NOT JUST OFFENDING THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU...

YOU'RE OFFENDING ME AS WELL...

.

how's that?

YOU ARE PART OF MY CREATION...WITH MY ORDER OF REALITY....

I'VE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER

FOR YOU TO FLOURISH IN LOVE...ITS NOT 'YOUR' ORDER THOUGH 

THAT IS WHAT YOU'D LIKE IT TO BE...
YOU WANT TO BE IN CHARGE...THAT'S WHAT STARTED ALL 

THIS IN THE BEGINNING..

..
you mean Adam and Eve and the Fall?

YES....

that whole pride / rebellion thing?

YOU GOT IT

oh...you mean all this is rooted in my pride?

YOU TELL ME..

It feels like it...

HOW?

well...like I'm the one who says what is and is not...what should be or not...

I'm the one in charge who decides not YOU...who should pay and how...

how to fix things or if it should be fixed at all....it feels like it's almost uncontrollable...

like it has a mind of its own...almost more than I can handle...

ALMOST???

OK....good point...so....now what?

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

I want this to be done...over...now...

SO...WHY ISNT IT?

because I "can't do it"...it's too much though I keep trying and failing...

you know...Performance...

YOU MEAN THE FINITE TRYING TO FIX THE INFINITE???

yeah...I suppose...

.
LIKE "you're" GOD NOT ME??

I guess..

WELL...THATS IMPOSSIBLE BUT YOU KEEP TRYING...

soo...how does this change?...that is assuming that's what I want 

to have happen.....which seems to "go against the grain^

THATS BECAUSE IT DOES...IT'S  A  BATTLE ALL THE WAY....

WHO'S IN CHARGE??  AND YOU GET WHAT YOU CHOOSE...

IT'S CALLED FREEDOM..

.
I don't like all this...why can't it just be like I want it to be?

YES...I KNOW....BUT YOUR WAY NEVER WORKS WELL...

WAS NEVER MEANT TO...THOUGH YOU...MEANING HUMANITY...

KEEP TRYING...NOW...THERE IS ANOTHER WAY....BUT YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE IT...

what's that?

YOU KNOW..

.
surrender....right??

BUT NOT 'your' WAY OF SURRENDERING 

you mean I don't get to determine the whole thing from beginning to end???
I'm joking...but not really.

..
THE WORD ARROGANCE COMES TO MIND 

so...pride again...right??

SO...WHATS THE OPPOSITE OF pride?

humility...

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

just. that YOU are the LORD and not me...and sin--my choosing to offend YOU 

by choosing to do what I want and not what I know YOU want or not want- 

means that because YOU ARE.THE LORD....ETERNAL...INFINITE...PERFECT
and I am not any of that....that therefore the punishment is of the same NATURE 

which I can't ever sufficiently accomplish no matter how hard I try...that gerbil wheel thing.

..
SO NOW WHAT?

so...I can't resolve this on my own

NEVER COULD....BUT I HAVE A SOLUTION...

What's that? 

HOW ABOUT I PAY THE PRICE??

why would you do that? you didn't do any of the sinning...

YOU TELL ME..

.
Love?...

IT'S WHO I AM...I'VE MADE A WAY FOR YOU...

I HAVE ALREADY PAID THE PRICE / PUNISHMENT

FOR YOUR SINS / FAILINGS....'CARRIED YOIUR SORROWS'...

BORE YOUR PAIN...BY MY STRIPES YOU ARE  

HEALED.

Isaiah 53,,,so how do I go from here - my pride -  to there...humility? 

from my way to YOUR WAY???

GRACE....JUST ASK...REMEMBER...

FREEDOM...WHEN YOU ASK ACCCORDING TO MY WILL...YOU RECEIVE....

how do I know what's according to YOUR WILL???

MY WORD AND MY SPIRIT SHOW YOU...SOMETIMES IT 

TAKES A WHILE BECAUSE I HAVE MORE IN MIND FOR YOU 

THAN JUST ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS BUT ITS A PROCESS...
YOU'RE ON A JOURNEY....YOU MADE A DECISION TO FOLLOW ME AND 

YOU AND I ARE ON THAT JOURNEY TOGETHER...TO BECOME ONE..

ETERNALLY...INFINITELY...PERFECTLY...HOLY AS I AM HOLY...

ONE STEP AT A TIME...BY GRACE - NOT BY STRIVING ON YOUR OWN 

TO METE OUT YOUR PUNISHMENT ON YOURSELF YOUR OWN WAY.WHICH

ONLY ADDS TO YOUR BURDEN AND WHICH NEVER WORKS

so...now what?

HOW ABOUT I MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR YOU?

that sounds really good...I like it...

YOU GIVE ME THE REGRETS...ALL THE EMOTIONS / PAIN / SORROW /

GUILT CONNECTED WITH THEM...ALL THE SELF-INFLICTED

PUNISHMENT...BEATING YOURSELF UP. / SELF-

CONDEMNATION / HATRED / SHAME / ANGER AND ASK ME FOR THE 

GRACE YOU NEED TO DO THAT...

it's all GRACE isn't it?

YOU GOT IT...TO HAVE MERCY ON YOURSELF...

forgiving myself  in your Name...

AND BY GRACE TO LET GO OF YOUR CONTROL...ANGER...

ACCEPTING YOUR WEAKNESSES / ASKING ME TO 

CHANGE / HEAL YOU...

and of course THANKING YOU..

YOU WILL STILL REMEMBER THE REGRETS BUT 

THE PAIN WILL BE GONE...

Thank you again for this talk...you knew I needed it...

You always know and You're always ready and 

willing to give me the Grace...Thank You again...

BE AT PEACE...I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU...

Reflection / Discussion:

-How would you summarize how to handle regrets?

-Why is it so hard to forgive yourself?

-What regrets do you have?

-Make a list...topic by topic...person by person...Journaling is helpful

-Ask for the Grace to face and surrender all of it to the Lord

-One by one, In Jesus' Name...Repent / Forgive yourself...Give it all to Jesus...

-Ask for His Healing / Peace...Thanking Him for His Mercy...

Charity

the greatest and most challenging

of virtues...charity stretches our 

our wills...minds...hearts...

pulling our emotions...memories

and imaginations this way and

that way making us run to the 

altar before the Throne crying 

out for Grace to 'Will the good

of the other' as the brokenness

from our fallen natures like s

weather vane churns our choices

of response to other sinners -

some repentant some not - 

and like other blustery conditions

makes choosing to love the 

other easier said than done -

while realizing that the Great 

Gift of Confession is an answer 

to the chains / slavery of  anger / 

revenge' by Grace - to 'Love as Jesus

Loved' is our Calling / Goal

and He trains / forms our 

hearts by allowing temptations

and trials for His Perfect Purposes

putting our weaknesses front 

and center from wounds in the 

past lingering into the present 

making forgiveness and sacrifice

arduous yet possible to overcome

by Merciful Grace given by the

Spirit of Love to equip our hands

for Spiritual War as we Ask and 

Receive from the One who forgave

from the Cross as He resolutely

'bore our sins and carried our 

sorrows' we look to Him to 

see others as He sees them -

even the ones that seek our 

demise - praying for their 

Good since He Sacrificed for

them as well Offering Eternal

Life to the Lost whose fate 

we once shared...we who may

be Gifted aplenty to minister

in His Kingdom must remember 

that without Love we are merely 

noisy gongs / clanging symbols...

so let us seek to be Transformed 

by the Renewal of our minds

to Think...See...Hear...Speak

and Love as He does...day

by day... knowing that...at 

the End of this passing life 

we shall be Judged by how 

we Loved Him above all

and Loved our neighbor -

especially those most difficult 

to Love - remembering that

His Grace is sufficient for us so

Ask and you shall Receive...

Reflections / Discussion:

-What are your challenges to love?

-How do you deal with your limitations?

-Who in your life is most challenging to Love?

-What are you doing to change for the better?

-How can you use Confession in a better way to Love?

-How much do you pray for them?

-Ask...Seek...Knock for what you need to Love.

The Intentional Disciple

to all who are so-called CINO's

who superficially follow Me

the time has come to Change

your mind...Repent and Believe

decide to take the next step

in your walk with Me...for the

enemy has been moving in new 

ways to attack the Kingdom of God -

marriage / family life...false 

ideologies @ human nature which

jeopardize innocent children...

Godless theories which divide 

races...fostering the murder of 

children...there will be no end to 

the evil unless you take a stand

to fight in My Name...first to 

Witness to to My Resurrection

Spreading the Gospel Message to

Repent and Believe the Good News -

be intentional...deliberate...seek 

the Spirit's Guidance as to whom

you should Evangelize...be aggressive

in overcoming any complacency

with the sin / habits / weaknesses

in your personal / family life which keep you back

from becoming the disciple I call

you to be...I am ready to help you

to win the victory...are you seeking

Me daily...studying My Word...

receiving My Body / Blood / spending

time in My Presence...calling each

other on in fellowship...laying down

your life in service...leaning how to

defend the Truth / Faith by Speaking

the Word in Love...if you do not have

the time...Make the time...for soon

the enemy and his minions will be

coming for you / family so...you

need to be ready / prepared for the

battle...have you received the Anointing

of My Holy Spirit? / asked for His

Gifts?...are you using those Gifts

daily? if you do not understand then

seek and you will find...do you 

understand how the enemy if 

trying to attack you and your 

family?...how to fight with the 

the tactics of the evil one?.. learn

how to fight with the Authority I

have given you...the time is now

do not wait any longer...put on the

whole Armor of God for your 

Enemy is like a roaring lion seeking

someone to devour so...do not be 

his next meal....

Reflection / Discussion:

-Have you committed your life to Christ?

-Are you complacent about your Christian life...

  continuing problem areas in your personal...

  family.. spiritual life? If so, change...by Grace alone. 

-Do you have a consistent prayer life, Scripture 

 reading, Spiritual reading ie daily? 

 If not, start.

-If you do not have a support system, find one.

-Are you continually learning about your faith?

 If not, start.

-Do you have a short personal testimony ready?

 If not, get one. 

Introduction

     The title of this compendium - "Reflections on the Way" - has at least three meanings:

     First,  Jesus spoke of Himself as "The Way": "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". John 14:6 

     Secondly, Christianity in the early Church was simply called "the Way" as in the Acts of the Apostles 9:2 describing Paul's - then called Saul - persecution of the Way and asking for letters to the synagogues in Damascus "so that if he found anyone belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem".

    Thirdly, my own journey to belief, discipleship, transformation on the Way to the Goal of Holiness and Eternal Life with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit...so many lessons learned and still more to come and a "ways" to go. "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who

find it." Matthew 7:14

    To these, my hope is that your journey-Way- is helped or even begun through these reflections. Be forewarned, though, Jesus has been described as the "Hound of Heaven" - the One who Loves you Passionately - and He will not stop seeking you...offering a new life...knocking on the door of your heart...so, if you do not know Him...His Love...I strongly suggest you open that door and let Him "make all things new". But, my sense is that if you are reading.. praying...this book, you are already "on the way" and, so, His Word to you is that "there is MORE"…so, "Ask and you shall receive; Seek and you

shall find; Knock and the door shall be opened"!

These reflections are organized into 5 aspects / topics of the Way: 

 

EVANGELISM - One's own search for a personal relationship with Jesus and Abba in the Power of the Holy Spirit and how to help others in their search. "Who do YOU say I am?" Mark 8:29

SPIRITUAL LIFE - Growing "in the Way of the Lord"...eg. learning to "hear" His Voice, discernment, holiness, discipleship, spiritual warfare, service and summarized in "Loving Him above all and loving one another as He loved us".

SUFFERING - Can't get around it...a mystery...how to understand its place in our lives...how to deal with it...and, how to do as Jesus said: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up your cross, and follow me". Mark 8:34

MORALITY - Making difficult decisions as to living out our relationship with Jesus despite having a wounded nature in a fallen world ruled by our eternal enemy who knows our weakness and wants our destruction. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15

TRINITY AND MOTHER MARY - Relationships that transform us into saints.

 A few more points:

     There are some questions at the end of each reflection. The purpose is to help you gain the most out of each one and lead you into prayer ie. telling the Lord what's on your heart - the good and not so good - and listening for His response. Discussing with others can be very helpful for both learning and support on your Way. One benefit in the organization of this book is that you don't have to read the 

entire book - or even an entire chapter - to 'get something out of it'. All it takes is one 'reflection'!

     A few thoughts on Prophecy and 'private revelation' ie. my sense of what the Father... Abba / Jesus is saying to me and, by way of application, to you as well. As we grow in our Relationship with Jesus and Abba, we also grow in "hearing" His word to us in prayer. Discernment is the key with any Prophetic word. Does it comply with Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Catechism of the Catholic Church? And, lastly, presenting what we "hear / sense" to someone mature in the Faith, eg. our Spiritual Director, so we have confirmation / discernment outside of ourselves as to what is or is not from the Lord. Then we can ask Abba / Jesus how this word may apply to us and the Grace to put it into practice. "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you" Matthew 7:7-8

    Lastly, "Revival" is at the heart of this book even if it is not explicitly mentioned. How great is the need for Revival in the Church today as well as in the nations of the world! I pray that the Father through Jesus by the Power of the Holy Spirit stir the hearts and minds of all who read / pray even

one of these reflections! Come Holy Spirit! Move among us! Bring Revival! Change our hearts / minds! Give us the Grace to "Repent and Believe the Good News". Jesus is coming soon! All Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit...Now and Forever!

And so, one more time: There is MORE...GO AFTER IT!