Category: Forgiveness

Join The Resistance

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholic Journey, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Faith, Forgiveness, God, Healing, Jesus, Ralph Martin

Now more than ever, there is a need for all Christians regardless of creed or denomination to discern. To discern that which comes from our Heavenly Father, and that which comes from the evil one. In our world of misinformation, and false narratives, it is often hard to distinguish what is the truth of God, and what is of the world.

Knowing the difference is detrimental to our journey into eternal life. Truth in our world is no long black and white, but shades of gray (a fusion of half truths mixed with lies) and walking those lines can be like riding a rollercoaster, where the plunge can take you down, and without realizing you have fallen into Satan’s grasp.

Ralph Martin of Renewal Ministries has a new pamphlet coming out, and I encourage my readers to get it.

Join the Resistance exhorts and encourages every believer to stand their ground and resist the evil spirits at work in the world today; the wicked spirits behind the contemporary currents of disorder and despair. Bringing peace and clarity as to how we must respond, best-selling author Dr. Ralph Martin tells us, “We must not let this evil fog of despair and discouragement seep into our souls. But when we notice it crouching at the door of our soul, we need to slam the door, identify it as wicked, and energetically reject it.”

https://www.renewalministries.net/shop/product/join_the_resistance_free

Renewal Ministries is dedicated to fostering renewal and evangelization in the Catholic Church by helping people know the personal love of God in Jesus and grow in holiness.

As a fired up Catholic, I love to share the love of Jesus, and I love tuning into this ministry for the very fact that it is reaching out into our community to spread that love and light. I love to lead others to Jesus through introducing informative and in-depth programs that help us see beyond all the din in our lives. In the series below, Ralph & Peter talk about fixing our eyes on the Lord in challenging times, allowing us to bear fruit, flourish spiritually, and see the glory of Jesus:

God Bless all who are walking in Jesus. Let us pray for the salvation of all💖

Happy John 3:16 Day

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Christian Blogger, Christianity, Faith, Forgiveness, inspiration

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16 NRSCV

My friend Joanne sent this to me as a morning greeting, and I wanted to share it with you. Indeed it’s March 16, and this morning the sun shines bright, it’s warm out, and there is a tingling of Spring in the air – a time of rebirth.

God Bless 💖

Freedom Is Only From God

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Cardinal John Henry Newman, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Divine Mercy, Faith, Forgiveness, Freedom, God, Truth
2 Corinthians 2:17

True freedom is trusting and walking with God. I won’t delve deeply into the theology of freedom, but after watching all the protest world wide, and the theme was seeking freedom from restrictive mandates, I meditated the last 2 days and asked myself, “What is freedom?” “What does freedom mean to me – a Catholic.”

Seeking freedom can only be found in God. I know it’s a profound statement to make in our world today. The concepts of freedom and truth has been tainted with modernism, and secularized. Truth and freedom is defined in our world today as – me, his, her, and, them. The focus is on the self. God is not in the centre. God is not the focus. It is missing God!

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is a choice to do good (referencing Romans 6:17)

The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to “the slavery of sin”. (CCC#1733)

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, freedom and truth has been only through faith and trust in God:

The Prophet Isaiah talked about freedom saying, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).

King David said in Psalm 118:5, “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.”

It is through God’s divine mercy we are set free – through His beloved son, Jesus:

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31-36.

Cardinal John Henry Newman got it right:

Lead Kindly Light

Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th’encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!

Cardinal John Henry Newman
Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!

Meantime, along the narrow rugged path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith,
Home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life.

May each of us find true freedom.

God Bless💖

Jordan Peterson’s Incredible Journey to God

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Christian Blogger, Christianity, Faith, Forgiveness, God, Healing, inspiration, Jordan Peterson, Relationship, Testimony

I first came across Jordan Peterson’s writing and work when I read “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos“. At the time I remember sharing this book with my teenage son and his friend – wanting them to put into practice 12 wise and profound rules for life (my personal favorite rule was “Make Your Bed!”

At the time, I recall he was an atheist.

His recent video moved me to tears and joy, as he discusses intimately and sincerely his journey to God. I was moved! It hits at the heart of our own journey to God, especially those of us who have sought God through the world of intelligentsia, and academia.

I recall a time in my journey when I looked deeply within all “isms” seeking a knowledge that I later realized I will never know because ultimately knowing GOD is beyond the scope of my human understanding. It exists out there – eternal and beyond our reach. We can only understand him within our human grasp of understanding through faith, hope and charity/love, and, ultimately through Jesus.

Jordan Peterson’s journey echo’s many of the moral load we experience, carry, and think of, but have not articulated. Instead this psychological burden is held silently in our heart. Peterson’s self realization is a testament to the Holy Spirit moving in him.

The journey to God, is something that many disenfranchised has sought after finding the emptiness in all the “isms”. We are in an age where the temporal satisfaction is short lived, leaving a gapping empty hole. Hope, is something that is slowly being crushed by the chaos around us. To watch the rise of Jordan Peterson on social media platforms and through his writing, it is gripping to see God’s hand in his life as he shares his story.

With Bishop Barron:

Bishop Barron on the Jordan Peterson Phenomenon:

As children of God, we are called to help our Heavenly Father and participate with Him in lending a hand in shedding light into the world in courage, trust, truth and love…even unto our enemies:

God Bless and may our journey to God be a testament for all 💖.

For Each Year of My Life

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholic Journey, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Divine Mercy, Faith, Forgiveness, God, Healing, Jesus, prayer
green ceramic mug beside book
Aaron Burden on https://unsplash.com/photos/4eWwSxaDhe4

Each day since November 7th, I have put aside 20 minutes each morning to pray the Divine Mercy Prayer for each year of my life. I am only at the 23th year of my life, I have many more days to go before I complete this. I must say that since I have started to pray this prayer for each year since my birth, I am filled with peace and healing. God’s amazing grace has helped me recall long forgotten and unsavory memories of unconfessed sins. Each sin remembered and forgiven is a testament of God’s divine mercy and love.

I have just completed praying for those long forgotten turbulent and rebellious teenage years to my mid 20s where the secular world was much more appealing then God. Through this process, I have greater insights into who I am, as well as an insight into how and why I was lead astray. There is insights into how one evil seed planted snowballed into greater sins which eventually lead me down a dark path. The gravity of my sin left God on the sidelines. I can imagine how sadden and grieved Jesus was as I recalled how hurt and angry my own parents were.

Jesus being the Good Shepherd,

23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 23

Praying the Divine Mercy prayer gave me a chance to heal from the pain I caused not only to my own body, soul, mind, and the pain I caused to those around me.

Thank you God, for your love for us, and for Your Divine mercy and forgiveness.

Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Song

Below is a homily by Fr. Anthony, MIC. He gives an insightful teaching on the importance of praying for souls in purgatory, but also for each year of our lives.

Praying for Souls in Purgatory and Each Year of Our Lives

As I prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus and His return, I want to meet my groom free of all sinful stains upon my soul.

When I was praying the Divine Mercy Prayer earlier today, I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to share this with all of my readers. May each of you find peace and healing in Jesus!

God Bless 💖

It’s All About Love

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Bible, Catholic Faith, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Faith, Forgiveness, God, inspiration, Jesus
John 3:16

To believe in God is to know love.

If we believe and know God, then we are privileged to the simple truth that, God loved us so much that he gave us His beloved son – Jesus – to die on the cross for us. With faith, we know that through His sacrifice we are redeemed from the sins inflicted upon humanity by our first parents (Adam and Eve). Through faith and hope, we can look forward to a new life and eternal life with God.

To believe is to know our journey has just began.

God’s love changes everything for us. It changes our inside, and in turn this changes our outside. Believing that Jesus died for you and me – we are united. Through faith, we are brothers and sisters – the children of God.

There is nothing I want more than to shout out and rejoice in the love of God the Father. Every day and every hour, Jesus guides you and me, to the heart of the Father.

In our secular world, you and I may stand alone, but we are united in spirit with other Christians world wide. We stand strong against all the secular agendas that blow our way creating an environment of division, uncertainty and fear. Through the secular forces of this world: cancel culture, political correctness, identity politics, gender politics, LGBT, global warming, abortion, health (Covid-19), class and economic politics reign and the raise of socialist and communist agendas, these all points towards us like sharp blades, poking and shearing away from you and me the truth that is only found in Jesus. It’s goal is to divide, and creates an atmosphere fear and doubt. They divert our attention away from God.

We know these are the works of Satan. To believe is to know we are all equal and children of God. In the end, it is our belief that Jesus died on the cross for each of us, that unites us.

The question is do we believe or not?

Let us be united in Faith, Hope and Charity – LOVE.

God Bless 💖