A Diamond in the Rough

A Diamond in the Rough

 For those Godly women who have gone through the fire of affliction and came out as beautiful diamonds.

 

Ezekiel 16:4-13

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. ⁵ No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.

⁶ “‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!” ⁷ I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.
⁸ “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
⁹ “‘I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. ¹⁰ I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. ¹¹ I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, ¹² and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. ¹³ So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.

 

Are You a Victim or Victor?

Are You a Victim or Victor?

March 8, 2012

Are you a victim or a victor? Are you going to let the injustices and mess ups of the past keep you in bondage to the “victim mentality?” If you can get this and see it for what it is, it will set you free and it will change your life. The victim mentality is our worse enemy.

VICTIM

http://www.thefreedictionary.com by Farlex

1. One who is harmed or killed by another: a victim of a mugging.
2. One who is harmed by or made to suffer from an act, circumstance, agency, or condition: victims of war.
3. A person who suffers injury, loss, or death as a result of a voluntary undertaking: You are a victim of your own scheming.

4. A person who is tricked, swindled, or taken advantage of: the victim of a cruel hoax.

5. A victim of racism and prejudgment or prejudism.

We are many people of different nationalities here in this country and many of our parents were victims of “injustice” through racism and prejudism, or through abuse, etc., but we don't have to stay in that condition forever. Jesus came to set us free of from all these things.

When we hold on to these “injustices” it keeps us from hearing the Holy Spirit telling us what we must do to overcome that. We are so into the victim mentality that we don't realize we are slaves to it.

The word of God says that the truth will set us free, so lets see what this means.

John 8:31- 36 NKJV Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" 34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. 37

So those who blame others for the wrong they do are victims of sin. The don't realize that they are in rebellion and disobedience. Listen to a person who always makes excuses for the wrong they do. It is always someone else's fault. The enemy has blinded them to those things that are keeping them from being successful and overcomers in their lives.

John 8:32 BBE

Bible in Basic English

And you will have knowledge of what is true, and that will make you free.

Luke 4:17-19 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Luke 4:18 ESV

English Standard Version

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

We are to minister “freedom” to the captives, victims of past injustices so they can be set free and began to live as “victors”.

The Race Card

The race card is a crutch to those with a “victim mentality”. It makes us blame it on “racism” for the bad things that we do when we get caught and it keeps us in bondage.

I myself refuse to be a victim, so I don't talk about the injustices of racism from the past. “I am not a victim I am a victor.”

What does the victim mentality look like?

1. The victim mentality keeps us in a state of victimization mode
2. It makes us blame every body else for our "mess ups. "it's always somebody elses fault";
3. So we never change.
4. Why change when it is somebody else's fault?
5. We walk around with a defeated look.
6. It's like having the word "DEFEATED" written on our forehead.
7. We walk around with our heads down & our shoulders hunched over, that defeated look.
   8.  Gets offended easily
   9.  Angry
   

Philippians 3 (New King James Version)

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by

the same rule, let us be of the same mind. 17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

This is such a strong word: leaving those things that are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. We are to press towards the goal in our lives. We are to run the race and win.

VICTOR

http://www.thefreedictionary.com by Farlex

One who defeats an adversary; the winner in a fight, battle, contest, or struggle.
victor

1 Corinthians 9:24
[ Striving for a Crown ] Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
1 Corinthians 9:23-25 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 9 (Whole Chapter)
2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 (in Context) 2 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 12:1
[ The Race of Faith ] Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1-3 (in Context) Hebrews 12 (Whole Chapter)

Acts 20:24 NKJV

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Okay we mess up, but we don't have to stay "messed Up". We get up, shake ourselves, repent, and get counseling, healing and deliverance and move on to a victorious life.

Every one of us is responsible for our actions in life. Once we become Adults it's up to us to do what we have to do to succeed in life so that we can represent the Lord Well. We are to be good examples in life. If we dwell on the past it means we haven't forgiven.

To Forgive & forget means that we won't dwell on the wrong done to us and we can go forth with our lives.

Let's leave the past injustices and sins behind so that we and our family can live happy lives and be victorious in life.

By Mary L. Cossins