cassiebarrentine.blog

Be careful that you haven’t made Satan into a deity. He isn’t a God. He isn’t omnipotent, omniscient, etc. He can’t hear your thoughts. He can’t read your mind. He isn’t everywhere. He isn’t God’s equal or even a worthy opponent.

About 5 years ago, I realized that the enemy had a position in my life that was absurd. As 2018 began I sat down and wrote a blog post about it. I didn’t realize at that time the direction my theology was heading but looking back now it was the beginning of God opening my eyes.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I “rebuked the devil”. It’s no longer a part of my vocabulary. It’s probably been almost 5 years since I said anything of the sort. I don’t blame all my shortcomings on the enemy. I don’t make him the scapegoat because things aren’t going my way.

And I believe that it’s brought a refreshing perspective and a greater sense of accountability to my spiritual life.

And this next part is gonna sound a little strange and perhaps you’re not ready for it but honestly, Satan doesn’t really exist in my life. He’s not important. If my life is a movie, he’s the extra that walks by during a crucial scene and you don’t even remember what he looks like.

Does he exist? Yes, I believe he does. But the whole point of my relationship with Jesus is that Satan’s existence is not my problem. I walk in the light and Jesus deals with my enemies. I believe there’s a protection that comes with this relationship. I also believe that anything that makes its way to me can only do so if it passes through God’s hands.

So, actually, whatever I have to walk through is something God allowed. And the only power Satan has is whatever permission God has given him and whatever power I give to the enemy myself.

Do I pray for God’s hand and protection over myself and loved ones? Yes, of course. But I don’t acknowledge Satan at all in my everyday life. And the day I made the decision to do so changed my entire spiritual walk.

I’ve definitely had some hard days and a few difficult seasons since I made that decision but instead of speaking that the devil was at play, I simply spoke to God about what He wanted me to take away from the experience.

I’m not fighting the devil. I’m not concerned that he will carry out some evil plan against me. I won’t even entertain the thought.

I guess he probably still runs his mouth or does whatever he’s allowed to do but I don’t speak to him and I don’t speak about him unless it’s in this manner. The enemy doesn’t have any significance in my life.

Why would he? Why would I choose Jesus and then exhaust myself with the devil’s nonsense?

I’m walking this road with a God who goes before me and behind me. If God wants me to walk through something there isn’t anything I can do but grab His hand and go. It might not be easy. It might hurt. But it’s the way things are designed.

I’d just like to encourage you to prayerfully think about this concept.

Every detail of my life, every struggle is between me and God. I have my eyes permanently fixed on Him.

The rest is just noise. He holds all things and controls all things.

And if we don’t believe that…what in the world are we doing professing to trust in Him and put our lives in His hands?

God bless you on your journey.
My inbox is open.
💜🙏- Cassie

Yesterday there was quite a lively debate among our followers. As I reading through most of it I was so happy to see the exchange of beliefs and ideas. It came from a post saying God’s Word is not going to change for different generations. And it isn’t.
There was some mention of certain translations being the only true Word. I read several translations including Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. I love the NIV. But I don’t cling to it like Jesus personally handed it to me. I think it’s important to note that King James Version came way down the line after Jesus walked the earth. And it was basically King James deciding he didn’t like the Geneva Version. (And there were several versions before the Geneva.) And he brought together his own group of “experts” to do so. Think about it, what if a U.S. President said, I don’t like these versions of the bible everyone is using. I’m going to be making a Biden version or a Trump version? Would that be well received? By some, yes. By others, not so much. But what if they said it was the only version we could freely use? That’s sort of what happened with King James.
Listen, I have a KJV. It’s not my favorite.  I don’t look down on people who use it. But I also don’t insist that the other versions I prefer are “the only true Word of God.”
The new testament as we know it today was written several decades after Jesus walked the earth. And it was translated from mostly Arameic. The original manuscripts looked something like the photo above. And the Bible has been translated so many times into many different languages. And honestly, things do get lost in translation. So, I think it’s necessary to read and compare different translations. And then draw a line prayerfully back to the original words used, the Arameic (that Jesus spoke), and also the Greek and Hebrew. Jesus also quoted the Bible He grew up with several times in the new testament. It’s the Jewish Septaguint. It’s important to understand that the Bible you’re holding has been translated into the language you speak by qualified scholars and theologians. And that hopefully, they did their best work. But it is irresponsible to believe that there is no reason to be open minded to reading original manuscripts and comprehending prayerfully for yourself.

God bless,
Cassie

When Jesus said that Love is the greatest commandment…when He said all the Law and Prophets hang on Loving God and Loving Others. He wasn’t trying to give us a fuzzy quote to hang in our living room. JESUS CHRIST was commanding us. He was telling us how to live and walk with/like Him. IT WASN’T A SUGGESTION. EVERYTHING HANGS ON THOSE TWO THINGS… that means everything else depends on us doing those two things. He doesn’t even need to give us any further instructions. Just do those.. you love God and love others…then your actions, speech, and attitudes reflect that. If you don’t, it will be obvious to everyone who truly understands what Jesus was about and what He requires of us. If I love you, I’ll be honest with you. If I love you, I’ll treat you with respect. I’ll also acknowledge and value that God created you and that you have to work out your own salvation. And because I love God, because I walk around bearing His Name and His likeness…because I FOLLOW JESUS, you won’t have to wonder if I am doing the TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS HE ASKED ME TO DO. And if you don’t immediately get that from being in my vicinity…then by all means…let’s sit down and talk about that. I’m not perfect. Thank Jesus for His grace… I’m pretty done with this going through the motions stuff and jumping on every “Christian” bandwagon that comes by. Most of these causes, arguments, ideals…didn’t even come from Jesus.
I wonder if Jesus wouldn’t be exhausted down here currently from drawing lines in the sand because humanity walks around with a pocket full of rocks and cannot wait to throw one….or five.. all while having a Bible verse in their bio or on their page.. I HAVE SPENT 2 AND A HALF YEARS DIGGING OUT FROM UNDER ALL THIS SUFFOCATING “RELIGION”. I’m about ten seconds from never referring to myself as a “Christian” again. (Jesus won’t care by the way, He never told us to do that.) Because honestly, I don’t wanna be associated with how some Christians are acting. I understand why Jesus flipped tables. Be blessed. 🙏 The faith that saves us is actually supposed to change us.

Love in Christ,

Cassie

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

A few days ago I posted a question on the She Rises page story and on my personal Instagram and Facebook stories. The question was “What’s your biggest challenge as a Christian woman?” I got a lot of interesting answers. Some of them were expected and some of them were not. I decided I would take the next few weeks and address some of them.

I also decided to start with the ones that seemed to be the most common challenge…body image and loving ourselves.

It’s funny how as Christian women we can be kind and loving to every one, except ourselves.

It’s definitely something I’ve struggled with at some point in my life. I think it’s safe to say that every woman has as well. I will say that the older I get the less it’s been an issue for me. Have I overcome it entirely? Well, no, because there’s always a bad day here and there. But honestly, I don’t think it’s something I would say I have a struggle with anymore. And maybe that’s because somewhere over the last two years I made it a point to be nice to myself and to love myself. I also cleaned out my spiritual closet.

Body image is a different machine altogether. And it’s roots grow deep. I remember being on the school bus when I was about thirteen and a boy told me I was ugly. I didn’t ask him, or even like him. But bless his heart, he decided to give me his unsolicited opinion. He then went on to name all the other “ugly” girls in my grade. I remember being shocked by the names he was listing. I thought they were all pretty. I remember thinking that he was rude. And I remember that I didn’t think he was cute at all. But I didn’t tell him. I was raised better than that. Lol.

But I remember that when I got home, I wondered if he might be right. Then later on that afternoon I decided that what he said didn’t matter because he didn’t seem to be a very nice person. And judging by the list he made, I wasn’t in bad company. It seemed like his idea of ugly and mine, were very different. Also, I didn’t like him at all. He was just… Ugh.

Eight grade logic. It’s actually not bad. I’ve always been smart.

I’m sure I didn’t think I was all that pretty. I was a middle schooler. And those were not my best years. But I wouldn’t trade them for anything. So, maybe I didn’t think I was all that pretty. But I certainly did not think I was ugly. And neither were any of the other girls he named.
If I would have liked him. It probably would have hurt my feelings. I would have cared if he didn’t think I was pretty.

I believe that was the moment I truly learned that beauty was certainly in the eye of the beholder. And I also believe that it’s hard to find beauty in anything when there’s bitterness or ugliness in the heart.

I said all of that to say this… “You can’t love something and not think it’s beautiful in some way. 

When we truly love ourselves, our body image drastically improves.

Just for a second, think about all the things and people that you love. And pick one of them, now name a few reasons why you love this person, this thing.

Now, do you possess any of those same qualities? I bet you do and I bet that if it’s a person you care way more about the inside than the outside.

And that’s the best way I know how to help you with body image. It won’t matter how much weight you lose. Trust me I’ve been overweight and too skinny and “just right” and hated myself all the same in each body. It all starts on the inside. Once you get that right, it overflows onto the outside.

Once you start being nice to yourself, in speech and action, you’ll see what I mean. Open your Bible and read what God says about you. And then start saying it to yourself.

Psalm 139:14 says that God created your inmost being, knitted you together in your mother’s womb, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, that God’s works are wonderful. And our souls know this.

But we forget that we are a beautiful masterpiece created by a loving God.

The Bible says more things like this:

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”  1 John 3:1

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

God loves you. He looks at you and delights in you. He knows that you are not perfect. He knows you are struggling. Ask him to help you.

Now, I know from your replies that some of you have been mistreated. Some of you have been hurt in a way that I cannot fathom. The other day I was ministering to a young lady and she was telling me some of the horrible things that her ex husband used to say to her. And later when I was alone, I cried because I was so hurt for her. I was so hurt that someone said those things to her. And none of those things were true. And the person saying them, needed a lot of help and was obviously very broken. I’m not making excuses for them. I’m just stating facts.

So, whether you are struggling because of something someone said to you or you are struggling because of the things you say to yourself. Remember this, you are never going to feel good about yourself as long as  believe anything about yourself that does not line up with what God says about you.

You are never going to feel good about yourself as long as don’t speak life and kindness to yourself.

I’m thirty nine years old and I wish I would have learned this lesson twenty years ago.
And if you give this a try and you still can’t seem to have a healthy body image or love yourself then please reach out and talk to someone you trust.

And “flaws”… if you even want to call them that, they make you unique and they set you apart from the unrealistic, cookie cutter beauty standards of this terribly lost world.

God’s idea of beautiful, well, its you. And if it’s a heart issue and you need a new outlook or a better attitude… well He can certainly help with that, too.

Regardless of why your body image isn’t great and you are struggling to love yourself the way you should, remember that you are your own worst critic. Stop being so hard on yourself. For the most part, I bet you are doing the best you know can. . And if aren’t, then do better. Just a little bit at a time.

Pick one thing you like about yourself. And focus on that for a few days. Pick one thing that you want to let go of, some hurt, some issue with someone or yourself. Now, prayerfully ask God to help you heal and forgive. Ask Him everyday until you feel yourself healing.

Keep on doing this for the next month, and then for as long as it takes to clear it all out. It won’t happen overnight, but eventually you’ll start to see yourself differently.

I’m praying for you. God loves you. He wants you to love yourself. And so do I.