Sunday, September 28, 2014

Knowing the Holy Spirit 6

Good morning all-

I am combating a cold or virus today so I'm going to make this short.  The Holy Spirit is alive and well inside you and me.  Call on Him and see for yourself what God reveals to you. I am always amazed how when I call on Him a passage comes to me that fits the event in my life and gives me wisdom to move forward.  I will leave you today with another Scripture geared for us to know Him and make Him known!

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬ NIV)

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,


until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭7-11, 13‬ NIV)

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Know the Holy Spirit 5

Good morning all-

I hope you have been enjoying our study on the Holy Spirit.  I found it interesting that disciples of Christ didn't know or hear of the Holy Spirit until Paul wandered in their midst.  Obviously, they had been with Christ for some time but it wasn't until Paul came upon them that they really were inhabited with Him.  It got me to thinking.  How many people have heard about Christ and follow Him but don't know the Holy Spirit exists? I know that in some churches it's frowned upon because they aren't sure of speaking in tongues and feeling God but it's Scriptural and that's what we have to concentrate on.  There is power within us.  We don't want to slice and dice the Bible to fit our needs; we want to learn what it says.  Can you all say AMEN?

Are you a doubter that God comes to man in dreams?  Are you one that feels like the Holy Spirit isn't part of God?  Or are you a skeptic that wonders why would Christ want to live in us?  I'm sure we have all asked ourselves these questions and maybe even doubted the word.  But the word is real and there is a divine reason he lives in us.  It was the new covenant.  Before Jesus there were profits and men that were given divine direction. Some of them you may have read about like Abraham, David, Issac, Jeremiah, and more.  These were men that God either spoke to or they were directed by Him through divine intervention.  They heard the call and are written for all of us to know about today.

The Holy Spirit holds more power than any of us realize.  He promised never to leave us or forsake us so that promise is in us.  He guides us as we seek His Holy face.  Sometimes when your still, I'm sure you have felt His peace, His joy or just a sense that something is guiding your every move.  That is God.  He may not speak to us audibly now but He could if He wanted to.  He is all.  We can't fathom the power of the cross, nor can we under estimate what He left behind to become the Holy Trinity.  He is a God head in three.  Many don't understand that and even I have trouble understanding how three parts equal one but they do and it's not for us to question.  It is written.

Whenever I really need help, I call to Christ and ask His Holy Spirit to pour out on me.  I need to feel Him and often, when I have prayed that prayer I have felt peace so much that every part of me feels relaxed.  Now if you knew me you might be surprised by that because I get up running and don't stop until I go to bed at night.  So peace is not near me often, its something that is given to me because I asked my Father to provide it and He did.

All over the world people are being faced with hardships and terror.  Fear of Ebola, ISIS and other things has caused many to quake but where must we run?  We need to run into our Father's hands.  He knows us and He knows exactly what we need.  Our lives are His and we are to make Him known.  We don't just get the honor of having Him inside of us without serving Him and crying out His name.  He is the Father of all and many don't believe but that doesn't mean He is not real and living in us today.  Be aware of false prophets the Bible says.  How do we do that?  How will we know?  We will know through the Holy Spirit.  So study Scripture and really get to know the full power that lives inside you and me!

I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ NIV)

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. (‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭67-69, 71-80‬ NIV)

Praise be to the glory of God our Father who came and died for us so that the world would have a Savior that lives within them and that loves them beyond understanding!  O, Praise God!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Knowing the Holy Spirit part 4

Good evening-

I had a dream last night I just can't get out of my mind.  I dreamed that I heard a voice say, "Israel must turn towards me."  It was faint but real and I asked, "Why?" And then I heard the voice say because I'm coming soon.  What the heck?  I remember actually thinking that and then as I was looking into the clouds Eagles were falling dead from the sky.  I still can't figure out if the dream meant anything at all but it definitely got me thinking about Jesus returning and how much I'm not prepared.  Even today I lost my temper.  What's he going to do with a mess like me?

Before I went to bed I read Psalm 26 and really thought about part of the Scripture.  You may know it, it states: Vindicate me, Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered. Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. (‭Psalm‬ ‭26‬:‭1-3‬ NIV)

I don't know if that triggered it or what but I do know that I have been thinking of God's return.  It's time we look for Him and believe in Him and the guide He left behind.  I know He exists in me and for that I am truly grateful.  I don't know why I had that bizarre dream but I'm hoping that doing this series on the Holy Spirit has us all calling His mighty name.

If you have confessed that Jesus is Lord but have never heard of the Holy Spirit or don't understand its power, ask God to reveal Himself.  He will.  He left it for each one of us that calls Him Lord.

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. (‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭1-4, 6‬ NIV)








Sunday, September 21, 2014

Know the power of the Holy Spirit 3

Good morning all-

Well this morning hasn't been my best.  I hit my son's car this morning trying to avoid a truck that was illegally parked behind our driveway.  What a day?  I actually was trying to serve my husband by going to get milk at 6:30 am and instead hit my son's car.  Those two gallons will now cost over five hundred dollars.  Needless to say, it's taken a couple hours for me to settle down and write this blog.  I can't believe how stupid I am but then it happened and I can't go backwards; I can only look ahead.

What did I do in the last two hours?  I tried to calm down by reading the news around the world.  And what faced me was Scottish freedom, Egyptian arraignment of Islamic extremists, Ebola home isolation and the story behind the BTK serial killer.  Nice right?  Well at least I'm starting to feel better about crushing the door of my son's car, which leads me to the point of today's message.  Life happens whether we want it to or not.  People all over the globe are dealing with all kinds of obstacles and in the scheme of things mine is quite small.  It will cost me money but it didn't cost a life, so I feel blessed about that.  I also realized that my behavior after I hit the car was wrong and have spent some time asking God to forgive me for my really bad language.  Again, life happens and I'm still human.  With all this going on in the world and my life, where am I to go?  I must go back to the One who knows me, who understands the obstacles of this life and who loves us. Once again, I am in the center of the God who sent His Son and through His sacrifice I now have the Holy Spirit.  I can't say that the spirit was guiding me during my bought of bad language but as I came down from the emotion; I found him.  Thank goodness I have a guide in this crazy, chaotic world.

The Holy Spirit is our guide, our power and our trigger that helps us know right from wrong.  It guides us to know when we need to move, repent or just stand still.  Through our Lord's sacrifice we have a wonderful counselor.  The Spirit gives us wisdom when we don't have any.  I felt that as I was killing myself with words that no lady should think.  It is hard sometimes to see why bad happens to good people.  We often don't understand why a car gets wrecked, why a girl goes missing, why we lose our jobs or why people die of diseases.  These are daily events and often, we question God on why they happen.  But through experience I know there is no reason to ask God why? We need to pray and ask God to give us direction, to guide us and to help us spread His Holy name.

So as I end this blog today remember to be quiet and still and ask the spirit to guide you.  We will always face difficult times but it's contemplating Christ and all that He sacrificed that will help us get through it.  Remember He lives in us.  He is not an idol;  He is real, living and loving.  He lives in us so that we will have victory.  Be well and look up!

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭29-32‬ NIV)

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭15-20‬ NIV)

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Know the power of the Holy Spirit 2

Good morning-

Today will be the second installation into the power of what Jesus left behind, His Holy Spirit.  Many churches leave this part out.  The Holy Spirit scares a lot of people so it is down played or not talked about at all.  The Holy Spirit is the power that was left behind in You and me.  When we come to know Christ, He breathes life into us through His spirit.  It's not something to be frightened of; we should embrace it and make it known.

Although we don't know everything about the Holy Spirit, Christ did tell His disciples that it would be their guide and today, all around the world, the Holy Spirit is guiding Christians to pray, speak and love.  Only our God could leave something so very powerful.  He wanted us to know that He was with us in battle, in divorce, in murder and in day to day life.  He gave us power beyond our understanding that prompts us to submit, repent and to be better people.  His spirit flows through our veins and directs our course when we seek Him.  It was His gift to a lost people very similar to the Manna that was given to the Israelites.  Its our daily bread, along with the word, His spirit comforts us in our grief, lifts us up from our pitfalls and guides us like a beacon in the night.  Its powerful and we need to call upon it for the world and for those that don't know Him.

Often, I find myself asking God to rain down on His people.  Do you know what I mean by that?   I want Him to have His spirit rain on us, in all His glory.  I want to feel Him even though I can't see Him.  I want to know Him even though I can't touch Him.  As I have grown to know my Father it has been His guide I sought and His guide I called upon to help me navigate the waters of life.  If you haven't really studied the Holy Spirit this is your time to find Him in all the power He possesses.  He is not some God that is simply a statue.  He lives in us and although we will never understand all His ways; He's near and He's our guide into the holy realm of God.

In this second blog about the Holy Spirit my prayer is that you will capture the essence of Him who gave His life for you and me.  He was power on a cross.  What would seem like failure was the greatest success of all time.  So if you feel like your failing, just wait because on the other side will be His glory!  I'm praying for all of you and asking God to link us all across the world.  It's always so exciting to see the countries pop up on this blog but I'm praying too for the countries that don't have the ability or the freedom to read these words.  May God rain down His Holy Spirit all over the world as we preach His glorious name.

And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭22‬ NIV)

Receive His power and know a love more powerful than this life!  I'm hoping you have been blessed by this Scripture today and that You have been driven closer to our Lord and Savior.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The power of the Holy Spirit

Good morning all

I have been hearing the call to begin a series on the Holy Spirit.  It has been on my mind a lot lately.  Maybe it's all the disruption in the world or maybe it's Jesus gently reminding us of the power He left behind.  I believe in the power of the Spirit.  During my journey with God, I have often felt Him through the Spirit.  I think it's essential for us to recognize it and use it to guide us in our walk on earth.  Once God had profits and now He has Himself living within us.  My question today is, do you know the power behind the Spirit and where do we look to find it?

I can remember as a little girl calling to God.  My grandmother took me to church until she died when I was five.  I can remember the church and her speaking of her love for God.  My grandmother did not have an easy life.  She lost a daughter before she was two and lost her husband at forty-six.  She knew much sorrow and yet she proclaimed the name of Jesus to me.

My memories are vivid and often when I was making bad decisions I called on her. I can remember one time alone in my apartment, crying because life had thrown me a curve ball and asking her to help me.  At the time, I thought she was but later I found out that what I experienced was really the power of Jesus.  He heard my cry and knew my thoughts and was with me long before I knew it.

The power of His presence helped me get through a really tough time, led my boss to lead me to Him and began to feed me through His spirit and His word.  Has my life been a bed of roses?  Not really.  It has had great moments of hardship, defeat, and utter failure.  It has been filled with sorrow and grief but through it all I had Christ and through His spirit I felt peace and joy.  How could I have joy? Because I knew that He had me and that He loved me.

The Spirit is our guide in this tumultuous world.  It's time to hear His call.  He left us with a way and He left us with a guide.  We need to recognize it and know the power that's within His spirit.

I look forward to our journey through Scripture on the Holy Spirit and I hope you do too.  The world is doing exactly what God said it would.  Today is the day we must contemplate, not tomorrow, not next week and not next year.  It's simply today and today holds power, love and mercy for the weak and for the faithful.  Please join me in our search for the Holy Spirit and all that God has to offer to His people.


Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. (‭Psalm‬ ‭51‬:‭11‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

O, Lord, we come to You asking for You to show us Your Holy Spirt and all the power that is within.  Please help us discover You through Scripture.  The world is in turmoil but You still live in the hearts of those that call upon You.  We call upon You now as we walk through Scripture.  Reveal Your purpose to us and give us wisdom on how we are to impact Your people.  Guide us towards joy, mercy, and understanding through You.  We thank You for Your sacrifice and for Your mighty forgiveness.  Give us strength and a determination to learn Your word and all that it encompasses. We need You today and every day.  In Jesus name, AMEN




Sunday, September 14, 2014

What's in a word?

Good morning all-

Have you ever thought to yourself, "What's in a word?"  That's my first thought as I begin to type. One word, one name and it equals forgiveness.  That's what Jesus taught us all when He came to this earth so many years ago.  He taught love and His name is Jesus.  Love means many different things but as I was thinking about love; I realized I often confused it with fantasy over reality.

Have you ever wondered, "If God loved me, why do I have to go through this?"  Of course you have.  I often thought I was being punished because I wasn't perfect and I made mistakes and that's why love was so hard for me.  In reality, it was exactly the opposite.  God's love is unconditional.  You won't see much of that here.  God loved us so much that He came for the wicked, the confused, the murder, the adulterer and me.  Could I be anyone of these? Absolutely.  Have I been wicked or confused?  From time to time I would gather my behavior would not be seen as pristine.  But through all my bad behavior, Christ has walked with me and waited.

That's what love is.  One word that can spread joy, wipe out shame, and heal a broken heart.  One word that shows people that there is kindness, decency, and encouragement.  One word that means more than a feeling.  Love is not a feeling; it's a committment.  Do you really think Jesus could have done what He did otherwise? Who dies for people that betray Him?  Who walks with His murderer and calls Him friend?  Who stands by and watches pious people do the unthinkable and who dies on a cross and tells a killer He will be in Heaven.  Only through the love of a man, who was God, can we see this kind of love.  Today, love the way Christ did still exists in the hearts of men and women all over the world.  Hate is easy.  To love someone like Christ takes commitment, perseverance and the will to know Him.  I know because once I walked away and the further I ran the more I knew He was near.  I was more alone than I can say but something kept pulling on me and that was the love of Christ.  Failure made me walk away but love brought me back.

Love can heal nations and people.  Love can wash out evil and hate.  Love can be uplifting, encouraging and build faith. Love holds all things.  It is patient and it is kind and it lives in the Spirit that dwells within.  Remember the stories of old, Christ gave of Himself so that we would one day be with Him.  Imagine for a minute a world with no pain, no hate and love everywhere.  That's heaven and one day our thief will come and show us the love He had for mankind.  May you look upon this verse today and see Jesus as you spend time in worship.  One word and one man equals love.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭9‬ NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬ NIV)

Our Father died for us.  Say a pray of thanksgiving for a man that died for an unworthy people.  Praise the name of Jesus so that it can be heard in every corner of the globe.  He is real and He was and is love.  No man loved you more.  Think about that for a moment.  Be well my sisters and I hope you found Him today exactly where He always is, inside.

Until tomorrow.


Saturday, September 13, 2014

Women across the globe hear His call!

Good morning all-

Can you hear His call?  That's the question I have been asking myself.  When I'm alone and all is quiet, what is it I am hearing?  I am hearing the cry of the Almighty calling women all over the world to pray.  Didn't Jesus' mother pray?  Didn't Mary Magdalene pray?  Didn't Ester pray?  I can name more, can't you? We were made for this moment.  We are not here today as a coincidence.  The headlines read, " 'Air Strikes', 'ISIS', 'Hamas','Israel's bombing in Palestine', and 'Ebola'."  Are you afraid of the headlines or are you praying for revival?

I personally am praying for revival.  I came together with women all over the world for 777.  I unite with women who are crying to God asking for mercy, understanding and deliverance.  I am praying for the children that came to hate and asking for God to reverse the effects of evil in their adult hearts.  I am praying for our leaders and for those that believe being a dictator is more important than leading through love.  I am praying my sisters and I call you to prayer as well.

For those that are leaders in spiritual awakening, they have heard the call of Christ. The Bible is true, all of it.  We may have missing books, we may not have the translation 100% correct.  There may be hidden books or books that don't matter.  Who cares?  What we know is that Jesus died on a cross for us.  Where is the misconception in that?  Did the Holocaust happen?  Did Americans have slaves?  Did genocide happen?  The answer to all of this is, yes it did.  History has happened and the accounts are real and true.  We may not know the details but we know it happened.  Does it matter that we don't know every detail.  Not really.  What matters is that we as women believe that Christ came, died and will come again.  His call is to every corner, to every living creature that He has risen and one day will come again to right the wrong of evil and destruction.

There are many things I don't know.  I don't know what the President's next military move will be.  I don't know how the moon and stars were truly formed.  I don't know how man is formed in the womb and I don't know the time or hour of Christ's return.  All I know is that Christ will come and I need to ask for forgiveness, pray for every being on this earth and love with all my heart.  It's time we hear His call.  It's our time.  Take this mighty step and ask Christ into your heart.  Look for Him in every child, in every newspaper and in every historical event.  He is present but we must stay quiet and hear His call.  Be with me today as I ask the Almighty to bring revival to this land and every land in every corner of the globe.

You my sisters are powerful. Your power does not exist in you; it comes from Him.  We can stand together and change war, famine, and every world event.  Our faith can build a mountain and our cries will be heard.  He is waiting for us to hear Him and to respond in faith, love and hope.  My hope today is not in my ability but in His.  Are you ready?  Then join me in praying this prayer!

O, mighty God, our Father, we come to You on bended knee.  We ask You to be in every corner of the globe.  You are the greatest warrior who ever lived.  Send Your warrior angels to Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Israel and Palestine.  Turn hearts in America, Canada, Asia, South America and Europe to You with thanksgiving and in faith that You are who You said You were.  Bring children to Your breast and help adults across the globe proclaim Your name.  Give us a heart for the sick, the evil, the confused and the mentally unstable.  Bring about revival in my heart and in every heart that calls You Lord.  Help each of us to remember Your words and to look for You in the birds, the stars and the moon.  You are the One true God.  You are One in three; Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Your spirit lives today in women, men and children all over the world and I call on You my Father to bring millions to You.  We ask that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven and to forgive us for our transgressions.  We are sinners with a powerful Father who loves even the lowest of us all.  We believe in the words that have been written and that have remained thousands of years later.  We call You Jesus and ask You to be with us today.  Protect us from evil and guide our every step toward You!  In Jesus Name we pray as one unit all over the world.

And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. (‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭5‬ NIV)

Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them. (‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭28‬ NIV)

Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. (‭1 Kings‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ NIV)


Thursday, September 11, 2014

What are friends for?

Good morning my sisters-

Did you know that it is possible to have a friend half way around the world?  The question I pose today is what are friends for?  Rarely do we have a lot but the ones we are given are precious.  Friends are one of the cornerstones of our lives and they are given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

God commanded us to love our neighbor.  There was a reason for that.  God knew that we would need someone to lean on in times of joy and sadness.  Someone we could write to, call, or email.  He knew even for His Son, that friends support, encourage and make us stronger.  Of course, we should always rely on the Lord first but we have flesh and blood people to lift us up in prayer, encourage us to take one more step and to remind us that God is faithful even when we don't see Him.

I have never had a lot of friends.  All through my educating years I was different.  Really I was more of a quiet bookworm who was scared of her own shadow but after I graduated I flew and then I had more friends.  What I can share with you is that I'm not surrounded by many but the friends I do have are so very precious.

And then, He gave me all of you.  You remain nameless and faceless but I consider you my friends.  You know my faith, my hardship and my heart.  Isn't that what a friend truly is?  I'm also friends to women all over the world because Christ gave me a heart for women in the US but also all over the globe.  I didn't used to ponder the struggles of women in other countries until God showed me that they needed my prayers, my thoughts, my feelings and my faith.  Today, I pray for them and ask God to come into their lives and to bring them to this blog if they are looking for Him and as always He does.  Someday I hope to meet many of the women that have gotten on this blog.  I hope that God gives me the ability to speak to nations but for today I sit and write thinking about all my friends that read this blog and smile because I know that God is creating friendships all over the world.

Be well my sisters and remember we are part of a bride.  Yes, we are individuals but at the end of every day we are part of something so much greater.  We have a friend named Jesus and He is our reason and purpose for living!

Have you not just called to me: ‘My Father, my friend from my youth, (‭Jeremiah‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬ NIV)

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, (‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭8‬ NIV)

Be a friend today and love someone.  I have to go and I haven't had time to check my spelling.  I wanted to write this morning and proclaim Jesus Christ as my friend, my comforter and my savior.  Be well and find someone that needs to be loved.

Until tomorrow...

Monday, September 8, 2014

What would you do today if you knew you wouldn't be here tomorrow...

Good morning my sisters-

What would you do if you knew tomorrow wouldn't come?  That's the question Christian leaders have been asking themselves.  Those are the messages we are hearing from the pulpit and that's what I have been thinking about as I read the paper and hear world events.

There are men, women and children that won't see tomorrow.  They will perish and we won't even know their names.  They may be in Africa starving, in Ukraine fighting, or in Iraq being beheaded.  They are faceless and nameless but they are God's children and we must send prayers to our Father and be ready if tomorrow doesn't come for us.  On top of all those events, people are dying of cancer, car accidents are happening and crime still exists.  All these events measure to someone that doesn't have tomorrow.  Now I don't want to be bleak and that's not my point.  Really my point is two-fold, if you know Christ you should be looking at today and secondly, if tomorrow doesn't come for you then you will be in paradise.  Remember the words Jesus said to the criminal on the cross, because he believed he was entered into Heaven.

Often, I tried to talk to my dad about Heaven.  As a matter of fact, I even game him a tape on Heaven.  I wanted him to understand the beauty of what he would miss if he didn't believe.  He thought my mom and my brother were suffering, when in actuality they were rejoicing at the feet of Jesus.  We are all scared to die, even I sometimes have fear but that fear isn't from God it's from evil.  We were meant to be in paradise, that's why Christ came to give us a future beyond this life.  Many are suffering around the world but if they carry the name of Jesus they will someday find paradise.

I get caught up in my family, raising my boys and work and forget to really be in today.  If I didn't have tomorrow, what would I do differently?  Well, I probably would serve more, reach out to my friends more and hug my children.  I wouldn't worry about my 401K or if I'll have a job tomorrow.  I would be still and waiting for my groom.  Life has a way of misdirecting our steps.  In reality, we lose focus because we are starving, fighting a war we don't understand, working too hard or just not feeling anything at all.  We run but we can't hide.  Our focus must be on today and the God that promised to come like a thief in the night.  Don't get me wrong, I lose focus too.  I haven't been writing this blog as diligently as I used too and I have been feeling that pull to find time for my Maker.  So, for this moment I'm thinking about Jesus and today.  If God comes today, I will have spent time with Him, spread His word and sat still to hear from Him.  He gave us a promise and we must remember to live in today and prepare for His coming.

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭43‬ NIV)

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (‭Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ NIV)

I must leave you this morning without a prayer but we should pray Revelation 2:7 today because we want to be victorious, we want to be faithful and we want to stay into today so that when it's our time we are in paradise.

Until tomorrow...

Sunday, September 7, 2014

The faithful...Where are they?

Good morning my sisters-

I'm starting today's blog with "Where are the faithful?"  I find it ironic that most of us deem ourselves as being faithful and yet, we aren't.  I want to be faithful and I desire to be faithful but am I faithful?  That's the question I asked myself today as I heard the story being told of God's faithfulness to Abraham.  He buried Sara on the land that he was promised.  It was part of the promise from God to Abraham.

It got me to thinking about my life and the promises of God.  He promised to never leave me or forsake me. He promised to love me all my days.  He promised that He knew me in the womb.  He promised to guide me through His spirit and He promised to sacrifice His life so I could one day join Him in Heaven.  He made promises and He keeps those promises today.

He never promised a lack of hardship, an easy road, or a beautiful life.  He promised that He was with me and through all my trials; He has remained exactly like He said He would.  I wish I could say I have also been that faithful but like many, when the road gets rocky so does my faith.  John saw this in his dream.  He wondered where the faithful were and cried because there wasn't one faithful enough and then Jesus was revealed as the only faithful One.  Imagine believing you are faithful and finding out not even you can be counted among them.  Well, I have imagined my faithfulness and watched as I stepped out of that faith and into my own will.  It wasn't pretty.  It's never pretty when we think we know what's best for our lives.  It's never good when we detract from what the Bible says and it's never good when we believe we have more power than Jesus.

Jesus is the reason we are here.  We will always have days of indecision, worry, doubt and disobedience but through all that, Jesus remains the same.  We are lucky to have a Savior that is One with His father and who carries on the love for us that was written in days of old.  We don't have to worry about where we will go or what will happen tomorrow as long as we look for Jesus in every situation.  I'm grateful that even when I've lost my faithfulness; He remains the same.

If you're struggling with believing Christianity wasn't what you thought or maybe you just wanted a rose garden, call out to Jesus and ask Him to guide you.  He loves you even when you don't believe.  He has carried your sin and knows it.  Every drop of blood, ever tear and every nail was for you.  There are people all over the world being persecuted for calling the name of Jesus.  Do you think they have stopped loving Him?  No.  They may have to hide it but in their hearts they know the truth.  Being faithful is knowing when to bow, when to kneel and when to say, "Jesus take the wheel."  He will.  All we have to do is ask for Him to forgive us and we are back on track.

As always, I am praying for you and asking Jesus to be with You.  I am praying that God will hold you in His hands and guide you.  I am praying for the rebel soldiers that their hearts would become soft to God and that they would see Him in dreams and I'm praying that through trials; we will know Him by name.  Be well my sisters and please pray for those that don't hear the call.


Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. (‭Psalm‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬ NIV)

Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. (‭Psalm‬ ‭51‬:‭6‬ NIV)

This is what the Lord says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭44‬:‭2‬ NIV)


My prayer today:

O, God of Abraham, take each one of us and show us our purpose.  We are clay and we need You to mold us and make us Yours.  Our days are numbered but each day we can call out to You and You will be faithful to hear our cries.  We lift up our sisters all around the world and ask that together You would hear our prayers for revival, for peace and for fortitude to stay the course.  You are our God and You have promised never to leave us.  Please show us Your mighty hand as we ask for forgiveness and let You take the wheel.  There is only one God and You are it.  We stand before You asking for You to help us be faithful in our walks and towards You.  We love You and want to honor our forefathers by remembering everything You have done for us.  We praise Your Holy Name, AMEN!