Good mornings my sisters-
Well the storms are moving in once again and our Lord will penetrate the earth with water. Thank God that our desert place is turning into a lush garden. The Lord is good! Can you say, "Amen?"
My topic today is on the power of prayer. Many Christian leaders have been called to prayer and to encourage prayer. That's not a coincidence. The Lord is calling His bride to be faithful, to repent and to turn their eyes on Him. It's so easy to turn our eyes anywhere but Him. Our challenge is to stay focused. How often does life pull you away from Him? I know that it's a challenge for me every day. I also know that He is calling and we must stop, drop and pray. It's similar to what we were taught as kids regarding a fire, instead of rolling we need to pray.
Prayer and the Word are the most powerful tools Christians have today but they are often to prideful or to busy to sit in prayer. How do we draw closer to God? We pray. How do world events change? We pray. How do we protect the ones we love? We pray. Get the picture. Prayer is how David fought off his enemies. Prayer provided Sarah and Abraham with a child. Prayer moved Moses over the Red Sea. Prayer delivered the Israelites and prayer changes events today.
What do we pray for? Everything. The Lord already knows what our needs are but when we pray God hears and we draw near to Him. Why? Because we are focused on Him meeting the needs of His people. He wants to come and be with us but we aren't ready. If we were, He would be here already. We need to pray that His people would fall on their knees to the One that knows all.
My mom used to tell me when I was a kid that if I heard thunder it was my grandmother that was bowling. Today, when I hear thunder I know it's the call of the heavens from my Father to drench the earth. It's about to pour and all I can think about was the numerous times I prayed last year for a drop of rain. I can remember even praising Him for one drop and this summer we have had rain showers once or twice a week. He provided, maybe not in my timing, but still He provides.
My goal is to pray now for nations. I pray for men and women all over the world. I pray for muslims, jews and hindus. I pray for every nation, every religion and all people. I'm praying that God will reveal Himself and that peace would once again be on this earth. Please join the movement with Anne Graham Lotz starting July 1-7. Take prayer seriously and love someone more than yourself. Ask Jesus to come to earth and provide for all. God is calling us ladies to be more than we ever thought we could be. You and I can change world events through prayer but we have to believe that He is who He says He is. Please take a moment this week and ask God to forgive you and to help all of us remain faithful in an evil world. May God bless you and keep you today!
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 NIV)
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Good Morning all-
It's a beautiful day in Kansas and I'm thanking God for the rain. He is a wonderful provider. Sometimes I think we forget that He does provide exactly what we need, not what we desire. Growing close to Him as a new Christian You begin to see the wonder of who He is. Over many years, doubt begins to creep in, lack of trust develops and all of the sudden we forget who He really is.
God is a mighty God. He loves us and He will take care of our needs. How do I know? Because every provision comes from Him. On my way home yesterday, I saw tons of men eating and it brought a smile to my face. You want to know why? Because Jesus provided food to the homeless through men and women that love The Lord. They were eating as if it was their last meal but it wasn't because God will provide another and I was praising Him for His provision.
Life has a way of making us skeptical but we need to trust that Jesus is who He says He is. One day He will come out of the sky and deliver His bride but we are still too self-absorbed, selfish and have lack of faith. We are the Isrealites of this day and we need to repent and return to the king of kings and The Lord of Lords. I did just this morning. I thanked Him for every provision and asked that He give me a heart to trust Him always. It's not easy sometimes but I know that God is God and that when I call He is near. I won't get everything my heart desires but I will get to know Him! Praise God!
May your day be full of Jesus and if you can get on Anne Graham Lots website please do. She is praying for the nations, for all people and for Christ to come. We must stand with her and believe that our God is who He says He is. Look it up on Angel ministries.
Be well my sisters and believe!
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (Exodus 14:13-22 NIV)
We are His children. Hear the call and ask the army of angels to penetrate the hearts of men. We must fight with our God and have faith that He is who He says He is!
Many blessings.
Be well my sisters and believe!
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (Exodus 14:13-22 NIV)
We are His children. Hear the call and ask the army of angels to penetrate the hearts of men. We must fight with our God and have faith that He is who He says He is!
Many blessings.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
How does Christ define love?
Good morning all-
How does Christ define love and why is it so important to love? I was talking with my hairdresser yesterday and he happens to be gay. He told me that he felt like he was that way from the beginning. I'm not here to judge and this is not about one point of view over another. This is about loving people even though they carry sin. If you have sin in your life and I guarantee you do then this is for you.
One of the things I learned early in life was how people can be hateful. I was bullied and picked on all through my high school years, which is why at every corner I deter that behavior in people that are around me. If you've been picked on, ostracized and made fun of, you know exactly what I'm talking about. That's not love, that's just evil. It took me along time to just be me and even then I'm not always accepted for who I am. But through it all, I always loved people. Often, I found myself praying for my attackers and somehow I skated through with just a few mental images of that very hurtful time. Others aren't so lucky. People in wheelchairs, the homeless, or those with mental illness are judged. Why do we do this? What gives us the right to be petty and to make fun of things we just don't understand.
I can't choose who anyone loves but I can choose to love the sinner. Isn't that what Christ did? He spoke with every factor of society that was deemed ruined, sinful and even for some, evil. I don't have to like a behavior or agree with it for that matter but I do have to love. I know this is hard for all of us because judgement is so much easier. But if you think about the characters in the Bible, they were all sinners. Adam and Eve ate the apple. David murdered a man in order to take his wife and Sara let her husband have an affair to sire a child. Homosexuality is talked about in the Bible as is: adultery, lying, stealing and hating. All these things are part of a sinful human life. We may not all murder or be adulterers but we have all lied; I'm almost positive of it.
My point isn't to make you think more on the judgement because Jesus will do that when each of us dies. My point is that we must love people. We must hate the sin but love the sinner. It is commanded by God that we love one another. Why? Because love builds bridges. It takes us from the depths of despair and give us hope. It keeps us on coarse and helps lift us up in our darkest hours. Being loved and loving is the greatest gift next to being saved that a person could have on earth. If you've been loved then you know exactly what I mean.
I'm happy that God gave us this commandment and although I'm sure I fall short; I love to love and to be loved. It is essential to me that the people in my life know what it is to be loved so that they can pass it on to the next person. Hate only breeds unrest, anger, resentment and self-infliction. It will eat you up and eventually make you unrecognizeable. Hate never healed a nation, mended a broken heart or gave hope to many. Hate destroys. So although we might hate the sin, let's love the sinner because that's what we all need to do today. Christ called us to love so that we would know the full extent of His love. If you don't agree then you haven't read your Bible lately. It's full of word pictures that truly show the love God has for man, even in our sinful state.
With all my heart, I pray that all of us learn to love like Jesus and that we leave the judgement to God. I have enough to repent for in my own life; I don't need to judge someone else's sin, do you?
Have a blessed day today and know I am praying for our world and for you. My God is a God of love, sacrifice and forgiveness. Just ask and see what He is willing to do.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:11-24 NIV)
My prayer today:
Lord lead us to the cross. We were born to sin and many of us still don't understand what this means. It is the nature of our past and will continue until you return. People are people and we must learn to love people even in their iniquities, just as You have loved us. I will never be perfect until I'm perfected by You, so until that day, help me to love the sinner just as You love me. I want to love those that are not Christian, those that are tortured and those that hurt. I want to love the adulterer, the gay man and the prostitute. I want to see a homeless person and feel something without turning away in disgust and more importantly, I want a heart that feels what You feel. I don't want to become a Pharisee. I want to love my neighbor and love You. Please fill us with love for the lost, the lonely and the hurting. Bring us to the cross and remind us that Your sacrifice was for all of us, sinners, needing a Savior. Thank You for loving us and for helping us be better people because You gave us the ability to love. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
How does Christ define love and why is it so important to love? I was talking with my hairdresser yesterday and he happens to be gay. He told me that he felt like he was that way from the beginning. I'm not here to judge and this is not about one point of view over another. This is about loving people even though they carry sin. If you have sin in your life and I guarantee you do then this is for you.
One of the things I learned early in life was how people can be hateful. I was bullied and picked on all through my high school years, which is why at every corner I deter that behavior in people that are around me. If you've been picked on, ostracized and made fun of, you know exactly what I'm talking about. That's not love, that's just evil. It took me along time to just be me and even then I'm not always accepted for who I am. But through it all, I always loved people. Often, I found myself praying for my attackers and somehow I skated through with just a few mental images of that very hurtful time. Others aren't so lucky. People in wheelchairs, the homeless, or those with mental illness are judged. Why do we do this? What gives us the right to be petty and to make fun of things we just don't understand.
I can't choose who anyone loves but I can choose to love the sinner. Isn't that what Christ did? He spoke with every factor of society that was deemed ruined, sinful and even for some, evil. I don't have to like a behavior or agree with it for that matter but I do have to love. I know this is hard for all of us because judgement is so much easier. But if you think about the characters in the Bible, they were all sinners. Adam and Eve ate the apple. David murdered a man in order to take his wife and Sara let her husband have an affair to sire a child. Homosexuality is talked about in the Bible as is: adultery, lying, stealing and hating. All these things are part of a sinful human life. We may not all murder or be adulterers but we have all lied; I'm almost positive of it.
My point isn't to make you think more on the judgement because Jesus will do that when each of us dies. My point is that we must love people. We must hate the sin but love the sinner. It is commanded by God that we love one another. Why? Because love builds bridges. It takes us from the depths of despair and give us hope. It keeps us on coarse and helps lift us up in our darkest hours. Being loved and loving is the greatest gift next to being saved that a person could have on earth. If you've been loved then you know exactly what I mean.
I'm happy that God gave us this commandment and although I'm sure I fall short; I love to love and to be loved. It is essential to me that the people in my life know what it is to be loved so that they can pass it on to the next person. Hate only breeds unrest, anger, resentment and self-infliction. It will eat you up and eventually make you unrecognizeable. Hate never healed a nation, mended a broken heart or gave hope to many. Hate destroys. So although we might hate the sin, let's love the sinner because that's what we all need to do today. Christ called us to love so that we would know the full extent of His love. If you don't agree then you haven't read your Bible lately. It's full of word pictures that truly show the love God has for man, even in our sinful state.
With all my heart, I pray that all of us learn to love like Jesus and that we leave the judgement to God. I have enough to repent for in my own life; I don't need to judge someone else's sin, do you?
Have a blessed day today and know I am praying for our world and for you. My God is a God of love, sacrifice and forgiveness. Just ask and see what He is willing to do.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:11-24 NIV)
My prayer today:
Lord lead us to the cross. We were born to sin and many of us still don't understand what this means. It is the nature of our past and will continue until you return. People are people and we must learn to love people even in their iniquities, just as You have loved us. I will never be perfect until I'm perfected by You, so until that day, help me to love the sinner just as You love me. I want to love those that are not Christian, those that are tortured and those that hurt. I want to love the adulterer, the gay man and the prostitute. I want to see a homeless person and feel something without turning away in disgust and more importantly, I want a heart that feels what You feel. I don't want to become a Pharisee. I want to love my neighbor and love You. Please fill us with love for the lost, the lonely and the hurting. Bring us to the cross and remind us that Your sacrifice was for all of us, sinners, needing a Savior. Thank You for loving us and for helping us be better people because You gave us the ability to love. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Waiting on The Lord...
Good morning all-
The weeks are flying by and I just realized I hadn't written in awhile. Wow! I can't believe how awesome God is. My son proposed this week and the woman he loves said, "Yes!" We are so blessed to have this beautiful girl in our lives. She is the daughter I never had but now I do. Praise God.
You know how time gets away and our wishes change with the seasons. We are given what God wants us to have. That's hard for us to accept. We want what we want. I really wanted a daughter and instead I had two beautiful boys. I wouldn't give either up for the world but there were days I wished I could play dolls, have a tea party or be part of a giant slumber party. All my girlfriends had these experiences and often my heart ached but I was reminded time and time again that God blessed me with these boys and I cherish that gift. And now, after 24 years, I will have my first daughter. I am so excited because I have been praying for her for as many years as my sons have been around.
They have been dating for over two years and their journey has not always been easy but they have learned one of the greatest lessons of love, patience. They are patient with one another and although I'm sure they have times of agitation, they work through it. Why? Because they waited, they prayed and they believed that Christ knew best.
Waiting on our God is the hardest part of being human. Trusting Him completely is the other great challenge. I want what I want and I want it instantly. That is a two year old, right? But it's more than that. It's sin. We can desire but only God can fulfill that desire in His time. Remembering that is the other hard part but when we do, we are blessed. This week has been that for me. A true circle of trust. In a year, I will be a mother-in-law but my hope is I am just a mother who loves her children with all her heart.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14 NIV)
Be blessed today while you wait!
The weeks are flying by and I just realized I hadn't written in awhile. Wow! I can't believe how awesome God is. My son proposed this week and the woman he loves said, "Yes!" We are so blessed to have this beautiful girl in our lives. She is the daughter I never had but now I do. Praise God.
You know how time gets away and our wishes change with the seasons. We are given what God wants us to have. That's hard for us to accept. We want what we want. I really wanted a daughter and instead I had two beautiful boys. I wouldn't give either up for the world but there were days I wished I could play dolls, have a tea party or be part of a giant slumber party. All my girlfriends had these experiences and often my heart ached but I was reminded time and time again that God blessed me with these boys and I cherish that gift. And now, after 24 years, I will have my first daughter. I am so excited because I have been praying for her for as many years as my sons have been around.
They have been dating for over two years and their journey has not always been easy but they have learned one of the greatest lessons of love, patience. They are patient with one another and although I'm sure they have times of agitation, they work through it. Why? Because they waited, they prayed and they believed that Christ knew best.
Waiting on our God is the hardest part of being human. Trusting Him completely is the other great challenge. I want what I want and I want it instantly. That is a two year old, right? But it's more than that. It's sin. We can desire but only God can fulfill that desire in His time. Remembering that is the other hard part but when we do, we are blessed. This week has been that for me. A true circle of trust. In a year, I will be a mother-in-law but my hope is I am just a mother who loves her children with all her heart.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14 NIV)
Be blessed today while you wait!
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Why are some persecuted?
Good morning my sisters-
There is a world wide story out about a woman in Sudan who is in prison because her father was Muslim. He left the family and she was raised Christian. It has hit every major news channel, twitter and a world of other places. It is a story of a woman persecuted because she sinned against the Quran. If you don't think bad things happen to Christians, read this story.
In order to be released she would have to denounce Christ. But guess what? She won't. She will either be released or die confessing Jesus is Lord. One woman, pregnant and with her other 20 month old child in prison for what? Because she believes in the one true God and her father's faith is now deciding her fate. Well, we all know that Christ is with her and maybe that's why she is so strong right now. She has world fame and her confession makes me really look at myself. Faced with death, what would I do? What would you do?
We must ask ourselves questions about the strength of our faith and about our love for Christ. In the last month women in Nigeria were asked to leave Christ and become Muslim. We can only imagine the horror they have been through. My prayer has been that if they were married that their Spirit would change the hearts of their husbands and that the husbands would be gentle to them.
Many incidents are happening in the world just like these. They may not be as widely publicized but they are happening. Please pray for these women and ask God to intercede if it's in His will. They are victims to evil but they are the children of God and as they confess their love, He will hear them. The fear I have for these women is great. I know that fear is not of God, so instead, I have prayed that God would comfort them and guide them.
Women must stand together to intercede for the women that are going through this and for man who has truly been deceived. Be well and please pray for them. They need our support!
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:41-44, 46 NIV)
My prayer today
O, Mighty God, many have called upon you in persecution and for all the martyrs You were there. Some have been sacrificed for your cause and others have lived to tell the story but with each story You still remain the One True God. Wc cry out to You and ask that You will be with each of these women. That You will guide them and give them a hope in the midst of their horrible circumstances. I pray for the children that will come from their attackers, that they will know You and that one day all will know You. I am also praying for the woman in Sudan who has just given birth. Give her continued strength and please Lord release her if it's in Your will. We come together as a body, praying and calling upon the One who sits at the right hand. Please put the enemies under Your feet and release these women from the enemy. I pray this in Your name, AMEN
There is a world wide story out about a woman in Sudan who is in prison because her father was Muslim. He left the family and she was raised Christian. It has hit every major news channel, twitter and a world of other places. It is a story of a woman persecuted because she sinned against the Quran. If you don't think bad things happen to Christians, read this story.
In order to be released she would have to denounce Christ. But guess what? She won't. She will either be released or die confessing Jesus is Lord. One woman, pregnant and with her other 20 month old child in prison for what? Because she believes in the one true God and her father's faith is now deciding her fate. Well, we all know that Christ is with her and maybe that's why she is so strong right now. She has world fame and her confession makes me really look at myself. Faced with death, what would I do? What would you do?
We must ask ourselves questions about the strength of our faith and about our love for Christ. In the last month women in Nigeria were asked to leave Christ and become Muslim. We can only imagine the horror they have been through. My prayer has been that if they were married that their Spirit would change the hearts of their husbands and that the husbands would be gentle to them.
Many incidents are happening in the world just like these. They may not be as widely publicized but they are happening. Please pray for these women and ask God to intercede if it's in His will. They are victims to evil but they are the children of God and as they confess their love, He will hear them. The fear I have for these women is great. I know that fear is not of God, so instead, I have prayed that God would comfort them and guide them.
Women must stand together to intercede for the women that are going through this and for man who has truly been deceived. Be well and please pray for them. They need our support!
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:41-44, 46 NIV)
My prayer today
O, Mighty God, many have called upon you in persecution and for all the martyrs You were there. Some have been sacrificed for your cause and others have lived to tell the story but with each story You still remain the One True God. Wc cry out to You and ask that You will be with each of these women. That You will guide them and give them a hope in the midst of their horrible circumstances. I pray for the children that will come from their attackers, that they will know You and that one day all will know You. I am also praying for the woman in Sudan who has just given birth. Give her continued strength and please Lord release her if it's in Your will. We come together as a body, praying and calling upon the One who sits at the right hand. Please put the enemies under Your feet and release these women from the enemy. I pray this in Your name, AMEN
Sunday, May 25, 2014
God said...move from this mountain
Good morning my sisters-
Time has flown by. It's been raining and we are thanking Jesus for it. We are lucky because God has provided for the earth and it's inhabitants. Praise the Lord for all He has done. I'm sorry I haven't written lately. Both my sons' have graduated and there were parties to plan and time just flew by but I'm back writing again and spending precious time with our God.
My life is changing fast. One child may be moving and the other is not far behind him. Before long my house that was full of laughter and noise will be quiet and very clean. Be careful for what you long for. Yesterday, I gave my boys hearts from Hallmark that said Remember I Always love you. I wanted them to have something that reminded them no matter what was going on, I love them. It's nice to have that reminder especially when times get tough.
God left us that reminder. We have a book that is over 2000 years old to remind us of His love and dedication. He fulfills His promises and that is comforting to one that finds that people aren't especially trustworthy. I'm praying that as each day comes we will remember the words of our Father and follow Him with a glad heart.
We are lucky because we can worship Him freely. There are young women right now in the grips of terrorists that hate Christians, These women have been beaten or killed for their faith. They were taken to prove a point and I'm praying that the men that did this will become Christians because of their act. I know that evil lurks but I also know that even during war men have found Christ. I'm praying for that now and if any woman suffered death because of their faith; they are beside Jesus and I am thanking God for His unending mercy on the powerless.
The Bible is real and true. Many things have come to pass that were promised. It just takes reading the Old Testament and getting into the New to see all the prophesies fulfilled.
READ the following:
The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.” (Deuteronomy 1:6-8 NIV)
The Lord has been with us from the beginning. He directs our path and as we look toward Him; He will show us our way. We don't need a prophet to tell us which way to go. Now, we can ask and the Holy Spirit will guide us to our destiny. Please pray for every single person that needs to move or was forced to move. Pray that God will alter their steps and that He will fulfill His promise to the church. Jesus promised to come back and to free the world of evil and we must never forget that our purpose here is just a blink of an eye. God is real. Three persons in One. There is only one God and He is the God of all people. Evil comes and wants to destroy what is good but God has a plan and we are part of it. Join with me today and ask God to move His people from their mountains and into the promise land. Be well my sisters and know I love you.
Time has flown by. It's been raining and we are thanking Jesus for it. We are lucky because God has provided for the earth and it's inhabitants. Praise the Lord for all He has done. I'm sorry I haven't written lately. Both my sons' have graduated and there were parties to plan and time just flew by but I'm back writing again and spending precious time with our God.
My life is changing fast. One child may be moving and the other is not far behind him. Before long my house that was full of laughter and noise will be quiet and very clean. Be careful for what you long for. Yesterday, I gave my boys hearts from Hallmark that said Remember I Always love you. I wanted them to have something that reminded them no matter what was going on, I love them. It's nice to have that reminder especially when times get tough.
God left us that reminder. We have a book that is over 2000 years old to remind us of His love and dedication. He fulfills His promises and that is comforting to one that finds that people aren't especially trustworthy. I'm praying that as each day comes we will remember the words of our Father and follow Him with a glad heart.
We are lucky because we can worship Him freely. There are young women right now in the grips of terrorists that hate Christians, These women have been beaten or killed for their faith. They were taken to prove a point and I'm praying that the men that did this will become Christians because of their act. I know that evil lurks but I also know that even during war men have found Christ. I'm praying for that now and if any woman suffered death because of their faith; they are beside Jesus and I am thanking God for His unending mercy on the powerless.
The Bible is real and true. Many things have come to pass that were promised. It just takes reading the Old Testament and getting into the New to see all the prophesies fulfilled.
READ the following:
The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.” (Deuteronomy 1:6-8 NIV)
The Lord has been with us from the beginning. He directs our path and as we look toward Him; He will show us our way. We don't need a prophet to tell us which way to go. Now, we can ask and the Holy Spirit will guide us to our destiny. Please pray for every single person that needs to move or was forced to move. Pray that God will alter their steps and that He will fulfill His promise to the church. Jesus promised to come back and to free the world of evil and we must never forget that our purpose here is just a blink of an eye. God is real. Three persons in One. There is only one God and He is the God of all people. Evil comes and wants to destroy what is good but God has a plan and we are part of it. Join with me today and ask God to move His people from their mountains and into the promise land. Be well my sisters and know I love you.
Monday, May 19, 2014
God said...In the beginning
Good morning all-
If you're like me life has gotten very busy. I have two graduated, one trying to find an engineering job wherever he can and the other contemplating the next steps of life. The graduation presents have been bought and the party will take place next weekend. In the midst of that, I have been working a ton and trying to solidify our business. Where is the balance? I'm not quite sure anymore. My husband asked me if I was going to take a vacation this summer. When I look at the work ahead, I really don't know when and to top that all off; I realized June is just a few weeks away.
Days, hours and months fly by and I have no idea where they go. We know a day is 24 hours, an hour is 60 minutes and a month could be 28, 30 or 31 days and yet they seem to be going in a blink of an eye. Yesterday, I heard my pastor speak on Genesis 1. No one really knows what a day is in God's eyes. Man has manufactured time. I doubt it even truly aligns with His time but then I'm not with Him so I can't ask.
All through Genesis 1 God talks about life, creation and the abundance of what He's creating. He created the Heavens and the earth and if He's literal, God did it in seven days. I took that to heart yesterday as I went to church, did laundry, vacuumed, helped my husband, drove nails into an outside wood staircase and cooked dinner. Somewhere in between all that I rested for a little while. My life is full of events, business and chores. There's not much time to rest and when I think of God creating all that in six days my head wonders, "How did He manage that?"
There are many mysteries that will never be revealed. The Bible is a glimpse into the world our Father completed but He's not finished. He has left things out and we just have to be good with that. If you're struggling with finding time to rest, watching days go by like hours and really can't see the end, sit down with your Bible and peak into the world of our God and know that He is in control.
Our days may be flying by but God has us and is working to use us in His time. May God bless and keep you today as you seek Him. Take some time every day to enjoy the wonder He created in just a few days!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. (Genesis 1:1-31 NIV)
If you're like me life has gotten very busy. I have two graduated, one trying to find an engineering job wherever he can and the other contemplating the next steps of life. The graduation presents have been bought and the party will take place next weekend. In the midst of that, I have been working a ton and trying to solidify our business. Where is the balance? I'm not quite sure anymore. My husband asked me if I was going to take a vacation this summer. When I look at the work ahead, I really don't know when and to top that all off; I realized June is just a few weeks away.
Days, hours and months fly by and I have no idea where they go. We know a day is 24 hours, an hour is 60 minutes and a month could be 28, 30 or 31 days and yet they seem to be going in a blink of an eye. Yesterday, I heard my pastor speak on Genesis 1. No one really knows what a day is in God's eyes. Man has manufactured time. I doubt it even truly aligns with His time but then I'm not with Him so I can't ask.
All through Genesis 1 God talks about life, creation and the abundance of what He's creating. He created the Heavens and the earth and if He's literal, God did it in seven days. I took that to heart yesterday as I went to church, did laundry, vacuumed, helped my husband, drove nails into an outside wood staircase and cooked dinner. Somewhere in between all that I rested for a little while. My life is full of events, business and chores. There's not much time to rest and when I think of God creating all that in six days my head wonders, "How did He manage that?"
There are many mysteries that will never be revealed. The Bible is a glimpse into the world our Father completed but He's not finished. He has left things out and we just have to be good with that. If you're struggling with finding time to rest, watching days go by like hours and really can't see the end, sit down with your Bible and peak into the world of our God and know that He is in control.
Our days may be flying by but God has us and is working to use us in His time. May God bless and keep you today as you seek Him. Take some time every day to enjoy the wonder He created in just a few days!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. (Genesis 1:1-31 NIV)
Sunday, May 18, 2014
God loves the widow
Good morning all-
I woke up with prayers on my lips and a song in my heart. Days like this make me feel blessed. However, there have been mornings in the last week that I woke up anxious, tired and worried. On those days it's just hard to find God, especially if I don't get into the word of God. You know what I'm talking about. You run until you fall. Well that was me last week and for some of you, it was you too.
In the last months, I have really been trying to get with God every morning. It sets the tone for the day and it helps when the challenges of life come rushing in. It has also helped me hear God's calling for the women of the world. I have never felt a passion for reading about other countries like I have the last couple of years. I never wanted to go on missions or leave the comfort of the US. But now I find myself reading about Syria, Nigeria and the Ukraine and my heart aches for the tragedy that is happening all over the world.
Women are vital to the future of our generations. We are the nurturers and the guiders of the youth and when we are being crushed, families will be crushed. Recently, I read an article about the Syrians going back home and it broke my heart. Women are homeless and without their spouses. Men fight and women suffer. So today, there are more and more widows and fatherless children. They are the leftovers of hate, war and freedom. What does God say about the widows? He will take care of them. If you feel led, please pray for the widows and orphans. They are God's people and prayer does make a difference.
I have to go for now but remember we are a body that needs to pray for the lost, the lonely and the fatherless.
I woke up with prayers on my lips and a song in my heart. Days like this make me feel blessed. However, there have been mornings in the last week that I woke up anxious, tired and worried. On those days it's just hard to find God, especially if I don't get into the word of God. You know what I'm talking about. You run until you fall. Well that was me last week and for some of you, it was you too.
In the last months, I have really been trying to get with God every morning. It sets the tone for the day and it helps when the challenges of life come rushing in. It has also helped me hear God's calling for the women of the world. I have never felt a passion for reading about other countries like I have the last couple of years. I never wanted to go on missions or leave the comfort of the US. But now I find myself reading about Syria, Nigeria and the Ukraine and my heart aches for the tragedy that is happening all over the world.
Women are vital to the future of our generations. We are the nurturers and the guiders of the youth and when we are being crushed, families will be crushed. Recently, I read an article about the Syrians going back home and it broke my heart. Women are homeless and without their spouses. Men fight and women suffer. So today, there are more and more widows and fatherless children. They are the leftovers of hate, war and freedom. What does God say about the widows? He will take care of them. If you feel led, please pray for the widows and orphans. They are God's people and prayer does make a difference.
I have to go for now but remember we are a body that needs to pray for the lost, the lonely and the fatherless.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Jesus said...because I live
Good morning my sisters-
I woke up to a beautiful blue sky, birds chirping and a heavy heart. Two out of three isn't bad, right? Yesterday, I had to put two dogs down. Sometimes the circle of life is a heavy burden to carry. The house feels empty and so does my heart. Like all death, I will eventually get over it but it sure does feel empty.
An animal is God's creature and in some ways they get to go better than we do. Many suffer horribly painful deaths but not animals. In less than a minute these very old dogs were gone and I was left feeling sad and lonely.
I have never understood the taking of lives or the desire to hurt anyone. I know that our military has to in order to protect us but there is gang violence, dictators with their own agendas and evil everywhere. Why must we hate when we can love? Loss is devastating enough as it is.
Jesus came to this earth to teach us love and service. His gift was love and sacrifice. Yesterday, I watched my son cry over two small dogs and I was reminded of how great he loves. He is God's man full of love and feelings. My prayer is that both of my sons will love like Jesus and that every living creature they touch will know love.
I know putting two dogs to sleep is not the same as human life, destruction, war or anything else we could categorize as bad but in our house two little creatures showed us unconditional love and they will be missed.
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. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:19-21 NIV)
I will forever be grateful that my Father loved me so. He is at the right hand of His Father, one God for all time. His love carries me through my sadness, puts my feet on solid ground and reminds us all that God is the maker of all living things. His love never ends.
Be well my sisters. I hope you have learned something from my series on Jesus said. His words are powerful and should be written on our hearts.
I woke up to a beautiful blue sky, birds chirping and a heavy heart. Two out of three isn't bad, right? Yesterday, I had to put two dogs down. Sometimes the circle of life is a heavy burden to carry. The house feels empty and so does my heart. Like all death, I will eventually get over it but it sure does feel empty.
An animal is God's creature and in some ways they get to go better than we do. Many suffer horribly painful deaths but not animals. In less than a minute these very old dogs were gone and I was left feeling sad and lonely.
I have never understood the taking of lives or the desire to hurt anyone. I know that our military has to in order to protect us but there is gang violence, dictators with their own agendas and evil everywhere. Why must we hate when we can love? Loss is devastating enough as it is.
Jesus came to this earth to teach us love and service. His gift was love and sacrifice. Yesterday, I watched my son cry over two small dogs and I was reminded of how great he loves. He is God's man full of love and feelings. My prayer is that both of my sons will love like Jesus and that every living creature they touch will know love.
I know putting two dogs to sleep is not the same as human life, destruction, war or anything else we could categorize as bad but in our house two little creatures showed us unconditional love and they will be missed.
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. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:19-21 NIV)
I will forever be grateful that my Father loved me so. He is at the right hand of His Father, one God for all time. His love carries me through my sadness, puts my feet on solid ground and reminds us all that God is the maker of all living things. His love never ends.
Be well my sisters. I hope you have learned something from my series on Jesus said. His words are powerful and should be written on our hearts.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Jesus said...Be still
Good morning my sisters-
How have you been this week? I would love to hear from my sisters. I have only heard from one and it is my desire to hear from more of you. I want to pray with you, share with you and become a body of one through Jesus Christ. If you're led, please reach out to me and I will pray for you.
My week has been full of many challenges. A college coach called for my son, he's still making bad choices with a few days left of his senior year, my oldest son is looking for employment in a down market and my company is having many growing pains. Wow! That seems a lot for a week but then I think of the kids in Africa that are suffering from starvation or the women in Nigeria being beaten just because they are women and of course, I think about the many Muslims that are being told that Christians are evil and that our judgement will come. When you put all that together, my week isn't much.
My mind wanders to many topics daily. I know it's because God wants me to think on Him and rely on His provision. Like many, my mind goes to the bad before it hits peace. I hate that and I know it's not good for me or anyone else that allows their minds to wander on numerous topics. Jesus called us to be still in Him. And yet, we know that the human mind wants to say, "Your in control so you don't have to rely on God for this." What a mistake we make when that's our thought life. We must rely on God at all times. Recently, I read a post on the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem. It happened a lot. Fortification of walls did not keep out the enemy nor did it provide confidence to Israel. Even today, there are no walls high enough to keep their enemies out. It's only by God's grace that Israel still has a sliver of this world.
It's important for all of us to realize that in our humanness we may rely on ourselves from time to time but God will break those walls down. Why? Because we can't build faith in Him with us believing we are more powerful or more in control of our lives than Him. Like you, I struggle with this too. I think we all do. How many people think storing food for 10 years will help in a crisis or perhaps teaching their children to fend for themselves in a revolution? These are just a couple of illustrations of what we as humans believe will help in a crisis. The truth is only God can help when our fortresses are destroyed or when we are burying our dead. Only He can comfort the sinners heart and give us peace beyond our wildest dreams. He is the keeper of our today and tomorrow. The only thing we truly have control of is walking in His light, reading the word and being at peace because He has control of the situation. If you're running scared, it's time to settle down, look toward Him, praise Him for everything He has done and go somewhere quiet. Focusing on Him gives us the peace to build our fortresses. Because at the end of the day, He's the only one that is in control.
Jesus said:
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:25-27 NIV)
My prayer today:
O, Jesus, so many of us struggle with control. We want to control our families, our success and our lives. We are sinners but You are our Savior. You came to earth so that we could live in a light amongst the dark. Please lead us in the light. We believe You are one with the Holy Father and that Your sacrifice allows us to know You and to have Your peace. We need You Jesus today for our hearts get troubled and our minds go from here to there with no comfort. Our problems outweigh our peace when it should be the opposite. You are the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, please comfort Your people. Bring about a Spiritual revival where Your words penetrate the hearts of men and women all over the world. Lead them to You and give all of us that know You peace beyond our understanding. Let us rest in You as the storms come and lift us up to be men and women that follow You always. Our hearts cry out to You. Please help our leaders be one with You and give them wisdom. We need You Lord guiding our countries and sharing in the peace that has transcended thousands of years. In Jesus Name, Amen
Until tomorrow...
How have you been this week? I would love to hear from my sisters. I have only heard from one and it is my desire to hear from more of you. I want to pray with you, share with you and become a body of one through Jesus Christ. If you're led, please reach out to me and I will pray for you.
My week has been full of many challenges. A college coach called for my son, he's still making bad choices with a few days left of his senior year, my oldest son is looking for employment in a down market and my company is having many growing pains. Wow! That seems a lot for a week but then I think of the kids in Africa that are suffering from starvation or the women in Nigeria being beaten just because they are women and of course, I think about the many Muslims that are being told that Christians are evil and that our judgement will come. When you put all that together, my week isn't much.
My mind wanders to many topics daily. I know it's because God wants me to think on Him and rely on His provision. Like many, my mind goes to the bad before it hits peace. I hate that and I know it's not good for me or anyone else that allows their minds to wander on numerous topics. Jesus called us to be still in Him. And yet, we know that the human mind wants to say, "Your in control so you don't have to rely on God for this." What a mistake we make when that's our thought life. We must rely on God at all times. Recently, I read a post on the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem. It happened a lot. Fortification of walls did not keep out the enemy nor did it provide confidence to Israel. Even today, there are no walls high enough to keep their enemies out. It's only by God's grace that Israel still has a sliver of this world.
It's important for all of us to realize that in our humanness we may rely on ourselves from time to time but God will break those walls down. Why? Because we can't build faith in Him with us believing we are more powerful or more in control of our lives than Him. Like you, I struggle with this too. I think we all do. How many people think storing food for 10 years will help in a crisis or perhaps teaching their children to fend for themselves in a revolution? These are just a couple of illustrations of what we as humans believe will help in a crisis. The truth is only God can help when our fortresses are destroyed or when we are burying our dead. Only He can comfort the sinners heart and give us peace beyond our wildest dreams. He is the keeper of our today and tomorrow. The only thing we truly have control of is walking in His light, reading the word and being at peace because He has control of the situation. If you're running scared, it's time to settle down, look toward Him, praise Him for everything He has done and go somewhere quiet. Focusing on Him gives us the peace to build our fortresses. Because at the end of the day, He's the only one that is in control.
Jesus said:
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:25-27 NIV)
My prayer today:
O, Jesus, so many of us struggle with control. We want to control our families, our success and our lives. We are sinners but You are our Savior. You came to earth so that we could live in a light amongst the dark. Please lead us in the light. We believe You are one with the Holy Father and that Your sacrifice allows us to know You and to have Your peace. We need You Jesus today for our hearts get troubled and our minds go from here to there with no comfort. Our problems outweigh our peace when it should be the opposite. You are the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, please comfort Your people. Bring about a Spiritual revival where Your words penetrate the hearts of men and women all over the world. Lead them to You and give all of us that know You peace beyond our understanding. Let us rest in You as the storms come and lift us up to be men and women that follow You always. Our hearts cry out to You. Please help our leaders be one with You and give them wisdom. We need You Lord guiding our countries and sharing in the peace that has transcended thousands of years. In Jesus Name, Amen
Until tomorrow...
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Jesus said...My God, My God
Good morning my sisters-
On Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Churches were filled with people glorifying God's name. Although the US has all the freedoms, including those that are of a religious nature, people don't always hold by them. They would rather play golf, spend time sleeping in or doing other fun activities. There's also a huge movement to believe in nothing here, which is why the US is not doing well all around.
Religious freedom is a gift. I can get on my computer and write a blog on Christ. His name is not banned. I have the opportunity to love people that are different than myself and still be bold enough to say Jesus is the only way to God. I can wear a t-shirt that proclaims the resurrection, run in a race that benefits homeless children and take a Bible to the streets. I'm free. But there are millions of people who have to meet in alleys or secret places because their faith makes them persecuted, but they still worship and read and pray! They are the ones that truly believe that Christ was here and that He rose again. Those are the sheep that by faith they were saved and their salvation matters. They are the dedicated men and women that reach out to the lost in a country that despises the name of Jesus Christ. They are who I pray for!
God knows what He is doing even if we don't. There is so much we will never know. We think we have all the intelligence but we don't. Even the smartest among us is no match for our God. I was reminded yesterday that God called the Israelites to stand still and in the same breath move forward. That's what God told Moses. How do we stand still and move forward? I asked myself that same thing yesterday. Standing still is a word picture that really means stand in my peace and know I'm near. Moving forward is a direction. It's hard for us to move forward when we are afraid. Fear keeps us standing still but not in Jesus. That kind of standing still is a feeling and it normally manifests itself with no action at all. We stand still in fear and nothing gets accomplished. Yet God told Moses to have His people stand still, raise His staff and move forward and He would do the rest. Can you feel Moses quaking at that command? Of course you can because it's easier for mankind to stand still and do nothing than to cross the mighty waters of apprehension and move forward in faith.
My prayer on Sunday that was mankind would know that He had risen. Christ sacrificed His life and had to stand still and move forward at the same time. When His hour was near He told His disciples exactly what to expect. And when the hour came, like all men, He cried out to His Father and asked, "Why have You forsaken me." It didn't stop Him. He fulfilled the prophesy as was written. He never stopped. He moved toward the goal, believing, trusting and following. His goal wasn't to sleep in or even to question the Father. His goal was to believe and to move forward.
I leave you with two Scriptures today. I sent one to my son yesterday and this one I found just for you. They both are reminders of God's great power and the fulfillment of His promises. This life will continue to hold many pitfalls but through faith we can climb the mountains and watch our Father work!
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. (Matthew 27:46-50 NIV)
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (Exodus 14:13-16 NIV)
Did Elijah come? Yes, He did. He delivered Jesus to His rightful place and He delivered the Israelites from Egypt. In both passages, people were scared and yet, they moved. Jesus became our Savior and the Israelites were freed from slavery. The promises were fulfilled and we are all better for it. The stories remind us that being a Christian is not about going to church on Sunday; it's about living a life for God.
May you be blessed today as you meditate on these powerful words. I pray these for all of us and will continue to stand firm that Jesus is our Savior.
Until tomorrow...
On Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Churches were filled with people glorifying God's name. Although the US has all the freedoms, including those that are of a religious nature, people don't always hold by them. They would rather play golf, spend time sleeping in or doing other fun activities. There's also a huge movement to believe in nothing here, which is why the US is not doing well all around.
Religious freedom is a gift. I can get on my computer and write a blog on Christ. His name is not banned. I have the opportunity to love people that are different than myself and still be bold enough to say Jesus is the only way to God. I can wear a t-shirt that proclaims the resurrection, run in a race that benefits homeless children and take a Bible to the streets. I'm free. But there are millions of people who have to meet in alleys or secret places because their faith makes them persecuted, but they still worship and read and pray! They are the ones that truly believe that Christ was here and that He rose again. Those are the sheep that by faith they were saved and their salvation matters. They are the dedicated men and women that reach out to the lost in a country that despises the name of Jesus Christ. They are who I pray for!
God knows what He is doing even if we don't. There is so much we will never know. We think we have all the intelligence but we don't. Even the smartest among us is no match for our God. I was reminded yesterday that God called the Israelites to stand still and in the same breath move forward. That's what God told Moses. How do we stand still and move forward? I asked myself that same thing yesterday. Standing still is a word picture that really means stand in my peace and know I'm near. Moving forward is a direction. It's hard for us to move forward when we are afraid. Fear keeps us standing still but not in Jesus. That kind of standing still is a feeling and it normally manifests itself with no action at all. We stand still in fear and nothing gets accomplished. Yet God told Moses to have His people stand still, raise His staff and move forward and He would do the rest. Can you feel Moses quaking at that command? Of course you can because it's easier for mankind to stand still and do nothing than to cross the mighty waters of apprehension and move forward in faith.
My prayer on Sunday that was mankind would know that He had risen. Christ sacrificed His life and had to stand still and move forward at the same time. When His hour was near He told His disciples exactly what to expect. And when the hour came, like all men, He cried out to His Father and asked, "Why have You forsaken me." It didn't stop Him. He fulfilled the prophesy as was written. He never stopped. He moved toward the goal, believing, trusting and following. His goal wasn't to sleep in or even to question the Father. His goal was to believe and to move forward.
I leave you with two Scriptures today. I sent one to my son yesterday and this one I found just for you. They both are reminders of God's great power and the fulfillment of His promises. This life will continue to hold many pitfalls but through faith we can climb the mountains and watch our Father work!
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. (Matthew 27:46-50 NIV)
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (Exodus 14:13-16 NIV)
Did Elijah come? Yes, He did. He delivered Jesus to His rightful place and He delivered the Israelites from Egypt. In both passages, people were scared and yet, they moved. Jesus became our Savior and the Israelites were freed from slavery. The promises were fulfilled and we are all better for it. The stories remind us that being a Christian is not about going to church on Sunday; it's about living a life for God.
May you be blessed today as you meditate on these powerful words. I pray these for all of us and will continue to stand firm that Jesus is our Savior.
Until tomorrow...
Jesus said..whoever has been forgiven little loves little
Good morning my sisters-
Much has happened this week. The Bibles arrived in Nigeria. Praise God! He is the great provider, majestic and true. I am so grateful that they made it and many women will be blessed by them. My sister in Christ informed me and I almost wept. She then wrote to me about a girl that was Muslim and now has come to the foot of Christ. In Nigeria, she could be killed by her father for going against their faith. He hates Christians and loves to see them die. They are told from the time that they are little that we are evil.
I want us to realize that to be a Christian in some countries is very dangerous and yet, God is calling people from every nation to be with Him. Her journey could be very dangerous and yet she told her father that she would not give up Christ. Her financial needs are great and unfortunately it is not permitted to send money to this country, so please pray with me for her. Please ask Christ to provide the money and the clothes that she needs but mostly, pray for her protection. Just like the woman that washed Jesus' feet, she has been saved by faith.
Her story penetrates my heart because it's an illustration of courage and boldness. She is just a young woman now disowned from the only family she knows. Her life could be at risk and still she proclaims the name of Jesus. So, if nothing else bring her to mind. I will call her lady A and ask God to protect her and keep her as she draws closer to Him.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:44, 45, 47, 50 NIV)
My prayer today:
O, Lord please provide for lady A. Her needs are great and only You can help protect her. The school is costly and Americans are not permitted to send money to Nigeria. Please give her strength to stay in Your arms and to be loved by You. Her trust and faith in You is well placed and we must continue to pray with her for all her needs. Thank you for being faithful and for loving and forgiving us. Please forgive our sins and lead us closer to You through stories like lady A's. I believe that You will provide and I hold onto the faith that You are faithful. In Jesus Name, Amen
Until tomorrow...
Sunday, April 20, 2014
He is Risen!
Good morning my sisters-
Today, I leave you with my prayer for the Nations. It's because we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus that I feel it necessary to pray to our Father for the lost, lonely and hurting. There are still people groups that don't have access to Bibles and as we all know that won't stop Jesus! With that, I wish you all an amazing Easter.
My prayer to the Nations:
O, Lord as I have sought you over the last weeks, You have brought me to Your words. Not just anyones words but Yours. You continue to remind me why You came and for whom and as I have read I know You are near. All over the world people are needing a Savior. There are places where Bibles can not be bought. There are languages Your words have not been translated in but at the end of the day, You alone can do miracles. I know that they still exist today! So on the anniversary of Your resurrection, thousands of years later, I pray for the wicked, the lost, the hurting and the insane. I pray that You would come to them through man, by dreams or with Your words. I pray that many of us would be faithful and call out Your name today asking for others to know the peace of Jesus. You took our sins so that we could have eternal life, bring Your people forth in every nation and teach them to follow You all their days. Bring hope to a fallen world and when You're ready bring Your kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven. We need You, not just today. We are soles wandering and only though and by Your words will our paths become straight and our purpose clear. Help me to be a woman that prays for Your people and who loves You more! I pray this prayer in Jesus name. AMEN
Happy Easter may the light of the world be with You always.
Today, I leave you with my prayer for the Nations. It's because we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus that I feel it necessary to pray to our Father for the lost, lonely and hurting. There are still people groups that don't have access to Bibles and as we all know that won't stop Jesus! With that, I wish you all an amazing Easter.
My prayer to the Nations:
O, Lord as I have sought you over the last weeks, You have brought me to Your words. Not just anyones words but Yours. You continue to remind me why You came and for whom and as I have read I know You are near. All over the world people are needing a Savior. There are places where Bibles can not be bought. There are languages Your words have not been translated in but at the end of the day, You alone can do miracles. I know that they still exist today! So on the anniversary of Your resurrection, thousands of years later, I pray for the wicked, the lost, the hurting and the insane. I pray that You would come to them through man, by dreams or with Your words. I pray that many of us would be faithful and call out Your name today asking for others to know the peace of Jesus. You took our sins so that we could have eternal life, bring Your people forth in every nation and teach them to follow You all their days. Bring hope to a fallen world and when You're ready bring Your kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven. We need You, not just today. We are soles wandering and only though and by Your words will our paths become straight and our purpose clear. Help me to be a woman that prays for Your people and who loves You more! I pray this prayer in Jesus name. AMEN
Happy Easter may the light of the world be with You always.
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