This blog is designed for women who want to be encouraged in a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is usually a few paragraphs each weekday that share scripture from the Bible on how to live life pleasing to Christ.
Monday, October 30, 2017
My friends and I were talking about my youngest daughter who just celebrated her sweet 16. We were at the party and the subject came up about Stephie wanting her way, and not allowing us to play "our music" at her party. One of them said, "She is not the boss, you are." Which is true, however the other one said, "I think Ann is trying to keep the peace." This is certainly what I try to do when it comes to balancing four children, a husband, and my own desires as well. We did get "our music", and the DJ was very gracious in playing music from my husband's era, the 60's, and christian music which I love. Sometimes it is all in how you approach matters.
I'm not saying that I am a great peacemaker, because I'm not. I say and do things that could be said in a nicer way, or with more finesse. I am better at waiting on the Lord for the right words and attitudes than I was in the past. I am a work in progress, and will be until the day I die. God doesn't have an expiration date, where He will cut me off after a certain amount of tries. He is long suffering with all of us, and will wait for a bountiful harvest. What I know about Him is better today than yesterday, and then other times, I feel as if I don't know Him that well. Especially when I notice the enormity of who God is, I remember that He said He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. In our dailyness, we can forget the vast resources of all that He possesses and how He works in our lives.
He works in a quiet way, and if we don't look carefully, we can miss what He is doing. Our society is caught up in busyness, for the sake of being busy, and not really doing what is best for us or our families. As His children, we need to watch out for the busyness that leads to nothing. I can say for myself, I can spend too much time on Facebook, doing nothing, but 2 hours have slide by, and all I have for it is screen shock. What I refer to as screen shock is the memorized feeling we can have after looking at a computer screen for too long, without anything to show for it.
We need down time for sure, but I can do a lot better at making my down time progressive, and not blank. I want to engage in meaning time like reading good literature that will enhance my walk with God. Let's make our down time effective so that we can experience more of God's peace, and become the peacemakers that our world is longing for. We were bought with a price, and we are here on earth, because God ordained this as our time to influence those around us, and even the world, through the internet. Peacemakers are very important to God, and to us, because we need to see how it is done through those who go before us, in obeying God, and His principles.
Friday, October 27, 2017
"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." { 2 Corinthians 2:14}
If you are anything like me, you love fragrances. This time of year, what I smell in the air can make me hungry. I go to a local Farmer's Market and everytime I walk past the apples, the sweetest, deep aroma beckons me to come closer. When I get the apples home, there isn't the same deep smell, and when I take one to eat, it only has a slight fragrance. I wonder if this is the same when Christians are together? Do we give off a deeper scent when we are all together, or are we just a group of people gathering under the same beliefs? Does our worship lift up a sweet aroma to God's presence, or are we just like any other group that sings together?
I choose to believe that our praise is a sweeter aroma when we worship together. This has to do with faith, because we know that faith builds our ability to believe God and His word. As believers gather in one accord, we rub off on one another, because our hearts come with expectation when we meet at church or other events when christians gather. Certain aromas can trigger memories, and feelings from our past. I was at a special event recently and I wore my favorite perfume, that I have had for many years. A very close friend said to me, "Oh I love that fragrance, and they don't make it anymore."She had given it to me, and it brought back memories about our friendship. We shared a special moment of how precious we are to each other.
"For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."{ 2 Corinthians 2:15} Do we smell different? Not really in the fragrance sense, but there is something about us, that others want. We have a spiritual way about us, that draws other people to us, and many want what we have. Have you ever been told by a person that there is something different about you, but they are not quite sure what it is? This is what the Apostle Paul is referencing to in this verse. It is a sense of well-being , not a scent that we delight in with our nose. It can also be referred to as a confidence, a completeness that beckons others to wonder about what do we have, that I don't have.
When I got saved, I immediately had a sense of being different. I couldn't really say why, except that I felt joy like never before. I thought to myself, "this is awesome, but will it last? It did, although through many ups and downs it wanned a bit. I'm not saying that emotions have to be present when we dedicate ourselves to Christ, but I am saying that we do change, maybe a little quicker at first, and then over time, our fragrance becomes stronger, like the many apples in the box. I have to end here, and eat one of those apples.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
God knows our needs even before we ask Him, but He requires us to ask, so that we know that He answers prayer. He wants us to know that we are part of how prayer works. He invites us in, as my picture displays, because He desires relationship with us. What an incredible thought. He invites me in. I don't deserve to be invited into His presence, I can't earn being in His presence, It is only by the finished work on Calvary, the work of the cross where Jesus died, that I can enter in.
"He brought me to his banquet hall, and raised the banner of love over me."{Song of Solomon 2:4} HCSB This is what God declares over those who will walk with him. It says in the book of Revelation, that we will have a banquet with our God when the earth is no more, but this verse from the Song of Solomon was written with a different idea in mind. This is a reference to the King, loving the beloved. Jesus is the bridegroom, and we are the bride. The people of God are referred to in the Bible as His bride, and she is making herself ready.This is funny to me, since this picture is from a big banqueting hall.
The opened gates inspire our thoughts about being welcomed in. The Father welcomes home His children, through the gates of heaven. The floodgates of heaven can mean God is pouring down a blessing, or judgement. For our purposes today, we want to remember how awesome our God is, in blessing His children. He longs to bless us, but I know I can sometimes get in His way. I try to fix relationships because I want to have someone else do things my way, in my time frame.
God has promised that if we allow Him to work, He will do a good job. He has said He would leave the 99 sheep to go after one that is lost. He will hear our prayers. He will take us to be with Him, after our natural bodies cease. He will wipe away our tears, and He will hold them. He will give us" the peace that passes all understanding."He will give us "Grace to help in our time of need." He has said that "He will never leave us or forsake us." I can't possibly list all of His attributes here, but you understand what I am saying , I think. He promises that if we trust in Him, that He will be our everything, and He means it. Give Him praise today, because He is worthy!
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?" {Psalm 27:1}
This picture was taken in front of an Inn in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. I like the quaintness of places like this. It reminds me of days gone by. My grandmother took me to these kind of places, and she's been gone for more than 30 years. It's good to have happy memories; the memories that are not so happy, we need to deal with those too. Fear had ruled my life for too long, and now I choose to take on situations that I usually would run from.
A few weeks ago I went to a local Film Festival, and as one of the speakers was talking about his film, I raised my hand during questions, and asked if we could pray for him. He said yes, and the woman in charge said I should come to the front. As I walked down, I said to myself, "I am out of my comfort zone!" I could sense the Lord saying, "Yes, that's where I want you."It ended well, but this is just an example of what I need to do to overcome fear. I'm sure you have your own set of fears that you can overcome, but God's grace.
The Bible says,"The fear of man is a snare, but those who trust in the Lord shall be safe." {Proverbs 29:25} The victory only comes when we hide ourselves "in Christ. { Ephesians 1} This entire chapter written by the Apostle Paul tells us who we are, as believers. When we are "In Him,"we are chosen, redeemed, beloved, forgiven, adopted, and given grace. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is a guarantee of our inheritance. This one chapter is so full of who He has made us to be. It's a lot to take in, but you will be blessed and overcome with thankfulness if you study it. It is well worth it.
We learn fear from others, but mostly from our parents. There is a spirit of fear, but God has not given it to us. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind." {2 timothy 1:7} At this time of year, let's remember that "Fear has torment, and God is not the author of that.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
"Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
As I was listening to a message this morning about our "Why do we do what we do"in regard to our writing, I couldn't help but think of you. I write because of you. I write because God put in my heart many years ago, to encourage women, with the same comfort I have been comforted with. It is a passion of mine, because I know so many women need encouragement. Jesus said,"In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." {John 16:33} This verse brings me a lot of comfort because I don't know anyone else who can do what Jesus has done for me. When I allow Jesus to rule and reign in my life, I have good cheer, or in today's translation, lots of joy.
My fears and troubles are in the background, they do not lead me, He does. Do I understand all that there is to know about God's leading, no, but what I do know is that He is faithful, and He loves me, and with this, I can move ahead. This is what He has been making me aware of, that we keep moving ahead. Don't get caught in a dispute, or someone's else's opinion, do what you know to do because God says it in His word. He doesn't want us to be moved by every idea that comes our way, and He wants our hearts free from debates or arguments that will weigh us down. Let go of the little entanglement as well as the big ones, so you can be free to move ahead. I say this to myself more than to anyone else. What good is it, if I hold on to little spats or misunderstandings, and can't hear God? If I do this I can't be of any good to anyone.
It feels so good to let go of these things, because even though we may think of them as "not a big deal", they crowd together and can lead us to believe evil about others or groups of people. When these negative feeling go around in our heads it is as if there is a multiplication of ideas. These can distort what is true, and cause us to overreact. I have been there, and I’m guessing that you might have been there too. Stopping the negative at its root will save us embarrassment later on. I almost got myself into a situation like that today actually. Thank God I stopped and reworded my text before I sent it.
Words of grace are better than words of criticism. Ask the person if you misunderstood or have a wrong idea about a matter. I am usually wrong when I assume something that hasn’t been verified.
Give the other person the benefit of explaining to you what the circumstances are that you may not know. I know it is hard. I tend to jump to conclusions without much information, but I want that to change. This is my prayer. I hope this will help you are it has me. Blessings, until tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
When I look into the sky, it reminds me of heaven. I don't know if everyone thinks that way, but I do. One of the reasons is because it seems to go on forever. I guess it really does do that. Where does it stop, or where do we begin? It is all a mystery, for now. When the time is right, He will sweep us up into his arms, and bring us to His forever Kingdom.
"But of that day and hour no man knows, "Jesus said. {Matthew 24:36} So if someone claims to know "the day and hour" they most likely are wrong. What we do know is this: We know the signs of the times. We know that our culture has pushed God out and tried to block anything that has to do with Jesus. We know that many children don't know who Jesus is, let alone what He has done for them. Adults don't know who he is, or how important he is to a just society. The ten commandments are treated like a relic from the past, and the history books don't even exist in some places. If they are available to students there is no reference to the God who raised up our nation.
How did we get this way? One day at a time. The christians were told to stay out of the public arena. Secular thinkers filled in the gap. But God is on the move, as He always is. If we look at Hollywood recently, people are horrified by the antics of Harvey Weinstein, and are throwing him out of power. All these years he got away with harassment, rape, and all sorts of evil, and now the line has been drawn. Thank God! Although there has been little acceptance when a christian says, "this is wrong," those same people are coming out and saying"This is wrong."Hallelujah.
Science now can prove that life begins at conception, so we need to pray, that the blinders come off of those who still proclaim that abortion is a good thing.Those women who have been damaged by abortion need to be heard. Pray for the voices of God's people to come forth, and open the ears of the deaf, the eyes of the blind, that Good will once again reign over our country. If we had to name one thing that has grieved God's heart about America it is the evil of abortion. Does God still save? Yes, He does. Can He redeem our land from evil, Yes, He can. He is a good good Father!
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
"Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth." { Proverbs 27:1}
It's true. We don't know what a day may bring. We know that we have certain errands to do, or when we have to do the laundry, but there are things around the corner that are coming our way, and we are not at all aware. This is where are trust in God comes into focus. When we realise that He is good, then everything is fine, or not. Some might say that He is unpredictable, and we can't have peace. I say, that He is unpredictable, in His passionate love and desire to bless us.
I read an prophetic word from a wonderful lady recently.Some of you may have heard about her. Her name is Cindy Jacobs. As she was relating what God put on her heart, she said," You have to give me some faith to work with." This is God, saying to us, declare my word, speak the truth, and don't complain anymore. Isn't this what He has said in his word to us from thousands of years ago? "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." {Hebrews 11:6}
Does God reward those who earnestly seek Him? Let's look at scripture. The apostle Paul was blessed so much by God, that he could sing while in jail. Joseph was blessed for his many years of faithfulness to God, and became 2nd in command over all of Egypt, which meant He could save Israel from starvation. David, who as a boy was sent out into the fields to watch the sheep, and later penned his great worship songs that he learned while doing so. They are a huge part of our Bible, and teach us so much about God's nature and love for His people. We would be lacking if we didn't have The book of Psalms to guide us.
How about today? Can people in our day believe God and see His rewards? When I was dating my husband for six years, God told me to trust Him. I did, and now we have been married for 28 years. We are still in love. God is good! When my son Matthew was a baby, we had a full house. My father in law lived with us after his wife died, and he was at loose ends. A friend gave my Father in law the money to buy a condo in Florida, which he loved, and Matt got his own bedroom! I would never have imagined that one! God made a way for us. I could go on and tell you many answers to prayer and seeing God's intervention in our personal lives. We may think these things only happen in Bible times, but the truth is, we are loved just as much by God as those we read about. Can we trust God to take care of us in this day in which we live? Absolutely!
Friday, October 13, 2017
I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. { Proverbs 24:30-31}
Would you look at my green house? My husband purchased it a few years ago to put blueberry plants in so that no animals would touch them. It is in the woods and it is covered with weeds. How can anything live or grow without sunlight? When we bought this cute house, we didn't have as much shade as it has today. It didn't take long for the trees to overcome it, and the weeds inside to spring up out of the skylight.
Our greenhouse also has a few broken sections from soccer balls, or golf balls hitting it. It remains as a reminder to me of what can happen too quickly if we stop for a moment, instead of moving forward. I know we all need times of rest, and God gives us these, as I said a few days ago. I am talking about never looking back, or giving in to lies, fears and torment. It is one of the reasons why Jesus tells us to look to him, because He is on the move. He has plans to prosper us, and not to harm us, {Jeremiah 29:11}, to give us a hope and a future. When we get distracted with other things we can move off the good way, and fall for the bad.
Distractions are my worst enemy. In a household such as ours so many things can pull for my attention. Our three dogs for example, two of them are on medication and have serious diseases. Not a big deal most of the time, except one of them is prone to leave us gifts on the floor which is brought on by her meds. We have thrown out most of our rugs, and we have had long periods when she is fine, but right now, not so fine. This is what the Bible calls "Little foxes that spoil the vine."{Song of Solomon 2:15}Did you know that God answers prayer for our pets?
When we are aware of the divisiveness of our enemy, and how he works, we can be released from bondages that once held us captive. I am in awe of how good God is to us, who follow after Him. I never would have thought, before I knew the Lord, that his loving-kindness would reach far enough to pull me to His side! Even after 42 years of being His daughter, I can't understand why He loves us so, and how incredible His plans for us can be. We never stop growing in God, we are never too old, or too sick, every opportunity we encounter He can turn it around for good. If you feel that some weeds might have started to grow in your life, yank them out, by turning to the Lord and asking Him to turn you around. Talk to an understanding friend who can pray with you, and encourage you in God. Nothing that we can do will keep us from His side," if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."{1John 1:9}. Have a wonderful blessed weekend! Love and prayers to you, my dear readers.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Do you need to be refreshed? Of course you do, sometimes more than others. Just think how wonderful it is to jump into a fresh pool on a very hot muggy day. The refreshing feeling makes you tingle all over, and the coolness brings you back to life, so to speak. Our spirits need to be nourished just as our bodies do. We know that we are to eat three times a day, and what is good to eat, and what is not. What about your spirit? What is good for our spirits health?
What happens when our spirits are depleted? We can feel unsettled, or worried. life seems to be a heavy burden, that we can't get through. The joy of our salvation seems a distant memory, and we call out to God in a desperate plea, not a trusting one. I have news for you, God is in the refreshing business. Psalm 19:7a in the NIV says:" The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul."Yes, His law and ways bring completeness to our souls and spirits. How wonderful, that God has given us His word, that brings wholeness. There are so many words out there, from many different sources, but they don't bring life, like God's word does.
His word inside of us will delight our spirits, souls and bodies. God brings total refreshment to us, so that everything is working to its fullest potential. Proverbs 11:25 NIV says:" A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed." When we give out of pure motives, God says He will take care of our needs. That is a statement, not a question or a nice thought, but a sure thing. Jeremiah 31:25 says: "I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."
Acts 3:19 says: "Repent , then, and turn to God, so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,. God is forever promising that He will be our everything, our all in all. Look to Him, by reading the Bible, and going to a Bible believing church. Talk to other believers and encourage each other in the faith. Do what God says to do, and stay away from sin. As you turn your eyes on Him, He will fix His eyes on you.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. {Psalm 119:105}
It is so warm out today, I decided to show you some summer flowers. Notice the open window in the top center. Open windows remind me of release and freedom. Summer also gives us a feeling of newness and abandon. Our spirits can feel these truths because we can be free twenty-four seven. What is around us doesn't have to dictate what we feel. "The earth is the Lord's and all its fullness." Psalm 24:1 When we are released from lies and fears, we are released forever, not for a season. When God says" it is done", it's done.
Remember when Jesus was on the cross, the last thing he said before He died was "It is finished." John 19:30. His work was completed, our work, just beginning. Which brings me to our verse for today. God's word has everything we need to live a godly life. His word is a daily light for our steps. In our everydayness of life, in our day in and day out His word supplies our strength for the battle against sin and distractions. We need the light for our path just as much, but in a different way. The light reaches out, beyond any day, and gives us hope for the future. It stretches on to illuminate the "here after" of heaven and life without the dirty grime of sin.
I was walking along the pier in the harbor of Port Jefferson near my house this morning, and I said to myself, what makes this different than heaven? It didn't take long for me to answer, because as I looked down into the water I could tell that it was not as clear as in year's gone by. Although it was a perfect day, the signs of corruption were still visible. Perfection will only be in heaven.
Another sign of imperfection are the leaves falling off the trees. This yearly season speaks of decay and loss, but only to be replaced by new life , after the winter. The seasons of our lives can be the same, but Jesus can complete our souls, so when moving through these places we are not ever alone. Our job is to keep His word as our lamp, so that we can see the light. Blessings and love.
Friday, October 6, 2017
We are enjoying some beautiful days this week! I hope you have had a chance to be outside and experience it! Every day is a gift at this point, because the cold is coming. God supplies us with many things to be thankful for all year long. Living on Long Island we see beautiful beaches and woods, and many farms that speak of the bountiful blessings of this time of year. It's easy to get caught up in city life, and forget that we have much more than that here.
Our nation has been blessed with abundance and we can forget that others do not have a fraction of what is easily at our fingertips. As God's child I don't want to take any of His blessings for granted, but of course I do. It seems that we don't realize how much we have, until we don't have it any more.I think of Solomon because he had more than enough, but he still wanted more, and it led to his demise. So many wives and concubines, but never enough. Their spiritual wickedness led Solomon to follow them, and he should have known better, we can say looking from our perspective.
Perspective is a strange thing. Blindness seems to change our perspectives, and our desire for wrong things mesh together to cause loss in our lives. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." {Hebrews 12:2} Only when are eyes are lazer focused on Jesus, do we have victory over sin. Solomon's mother warned him, in Proverbs 31 to be careful of women. " O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin Kings." {Proverbs 31:2} What a wonderful mother! Did she know what was right for her son? Yes, she certainly did. Her name was Bathsheba, and she didn't have an easy life either.
I can think that those who are in leadership, Kings, Presidents or those who are wealthy, have an easy life. This picture is portrayed on television and in social media. Only the opposite is true. Those who are given much, much is required. {luke 12:36} On the shoulders of our President rests the people of the world. Prayer is necessary to help our leaders stay on God's plan for our nation, and all others. Even though it seems that our Congresspeople and Senators are out for their own good, God is able to step in and and stop this whirlwind of selfishness. Will you pray? Will you call on God to bring some understanding to those who should be looking out for the good of the people, and what's good for our land? I know I can count on you, my treasured readers to stand for what God has planned!
Thursday, October 5, 2017
"For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. { Genesis 18:19}
I love these two! They make me smile every time I see this picture. My nephew Zac is in the grey suit, and my son Matt is in the blue. Zac is 21, and Matt will be 23 in December. They have been best buddies since babyhood. Zac lives in North Carolina, and I don't see him often, which is why this picture is so precious to me. Both of them are in college, and will graduate soon. What excitement to see what God has for them in the future. Lots of Mama prayers going up.
Most christian parents pray for their children from the time of conception to the end of their lives. Life becomes more serious for our youngins each day that goes by, and when they are ready for adulthood, the prayers continue, leaning on the truths that we have taught and lived before them. Chuck Swindoll, a seasoned Pastor and Teacher put it this way: "Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children."Childhood is such a crucial time in any one's life. As I get older, I see it more clearly than before. I think more about my own rearing, in light of my life as a parent. I am more likely to forgive my parents for their shortcomings as I see my own.
Sometimes my fault in parenting seem to loom over me like a thick dark cloud, that threatens to pull me apart, because so much of my identity is wrapped up in being a parent. This is when I remind myself that God does not require us to be perfect, but to be as diligent as we can in what we do for Him. No person on this earth was ever a perfect parent. God is the only one who can live up to this call. Since we are all imperfect, our children will be too. Prayer is the great strength that can fill in the blanks between our mess ups and miscalculations.
Abraham was promised that his descendents would be a numerous as the stars. If you look up at the sky on Long Island, perhaps you will get the feeling that stars are a rare thing, but in ancient Israel the sky was bright at night because of the multitude. We know that God was ever faithful to Abraham, and the people of God flooded the land. The people were taught godliness and righteousness, and so were my own. I'm sure you can say the same about your family. Many years bring solid foundations and the end of what we have taught has not been seen. Only God knows the end, and he still hears a mother's hearts cry. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old they will not depart." {Proverbs 22:6}
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
"Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised." { Song of Solomon 8:7}
Maybe you have heard the saying, you can't buy love? I think Solomon had that idea when he wrote this verse. Money can do many things, good and bad, but honest, genuine love cannot be bought, traded or transferred. Imagine a person going to the bank and depositing money into their love account? What a silly idea, although some have tried to buy love with their wealth. Many of us have known those who will try to influence us with their money. How sad, for those who think they have nothing else to give!
Love is one of the most basic emotions, as I remember seeing a baby smiling up at her father today at prayer meeting. We need to "Keep" our hearts with all diligence, as Proverbs 4:23 tells us. The word keep here in the hebrew means -"above all keeping." It is more important than most other things, because out of it flow the issues of life, or wellsprings as one translation puts it. People can do a lot of strange things when they are "in love", and regret those actions later on. We are taught by Holy scripture to watch where our affections go toward. It reminds me of the fairy shooting arrows at people and then they are "in love."
Love isn't something that comes upon us as an emotion that is here in a flash and gone tomorrow. Love is steadfast, enduring, committed, and deep. It doesn't wear off, or disappear. As we look towards God we see love in its most purest form, and it is almost too much for us to look upon! He is radiant, beyond anything that we will ever see or know. More real than the hottest fire on earth, more glorious than any of earth's great wonders. Our words are limited to describe who He is in all of His splendor!
Did you ever hear this song: Can you see the mountains tremble, Can you hear the oceans roar, When the people rose to sing of Jesus Christ the risen one. Verse 2- Did you feel the people tremble? Did you hear the singers roar? When the lost began to sing of Jesus Christ the Saving One And we can see that, God, You're moving A mighty river through the nations And young and old will turn to Jesus Prepare the way of the risen Lord! Open up the doors and let the music play Let the streets resound with singing Songs that bring Your hope Songs that bring your joy Dancers who dance upon injustice. I won't type any more of it but , if you can look it up on google and listen, you may" love" it, as much as I do! The name is "Did you feel the Mountains Tremble" sung by many different artists, but I like the way Matt Redman does this.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
"Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
This setting is one that we would see in an older home, and if you go to Shelter Island, you will find homes from the 1920's that are like new, but with their original elegance. It is quiet, and still when I have visited, which fits the time frame of the homes. There are modern homes as well, but where our friends live the homes are mostly pre-world war two era.
The stillness is unbelievable to me because of the amount of houses in the community! I don't live on a busy street, but I see cars and people go by. No one seems to be in these neighborhoods, even on beautiful summer days. Are they out on boats, or shopping in Greenport? The waterway is almost empty too, so that is out. Maybe I have a hard time with stillness? Do you find it hard to relax and let everything go on without you? The people in Jesus' day did. He said this to the local people that he could see and touch, but it was meant for us too. The Holy Spirit has a way of making ancient words in the Bible seem as if they were newly spoken.
We see in Isaiah these words, "Ho! Everyone who is thirsts, Come to the waters; Come buy and eat." Isaiah 55:1 As Isaiah is speaking he isn't talking about himself, he is sharing what is on God's heart. Again, God is telling us to come, and as Isaiah explains that no money is needed, "Let your soul delight in abundance;--- Hear and your soul shall live." God is admonishing the people to rest, and take in what I am saying to you, your whole being will thrive!
If we look at Genesis, we see that God rested on the seventh day, but we don't seem to think that rest applies to us? How can we go on and on when God himself give us the perfect example of rest right in the front of the book? Prosperity as the Bible interprets it means that our soul, body and spirit are rested and filled. Can you take a few moments today to call upon the Lord, and allow Him to fill you with His peace and rest? He is singing a love song to you, can you respond to him today? I know I will and I believe you will too.
Monday, October 2, 2017
"And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me. {2 Corinthians 12:9}
As the days grow shorter and cooler I realize that I do like this time of year! Each season does have a special blessing to it. My husband doesn't agree, and he never has liked winter, but I think he will like autumn this year. He has a new hobby/exercise this year. It is called 10,000 steps. Some of you may be enjoying this exercise too. It grows on you, to the point that your legs want to get up in the morning and go!
My legs want to go, but my head feels heavy, and I know that the ragweed is still around. I have learned some great ways to calm the symptoms, but getting rid of them is still a mystery to me. I have learned to rest in God's sufficiency and go ahead with my day, with symptoms in tow. If you will excuse me for a minute, I must make some ginger tea. Thank you.
It used to be that I would cancel my schedule, put work off, and stay still until I felt better. No more of that for me! Life is too short to allow anything less than a hospital stay to get in the way. This is not my own strength as you might have realized from our verse today. Prayer and praise have a lot to do with my new attitude and strength. The days are numbered by God, and as I get older I want to make them count, for Him. Not that I didn't feel it important before, but I guess life becomes more crucial than in younger years. We realize our purpose to a new extent, and want to accomplish it. I also feel I better understand my purpose than before. I guess you may feel the same way too.
Life can be so unforgiving, turmoil and hardship plague our world. One day we are here, and the next, well you know what I mean. Las Vegas had a terrible catastrophe last night. For such senseless killing, we have no answers, but God's grace can be sufficient for those who mourn today, and tomorrow and the day after next. Please take the time to ask God today to bring comfort to those who are suffering physical pain, and for those who are at a loss for what to do, because they are heart-broken. My heart is broken for those who were enjoying a concert and unaware that they would be traumatized any minute. God said to the apostle Paul:"My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. God meant those words for us too, because He is no respecter of persons.
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