Elsie Schuett Flynn

Obituary of John J. Flynn

2011-10-27T13:18:00.000-04:00

Obituary of John J. Flynn

I Heard My Jesus

2011-09-24T21:56:00.001-04:00

The Lord put a tune in my head this afternoon, and a poem to go with it.

I heard my Jesus calling out my name

He said I’ll take your grief and shame

Your life will never be the same

I heard my Jesus calling out my name.

My Redeemer He reached out His hand

Yea, My Redeemer He reached out His hand

He pulled me from the mud-n-sand

And set my feet on solid land

Yea, My Redeemer reached out His nail-pierced hand

When my Savior comes to take me home

I’ll be singing with the saints

I will offer Him my crown

When my Savior comes and takes me home

Do you hear Jesus calling out your name

You know, He’ll take your grief and shame

Your life will never be the same,

So answer YES! when Jesus calls your name.

ON SEEKING: Seeking His Face

2011-09-20T16:46:00.000-04:00

For everything thereis a season and a time for every matter under heaven.

… a time to seek, atime to lose; a time to keep, a time to cast away.

Ecclesiastes 3:1,6

ON SEEKING

Seeking His Face

The Lordlooks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any whounderstand, who seek after God. Psalm 14:2

God is omniscient – He is everywhere. His eyes are always open and always watchingus (Proverbs 15:3). He sees our comingsand goings, and everything we do in between. He hears all our words – things we say in prayer, things we say toothers (and ourselves), and every thought that crosses our minds (Psalm139:1-4). “…He knows the secrets of theheart” Psalm 44:21.

He speaks to us in various ways; through Scriptures, Hiswork of Creation, other people, just to mention a few. Then there’s what I call my “inside ears”. His still, small voice, a gentle whisper,that so often is missed because we don’t pay attention or brush it off as arandom thought (1 Kings 19:13).

He speaks to us during prayer time. We need to set aside time to be still, witha closed mouth and open heart and mind, and wait for Him to speak. Prayer should be a conversation, not just aquick dash up to His Throne of Mercy, spouting off a quick thanks and a list ofrequests, then running back to whatever. When we approach His Throne of Grace, come to Him in prayer, we’ve gotto give Him the respect and honor He is so worthy of. He is, after all, God Almighty, who through Christ Jesus, createdeverything seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16). He abhors sin, totally hates it, and does not allow sin in Hispresence. We have to come clean,confess our sins, and ask forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

Another way He speaks to us is through His indwelling Spirit(that lives within us who received Jesus Christ as our personal Lord andSavior). Sometimes during prayer time,I think of things – people, events, or situations. I used to think my mind was wandering off and would getfrustrated at my lack of focus, but then I read this phrase, part of Romans8:27: “For we do not know what to prayfor as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us”. Now I feel that when thoughts of things and people come along, theHoly Spirit is prompting me to pray for them.

Here’s an easy way to remember:

A adoration

C confession

T thanksgiving

S supplication(requests)

Love on Him, give Him praise and adoration, confess sins,thank Him for what He’s already given us; and then make our requests(Philippians 4:7). Don’t forget aboutthe quiet time to listen.

Why do we seek Him? Because He wants us to. We haveto get to know someone in order for the friendship to develop, grow, and thrive. Like all relationships, we have to workon it or it falls apart. He made us; Healready knows us. Now we have to learnto know Him.

Go to your room, shut the door, open your Bible, andexperience the awesome adventure of seeking His face. Here are just a few more Scriptures on this topic.

Old Testament NewTestament

1 Chronicles 28:9 Matthew 6:16 (praying in private)

2 Chronicles 7:14 Matthew 7:7-8

Psalm 119:2 Hebrews11:6

Jeremiah 29:13

(Scriptures quoted from the English Standard Version of The Holy Bible)

ON SEEKING: Seek First...

2011-09-19T17:36:00.001-04:00

For everything thereis a season and a time for every matter under heaven.

… a time to seek, atime to lose; a time to keep, a time to cast away.

Ecclesiastes 3:1,6

ON SEEKING.

Seek First...

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and Hisrighteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” [Matthew 6:33]

This world offers many things. Usually, we only find and acquire good things if we look forthem. Bad things seem to have a way offinding us, but the really good stuff, we have to find it.

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that salvation is the first(most important) thing we need to find. How does one find salvation? Actually, salvation is a gift available to everyone. To receive this great gift, one must believein Jesus, and confess their sins and repent (turn from them, change their walk,life style). Romans 10:9-10 states itthis way, “… if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe inyour heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and isjustified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Then we will be cleansed from our sins andrighteous in God’s sight. All this isonly possible because of the power in the blood of Jesus, which he shed on thecross.

At the very last moment of your life, it is not going tomatter how much money you earned, if you have the most or the biggest toys /possessions, how many degrees you earned in college, how many grandmothers youhelped cross the street, how much money you put into the collection plate orwarmed the spot on the pew, or how many meals you served at the homelessshelter, or any other “good deeds” done. Nope, not one of these things will matter. Only one thing and this alone: whether or not your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life; if you’veaccepted Jesus to be your personal savior. Jesus told his disciples, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except throughme.” [John 16:6]

“But how do I find Jesus,” you ask. Well, here’s the good thing. You don’t have to physically look forHim. He is one of the few good thingsthat actually come to you. Wherever youare, just reach up, and He’ll meet you there. Just speak, even in a whisper He will hear you; ask Him to come intoyour heart, confess your sins and ask Him to forgive you. That’s all you have to do. Then, start reading your Bible to learn moreabout Him and get to really know Him.

Sometimes the sprinkling-can; sometimes the flower.

2011-09-03T20:38:00.000-04:00

The sprinkling-can is the vessel that holds the water. It has a spout to disperse the water onto the flowers, gently and evenly. It can hold only so much water. It has to be emptied of its previous filling before it can take on more water. When there is yet more water from the barrel and this particular can is still full, the Gardener finds another vessel to fill. If the can sits too long, the water in it becomes stagnant; algae and mosquitoes could grow, and eventually, rust would eat a hole in the bottom. The flower is the recipient. The water nourishes the plant; it thrives and produces food for insects and small animals, and adds beauty to the garden. The water is not intended to benefit the can. The can’s purpose is to carry the water meant for the flowers. Likewise, although we may be the recipients of a blessing, the blessing is intended for others. The Lord uses His people to carry His blessings to others. When we receive from Him, we in turn must pass it on, pouring the blessing out like a sacrifice to the Lord. Otherwise, like water left in a can, it could become harmful to us; we could become greedy, selfish, or even lustful. When we bless others, they thank God and He receives the glory and praise that He is most worthy to receive. The flower drinks in the life-giving water and produces fruit. It blooms beautifully and in its capacity glorifies the Lord by its beauty, His creation. “Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love” [1 Corinthians 13:13]. Love is the greatest gift God gives us. Love has to be given away. If you don’t love others, you can love only yourself; if you keep it within, it will die. Keep it alive by keeping it moving. The more love you give, the more you will get to give even more. Don’t let this precious gift go to waste; give it away. Love is especially sweet when it is a sacrifice; giving love to your enemy, to the unlovely, and the unwanted; to those who do not know love. Don’t let the Lord find your vessel full from a previous filling; He won’t give you more if you haven’t used what you already have. “…I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land…” [Ezekiel 34:26-27 niv] “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’.” [John 7:38] “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is Love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” [1 John 4:16]All scriptures quoted from the New Living Translation unless noted otherwise.

Sit, Stay

2011-08-28T19:22:00.000-04:00

The long table is spread out; the feast is prepared and presented.
Come in, come in.
You just stand there and look in.
Come. Sit down and enjoy.
Sometimes you walk up to the table, grab a morsel or even a handful, but then your eye wanders and you run off, leaving, still hungry.

Oh my child; sit, stay.
Feast with me.
All this is prepared for your enjoyment and nourishment.
You are weak and weary because you are starved.
Sit down, eat.
Eat your fill and enjoy your time with me.
You’ve tasted and know how sweet it is.

You must not leave hungry.
If you do, it is your own doing.
Stay.
Stay as long as it takes.
Feast and rest.
Then you will be refreshed and prepared to continue.
You will be better use for me and your work will be easier for you.
But first, stay, sit and feast with me.

Sins and Consequences

2011-05-30T17:37:00.002-04:00

Sins leave scars. They are called consequences. God forgives us when we repent, but the consequences are still ours to deal with. Sometimes, our actions affect only ourselves. Other times, others suffer deeply, even more than we do. The unsuspecting spouse, the child orphaned by a drunk driver, a victim of rape or child abuse – who suffers more?

Ours sins left nail holes in Jesus’ hands and feet. Our sins, our consequences, but He bore them so we would not suffer the ultimate consequence of sin… separation from God for all eternity.

Yes, there is forgiveness for sins, but someone always bears the burden of the consequence.

Isaiah 53:5 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
He was wounded for our rebellious acts.
He was crushed for our sins.
He was punished so that we could have peace,
and we received healing from his wounds.

Seeds

2011-05-30T17:20:00.002-04:00

We are all seed sowers. Every word we speak to another and every deed (good or bad) is a seed planted in the heart and mind of someone else. Our parents sowed seeds of love while the world sowed seeds of another variety: competition, pride, prejudice, entitlement, hatred, envy, etc.

Leave a trail of good seeds like brotherly love, compassion, patience, generosity, diligence, integrity, honesty, and excellence. These seeds have the potential for a bouquet of blooms that are pleasing to the Lord. Sow seeds that produce a bountiful harvest for the Kingdom of God. You sow the seeds and another will come along and water, and the Lord makes it grow.

Take a big handful with you wherever you go and sprinkle generously!

1 Corinthians 3:8 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
The one who plants and the one who waters have the same goal, and each will receive a reward for his own work.

Don't Worry About It!

2011-05-30T16:52:00.003-04:00

Are you a worrywart? I do not mean being concerned about things, but obsessively, and over even the smallest things, worry so much that it just ruins your day? Here’s a thought… if we allow this, we’re actually being disobedient to Jesus. He said, “don’t worry about everyday life” [Matthew 6:25] and He asks if all our worries add a single moment to our life? [Matthew 6:27].

I believe that worry demonstrates a lack of faith and trust in God to take care of us, like the Bible says He promises. Worry is not a fruit of The Holy Spirit. It is a weapon, a stronghold, of Satan. All he needs is just the smallest little crack and he’s in. Before you realize what’s happening, worry takes over. If it’s not exterminated, it breeds, and real quick, you have a serious infestation.

For example, a mouse needs a small hole to get in. If s/he can fit its head through, it can squeeze the rest of its body in. Once it’s in, if it finds a favorable spot, it nests. Then the mate moves in and they start a family. If they’re not exterminated, they continue to breed and the whole place is infested with these rodents.

So how do you stop worry from controlling your thoughts? Here’s what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians: [chapter 4, verses 6-8]
Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable.

We take preventative measure to keep invaders out of the house. So also we need to take precautions to keep Satan and his vermin from invading our “house” – our thoughts and our hearts. Pray. Keep yourself saturated in God’s word, the Bible. Ask others to pray for you; fellowship with other believers. Seek counsel from your pastor or deacons. Just don’t let it go out of control! Exterminate it before it breeds.

Matthew 6:25-34 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
25“So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? 26“Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27“Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? 28“And why worry about clothes? Notice how the flowers grow in the field. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. 29But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. 30That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith? 31“Don’t ever worry and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ 32Everyone is concerned about these things, and your heavenly Father certainly knows you need all of them. 33But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you. 34“So don’t ever worry about tomorrow. After all, tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Layers

2011-05-30T16:15:00.000-04:00

My brother-in-law was a very talented man. He had a wealth of talents and abilities, from drawing to building houses. He and my sister bought an older home, a fixer-upper, with beautiful bones. It was a scaled-down version of a “beach house” mansion you would see up in The Hamptons of Long Island. Each room was adorned with beautiful architectural details. Sadly, all the natural beauty was covered. My brother-in-law spent countless hours sanding, scraping, and even burning off the many layers of paint to get to the bare wood. It was tedious, hard and I imagine, frustrating work. But oh, after he stained and varnished everything, the result was spectacular! All the natural grains of the oak were gorgeous. The entire house was truly a work of love. Their labor produced an incredible transformation, turning a neglected structure into a show house. To say the least, he achieved a result to take delight in.

All those layers of paint remind me of all the layers of sin on my soul. Each sin slaps on a layer, like old paint, that conceals true inner beauty and works as a barrier between God and my heart. When I came to Him and confessed my sins, He removed them all. It was not a once and done job; oh no, it’s a work in progress. I need daily confession and daily cleansing.

How about you? Are there layers of sin on your heart? Is there anything blocking your heart from the Lord’s loving touch? If so, then say a prayer something like this:

Lord Jesus, I come to you right now and ask you to forgive my many sins and cleanse me with your blood. Thank you for dying on the cross as payment for my sins, and for rising again and preparing a place for me in Your Father’s house in heaven. Please come into my heart now and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for loving me. Amen.

1 John 1:9 (gwt)
God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong.

Drinking, Eating, Reading

2011-05-08T20:24:00.000-04:00

The way to fully enjoy a glass of fine wine is to take a sip, swirl it around to cover all your taste buds, then slowly swallow, so even the sensors in the back of your throat get a taste. My uncle once told me that you should “chew” it; that works, too. What ever your method, you take your time and linger over it, delighting not only your sense of taste but also your sense of smell. The two combined makes each mouthful an adventure. A gourmet meal is also best enjoyed when you eat it slowly, getting the most taste out of each bite.

If you would wolf down an elegant meal and guzzle a glass of wine, you’d miss out on the experience of the meal. Likewise, zooming through a passage of scriptures wouldn’t allow the opportunity to get the most out of it. You need to read each word, each phrase; often many times over, and meditate on them. From my own experience, the Lord speaks to me during this time. Chewing on the words, lingering over them, meditating on the scene, considering the who, what, where, when, why and how, and you find the words speaking to you.

The Holy Bible is indeed a living thing. Don’t rush through it; you’ll miss the best part.

Responding to Current Events

2011-05-07T21:06:00.000-04:00

I turned on the television news station early on Monday morning in time to watch a video clip of groups of people celebrating the killing of “America’s Most Wanted”. I kind of understand the excitement in the victory they considered this to be, but I have to say, I felt very sad. Each person, including our worst enemy, is a work of the Lord’s hand and as fearfully and carefully made as you and I, regardless of the despicable acts of hatred and evil they inflicted on countless lives. Every man and woman is beloved by God, even if s/he worships and serves another. I saw the news; I know what happened on 9/11; and the war that followed. Many people died; many more who survived will never be the same. Many feel justice was served. But at the end of the day, a life precious to the Lord went on to eternity, maybe, probably, we assume, but only the Lord knows, to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth that Jesus warned about. That is a reason to be sad, not for celebration. Maybe the Lord is the only weeping.

Some were shouting, “USA! USA! USA!” while others were singing, “God Bless America”. I thought, why would God bless such a show of hatred, the exact motivation that this one was hated for? During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the crowds, “… I say love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in Heaven..” (Matthew 5:44-45). And, “But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:15). The gospel of Luke sums it up for us: “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” (Luke 6:35-36) These verses make it clear that a blessing is not coming if there is hatred in the heart. Read what the Apostle Paul wrote: “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say ,“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

The request for a blessing is coming from a generation who limits God to specific buildings during a few hours on Sunday mornings. They don’t want His presence in government, in schools, in public buildings. They don’t want to hear about Him on the TV or radio and are working to have Him banned from various form of media. Pretty much, this county who was once under God gave Him limits. The One who told the oceans, “you can only go so far”, has been given boundaries. They are saying, “We want blessings, but we don’t want you”.

The cart has broken loose and is speeding down hill, out of control, set to crash. Whether the majority believes it or not, the fact remains that God has made His throne in the Heavens, and from there he rules everything. (Psalm 103:19). He always has, and always will. “This is what the Lord says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place? My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.” (Isaiah 66:1,2) To those who ignore Him He says, “I will send them great trouble—all the things they feared. For when I called, they did not answer. When I spoke, they did not listen. They deliberately sinned before my very eyes and chose to do what they know I despise’.” (Isaiah 66:4)

Our situation may sound hopeless, but it isn’t. Here is what The Lord told Solomon: “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14). We can turn around. We can ask for the blessing of Grace. We, as a nation, can go to Him to confess our guilt and ask Him for forgiveness. He will hear our earnest, honest prayers. He will forgive us.

O God, have mercy on us. O God, forgive us. O God, extend to us your grace, and give us your peace. O God, please bless America again.

Going Wireless?

2011-04-22T15:38:00.000-04:00

We all know that USB cables link a piece of equipment to a computer. I’m going to use a digital camera as example. The cable transfers images from the memory device inside the camera to the to the memory device inside the computer. Once there, a few clicks of the mouse, and another cord sends the signal from the computer to the printer, and viola!, you have a picture. Technology has evolved and now we can do all this without the cables. We’ve gone wireless!. Not only do we not need the cable, our camera can communicate directly with the printer, eliminate the need for a clunky computer system.

In the old covenant (promise) God had with his people, the Israelites, a perfectly healthy and unscarred animal had to be sacrificed to make up for sins. It was slaughtered and the blood was sprinkled on the altar by the High Priest, the mediator between God and His people. Now we are under a new covenant, the covenant of Grace. Jesus, perfect and without blemish (sin), sacrificed himself on the cross, and became the once-and-for-all blood sacrifice for everyone’s sins. Because of Jesus, we no longer have to go through a high Priest, nor do we have to offer an animal’s blood to make up for our sins. Jesus made the way for us to go directly to God. That includes all people, not just the Jews – gentiles, pagans, atheists, budists, islamics, and everyone else. Romans 10:9-1 says, “If you declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved. By believing you receive God’s approval, and by declaring your faith you are saved.” Jesus is the cord that connects us to God. He is the only way.

I’m going to refer back to the computer and USB cords… Technology has evolved so we don’t need cords and cables to connect one piece of equipment to another. Instead, a signal is transmitted between the pieces of hardware. The camera can communicate directly with the printer. Some cell phones have aps that can send a picture to a printer from anywhere the phone signal can send it! Maybe you don’t need a cord, or even be anywhere near, you still need a connection and a signal. There are many signals to get you interested in God, but there was, is and forever will be only one connection to hook you up with God, and that’s Jesus. John 14:6: Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.”

You can point the camera at the printer and push the send button all day long, but without the connection, you can’t print a picture. Jesus is our only connection to God and His Kingdom (Heaven). There is nothing we can do to get there. We can’t work our way in, and we sure enough can’t buy our way in. Reread the two scriptures, Romans 10:9-10, and John 14:6. Jesus did all the work. Jesus paid our way. He’s the only connection to God. This fact will never change, will never be upgraded, and will never go “wireless”.

Johnny Cash sings "Peace in the Valley"

2011-03-13T16:02:00.000-04:00

Whose is it?

2011-02-19T19:56:00.002-05:00

Psalm 89:11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.

Everything we can see, touch, smell, hear, and sense the presence of belongs to God. Every animal, bug, grain of sand, spec of dust, and gust of wind were all created by Him and therefore belongs to Him (Genesis 1:1, 1:25, 1:31; Colossians 1:15-17). Each item man has built consists entirely of materials harvested from the earth created by God: wood, steel, iron, bronze, copper, coal, oil, stone, gypsum, lime, sand, gold, silver, precious gems, etc. All the money in the world belongs to God: the paper it is printed on and the metals used to mint coins all belong to God because He created the materials to produce it (Psalm 104:14-15), and, He owns the gold that makes it valuable (Haggai 2:8).

Everything we have is on loan from the One who made, and therefore owns, everything, including us (Psalm 139:13-14). We really shouldn’t take ownership of things on loan to us. You may say, “Hey, wait a minute, I worked hard to earn money to buy my house, cars, jewelry, clothes, and all the other stuff I have. It’s mine, I worked for it.” I understand why you may feel that way. Not long ago, I would have agreed with you. However, the fact is, everything belongs to God, and He graciously provides everything to everyone. He gives richly, and just like that, He takes away (Job 1:20). One day, everything will disappear. Who but the One with the power to make everything appear has the power to make everything disappear—the heavens and the earth included (2 Peter 3:10).

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow!” Remember His creations belong to Him, lest we become proud, greedy, and selfish. Share freely with others. We are to be the vessels through which His blessings flow, not like the Dead Sea where fresh water flows in, and becomes stagnant and lifeless because nothing flows out.

Psalm 104:31 May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all He has made.

(All scriptures quoted are taken from The New Living Translation)

Write It Down

2011-02-13T20:53:00.000-05:00

1 Chronicles 16:8

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.

So what if…

No one ever wrote anything down? Like, all the evangelists who write their messages, the great ministers of the ages, all the way back to Moses, the Prophets, and the Apostles. What if no one ever shared his or her knowledge, and revelations, and experiences? How would we have learned about God, and Jesus, and The Holy Spirit—only by word of mouth? We all know how that goes. One person tells something, then another repeats it but misses a few phrases, the next one enhances the story with a few thoughts of his/her own, and before you know it, the story is way different from what actually happened.

That is why it is so vital to write things down; even if you think your story is not that great, or your writing skills are not polished. When you get a word from the Lord, write it down. That way you can remember exactly what it was in its entirety, and you can share this word with others, which is most likely what we need to do with that word anyways.

We are vessels. Things need to flow through us to others. Writing is one way that God might use us. If we do not pass along things that we hear from the Lord, or other blessings we received from Him, we become like the Dead Sea, where things flow in, but nothing flows out. Very soon, everything becomes stagnant and the life in it dies off.

Keep it flowing! Write it down. Share it with others, all the way to the ends of the earth. Use the Internet to share God’s message of the Good News of Salvation available through His Son, Jesus Christ. E-mail, tweets, facebook, chat rooms; all these avenues are available to us to broadcast His message of love and redemption. Write about everything that you learn. Something that may seem simple and insignificant to one may just be the word that will save the soul of another.

Isaiah 64:3
When you came down long ago, you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked!

Psalm 96:3
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does

CaraBella, Queen of Flynnland

2011-02-05T17:44:00.001-05:00

Psalm 30:5, 10, 11, 12

"...Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning."

"Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
      Help me, O Lord.”

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
      You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
      O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!"

Joy came to me in a fur package. Her name is CaraBella, Queen of Flynnland. Cara means beloved friend; Bella means beautiful; the rest is self explanatory.

Cara (formerly Queenie) was surrendered to animal control in Philadelphia late December/early January. Then the wonderful folks at Second Time Around Rescue, STAR, pulled her from there, had her spayed, chipped, UTD on shots, and listed her for adoption with Petfinder.com. That is where I saw her photo, and read her bio. That was on Tuesday, 25 January 2011. We met her on Saturday, the 29th and she came home with us that afternoon. STAR thinks she may be 1-2 years old. She has a German shepherd face and the fur on her neck feathers typical of GSD. She has erect, pointed ears, but are kinda-of small. Also, she has a long torso. All the rest is the unknown breed. Could be pitbull, lab, or another breed with a broad flat head and big backside. She is very docile, loud noises don't phase her; she is sweet, and greets with kisses. Other dogs and cats, well, so far, not so good. Did I mention she knows how to open doors?

I am curious to see if she would be a good candidate for a therapy dog. I am going to wait about a year or so, after we get some good solid OB training (she was not responding to any commands but is doing pretty good on sit). She walks nicely on the leash for me. Praise the Lord for that favor!

So here she is, photos from my phone-camera, both taken the first day at work.

waiting in the car, on the ride home:

snozzing, giving belly. Hard to see from this picture, but her belly is shaved from her spay surgery.

I'll write more about her later. But, I'll just close with these thoughts I had today, about why God gave us dogs. A) to demonstrate how we should love unconditionally, quick to forgive, be faithful and loyal B) the obedience we expect from our dogs is what our Father wants from us, particularly "come"--when He calls us, we should run to Him just as fast as we can.

.

The Forest

2011-01-27T13:41:00.001-05:00

I was walking through a meadow,

bright warm sunrays shining down.

Wildflowers, showing their glorious colors and beauty,

gracefully sway from side to side.

Gentle breezes broadcast their sweet aroma through the air.

I get to the edge of the meadow,

to the tree-line at the entrance to the forest.

At first it does not look that scary,

but the further into the forest I journey,

the thicker and darker it gets.

There are fallen limbs and logs,

all sorts of obstacles I have to climb over,

making travel a challenge.

I wander on and on and instead of making progress,

I’m only going around in circles,

each path bringing me back to the same spot.

Exhausted, I sit down on the rotted log,

and admit I cannot go any further.

It’s dark.

I’m cold.

I hear noises that frighten me.

I am powerless.

I am lost.

My heart is crushed with fear and despair.

Who can hear my cries for help?

I hear something.

No, it’s not the breeze.

I hear the soft, still voice,

“Let me help you. Let me guide you out.

I will clear a path for your feet so that you won’t stumble. Trust me.”

With both of my hands, I clamp onto His outstretched hand,

“I’m so weary, I can’t go on,” I whimper.

“I will carry you,” He promises.

We get to a canyon.

He sets me on my feet.

It’s wide, too wide for me to jump.

Now what?

Do I try to make a bridge with limbs and logs

from the forest floor and try to walk across?

“I brought you safely to this place of decision.

You can stay here, or you can let me help you go forward.”

“The forest is dark, and lonely, and scary,

and I don’t want to stay here.

“I’m so weary, I can’t go on,” I whimper.

“Trust me. Hold onto me. I will not let you fall.

I will carry you,” He promises.

With both of my hands, I clamp onto His outstretched hand.

He lifts me safely over.

The edge of the forest is just ahead.

I see can brightness through the trees!

I don’t know how far it is to the edge of the forest,

so I will stay close to His unfailing love and faithfulness

and trust Him to walk me through.

A Dog for Jesus

2011-01-26T12:42:00.000-05:00

(someone posted this poem for Dylan, I don't know who the author is.)

I wish someone had given little Jesus a dog
as loyal and loving as mine
to sleep by His manger and gaze in His eyes
and adore Him for being divine.

As Our Lord grew to manhood, His own faithful dog
would have followed Him all through the day
while He preached to the crowds and made the sick well
and knelt in the Garden to pray.

It is sad to remember that Christ went away
to face death alone and apart,
with no tender dog following close behind
to comfort its Master's heart.

And when Jesus rose on that Easter morn,
how happy He would have been
as His dog kissed His hand and barked its delight
for the One who died for all men!

Well, the Lord has a dog now; I've just sent him mine,
the old pal so dear to me.
And I smile through my tears on this first day alone,
knowing they're in eternity.

Square pegs and holes in hearts

2011-01-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

I remember back in my little kid days playing with this toy, where you had to match the pegs with their same-shaped holes. The lesson from this puzzle game is that you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole. Each piece fit in only one specific space. As hard as a kid can push and jam, or turn the piece around and around, it will only fit into it’s certain spot.

I see how God’s love works the same way. I’m convinced that there is a space in each person’s heart that is so unique, only God’s love can fit it exactly. This empty space is such a noticeable void that we know we just have to fill it. Some people try and substitute drugs, alcohol, money, possessions, sex, -- all the things this world offers, even in excess – yet they still know something is missing, and spend their days and nights trying to fill the void. I learned the hard way; none of this stuff can fill the spot reserved for Jesus in my heart. Once I surrendered completely, God’s Holy Spirit filled all the voids, and my former wants and desires are gone. Good riddance to them, I don’t miss anything! I don’t miss cigarettes, hangovers, those feelings of being lost, worthless, and life is pointless; and I certainly don’t miss feeling unloved, unwanted, and the nagging thoughts of suicide. I don’t have a specific scripture reference to back up my theory, just personal experience, and testimony from others. I see evidence in radically changed lives.

Scripture tell us that God created us for His own good pleasure. He loves us no matter what. God loves us so much that He sent us Jesus, His Son, who willingly took the death penalty, and hung on the cross to pay for our sins so that we could have salvation and spend eternity with Him. (John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.)

Seriously think about this: He loves us so much that He died for us, and all He wants from us is to love Him back. That’s it. So, do you want what’s missing? Open up your heart, and let Him in. Confess your sins, accept His forgiveness, and start your new life. That empty spot will be filled-in. His love will permeate your entire being. And nothing – no thing, no person, no experience, or substance – can compare.

Romans 3:23: For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9-10: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Romans 8:38-39: And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(all scriptures quoted from The New Living Translation)

Andraé Crouch - Mighty wind

2010-12-25T20:52:00.000-05:00

Trust

2010-10-19T18:03:00.000-04:00

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the rock eternal. Isaiah 26:4 NLT

Do not trust in created things – trust in Me.

I am in control of everything.

I made my throne in the heavens. From there, I watch everything that’s going on.

I know every heart because I made them.

I open my hand and provide for all my creation, everything they need – food, water, air – everything, I made it and I provide it.

Is there anything too hard for me to do? I hung the stars in the sky. I made the boundary for the waves. I tore the curtain open so you can come to me. Just come to me.

Trust in me. I am faithful. I keep my promises.

Everything on earth will disappear. The earth and the heavens will one day run from my presence.

I look at the big picture. I see the future and the past. I know what you will think next.

You can trust me alone. I alone am trustworthy.

I alone will last forever.

I created you

I love you

I will never leave you

I will never disappoint you

nor fail you

as long as you trust in me.

Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all it’s strength, it cannot save you. Psalm 33:17 (NLT)

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no hope for you there. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. Psalm 146:3,5 (NLT)

Forgiven or Indifference?

2010-09-19T17:32:00.000-04:00

“and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us…” Luke 11:4 NLT

Long ago, there was an incredibly deep hurt. Thanks to the Lord’s gracious gift of forgiving, and time, the wound is healed. Thoughts are far removed from that dark time; it’s further away than a distant memory. There is no longer pain, and speaking of it comes rather easily compared to when the hurt was an open, gaping hole. It was the greatest hurt my heart endured.

This morning I wondered how I would respond if the offender would reappear in my life. Would I be kind, caring, and hospitable; would I be able to show Christian love? I believe that if the answer is anything other than a promptly spoken “yes” then true forgiveness has not yet occurred.

A state of indifference is the lack of emotion. No love, no hate. Zero feeling. Forgiveness means a clean slate. Forgiveness allows love. God is love. (1John4:7,8) God requires forgiveness. (Mark 11:25)

He is the source of my ability to forgive. He alone makes it possible for me to promptly reply, “Yes, it is forgiven.”

The Lord is close to the broken hearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Ps 34:18 NLT

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

Psalm 145:8 NLT

The Stirring of A Heart

2010-09-06T19:55:00.001-04:00

Ezra 1:1-6 (New Living Translation)

1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:

2 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
“The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you! 4 Wherever this Jewish remnant is found, let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem.”

5 Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the LORD. 6 And all their neighbors assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings.

God stirs the hearts of people He wants to use, so when we feel God stir our hearts, we should pay attention and do as He leads us to do. Do you agree? In the Old Testament book of Ezra, God stirred the heart of King Cyrus, whom He placed as king of “all the kingdoms of the earth.” The Lord stirred Cyrus’ heart to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem in Judah. King Cyrus obeyed God and issued a decree that allowed the Israelite captives in Babylon to return to help build the Temple. He gave them his blessing to do so. “May your God be with you.” In addition, Cyrus, King of Persia, decreed (ordered) the people of the kingdom to contribute generously to the Israelites who were returning to Jerusalem in Judah. The people were to give them articles of gold and silver, livestock, and a free will offering of money for the Temple of the Lord. The Lord also stirred the hearts of the Priests and all the Temple workers to go back to help with the rebuilding. The Lord also stirred King Cyrus to return all the gold and silver articles King Nebuchadnezzar confiscated from the [original] Temple of the Lord many years’ prior, sacred items he then placed into the temples of his pagan gods.

Mighty things come from the response to the stirring the Lord puts upon a heart. Consider what an historical event was birthed at the stirring of King Cyrus’ heart. The Temple of the Lord was rebuilt. What is the Lord stirring your heart to do today? How are you responding? Is He calling you to come to Him today? Will your response echo the psalmist who said, “My heart has heard you say, “Come, and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord I am coming.” Psalm 27:8 (nlt)

Absence of Turmoil

2010-09-03T19:55:00.001-04:00

sitting on the sand
looking out to the ocean
where the heavens touch the water,
the setting sun warms my shoulders.
the sound of the tide coming in
captures my thoughts and
carries them out
to the place where the water touches the sky.
then i consider the One who told the ocean,
'you can only go this far'
and peace floods my soul.
this is peace-
absence of turmoil.
this,
is peace.

Because He Lives

2010-07-17T19:28:00.000-04:00

YouTube - Nicole C. Mullen - Call on Jesus

2010-07-17T19:18:00.001-04:00

YouTube - Nicole C. Mullen - Call on Jesus

Verse 1:
I'm so very ordinary, nothing special on my own.
Oh, I have never walked on water,
And I have never calmed a storm.
Sometimes I'm hiding away from the madness around me
Like a child who's afraid of the dark

Chorus:
But when I call on Jesus,
All things are possible
I can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When I call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call

La la la la la, la la la la la

Verse 2:
Weary brother, broken daughter,
Widowed, Widowed lover you're not alone
If you're tired and scared of the madness around you
If you can't find the strength to carry on

Chorus:
When you call on Jesus,
All things are possible
You can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When you call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue you when you--

Bridge:
Call Him in the morning', in the afternoon time
Late in the evening' He'll be there
When your heart is broken,
And you feel discouraged,
You can just remember that He said
He'll be there

Chorus (2x):
When I call on Jesus,
All things are possible
I can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When I call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me (back to top first time, 2nd time finish with "when I call")

La la la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la-a-a

Hillsong - I stand in awe of you

2010-07-14T19:33:00.000-04:00

Daily Devotional

2010-07-04T20:37:00.000-04:00

Daily Devotional

Prayer

2010-07-03T17:06:00.000-04:00

Prayer

The Nation's Lighthouse

2010-07-02T21:45:00.000-04:00

The Nation's Lighthouse

http://www.intouch.org/resources/140-days-of-prayer

2010-07-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

http://www.intouch.org/resources/140-days-of-prayer

With All I Am (By Hillsong)

2010-07-02T16:16:00.001-04:00

into your hand
i commit again
with all I am
for you Lord

you hold my world
in the palm of your hand
and I'm yours forever

CHORUS
Jesus I believe in you
Jesus I belong to you
you're the reason that I live
the reason that I sing
with all I am

I'll walk with you
wherever you go
through tears and joy
I'll trust in you

and I will live
in all of your ways and
your promises forever

CHORUS

I will worship I will worship you forever

CHORUS

Feed The Fire

2010-07-02T15:53:00.002-04:00

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29 (New King James Version)

Consuming Fire - Hillsong United/Tim Hughes

To build a fire, you usually start with something light that ignites easily, like twigs, pine needles, or even a wad of newspaper. Then when the flames get going, you start adding the bigger pieces that need more than just a match to ignite. These pieces will burn a little longer making enough heat from the flames to ignite even larger pieces. You continually add larger pieces as you go along. Once you have a nice bed of coals, your fire is hot enough to support a log. Of course, the higher you build your stack, the hotter it burns.

It is helpful to get trusted friends to participate. They can help gather kindling and logs, and then help to build and maintain the fire. They can stand watch on the other sides, adding branches and sticks all around the perimeter. The time of fellowship is an added bonus.

A fire has to be fed. We must add logs and branches to either make it increase, or just enough branches to maintain it. We can throw on a few twigs here and there for a quick flash, or so little that there is only barely any heat at all. If we neglect to feed it, it quickly dies down to just a few smoldering embers. If we neglect to keep the fire hot, high, and strong, it will go out when the rains come.

A bed of coals is vital to a fire. The coals can go unattended for quite a while, sometimes even overnight. As long as we have just a few smoldering embers, we can rebuild the fire by feeding it.

I relate this scenario to my journey with the Lord. The more I read His word, the hotter my fire for Him gets. I started out with small, easy to understand verses that flared up His fire in my heart. Everyday, I feed His fire to make it grow by adding bigger, thicker pieces that increase the heat. Bible study groups and fellowship with others are additional fuel. If I were to slack off, the fire would get smaller and the heat would decrease. I know I have to feed His fire regularly and hardily, always work on building it higher and wider, enlarging the bed of coals, aka my faith, to keep His fire blazing, enduring even the fiercest rain storm that comes along. His fire in my heart is a requirement for my survival, greater than air, and way more than water and food.

Have you neglected the fire in your heart? Take heart, dear friend: As long as there are just a few smoldering embers, you can rebuild it. Start feeding it, and be amazed how quickly it heats up.

Revelation 3:15-17 (New Living Translation)
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

Psalm 63:1,3 (New Living Translation)
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant - Thy Word

2010-07-02T15:33:00.000-04:00

Come to Jesus

2010-06-27T16:42:00.000-04:00

Cry Out to Jesus

2010-06-27T16:31:00.000-04:00

'Grace Greater Than All Our Sin' and 'My heart, Your Home'.

2010-06-26T20:13:00.000-04:00

God On The Mountain, sung by Linda Randle

2010-06-26T17:31:00.000-04:00

Life is easy when you're up on the mountain
And you've got peace of mind like you've never known.
But then things change and you're down in the valley.
Don't lose faith for you're never alone.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He'll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

You talk of faith when you're up on the mountain.
Oh but the talk comes easy when life's at its best.
But it's down in the valley of trials and temptation
That's when faith is really put to the test.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He'll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He'll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

Gaithers "God on the mountain" with Lynda Randle live

2010-06-26T17:30:00.000-04:00

Psalm 145 (New Living Translation)

2010-06-26T17:14:00.000-04:00

A psalm of praise of David.

1 I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise your name forever and ever.
2 I will praise you every day;
yes, I will praise you forever.
3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.

4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.
5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 The Lord is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, Lord,
and your faithful followers will praise you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they will give examples of your power.
12 They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.

The Lord always keeps his promises;
he is gracious in all he does.
14 The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
15 The eyes of all look to you in hope;
you give them their food as they need it.
16 When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
18 The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
20 The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

21 I will praise the Lord,
and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
forever and ever.

My Father, My Dad

2010-06-20T19:52:00.000-04:00

(I wrote this a while ago, and thought I'd re-post it in honor of Father's Day)

My Father created me.

Long ago, His plan for me was laid.

My life was part of the creation,

the world He formed by simply the words He said.

In the same way, my Father also created my dad;

the earthly man who loved, and raised, and supported me;

he carried me when I was tired, and held me when I was sad.

Everyone says I look just like my dad.

I have a lot of his traits;

our love for music is one of the best

and less favorable is how we’re both always late.

Dad taught me about life on earth and after.

Before he left, he said we’ll meet up again, when we’re called

to stand before our Lord, our God, our Father.

Dad worried so about his problem child, but I came around after all.

On that glorious day, when there’ll be only joy and no one will ever be sad,

I’ll be there with both of them, my Father and my Dad.

Ephesians 6:1-4

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth”. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

From Rainbow Bridge To Heaven

2010-06-10T18:25:00.008-04:00

God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:25-26 (NLT)

Dylan, my German shepherd dog, turned 10 years old the other day. He is a gorgeous boy, classic black/tan/red sable/saddle-back, semi-plush coat, and up until a few months ago, had very little gray hair on his muzzle. Although the gray hairs have increased, black is still the dominant color. His ears are generally erect. If you compare to the hands of a clock, they are typically standing at 10:10, indicating a relaxed mood. When something has his attention, then the ears assume an 11:05 position. On Tuesday, his birthday, his ears were at 2:55. This means only one thing: he has an earache. Poor boy, he has so many aches and pains these days.

Dylan was diagnosed with hip dysplasia in both hips at eight months old. The right hip socket is too shallow to support the ball end of the leg bone. Hip replacement surgery was not an option because the left hip, also very shallow, wasn’t able to support the extra weight. Like me, he doesn’t know life without pain. Unlike me, however, he never complains. He’s such a trooper. He runs and plays, and has the highest play drive I’ve ever seen in a dog.

The average life span of a German shepherd is shorter than other breeds. Our remaining time together is short. I hope, and have prayed, that God takes him, sparing us of the gut-wrenching, heart-breaking decision to end his life. I so do not want to do that again. Ten years ago, we had our other bubby euthanized. On his final Friday, he was doing okay, and by Monday, he could not move his hind legs. He also stopped eating and drinking--that was the sign he was ready to go.

Accompanying our beloved companions to “Rainbow Bridge” is, for many, a part of sharing life with an animal. We are stewards of everything we have, including our pets. It is our responsibility to take care of the master’s possessions, as he would care for them. Showing mercy to a suffering animal by releasing their spirit from their broken body is by far the hardest task. Just like humans, their bodies are only temporary vessels, or tents, that house their spirits while they are here on earth. Our beloved pets, and people, are not the visible bodies; they are the invisible spirit that the body holds. Euthanasia releases the spirit to go on and then receive its permanent new body. When the Lord calls us to join Him to live in the Eternal City, we will have new, perfect bodies that will never die. I believe animals, our pets included, will too. I wonder, will we be reunited with them on that glorious day?

Scriptures

In that day, the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. Isaiah 11:6-8 (NLT)

And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13 (NLT)

Days of Elijah-Twila Paris

2010-06-06T18:59:00.000-04:00

The River by brian doerksen

2010-06-06T17:38:00.000-04:00

To the river I am going
Bringing sins I cannot bear
Come and cleanse me, come forgive me
Lord I need to meet you there

In these waters, healing mercy
Flows with freedom from despair
I am going, to that river
Lord I need to meet you there

Precious Jesus, I am ready
To surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer
Lord I need to meet you there

Come and join us, in the river
Come find life beyond compare
He is calling, He is waiting
Jesus longs to meet you there

Just As I Am-Brian Doerksen

2010-06-06T17:19:00.000-04:00

Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

. Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

. Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

. Just as I am, thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down;
now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Psalm 122 (New Living Translation)

2010-06-05T17:04:00.000-04:00

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.

¹ I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
² And now here we are,
standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
³ Jerusalem is a well-built city;
its seamless walls cannot be breached.
⁴ All the tribes of Israel—the Lord’s people—
make their pilgrimage here.
They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord,
as the law requires of Israel.
⁵ Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,
the thrones of the dynasty of David.

⁶ Pray for peace in Jerusalem.
May all who love this city prosper.
⁷ O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
and prosperity in your palaces.
⁸ For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
“May you have peace.”
⁹ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.

2010-06-05T16:48:00.003-04:00

"I Lift My Eyes Up"

(Kutless) http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kutless/iliftmyeyesup.html

I lift my eyes up, unto the moutains
where does my help come from?
My help comes from You, maker of heaven
creator of the earth

oh how I need you Lord
You are my only hope
You're my only prayer

so I will wait for You
to come and rescue me
to come and give me life

Psalm 121 (New Living Translation)

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

¹ I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

³ He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

I Lift My Eyes Up (Brian Doerksen)

2010-06-05T16:48:00.000-04:00

Mahalia Jackson - Nearer, my God, to Thee!

2010-06-05T16:37:00.000-04:00

Hillsong You are near

2010-06-05T16:17:00.001-04:00

In awe of You we worship
And stand amazed at Your great love
We're changed from glory to glory
We set our hearts on You our God

Now Your presence fills this place
Be exalted in our praise
As we worship I believe
You are near (x2)

In awe of You we worship
And stand amazed at Your great love
We're changed from glory to glory
We set our hearts on You our God

Now Your presence fills this place
Be exalted in our praise
As we worship I believe
You are near (x2)

Blessings and honour
And glory and power
Forever, forever (x5)

In awe of You we worship

MercyMe - Bring The Rain

2010-05-03T18:03:00.000-04:00

Jesus Would Have Been A Biker - One Trick Pony - MercyMe

2010-05-03T18:00:00.000-04:00

MERCYME "ALRIGHT"--THE LIFESONG!

2010-05-03T17:50:00.000-04:00

What Can I Bring (Jeremy Riddle)

2010-05-02T19:45:00.000-04:00

Come to Jesus

2010-05-02T19:30:00.000-04:00

It Is Well With My Soul ... by Chris Rice

2010-05-02T19:24:00.000-04:00

Chris Rice, Go Light Your World

2010-05-02T19:19:00.000-04:00

Here I Am Lord

2010-04-18T17:29:00.000-04:00

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

2010-04-18T17:21:00.000-04:00

You were there

2010-04-18T17:19:00.000-04:00

Cece Winans- Holy Spirit Come Fill This Place

2010-04-18T17:15:00.000-04:00

Flash Thought

2010-04-18T12:18:00.002-04:00

I closed my eyes for a moment and I saw a "vision" of a big huge bus, like a tour bus or motor home that celebs travel around in. It was light colored and shiny. I was standing on the corner watching this vehicle trying to turn around in the narrow street. Pull forward, back up; pull forward, back up; on and on. It was night time. The street lights and glow from the store windows cut through the darkness.

What's on My Mind 11 Apr 2010

2010-04-18T10:12:00.004-04:00

Like others that I mentally criticize for doing to me, I am so guilty of putting too much emphasis on a person's appearance rather than on their heart. I am drawn to things and people whose appearance is pleasing, and to those whose personality is pleasing. It's easy to love "lovely" people. But what about the others? The "others" are the ones that Jesus, and perhaps only Jesus, loves. We are commanded to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Jesus loves the lepers, the beggars, the "woman at the well", the tax collectors, the poor, widows and orphans, the cripples, you, and me. If we imitate Jesus, we'll love them too. If we need help, He'll help us; we need only ask. He will grant us that request.

Bring light and love into the lives of those who know only darkness.

Matthew 22:37-40 (nlt)
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 (nlt)
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (nlt)
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

2010-04-03T19:25:00.002-04:00

3 April 2010,

What I’m thinking about today, the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday…

Jesus’ sacrifice He made for us.
Jesus’ saving us.
The gift of Salvation.

I was reading Romans 8:35-37. My understanding is this: God is for us and nothing that tries to go against us will succeed because we have victory over evil because of Jesus. This applies to our souls, our spirits. That is who we are. Our flesh bodies are the vessels that hold our spirits while we’re here on earth. They are temporary. These vessels get cracks, dents, and chips; they feel and bear the effects of evil and sin that we allow.

These bodies are temporary, so when the Apostle Paul tells us that we will suffer, and struggle with trouble, calamity, persecution, hunger, danger, and even death, these things will happen to our bodies. We can have sick broken-down bodies, yet we can be whole. The condition of our spirit determines our state of well-being. As long as we are in right standing with God, if we are walking with Him in His will for us, submitting our souls to Him, we are whole, therefore healthy, regardless of the condition of our bodies.

Jesus sacrificed His body. He gave up His body willingly, bore unimaginable physical pain because of the sin in the world; He suffered far worse emotional pain during that period of separation from His Father, when all earth was in total darkness that afternoon He was hanging on the cross. He did not sacrifice His body to save our bodies. His spirit lives. All He went through—the beatings, the mockery, the spikes hammered into his hands and feet, the insults and stares from the spectators, the soldier’s spit running down his face, the separation from God… He endured all these horrible things so our spirits can live on with Him and our Father in Heaven for eternity, and to spare us from permanent separation from God after He comes again.

I’ll finish up with Romans 8:38-39: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Mega-Reno-Makeovers

2010-01-03T21:08:00.004-05:00

John 14:1-3 NLT
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

There are many home improvement shows on the cable channels these days. The programs showcase D-Y-I’ers, flippers, stagers, and mega-reno’ers, etc. In my opinion, these shows are the higher end of the reality-TV spectrum television programming has morphed into.

I enjoy watching some these programs. I’ve learned things from these shows. Some of the most valuable new knowledge I’ve acquired falls into the what-not-to-do category. For instance, a woman set out to open up her own Shoppe. She and her husband were on a tight budget of both money and time. They contracted a group to manage the renovation of the Shoppe’s space to get the new business up and running. The couple set a dollar amount they wanted with work within. The professionals reviewed their plans and wish list and after they finalized the scope of work, the dollar amount increased by 30%. Even with this substantially higher budget, it was going to be very tight. The business owners insisted they could do some things on their own, and that would help to free up some of the cash.

Work commenced and the job progressed nicely and within the time frame the professionals estimated. Then it came time for the owners to get started on their part of the project. They both committed to working during the evenings and on the weekend. It did not take them long to figure out they made a bad decision, that they took on more work than they had the knowledge and skills to complete.

Not only did they delay the project, but also they ended up having to pay the professionals to redo what they did poorly. If they had followed the advise of the professionals (and their friends), and applied common sense, they would have saved a substantial amount of money. This decision to do things their way ended up costing them additional money in materials and labor, and, it delayed the grand opening of the business resulting in lost sales they counted on for their first month of operation.

This couple learned at great expense that they were not capable of accomplishing what they thought they could do themselves. They could have avoided all the anxiety and anguish they put themselves through by turning that small phase of the job over to the pros right from the beginning. Isn’t that the way it goes, though; in the end, cutting corners usually results in higher costs?

Some people resist surrendering to the Savior and try to do life like a D-I-Y project because they feel the cost to follow Him is too high. Dear friends, we cannot work our way into the Kingdom of Heaven. We can’t cut corners or do things our own way. We can’t do this ourselves. Jesus is the only way to the Father. “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT) Yes, it’s good to do good deeds, but you won’t gain access to Heaven through good deeds, regardless of how many or the quality of the craftsmanship.

Jesus completed the job (fulfilled the prophecies and scriptures) the day he sacrificed his life on the cross. He paid our sin debt. When we accept God’s gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit starts to re-build our lives, changing us gradually, a little each day. He changes our thoughts and desires, and we won’t miss the things we were hesitant to give up. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT. God does not promise a life free of splinters, but He does promise that He will always be with us. He will continue working on us until the end. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 NLT

How fitting that Jesus was a carpenter! Carpenters build and remodel homes. Jesus is building the Kingdom, and remodeling lives. No human effort can come close to what He has done and continues to do. No budget can meet the price he paid for our extreme makeover. So why not let Jesus do in your life what He was sent into this world to do? Let him start today!

Haggai 1:13 (New Living Translation)
Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!”

John 3:16-17 (New Living Translation)
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 12:2 (New Living Translation)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect

Isaiah 41:10 (New Living Translation)
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand

2009-12-30T18:29:00.005-05:00

And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. 1 JOHN 5:20 (NLT)

Christians are encouraged to have fellowship with other believers. Fellowship is defined as, “A company of people that shares the same interest or aim; a feeling of friendship, relatedness or connection between people.” For Christians, the connection, of course, would be faith and belief in Jesus. The New Testament speaks about the fellowship of the believers among the newly formed church (ACTS 2:41-47). During these times of fellowship, they shared meals, had times of worship and they prayed together.

The New Testament book of 1John speaks of our fellowship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ the Son. The Old Testament book of Genesis speaks of two men who walked in fellowship with God. Enoch was taken up to heaven. “Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.” (GENESIS 5:23,24 NLT). Noah was the only “good” man on earth during his time, so the LORD spared him; God told him to build the ark as shelter during the great flood. “Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.” (GENESIS 6:9 NLT). Everyone except Noah and his immediate family was destroyed, along with all the other living creatures that did not make the ark.

When the venue of a gathering is the Church, for a Bible Study for instance, the focus of conversation would most likely be about the Bible. Subsequent discussions are generally wholesome in nature, and bring people closer together through a more intimate understanding of each other. People tend to be more careful of the context of their statements and the selection of their words, and make an effort not to offend or hurt anyone’s feelings.

Perhaps a get together is elsewhere and consists of a few friends meeting for coffee. The atmosphere is different. The conversation could start out innocently; someone asks about the well being of a mutual friend. Then, before the friends are aware of it, they are engaged in a gossip session.

In another scenario, a group gathers for a prayer meeting. It is common they begin by discussing the people they will pray for. How quickly such a well-intended effort can turn into a time of talk that grieves the LORD. It is not necessary that secrets or intimacies be revealed, and personal information about others made known, especially if it is second-hand information. It is a betrayal if something is shared when it was received in confidence, even with the best intentions.

The conversations that people share should always be pleasing to God’s ears. Regardless of where His children gather, He hears every word that is said, and He knows the content of each heart. If words are not true, helpful, insightful, necessary, and kind, they shouldn’t be said. Fellowship is a wonderful time spent with God and with each other, and shouldn’t be tainted by dishonorable conversation, any time or any place.

PSALM 41:6 (NLT)
They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while, they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.

2 CORINTHIANS 13:14 (NLT)
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2009-12-28T22:50:00.001-05:00

My Testimony

written April, 2008

On 26 June 1970, during vacation Bible school, when the teacher (my sister’s sister-in-law) asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus as their personal savior, I raised my hand. The next day my sister asked me what happened the previous day and I said, “nothing”. That started my life-long pattern of ‘running’ from God.

My dad always scheduled his vacations for the last week in July because that was when the English speaking congregation of Church of God gathered for their annual weeklong meetings at their campground in Boyertown. He always looked forward to this event with such excitement and enthusiasm, waiting to hear the speaker chosen for that week, some of whom traveled in from the mid-west or points even further. I distinctly remember one evening’s service. It followed an afternoon when I did something horrible; one of the few occasions when my dad reprimanded me, and one bad thing led to another. After the pastor was finished with his sermon, he invited people to come to the altar and commit themselves to the Lord. Jesus was pounding on the door to my heart, but my legs wouldn’t take me up to the front, to the altar.

My teen years, after age 16, were a nightmare for my parents. I hung out with the pot smokers & beer drinkers, quit school in 11^th grade, married a horrible, abusive person at age of 18, and continually brought pain and misery to my parents. ( I met my current husband during this time.) I was divorced at age 23, and enjoyed my “single life” in about as many ways as a 23- year-old female can and will. Only because God kept in his care did I manage to survive. There were many times I couldn’t remember how I got home, or who I was with, or where I was, etc.

In spite of all this, I always believed that Jesus was God’s son, and that Jesus died on the cross for us, and was raised three days later. And God was always in my thoughts, but His position in my life was on the back burner, but there if I needed or wanted Him.

One of my worst memories is the night before dad’s surgery. I was at work that evening, and during break, I talked to him via phone. He asked me to pray for him. I said “for why, it doesn’t work”. That was the most hurtful thing I’ve ever done or said to him. I know it is. After I hung up I thought to myself, why on earth did I say that??? I don’t mean that!!! I did, however, pray for him. He had surgery the next day; they discovered an inoperable tumor on his pancreas. He died a few months later. During his last few weeks, he read his Bible constantly, mostly from the book of Psalms.

The years to follow, I mainly spent wandering aimlessly around. I did manage to earn my GED, enrolled in college courses during the evenings, and landed my first job that didn’t involve sewing. Still, God was on the back burner.

In the early 1990’s, I found myself at the PFChurch for the first time. I really liked going, and I even had my sister coming up from Delaware to join me. Then, after attending a few weeks consecutively, someone (a customer that I knew from my job at the lumber store) asked me if I wanted to become a member. Again, I ran.

Last year (2007) is when I really discovered the power of prayer. I was going through a stormy time. My sister-in-law gave me a book about the power of prayer. I read and I prayed. I saw for myself how powerful prayer is!!! Each day since, I pray regularly, earnestly; some days I feel as though I am in one state or another of prayer.

At the beginning of February of this year, I was up earlier than normal on a Sunday morning. I looked at the clock and I got the message to go to church, my first time in many years, since the last time I was at PFC in 1992. I am so grateful that I listened! The following Sunday was my first visit to the new PFChurch where I met the most wonderful people I’ve ever been privileged and blessed to know.

At the Tenebrae service, during the quiet time after communion ( my first, ever ), is when the whole scope of God and Jesus really, really struck my heart. That is when I truly felt “saved”. So, if you ask, when was I saved? I would have to say it was on Friday, 21 March 2008, around 9:00 pm. Though I’d asked God for forgiveness countless times over the years, that was the first time I really felt it.

No more running from God. Instead, I am running to God.

PERFECT TIMING?

2009-12-28T21:49:00.002-05:00

Scripture:

Judges 6:12-18 (New Living Translation)

The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!”
“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The LORD brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”
Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “How can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
The LORD said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
Gideon replied, “If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me. Don’t go away until I come back and bring my offering to you.”
He answered, “I will stay here until you return.”

“God is rarely early, and never late; He is always right on time.” I don’t know if this statement is scriptural, or if it is a phrase repeated by those who have experienced His divine timing in this way.

Since this is how He responds to us, then it only makes sense that we respond to Him in the same way—right on time. The moment He tells us to do something, that is when we should do it; in His time, not when it suits us, when we feel like it or when we can work it into our schedules. The right time is in His time.

He finds us while we’re going about our busyness. Simon (Peter) and Andrew were at work, on their boat, when Jesus called to them. Levi (Matthew) was at his “desk” when He was called. The fellow who wanted to finish up his work at home (bury his father) forfeited his chance. Consider what the shepherds would have missed if they would have decided to wait until tomorrow to go to town, instead of hurrying to see the baby lying in the manger… they might have missed being the first of many to worship Him.

So, we get the message and know we have to act. How do we know it is the Lord speaking to us, that it is He, telling us to do something? Do we ask the Lord for signs, like Gideon did (Judges 6:36 and 6:39)? How can we be certain it is not the evil one trying to trick us into doing something? Satan is very crafty, after all. He can present something to us in a way that, at first glance, seems very good, but in the end, has disastrous results. God does not lead us to do something that does not bring Him glory or that does not benefit others or us. “He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.” Psalm 23:3(b). Uncertainty should lead us to prayer—to ask God to open the right doors and to close the wrong ones.

I don’t know about you, but I get confused when I don’t understand why He tells me to do something. That is when faith and trust are especially important. Father God, the God who created all, has great things in store for His children. He is not going to prompt us to do something contrary to His word. He is immutable. He does not change. He is the same today as He was yesterday, and will be tomorrow. When in doubt, look it up! Refer to the Bible. He has led me to the right passage more times than I can remember.

Yahweh-Shalom, the Lord is Peace. We will experience a feeling of peace when we commit to do as He says. If we feel uneasiness, or dread, then we can know it’s not the Lord’s plan. We need to take the time to pray first, and avoid making ‘spur of the moment’ decisions. We may experience the same sort of bad feelings if we fail to comply with His commands!

We can feel confident that we’ll be able to accomplish the tasks the Lord assigns us to do. “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13. We don’t need to fear because He is with us. “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows everything about us. “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He will tell us to do things that challenge us. This will cause us to seek Him for His help, His guidance, and His strength. Just like a high-school teacher (most likely) won’t assign his class to memorize the alphabet as the day’s homework, the Lord is not going to have us do something we’ve already done. His project for us will teach us something new and make us grow in maturity. Maybe it will make us face something we’ve avoided for a long time, or result in a reconciliation with an estranged relative or friend. Maybe He will have us take a stand in an issue that will help to bring about change in a nation. “The LORD said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” Judges 6:16

Whatever it is that God tells us to do, it is always in our best interest to do it, to do it when He tells us to do it, and to do it in His strength and in His way. We need to see ourselves as God sees us, capable of doing all things through Him, for “Nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37.

You Can Find Blessings In Times Of Difficulty

2009-06-28T19:25:00.000-04:00

Always! You just need to look past your eyes and pay attention to what’s going on around you. We get so caught up with the things that are going differently than what we hope; when times are hard, we often fail to see that God is with us, working in us and around us. These are the times we must look past what is in front of our eyes, to God, trusting Him completely, knowing that His promise to carry us through the deep waters and walk us through the fire is for real. He didn’t sacrifice His son Jesus to pay our sin debt then turn His back on us. No way!

Everything we go through serves a purpose. And if we’re all caught up in worry and feeling sorry for ourselves, instead of looking to God, then sure enough, we’ll miss the blessing that is beyond the pain. Just like the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites, blessings of peace, joy, and hope will pass over us if we are not available to receive them.

Throughout the exodus from Egypt, complaining and unhappiness was all that the Lord heard from His chosen people. It was so bad that He decided the first generation would all die off before His people received their inheritance, the promised land of Canaan. Those folks were so caught up in self pity and discontentment, even though the Lord provided them with everything they needed—food falling out of the sky each day, their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out, and springs of sweet water for themselves and their livestock. Instead of trusting in God and looking forward to their blessing—a land rich and fertile, flowing with milk and honey—they refused to look past the desert in front of their eyes, therefore missing out on the abundance the Lord wanted to bless them with so badly.

Often, we see a rainbow after a fierce storm. In fact, after a recent storm that included a good pelting of hail, we were blessed with a very rare event: a double-rainbow! Only those who were looking up saw the rainbow.

We all will face times of difficulty throughout our lives. No one is exempt, not even Jesus. During these hard times, we can choose to place our lives in God’s hands and trust Him for the outcome, or we can rely on our own strength and resources. Which do you choose?

Matthew 6:33 (New Living Translation)

Seek the Kingdom of God^a]">above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Isaiah 43:2 (New Living Translation)

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

… say yes … say yes…

2009-06-28T18:33:00.001-04:00

Let Him in

Accept salvation

Accept forgiveness

Accept eternal life

Say yes

Don’t delay

Say yes today

Experience love

Experience peace

Experience joy

Experience freedom

Say yes today

Don’t delay

Today might be your last day

Tonight could be the night

The urgency is real

Don’t spend another day aimlessly wandering around, or toiling in vain for things that don’t last

Don’t spend another night, tossing and turning, unable to sleep because your burdens are too big and your anxiety too high; worried about things you have no control over.

Let Jesus into your heart. Make Him your Lord and Savior.

Give up all your cares and fears to God and trust Him for the outcome.

Come to the cross and lay it all down at Jesus’ feet.

Your worries

Your anxiety

Your addictions

Your fears

Your resentments

Hatred. Prejudice. Anger.

Let go of the worldly things that lead to death.

Surrender to God.

Let Him work within you; ask Him to change your heart.

Confess that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour.

Let Him in.

He’s knocking.

He’s waiting.

Why are you waiting; hesitating?

What’s holding you back? What are you afraid of?

What are you holding on to? Worldly things? Worthless things?

What won’t you let go of?

Wherever you are, just reach up to Him. He’ll meet you there.

His loving arms are extended out to embrace you, His dear child, just like a loving father holds his hands out to his child.

He loves you so much!

He doesn’t want to loose you!

He wants you with Him.

He wants to be with you.

He’s waiting.

Waiting for you.

Open your heart.

Say yes.

Let Him in.

Say yes.

… say yes… … say yes…

JUST A TASTE AND...

2009-06-07T18:31:00.002-04:00

"Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!" Psalm 34:8

...you get this unexplainable, indescribable, inexpressible, joyful feeling way deep inside; something so good you want to get up and dance around, shout-out from the highest place, stop strangers on the street and tell them, "Hey, you gotta give this a try". A burning desire to praise Him and pray and give thanks develops because your heart is so over-flowing with thanks and gratitude. All you can think about is God and Jesus and how much He loves us. You develop an insatiable desire to saturate yourself with the Word and pray without ceasing. This is kind-of what a "taste of the Lord" is like; an introduction of how awesome it is to feel God's love in your heart. The more you pursue Him, the stronger this feeling gets. Could this be JOY ?

ADJUSTMENT

2009-05-25T13:16:00.006-04:00

Dr. Charles Stanley devotional "Adjusting To The Lord's Plans"

Matthew 4:18-22 (New Living Translation)

The First Disciples

¹⁸ One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. ¹⁹ Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” ²⁰ And they left their nets at once and followed him.

²¹ A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. ²² They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

Jesus called to the two sets of brothers, Simon(Peter) and Andrew, and James and John, "Come, follow me"; immediately, they responded. They dropped what they were doing, leaving their boats, nets, and even dad, behind to follow in answer to Jesus' call. Jesus was a stranger to them, yet they felt the conviction to trust in Him and leaving everything behind, and go; not knowing where or what to expect.

Immediately, they responded to Jesus call. It took me over thirty years to answer, in earnest. Jesus was no stranger to me. My dad accepted Christ in his early teens and dedicated the rest of his life to serving God; he spent all our years together trying to get me to follow Christ, up until he could no longer speak. He started teaching us about Jesus when we were just babies. I can envision dad telling us about Jesus on the day we were born.

I praise God and thank Him for His mercy, that He still allows me to follow Jesus, even though it took me, what, 80% of my years, to finally commit and accept the invitation with my whole heart.

IN DENIAL

2009-02-08T18:22:00.003-05:00

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

A family is going through a season in their lives. An unfortunate event occurred a while back, and the residual effect is devastating to this couple. It is a serious situation; one that will no doubt affect them the rest of their lives.

They are both dealing with it in different ways. The husband is taking it very hard; he feels responsible for their situation. He, along with many others, lost his job when the factory closed down. He has no experience or training for any other type of work; he started at that job when he was 20 years old. Now, at 57, his age and several health issues are additional strikes against him. His chances of finding a job earning the amount of money he was making are right around zero. He is feeling totally and utterly hopeless, and is his thoughts are consumed with their financial situation. Their savings account is just about depleted and he cannot find a job anywhere, not even as a janitor. Her small salary as a part-time school cafeteria aide barely pays the utilities and the groceries. Soon, they will have to sell their house.

What irritates him the most is his wife. She acts as though nothing is wrong. He’s constantly telling her to get her head out of the clouds and face what’s going on in their lives. He’s angry with her because she does not express the same level of concern that he does. She is calm; he is a nervous wreck. Surely, she is in denial ("the refusal to acknowledge the existence or severity of unpleasant external realities or internal thoughts and feelings [HEALTHLINE.COM]"). She can’t cope with all of this so her mind is just shutting it all out. He’s convinced that’s what’s wrong with her.

She’s not in denial, though. She is very well aware of the state of their affairs. She is walking in faith. Instead of succumbing to the weapons the evil one is firing at them--fear, doubt, depression, anger, envy, jealousy, despair, etc.—she gave up her concerns to the Lord. She is facing life clad with the armor of God. She admits she is powerless and knows God has power over everything. She trusts that as long as she is walking in God’s will, He will cover her. She has peace while her husband is in turmoil. She feels God’s presence and protection; he feels deserted and defeated.

Let useless worry destroy you or be in peace trusting God? Which would you choose?

Scriptures:

Psalm 55:22 (NLT) “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

Philippians 4:6-8 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”.

I PRAISE YOU, O LORD

2009-01-11T16:33:00.000-05:00

I will praise you all of my days
and honor you in all ways.
My heart desires,
like a burning fire,
to tell others what your word says.
No greater joy
than what you placed inside.
No words are sufficient to employ
in an attempt to describe
how tall and how wide
your arms reach out
to embrace us and draw us to your side.
Praise you in the morning,
praise you at night.
Seek you when I’m mourning,
find you with delight.
Praise you with voice,
praise you with pen and paper.
Every day, every night—rejoice!
You are my God, my redeemer, my maker.

Psalm 86:11-13 NLT
Teach me your ways, O LORD that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O LORD my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

WELL, WOULDJA LOOK AT THAT !

2009-01-10T19:16:00.001-05:00

Romans 5:1-2 [NIV]
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

He just didn’t get it. No matter how well I explained it, he refused to believe this could be possible. I said it this way and that way; I offered lots of examples; I tried my hardest at creating a visual impression; all my efforts were in vain. He simply would not believe that it was possible. Then, one day, he saw with his own eyes. Finally, he conceded and said, “Well, wouldja look at that!” It is so hard for some people to grasp a new idea. Only when they see with their own eyes do they believe something is possible.

The New Testament Gospels tell us about boat rides Jesus and his disciples made to travel from town to town. On one of those trips, they left him behind, so He had to walk. He took a short cut across the sea, and caught up to them within a couple hours. A strong gale made boat travel difficult for these experienced fishermen. Even from shore, Jesus could see how they struggled with the oars to make forward progress.

When they saw Him, they were startled--they thought He was a ghost. “But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”[MATTHEW 14:27 NLT] However, they were in doubt. Peter told Jesus to enable him to walk on the water with Him so he could be sure it was really Him, so Jesus called him to come. Peter got out of the boat and started walking. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he stayed above the water. As soon as his eyes and thoughts turned to the water, he sank. As Jesus reached out and pulled him up, Jesus asked Peter, “Why do you doubt me?” Together, they got into the boat. “When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.” [MATTHEW 14:32-33 NLT]. “Well, wouldja look at that!” By golly, I think they got it!

When Jesus and the disciples arrived at Gennesaret, word quickly got around that they were there. Crowds of people gathered around Him. Many brought their sick friends and relatives to Jesus for healing. Even though these people had never seen Jesus or heard Him speak, they believed in Him. They had so much faith in our Savior; they believed by simply touching His clothes, they would be healed. That speaks volumes!

I can’t help but wonder how Jesus must have felt. Considering everything He taught His disciples, all the miracles they witnessed—the healings, the feeding of thousands, the wine at the wedding, and so on—they still didn’t have the faith in Him like these folks that only heard of Him did, or the Centurion whose slave Jesus healed by speaking it to be. Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law from a raging fever right there in the house with them. These guys just didn’t get it. Why? “Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” [MARK 6:52 NLT].

Missouri is known as the “Show Me” state. I guess this implies the natives prefer to see for themselves before they believe. Faith isn’t based on seeing. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” [HEBREWS 11:1 NLT]. Where does faith come from? “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” [ROMANS 10:17 NIV]. Those that only heard about Jesus believed in Him while those that witnessed His miracles were hesitant.

Thank you, Father, for giving me a new heart—one that desires to be obedient to you, one that desires to do what pleases you, and one that has faith in you and your son, Jesus. Amen.

Hebrews 11:6 [NIV]
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.

James 5:15 [NIV]
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

A NEW YEAR, A NEW LIFE

2009-01-04T19:01:00.000-05:00

I saw a commercial on the tube the other night in which an actress, popular in the ‘70’s, gave her testimony. She started out by saying that this was the first New Year’s Day in many years that her resolution was not to loose weight. Then after some clever editing, a new clip came on the screen and the same beautiful woman said this year is the second year; the first clip we was last year’s recording. Her dialog was very emotional and she was choking back tears as she spilled her heart out to the TV audience. Her success, she told, was due to the commercial weight loss program for which she was the celebrity spokesperson the past few years. She spoke with a high level of conviction and persuasion as she promoted the program and urged the viewers to pick up the phone and join right then in order to get the special limited time pricing plan. She said that I, too, could have a new life, and find freedom from my extra pounds by learning and developing better eating habits. I, too, could be transformed into a new person. The way she fanned away at her eyes brought tears to mine.

Here’s the thing: I do feel passion and conviction about my transformation. Yes, I lost a few pounds and feel better, physically. However, the most incredible change isn’t physical; it’s what has happened to my heart that I want give testimony about. I do have a new life! I am a new person! It’s nothing I can take credit for; it’s all because of God. My old life is gone, and a new one has begun [2 Corinthians 5:17]. I’m giddy with excitement; I feel like jumping up and down; singing, and dancing around and around.

With the guidance from God’s word, love and support from new-found brothers and sisters, and close communication with my Savior and my Creator, life is way better than I ever thought it could be. I’ve discovered what joy is. I experience peace regularly. I know why I am still alive, and why I was born in the first place. I’ve gotten an introduction to what I believe God’s will for me is. I accept and embrace the fact that I am not in charge. I am totally at a loss for a way to sufficiently say thanks to God for saving me, for loving me, for choosing me and forgiving me. I’m so glad Jesus doesn’t expect me to repay Him for the sacrifice He made for me; He’s happy to have my heart. I gladly give it all up; my heart, my soul, and my strength, in total surrender and complete submission.

Psalm 32:1-5 [NLT] 1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

JUDGE NOT LEST YE BE JUDGED

2009-01-03T19:01:00.002-05:00

[Matthew 7:1-5] “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

Jesus pointed out that they who judge others unfairly would be judged themselves, in the same measure. It is foolish and hypocritical for us to criticize someone for a fault while remaining blind to our own considerable faults[1] . Plainly, we should expect to receive what we dish out. Jesus’ statement didn’t mean to dismiss or ignore bad behavior; His point was to loose the holier than thou attitude. He wants us to stop the practice of knocking people just to make ourselves feel superior. The contrast between the “speck in your friend’s eye” and “the log in your own eye” gives us an accurate visual. How can we possibly have clear vision? We don’t. Before we go looking for dust in our sister’s house, we better do some house cleaning at home first.

[Matthew 7:12] “So in everything, do to others what you would have them to do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets” [NIV]

Toward the beginning of The Sermon on the Mount, we read about meeting the requirements of the Law and the Prophets; here the Law and Prophets are mentioned again. A lot of His lessons up until this point pertain to this simple yet meaningful phrase we know as The Golden Rule. The message it delivers is that we should do for others what we’d want them to do for us. It sounds easy enough and is totally fair. It’s a tough act to follow, though. Who can be so caring and supporting 100% of the time? Who is so selfless that they always think of others before they think of themselves? Not me. Notice the second and third words: “in everything”. No further explanation is needed, eh?.

How quickly we jump to conclusions about others! Jesus tells us we have no right to judge others, only God does. He doesn’t suggest for us to turn a blind eye, rather, take a good, hard look at ourselves, and consider our motives and behavior before we pass judgment on others. We don’t have to apologize for mean things we don’t say. When we look at our peers through God’s loving eyes of pure, clear and wide vision instead of our own nearsighted critical eyes, we will see past their faults and catch glimpses of opportunities to glorify God. We will see how we can be forgiving and recognize how we can be helpful and respectful, in spite of different opinions.

We must treat each other the way God treats us: with love, generosity, patience, and forgiveness. When we apply the Golden Rule to our lives, in everything, we can refrain from jumping to the wrong conclusions, differentiate between good and bad, and show respect for everyone, even those we disagree with. [2]

Footnotes:
[1] NIV Study Bible; note on Luke 6:41

[2] Adult Student Book, by David C. Cook, Dec 2008 – Feb 2009; pgs. 33-39

MY FIRST CHRISTMAS WITH THE "ARMY"

2008-12-26T17:12:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas celebration and that each had a moment or two to reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas—the celebration of the birth of Jesus. “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” [ISAIAH 9:6 NLT]
My Christmas wish to all may be a bit late, but sincere nonetheless—May God’s light always shine brightly on you and yours. (Thanks, Joe, for that phrase.)

The past few weeks have been a blessing and a learning experience. The Lord selected me to fill an opening in the office at the Salvation Army in my town. What an honor! There are so many people looking for work and Praise God, He selected me! Wow! I am so thankful for the privilege of serving Him in this way.

My “job” started at the peak of the Christmas season. The annual toy drive was drawing to a close. The parcels were at the participating vendors awaiting pick-up. After days of fetching then sorting toys by boys/girls and age, bags were filled according to the applicants’ children’s ages, gender, and special needs, if any. On Thursday and Friday (18th & 19th), the toys, food boxes, and turkeys were distributed.

Since this was the first Christmas under the command of the new officers and the program was different from the previous years, we expected to make a few mistakes here and there. Through participation, I wanted to capture the Christmas spirit and be joyous. I wanted to see happy parents with gifts for their children, some who might otherwise not had anything to wrap and place under the tree. I expected frazzled co-workers and volunteers; everyone worked so hard in order to prepare for these two hectic days.

What I really hoped for was the spirit of thankfulness and giving of the heart. I’m sure there were many grateful parents amongst the crowd. However, we only heard from the unhappy ones. The complaints and disappointment rang louder than the quietly mumbled “thanks” offered as people left with loaded car-trunks and pull carts. The atmosphere of entitlement was heavy. Yes, the program was not like previous years. Yes, it didn’t run like clockwork. What saddened me the most was the lack of support and respect for the new officers. (In my opinion) it wasn’t right that the officers were talked down the way they were. A sense of order must be established when dealing with such a large volume of people. Rules are set forth for a reason: to maintain order and control—and they must be adhered to. Each person must be treated equally and fairly. Although a day was set aside to make exchanges/returns for mistakes and/or inappropriate choices, some exceptions were allowed and corrections were made immediately. Regardless, the officer in charge was accused of being cold, uncaring, and insensitive. That is so unfair and inaccurate. The officers made a lifetime commitment of service to God and to others. As in the armed forces, the rank of Major comes only after many years of exemplary performance. The officer enforced the rules; others took offense. If exceptions had been made to everyone, it would have been mayhem.

I’ve learned this: We can’t help each and every person who comes in for assistance. It is just not possible. However, we do a lot for many. The charity work this Church does makes a huge difference in the lives of the recipients. We cannot be successful if we have no unity. We cannot be successful if we have no respect our leaders. We cannot maintain a joyful spirit if we have no love for one another. If underlying resentments govern our feelings and the lack of forgiveness exists, we will not effectively serve our community, the ministry will fall apart, and the evil one will be victorious. That thought makes me very sad.

Please join me in prayer and let’s go to the Lord and ask for unity within our group, to share the Love of Jesus Christ with each other as He commands us to, and spread it to all whom we serve; and that the true meaning of Christmas--the birth of our Lord and Savior--is celebrated every day of the year.

Scriptures:

Matthew 20:28: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

John 15:9,12: [9] “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. [12] This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

Ephesians 4:1-6 “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each others' faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

RE-GIFTING

2008-12-07T17:13:00.002-05:00

Isaiah 9:1-2; 6-7

1 … but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

It has become acceptable and even expected for a person to exchange and/or return an unwanted gift. That’s what a lot of folks do on the day after Christmas. Stores seem to be just as crowded on the 26th of December as they are on “Black Friday” and merchants wrap up the shopping season with that last blast of bargain hunters. If you don’t like what someone gave you, it’s no problem; just take it back and exchange it for something you’ll like better. Your gift-giver may even considerately include the specific “return” slip from the store to make the exchange more convenient for you. What a concept! Re-gifting, however, is tacky and not acceptable. If you get caught re-wrapping a gift and giving it to someone else, or horror of horrors, giving it back to the person who gave you the gift, well, imagine the embarrassment!

God gave us a gift greater than anything we could ever hope for. He gave us His son, Jesus. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” [John 3:16-17 NLT]. This unique gift keeps on giving. We receive the gift of salvation when we take Jesus into our hearts as our personal savior, confess our sins and repent, and confirm our belief that Jesus is God’s son who died on the cross for us and rose from the dead three days later. We receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit: “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…” [Galatians 5:22-23]. We receive these precious gifts, not because we are worthy or are entitled, but because God loves us.

God’s gift of love has no end. It’s impossible to measure or weigh. It’s not intended to be contained or withheld. “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light” [Luke 8:16]. We are given an abundance to share with everyone we see and all who hear our voices. We’ll never run out because we’re always refilled. Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself” [Matthew 26:39]. It’s okay to re-gift love; we’re encouraged to give it to others.

Thankful for What I Lost

2008-11-29T18:03:00.003-05:00

Psalm 100 -- A psalm of thanksgiving.
1 Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

God wants to provide for us always, to give us what we need. He also provides for our wants. We come before Him and make our requests known to Him. When we receive His blessings, we are thankful and acknowledge the gifts are from Him through His mercy and His mighty love for us. Not because we deserve them, but because He loves us. At this time of year, we might think about it more often because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

We generally give thanks for the things we have. The gift of Jesus and my salvation, good health, loved ones, faithful friends, prosperity and possessions are a few examples of what I am thankful for. However, this year I am giving thanks for things I don’t have; things God has taken away from me.

1.0 Fear: I am no longer afraid of what will happen to me. I know that God is right there beside me. He keeps me safe in His loving arms, protecting me from all harm and evil. Psalm 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation--so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Isaiah 43:2 “ When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." He will be with me, always. Difficult and painful events are going to happen. I’m going to go through times of discipline, just like any child does. Whatever it is, I know I won’t be alone. I know He’s going to be there right beside me, and when necessary, carry me through. Psalm 31:24 “So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD”! When it is time for me to rest, I know that it will be for just a while. 1Thesalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” I will be called upon along with the others and we’ll make the journey together with Jesus to be with our heavenly Father for eternity. Jesus told Nicodemus that whoever believes in God’s son will not perish but will have everlasting life (John 3:16), and He said that those who are victorious like He was, those that hold on to their crown, will sit with Him on His throne just as He sat with His Father on His throne (Rev. 3:21).

2.0 Worry / Anxiety: There is simply no point in worrying. It accomplishes no good. It changes nothing and surely does not add a single day to your life. Worry is an expression of faltering faith. Matthew 6:31-34, [Jesus says] “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” What outcome will be different by worrying and stressing over it? Not one. God allows difficult events in our lives. No one is exempt. Not even his own son, Jesus, was spared. The good thing is that we don’t have to face these crisis alone. He is there for us, to comfort and strengthen us, and to bring us peace. Everything happens according to God’s plan for us. He determines if things will go this way or that way. The apostle Paul says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” In Philippians 4:6-8 he says “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

3.0 Bitterness / Resentment: Ephesians 4:31-32 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” God has given me a way to overcome all of the bitterness I once had in my heart. He gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget. Because of His grace, I was able to forgive those who hurt me the most. I am free from the control they once had over me. If any one of them would come to me for help, I would do for them as God would lead me to; to extend love and compassion just as I would to anyone else. God loves them just as much as He loves me. What I do to the least of them, I do to him. Matthew 25:40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"

4.0 Importance of material possessions: “Stuff” I have no longer holds the same importance to me as it once did. I used to think I needed a lot of things, such as a dining room, an up-to-date kitchen, an additional bathroom, a four-wheel-drive vehicle, more jewelry, so on and so forth. We live in a society where a person’s worth is measured by their possessions. Big houses, expensive automobiles; the boy with the most toys has the most friends. Praise God, He’s shown me that everything here on earth is only temporary. Our real riches can be found only in Heaven. Matthew 6:19-21;24 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. [24] “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other. You will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Anything that we put ahead of God is an idol. If you spend more time chasing after possessions than you do pursuing a relationship with Jesus, the possessions become idols. Isaiah 44:19: “The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?” Anything that keeps us from God is an idol. That includes activities, and yes, even our job. Ephesians 5:5 “You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” Nothing can be more important than God. He wants to be first, above everything, before every one. Our first role in this life is as His children. Then we are spouse of s/he, or a parent, or a doctor, or a secretary or a student.

5.0 Control: I’ve always known I am a better follower than a leader. I can, and have been, in the control position over numerous situations and instances. I’ve had management positions in jobs that I’ve held. I can make sound decisions quickly when the need arises. I have the ability to effectively delegate responsibilities to others. I was allowed to take control of my own life when I moved out of my parents home at the age of 18. I still went back to them for support on a regular basis; however, I made my own decisions. I paid dearly for many of them. After I surrendered to God, everything changed. I heard about the concept of total submission. Of course I was apprehensive, but then I gave it a try. I held out my hands and said, “Here I am, Lord. I’m all yours. Use me to do your work. Do with me according to your will.” Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Each morning, I give myself to Him again. Freely, willingly, eagerly and thankfully. Life has been so much easier. Life has been so much better. Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” I let the Lord lead me in everything I do, and ask Him to control my thoughts and feelings, and to protect my heart from the evil one and what he tries to put in my head. I don’t want to go through another day, not one, ever, without God being in control. Psalm 25:10 “The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness, all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.” I’ve become so dependent on Him, I can’t and don’t want to go it alone.

The changes in me are remarkable. I am so different than I was six months ago. All inward changes have been gradual and many more are yet to come, but the result so far shows a totally transformed person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone, a new one has begun.” He gave me the strength to quit smoking after 30 some years, and took away every desire for drugs and alcohol I once had. He’s taken away doubt, jealousy, anger, envy, emptiness, loneliness, deceitful talk, prejudice and replaced them with the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him or everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

RIGHT ON TIME

2008-11-23T18:54:00.002-05:00

1 Chronicles 29:11 (NLT) “ Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.

Coincidence: [noun] “the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection.” (Merriam-Webster Online)

I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe that everything happens exactly at the right time, exactly as per God’s plans.

Back in the 80’s, I had 1974 Oldsmobile Omega “S”. With a bit of wrenching and a few adornments such as shiny exhaust pipes, mag-wheels, and a metallic or metal-flake paint job (it was painted this awful pea-soup green color), it would have looked like the muscle car that it really was. She had a powerful engine under the hood, a 350 Olds “Rocket” with a 4-barrel-carb. When you punched the gas, your head got knocked back just a tad as the 3-speed automatic transmission shifted from first into second, right around 50 mph. The posy-rear was a big help in the snow. My brother and a few of his “mechanic” friends kept her in good running order so repairs were usually quite affordable. After a few years, “little things” quit working. Wiring issues developed, such as the dome light and the speedometer. Somehow I managed to avoid the many speeding tickets I deserved. The gas gauge also stopped working. However, the time the car conked-out in front of the gas station was due to my own foolishness; the gauge was still functioning. She was a fun, fast car; we traveled through many years and miles together. Alas, body rust, numerous broken “little things” and a new SUV in my driveway prompted me to give her away.

The other morning as I scraped the snow from my windshield, I had a memory of my dear old Olds. I was driving east bound on the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) into Philadelphia one morning. The road was wet from melting snow and the vehicles in front of me and the ones going in the opposite direction splattered the muck onto the windshield. I didn’t think of filling my washer fluid reservoir before I left; hence, half way into the city, it was empty. Sun glare combined with the dirty, salty overspray made for a very dangerous situation. I was terrified because I could no longer see what was in front of me. I seriously considered hanging my head out of the side window. Suddenly, on the other side of the guide-rail, a tractor-trailer plowed through a huge puddle. I was right in front of it, my car was rinsed-off and the windshield was cleared! As I remember, from that point on, the road was drier and overspray was minimal.

Was that a coincidence? I don’t think so. It was too perfect. I made it through the worst part of the trip. The cleansing came at just the right time. Had I encountered the shower a few miles back, it would have been wasted; the windshield would have gotten dirty very quickly and I’d have been back to square one. This all happened just at the right time. God got the most glory and I got the most benefit.

Was it a coincidence that the snake was there in the garden with Eve as she eyed-up the apple; or, that Pharaoh’s daughter was at the river in the exact place where Moses’ mother left him in the basket? How did the two spies know to go to Rahab’s house to spend the night? How could the vibrations of marching feet and the sounds of rams’ horns possibly cause such a great wall to collapse? Was it by chance that Boaz discovered Ruth in the field that day? Again, all these things happened just at the right time. God gets the most glory and we get the most benefit.

I have witnessed many things that can only be explained as God’s work coming just at the right time. My new job--a long-time employee retiring shortly after I started volunteering left an opening for me. A gift from a loved one came during a time of great need; someone arriving at the exact moment when I needed her. It was a last-minute decision to attend the church service that evening when I was so moved by the ceremony that I could not leave before I surrendered to God; and the day I talked to the pastor about baptism just happened to be the day before the pastors’ meeting and everything came together very quickly rather than having to wait six or even eight weeks. Not one of these events was a coincidence. All are examples of God at work. Blessings coming just at the right time.

Scriptures

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (CEV) “God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future.”

Romans 8:28 (NLT) “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Stars of Stripes

2008-11-12T21:09:00.001-05:00

Psalm 149:4 (NLT): For the LORD delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.

There’s something about a uniform that commands respect, as it should. Particularly one that is adorned with medals and stripes as they signify hard work and attaining the highest achievement of honor. Police officers, fire fighters, and members of the armed forces all wear their uniforms with utmost pride: in their precinct, their battalion, their branch of the military, and in their country. The stripes affixed to their shirts and jackets identify the wearers’ rank. They “earn their stripes” by proving their diligence and bravery. The higher up in rank, the more elaborate the insignia becomes, and the number of stripes increases.

In the biblical days, when stripes were awarded, they were not stripes of honor. Instead, they were scars from floggings and beatings, punishment handed down to those found guilty of various types of offenses. The apostle Paul was a man of many stripes. The skin on his back bore dozens of scars from the numerous rounds of punishment inflicted on him for doing God’s work. Did that stop him from spreading the Good News? Not one bit. He was a soldier who fought till the death.

Jesus wasn’t an officer in the army nor was He a criminal. However, He was adorned with stripes, and they gave Him two medals, too. Then Plate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip (John 19:1 NLT). Even though Pilate repeatedly told the crowd that he determined Jesus to be not guilty of any crime, he still turned him over to the guards. Afterwards, He received his two medals of honor; the crown of thorns and the cross of Calvary. “Why didn’t He save Himself”, the people wondered. Because, He was obedient to the will of His Father. Jesus knew all of His suffering was part of God’s plan for all of His children.

Scriptures

Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV): But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

2 Tim 4:8 (NIV) Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

The Three Temptations

2008-11-10T13:57:00.001-05:00

After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit led him into the desert to be tested by the devil. He spent 40 days and nights out in the wilderness, and fasted the entire time. Fasting was, and still is, a customary religious practice, and Jesus did this to honor to God. When the days of fasting were over, Satan went to work on Jesus because he figured he’d be vulnerable because of his extreme hunger.

I can hear the conversation now, with Satan saying something like “You must be pretty hungry by now. Why don’t you turn that stone into a loaf of bread? If you’re really the Son of God, then you have the power to do it. Go ahead, lemme see you do it!”

“Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: ‘It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth’." (Matthew 4:4 The Message).

In his second attempt to get Jesus to sin, Satan got Jesus to go back to Jerusalem with him. They went to the temple and perched themselves up on the pinnacle, the highest point of the temple. The temple was huge; it was several stories tall; at “first floor” level, there was a retaining wall at that end. The drop to the ground below was maybe 300 feet or so. Satan dared Jesus to jump. Satan fired off a few lines of scripture at Jesus: “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12 NLT).

“Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: ‘Don't you dare test the Lord your God’." (Matthew 4:7 The Message)

Jesus, two; Satan, zero!

Satan took a different approach with his third attempt. Instead of daring him to do something, this time he offer Jesus a deal. From atop of a huge mountain, he showed Jesus a glimpse of the world and all it’s kingdoms. He goes “I have the power to give this all to you. It could all be yours. As far as your eye can see and beyond. All yours. You only have to fulfill one request, and that is to bow down to me and worship me.”

Jesus' reply was short and to the point. ‘Beat it, Satan!’ He again quoted from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness’." Afterwards, Satan left him alone, for a while.

Imagine how hungry Jesus must have been from fasting all that time. He could have easily turned the stones into loaves of bread. Instead, Jesus relied on his Father to take care of him rather than using his own powers to perform a miracle for himself. He knew that the angels would catch him in the event that he’d have fallen off the cliff.

Satan’s third offer could have spared Jesus of a lot of pain and suffering. He could have avoided the heartache of Peter’s denial of him in the courtyard and Judas’ selling him off to the officials for 30 pieces of silver; the mockery and insults of the soldiers; the brutal treatment at the order of Pilate; and the unimaginably excruciating pain from being nailed up on the cross, set there between two criminals, to die in a most barbaric way.

Jesus could have avoided all of that. All of the pain, the humiliation, the torture, the fear. He wouldn’t have had to cry out “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” Yes, he had the opportunity right then and there, take Satan up on his offer, but he didn’t. He was obedient to his Father. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He knew he had the power over Satan. He knew the prophecies had to be fulfilled. He knew he had his place at the right hand of his Father. He knew what he had to do.

(Matthew 4:1-11; The Message and New Living Translation)

Forgiven and Forgotten

2008-11-09T21:46:00.003-05:00

1 Corinthians 6:11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Did anyone ever tell you about something a teenage kid was caught doing, and you think to yourself “Oh my gosh! How awful!” or, “How could this kid be so irresponsible?” or “This is so unlike him or her!” Then you think, “How will the parents deal with this blatant show of disrespect?” If you’re like me, and have no children, you may think to yourself “I am so glad I don’t have kids.”

I recently experienced such an incident. My thoughts went on and on then, Bam -- something in the memory banks sparked to life and came out, front and center. In horror, I remembered an incident from my own youth; shame and remorse came flooding back and I felt it just the same as I did back then. My conscience said, “Hey, remember when…”

Oh yea, I remember; I remember that one. I am guilty of an offense similar to what this kid did. Actually, I did a lot of rebellious things during my teenage years, mostly to get attention and be hip among the cool kids. The reason I was able to bury the incident in the back part of my mind is because God forgave me for it when He cleared the slate; that moment when I confessed to Him that I am a sinner and asked forgiveness for every wrong I had ever done.

After I digested all of this, I knew for sure that God did indeed forgive me for that mistake and every other sin as well because they no longer haunt me day after day. I was able to forgive myself because He forgave me.

Scriptures:

Ephesians 1:7-8 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Isaiah 53:9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

Again

2008-11-08T15:32:00.006-05:00

Praise Song
We Fall Down -- Kutless

Romans 7:18-19
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

O Lord, please forgive me and return to me again.
I made some bad moves, said unkind words;
I deliberately disobeyed you.
My heart is so heavy and it hurts.
Unlike me, you are always faithful and never go back on your promises.
I know it’s because of my guilt that I feel abandoned.
Is this your discipline?
Am I being reprimanded?

O Lord, please let me return to you again.
Restore my joy that I so foolishly cast away
because of my short-sightedness, my own desires to satisfy.
By being selfish, your will I failed to obey.
Everything I do to others, I do to you.
Humbly I repent for the wrongs of today.
Please forget my transgressions; forgive my sins.
Take them from me; make them go away.

O Lord, please save me from myself as I am my own worst enemy.
Let my eyes see only what you want me to see.
Protect my heart and my thoughts as well,
so I don’t get confused about what I think and feel.
Again, I’ve shown you how weak I am; I don’t need to tell.
I need your guidance and the firm grip of your right hand.
Fortify my conscience; strengthen my self-control with willpower.
Mold my heart into one that desires to be obedient to your every command.

O Lord, I wish to honor you always.
I long to praise you endlessly.
I gratefully acknowledge that Jesus paid my ransom and set me free.
You created me and I belong to you; you are the owner of me.
Thank you for choosing me, transforming me and loving me still.
Freely, in total submission, I surrender to you, again.

1 John 1:9
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness”

Daniel 9:4 & 9
(4) I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.
(9) But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.

Body Language

2008-11-06T11:12:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 20:11 (NLT) “Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.”

I thought about the subject of body language while watching my German shepherd dog playing with C.C. this morning. His body language is true to his heart. He’s always totally honest about everything, and he’s easy to read. His ears and tail are the biggest indicators of his mood. If he’s looking at you and his ears are erect, you have his attention. Ears up and tail held high means he’s is in a good mood. Tail up high and ears pointing back means he’s feeling affectionate. Ears up, tail held high and hackles raised means uh-oh, he senses danger and is in protection mode. This, of course, is accompanied by ferocious barking.

Miriam Webster on-line defines body language as “the gestures, movements, and mannerisms by which a person or animal communicates with others”. During my Google search, I found an interesting article that states you can determine if a person is lying by observing their body language. It’s quite interesting, actually. Police officers and potential employers observe the body language of people they interview/interrogate. The forced smile, the nervous scratching of the facial area, limited arm and hand movements are apparently the body language of lies. So next time Sally asks, “how’s the coffee”, consider that your facial expression has already answered her question before you blurt out “oh, it’s very good.”

Do you remember that popular camp song that goes “and they’ll know we are Christians by our love?” When people observe you, what is your body language saying? Anyone can talk the talk. What are your deeds reflecting? One of our pastors recently taught us that we must walk the talk, otherwise, our words are worthless. Our deeds come from our heart; that’s where goodwill is stored. If the storehouse is empty, we really have nothing to share, and our body language is going to reveal it.

Scriptures

Micah 6:8 ( Amp) “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?”

James 2:22 (NLT) “You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.”

1 John 3:18 (Amp.) “Little children, let us not love merely in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth in practice and in sincerity.”

Post Poles

2008-11-05T21:58:00.001-05:00

Cheers,
joyous shouts
proclaiming victory
out loud
from the voters
for their winning candidate.

Jeers,
words of hate
from those opposing;
condemning and disparaging
instead of accepting and respecting,
their new president.

Being part of the history made yesterday,
many fear what tomorrow will bring.
Can this land stand united,
or will it go further to waste?

Let us be dignified, unified,
and together as one,
restore our great nation
from division and discrimination.

Let us continue
what our forefathers have begun:
build-up our land of liberty
our land of freedom
our land of justice,
into a land of prosperity
for everyone, not just for some.

United we must stand
faithfully giving our leaders
support and respect
lifting them up in prayer,
integrity and honor to project.

Our stars and stripes
we proudly display.
Yesterday, tomorrow, forever.
Only if together can we stay
the greatest country ever born
the greatest nation in the world
America the beautiful
the good ol’ U.S.A.

Scriptures

2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land

The Box

2008-10-30T20:46:00.012-04:00

Praise Song
Amazing Love - The News Boys

Terry walked down the street one Sunday morning and as she neared the old stone church on the corner, she was drawn in by the beautiful song the choir was singing. She walked past this church hundreds of times always thinking she’d go in someday; maybe on Christmas or Easter or perhaps on a Sunday morning when she had no other plans. Even though she told her husband she’d be right back, having planned only to get a newspaper, she followed her heart that morning. Putting aside her bashfulness and apprehension of going to unfamiliar places, she climbed the short flight of stone steps and passed through the huge wooden doors.

She spotted an empty seat in the last row and quietly slipped in and sat down. She let the singing and the soothing voice of the young pastor envelop her as she listened intently to the rest of the service. After the service as she passed through the lobby, she saw the box covered with shiny red wrap sitting on the table. In front of the box was a card that read “Things to give to God”. Beside the box was a basket with slips of paper and a cup with several pens. “Oh, how nice” she thought to herself. She took a piece of paper and wrote down the things she wanted to donate. They were moving soon and she was downsizing, so this would work out great.

“Oh dear” she said to the young guy standing beside the table. “I have a list of items to donate but I have no way to get them here.”

“I can help you. I’m available tomorrow morning. Is that okay with you?”

“It’s a little short notice, but if you’d be willing to help me pack a box or two, tomorrow morning would be great” she said. They agreed on 9:30. She took another piece of paper and wrote down her name, address and phone number and handed it to him. “See you then.”

The next morning, he arrived at Terry’s house at 9:30 sharp. He rang the doorbell and waited on the porch for her to open the door and let him in. She was delighted to see him and promptly invited him in. They shared a cup of coffee and a bit of small talk. Then she questioned him about the small box he brought with him.

“It’s for the things you want to give to God” he said.

She smiled and said “I wouldn’t be able to pack more than a cup into that box.”

“I didn’t come to collect possessions; I’ve come to take your burdens from you: fear, guilt, pain, sorrow, despair, anxiety.”

He handed her a sheet of paper and a pen and said, “Write down everything that troubles you, everything you want freedom from forever. Here’s the catch: once you place that slip of paper into this box, you can never look for these things again, and you can’t try to take them back. Deal?”

Terry didn’t know what to think. She was dumbfounded. She was familiar with the Word. She read on-line devotionals and Bible verses almost daily. After a moment of contemplation, she slowly reached out her hand, took the pen and paper he was holding out, and began writing. After about ten minutes, the sheet was full from top to bottom. She folded it in fours and handed it back to him. He placed it inside the box and closed the lid. Then, he took her hands in his and they prayed together. As he spoke, she felt this sense of peace and calm come over her, one that she never felt before. After they said ‘amen’, he took the box, opened it and told her to look inside.

“It’s empty!” she exclaimed. “I saw you put the paper into the box. Wait a minute, you stuck it in your pocket when I wasn’t looking.”

“Shhh” he murmured. “It’s gone. Just like everything you wrote on it. Now, you must just trust. Walk in faith, believe that what you witnessed actually happened. Do not doubt, not the slightest bit, for if you do, it won’t work, and everything will come back to you.”

He gently kissed her hand, got up and walked into the hallway toward the front door. She got up from the table to let him out, but he was already gone.

“Wha, whe, where is he” she stuttered. “I didn’t hear the door.”

Scriptures:

Matthew 11:28-32
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Mark 11:22-25
Then Jesus said to the disciples “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.

Hebrews 11:1
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

A Slice of Humble Pie

2008-10-29T16:39:00.003-04:00

Colossians 3:12: “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Praise Song
Broken into Beautiful -- Gwen Smith

I have been blessed all throughout my life. God has been good to me! I experienced several waves of turbulence, but that was due to poor choices I made over the years. I have, however, always lived in plenty and have never experienced an entire day in need. I’ve never once worried about where my next meal was coming from; in fact, I have never missed a meal because I didn’t have anything to eat. All of my needs and most of my wants have always been met.

Even though I was (usually) thankful for all things, I would put the emphasis on what I don’t have. My little house doesn’t have granite countertops, a formal dining room or a master bathroom. My economy car doesn’t have GPS, a DVD player or four-wheel-drive. I didn’t attend an ivy-league university and I don’t have a master’s degree. I don’t have any famous or incredibly wealthy friends. I was never completely satisfied; I always wanted more. I know I’m not alone with this type of mentality. There’s a big, huge crowd of us who yearn for what we don’t have and neglect to celebrate what we do have.

A few months ago, I was in the company of a group of brothers and sisters who haven’t enjoyed the same privileges as I have. That gathering was a big eye-opener for me. Jesus tells us to love the unlovable. The unlovable can be described as unattractive in appearance as well as unpleasant in mannerism. We are naturally drawn to things of beauty, and repulsed by things we find ugly. Sadly, people are judged by their appearance. Based upon their clothing and hair style, I made the judgment that none of these folks live in my neighborhood, they are poor, uneducated, of lower intelligence, down on their luck; they have struggled with alcohol and/or drug addictions, were the victims of domestic abuse, and have no families that have the desire or means to assist them.

Now, whether any of this is true or false is irrelevant. The point is that I judged these folks by their looks. I assessed each one of these people, all 15 or so in less than 30 seconds. By the time our gathering had ended, God put me in my place: He reminded me that I must have the mindset that I am the least amongst them. Since I was doing what others have done to me all of my life, I know first hand how hurtful and unfair that is. I shamefully admit that I should have been apologizing to them and pleading for their forgiveness for passing judgment on them. WWJD? Surely not what I did in my head and heart.

I’ve gotten to know some of them a little better. I see that yes I am the least. I attended college but they are graduates of the school of hard knocks. They have street smarts and would fare better in situations in which I’d certainly crumble. The adage “you can’t judge a book by its cover” is oh so true. You just don’t know anyone until you’ve opened your own heart and let them in.

Scriptures:

Matthew 11:29 [Jesus said] “ … Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart…”

Proverbs 22:2 “The rich and poor have this in common: The LORD made them both.”

Psalm 138:6 “Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.”

My Father, My Dad

2008-10-28T22:07:00.007-04:00

Praise Song
He Reigns -- News Boys

My Father created me.
Long ago, His plan for me was laid.
My life was part of the creation,
the world He formed by simply the words He said.
In the same way, my Father also created my dad;
the earthly man who loved, and raised, and supported me,
and carried me when I was tired, and held me when I was sad.
Everyone says I look just like my dad.
I have a lot of his traits;
our love for music is one of the best
and less favorable is how we’re both always late.
Dad taught me about life on earth and after.
Before he left, he said we’ll meet up again, when we’re called
to stand before our Lord, our God.
Dad worried so about his problem child, but I came around after all.
On that glorious day, when there’ll be only joy and no one will ever be sad,
I’ll be there with both of them, my Father and my Dad.

Scriptures:

Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth”. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Inexpressible

2008-10-28T21:19:00.009-04:00

Praise Song
How Can I Keep From Singing

What did it feel like when I got saved?
Well, I got this awesome feeling in my heart and soul.
Because I believe in Jesus, and have faith and put my trust in Him alone,
I’ve been made whole.

You want me to describe it?
Okay, here's the thing: I can’t find the exact, proper word.
Surely no solitary one would fit.
At least none that I’ve ever heard.
You see, it’s indescribable, incommunicable,
indefinable, and ineffable.

I can’t fully describe the feeling because it’s so immense,
so enormously huge.
It’s extensively intense
and of stupendous magnitude;
of such inconceivable massiveness
and unimaginably voluminous.

So if I could use only two words,
I would choose these:
INEXPRESSIBLE JOY!

Scripture:

1 Peter 1:8-9
You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

Joy in the Lord’s Day

2008-10-26T19:48:00.004-04:00

Psalm 118:24 (NIV) This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

PRAISE SONG
I Know My Redeemer Lives

Today is Sunday, the 26th of October 2008. The weather was perfect here in southeastern Pennsylvania. Beautiful clear skies and warm delicious sunshine after a rainy Saturday. Crisp, clean air, and temps in the upper 60’s; an absolutely gorgeous autumn day.

As I started my day, I gave thanks and praise to God my Father for another day, for another opportunity to do something good for someone else. I asked the Lord, as I do everyday, to guide me throughout my day, and to fill me with his Holy Spirit; to protect my heart and my thoughts, to allow in only those from Him so I don’t get confused, and I thanked Him for forgiving me for yesterdays mistakes. I found that when I pray about these things early in the morning, I usually have a really good day. When I give control to God and submit to His will for me, my life is just so much better. I am by far a better follower than a leader. I choose God as my leader, and I know He will send me in the right path, the one He has chosen for me. I just have to follow where He sends me. How easy is that!

Today was truly a day to rejoice and be glad in. Church was great! The Sunday school lesson was really good, and the service was special. We got a “two-for” this morning. First, our missionaries dedicated their infant son to the Lord. That was very special. As our young pastor said, there’s something very special about praying with a baby for the first time. Then, our pastor for many, many years was honored as Pastor Emeritus. Then after the sermon, which was awesome again, we had a covered dish luncheon. We were blessed with an abundance of delicious food and love overflowed from each cup.

On the way home, there was an awesome song on the radio. I turned it up and wailed along, not caring at all who heard me or saw me. I was singing praises and feeling the love! As I parked the car, and the song ended, I said thanks to God, for allowing me to be a part of it all today, and thanks for choosing me.

Scriptures:

Psalm 108:1 (NLT) My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!

Psalm 150 (NLT) 1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! 3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! 4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! 5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD!

The Grandparents

2008-10-13T11:20:00.001-04:00

Praise Song
I'll Trust You Lord -- Donnie McClurkin

the grandfather, he’s eighty-six
and still provides for his kin.
what will they do if he gets sick
and can’t make the trip in
to the food bank for the charity provisions?
he says those boys are not living like they should
all the time getting into trouble and up to no good.
he hopes someday they’ll step up
and be men of integrity
fulfilling their responsibility
as good citizens of the country he fought for.

the grandmother just lost her life-long spouse.
she has to leave her home next week
and go live in her daughter’s house
for the time being.
sorrow and poor health have left her weak.
she fights back tears when she speaks,
says no one will help her pack
or carry boxes out.
she has diabetes. her legs are tired and so is her back.
she’s got other ailments too that she didn’t talk about.
she always did for them what she could,
ever since they were babies.
now, if they would
help her, just once, and not be so lazy.

two different people
yet their stories are the same.
they suffered and sacrificed,
two pawns, playing along in life’s game.
in the end, who decides
who walks and who rides?
so many people today are in the same boat
while others are selfish,
they stand by and gloat
just thinking about themselves
not realizing they contributed to the pain.
how sad that the love they received
was given in vain.

Leviticus 19:32
" 'Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.

18 Sept 2008

Food Bank

2008-10-13T11:05:00.015-04:00

Praise Song
Great is Your Mercy

she’s stuck in the wheel chair.
he bathes her and fixes her hair
and pushes her down the street.
like so many others, they can’t make ends meet
and, as a last resort, turn to charities
for food, so they have something to eat.
they were doing just fine, their kids are all grown
and out on their own.
then, she had a stroke
and he lost his job.
like so many folks,
they could no longer pay for their home
and the bank foreclosed.
now they’re in a section eight one bedroom apartment,
the heat and hot water is included. sorry, no pets allowed (cats or dogs).
in the basement, there’s a storage compartment.
they’ll be there until he finds another job.

each day, the faces change
and the stories vary.
but the hope is the same:
to get some food and hope it will carry
them through a week or maybe two.
a few bags won’t go far.
we wish there was more.
for now, that’s all we can do.

Scriptures:

Luke 14:13-14
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Matthew 19:21
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Release and Forgive

2008-10-12T17:52:00.005-04:00

Proverbs 19:11 (CEV)
“It's wise to be patient and show what you are like by forgiving others.”

Praise Song
This is how if feels to be free -- The Good guys

How wonderful the peace of mind
that comes when we receive the divine
gift to release and forgive.
Oh, how good it is to live
in freedom from holding onto grudges, and anger, and hate
against people we once loved, or a best friend, or a soul mate.

It’s like being furloughed from a prison;
or seeing with a new vision.
When we are no longer bound
to this invisible force so profound
that it stands as a case
against us, keeping us from God’s mercy and grace
He’s extending to us to claim.

The practice of forgiving others is our gain.
For over us, they’ll no longer have control.
Our forgiving them breaks the hold they have on our heart, mind and soul.

When we forgive,
we are free to live.
Only then can we ask God to forgive us,
and he does. We reflect back on how life was
before and wonder why
did we hold onto all the junk and bitterness. We cry
happy tears
because for the first time, in perhaps years,
we are at peace.
I praise you, God, and thank you for this blessed gift of release
and forgive.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (New Living Translation)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”)

2008-10-10T18:13:00.004-04:00

2 Corinthians 12:9 (New International Version) But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Praise Song
Everlasting God -- Lincoln Brewster

The other day, one of daily devotional messages I get on-line referenced this passage. The author wrote about her own thoughts, questioning her faith, wondering if God’s grace is truly sufficient?

This has been on my mind everyday since. I picture myself in all kinds of scenarios. One would be in a foreign country where I don’t know the language, don’t know anyone, cannot read signs or anything anywhere, I have no money nor even my Bible, and only the clothes I am wearing. The other is like the movie “Cast Away”, where I am all alone on an island. Again, I have only the clothes on my back, but in this scenario, it is even harder because there is no one, at all. I am totally and completely on my own.

How could I survive in either of these cases? Of course, the chances are better that someone might help me in the foreign country; someone might recognize my plight and offer some food or shelter. However, I’d be easy prey for a predator in search of a victim. On that deserted island, I’d could easily become victim to nature: weather and or animals. What would I eat or drink? How could I build a shelter to protect me from the elements? How would I keep my lily-white skin from frying to a crisp?

The scariest thought of all would be facing all of this without my Bible. I’m so hooked on it and I need it just as much as I need food and water. God’s word has become such an important element in my life. Just like breathing, I have to have it. I need it just as much as I need air.

Millions are experiencing financial set-backs these days. The national economy is a testimony of how bad things are, and they are going to get much worse. The oil situation is only a portion of it. Banks are going under every day. Businesses are closing their doors at an alarming rate. Thousands upon thousands are losing their homes because they cannot pay their mortgages. If the day comes when I am in that situation, when I have nothing except my clothes and my faith, will Jesus be enough? Will my faith sustain me? Will God’s grace be sufficient?

Scriptures

Genesis 22:8 & 14 (New Living Translation) 8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

Deuteronomy 11:15 (New Living Translation) He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat.

Acts 14:17 (New International Version) Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Personal References

2008-10-03T23:40:00.005-04:00

Praise Song
Turn your eyes upon Jesus -- News Boys

My mom lives in an assisted living facility (ALF) near the Jersey shore. I don’t get to visit her very often; in fact, it’s been a very long time since my last trip over there. Our relationship wasn’t the greatest, and the worst parts were the latter years, but that’s another story. Probably my guilty feelings for not visiting her has a lot to do with my going over to the ALF at the other end of town this morning and filling out an application for volunteer services. Actually, it’s my guilty conscience and a prompting from the Holy Spirit. I thought that maybe if I would go and spend time visiting with folks that don’t get visitors, then perhaps He’d send someone over to visit with my ma.

I entered the facility and was greeted by a very lovely lady at the reception desk who asked if she could help me. I told her that I wanted to find out about the volunteer program. She gave me an application to fill out and invited me to have a seat so I’d be more comfortable.

I learned there are a number of cool and fun things to do with the residents over there. Playing cards, board games, reading, sing-alongs, arts and crafts, just to mention a few. I checked off all of these activities in the section where it inquired about my own interests. They allow therapy pets to visit. There is a test the animal and handler must pass, of course, before they can participate. I would love to see the dogs that come to visit, and witness the reaction of the residents. I’ve heard it many times how they love pet visits, how happy they are when they’re holding a loving animal.

I was doing just fine filling out this application; I successfully wrote in my name, address, phone numbers and the other requested information about me. Then, I got to the section that asked for personal references. I was at a loss. I could not think of anyone to list as a reference. My husband is my “best friend”, so I couldn’t list him. I certainly couldn’t list the dog; that would’ve looked a tad foolish, even if he is my best buddy. All of my other “acquaintances” fall under two categories: the past, the ones I used to work with, who don’t know me anymore because I’m not the same person I was six months ago; and then there are the new ones, my new “friends” from church who haven’t known me long enough to provide a reference. There is one person whom I’m very privileged to have in my life and I think knows me quite well, however our relationship is long distance. We communicate via the Internet and the phone. So I sat there, trying to think of three people who know me well enough to give a referral of my character. Finally, I decided to name two ladies from the Salvation Army who can at least provide an account of my demeanor while I’m there; and I wrote down my younger brother and my niece.

The receptionist commented on the amount of time I spent filling out this short questionnaire. I blamed it on the references, saying that I didn’t know addresses (which is true) and hoped that if I just sat there for a bit, they’d come to me. I didn’t want to admit that I don’t have any friends close-by and that nobody really knows me.

As I was driving away, I thought to myself there is only one who truly knows me. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows everything I’m going to think or say or feel before I do. That’s because He created me. He numbered each hair on my head. He put the desire into my heart to give and to serve others. He won’t require me to provide personal references. He knows. He knows everything. He knows my heart. Guess what? He loves me anyways. He loves me and accepts me just the way I am! Wow. He’s awesome, eh.

Scriptures:

Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb”

Matthew 10:30 “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

hometown

2008-10-03T16:18:00.000-04:00

a small town in the u.s.a.

once bustling, growing, producing,

lots of jobs offering good pay.

one by one, the factories moved away.

poverty, it seems, is here to stay.

drugs and the peddlers come out at night.

they hang out on street corners, in plain sight.

with no other way

the rent to pay,

sell drugs at night

and hide throughout the day.

a lone gun shot rang out.

everyone scattered.

his body was left behind

like he never even mattered.

a mother’s son, another casualty,

another victim of crime.

only one hit today,

but how many the next time?

Un-Hostile Take-Over

2008-09-24T18:38:00.003-04:00

“Team,” the leader began, “we have a new mission on our agenda today. A deliverance not unlike the many we’ve done in the past. As usual, the owner called on us to conquer and remove the invaders that are currently in place within this organization. My Son did the preliminary work a while back, when the original distress call came in. All went well, the culprits were removed. However, there was a breech in the security system; they made their way back in and are attempting a hostile take-over.”

“Sir,” the first assistant inquired “how will we be able identify the hostile ones?”

“They will be easy for you to recognize, for they are agents of our arch enemy and refer to themselves as Doom and Gloom. There is nothing good about them,” the leader replied.

“We’re eager to accept this assignment,” replied the Holy Spirit. “Give us your blessing and we will move in and conquer. One question, though, what will become of these hostile ones?”

“I will destroy them and they will never invade this soul again,” said the Lord. “I will throw them into the fire where they will burn to ash and the east wind will come and blow them away.

“I command you to enter this Soul and remove all evil and impurities from it. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

So, the Holy Spirit and his team (the fruits) invaded the troubled soul. The first battle was in the central control room (the heart). Love, Joy, Hope, Kindness, Goodness, and Gentleness flooded the heart and forced out Hate, Sorrow, Self, Anger, Doubt and Fear. The other team, Peace, Patience, Faithfulness, Self-Control and Confidence made their way to the upper annex (the mind) and eradicated Distress, Anxiety, Indulgence, Deceit and Intolerance.

After earnest prayers, the battles were over, and the Holy Spirit's team emerged victorious over the Doom and Gloom warriors.

“Well done, team!” said the Master. “The soul is rejoicing and singing praises to us once more. As requested, my Son and I will assume complete control of Soul from this point on. We shall stay here forever.”

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things