In His Loving Arms

A message of Hope for the parent of the wandering child...

Some words from our Father,

My heart aches with yours as your children stray from the teachings of Me that you so lovingly instilled in them. My eye has not turned away from them. There are lessons each one must learn so that they will come to better understand Who I am and who I have created them to be. Just like you, they will come back. I have them in My Loving Arms. Trust Me and draw hope and faith from My Words.

Prov 22:6 (MSG)

Point your kids in the right direction - when they're old they won't be lost.

Isa 43:4-7 (MSG)

That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you. So don't be afraid: I'm with you. I'll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west. I'll send orders north and south: 'Send them back. Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from faraway places. I want them back, every last one who bears my name, every man, woman, and child Whom I created for my glory, yes, personally formed and made each one.

Isa 43:1b (MSG)

Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine.

I feel God wants to encourage you dear friends today, especially during this Christmas Season not to loose heart. God is at work in your child’s life. He has not given up on them. Draw on His strength that He gives you from the Holy Spirit. You are His instruments and have had to make some tough choices on their behalf. The road of a parent is not an easy one and sometimes it can be very lonely.

Don’t let the enemy consume you with despair, hopelessness and fear. Don’t let him distract you from the Word of Truth. God’s promises are Yes and Amen. Rejoice in the Lord, in His Faithfulness. Remember we walk by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Still in His Loving Arms

Love unconditionally with His Love. Entrust your child with Jesus. Continue to pray for their protection and their hearts to be turned back to Him, step back and worship Him for He is worthy to be praised.

Nothing is too difficult for our God. He loves them and us so much that He came down to earth to reconcile us back to Himself. Don’t give up, don’t loose heart and remember they are Still in His Loving Arms.

Love and Blessings from your sister Pam.

Is the cost too high?

Do you do what you say you're going to do or do you rationalize your way out?

Hannah was a barren woman and constantly ridiculed by her rival Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, who was fruitful with many children. Hannah’s husband loved her dearly and gave her extra portions of food because she was without children.

One day Hannah went to the sanctuary and prayed in earnest to God petitioning Him to give her a son, with the promise that she will give the son back to God for His service. The Priest Eli agreed with her prayer and sent her off with a blessing from God.

11 Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. 1Sam 1:11

God heard Hannah’s prayers and gave her Samuel. God provided the very thing she had been longing for but she had made a vow to God, so now what would she do?

What will you do if God answers your prayer with a yes and grants your hearts desire? 

I think Hannah’s motive was primarily linked to the customs of their time. The chief value of a woman in biblical times was first her chastity and, after marriage, her reproductivity. If a woman was barren she had no value.

Hannah didn’t know at the time what role Samuel would play in God’s plan for mankind, a Priest, a Judge, the one chosen to identify King David in the great lineage of Jesus our Savior. All Hannah knew was that she wanted a child more than anything, if only just to find value as a human being.

How many times have you bargained with God? God, if You will save my child then I will .... God if You will heal my father then I will ... But do you follow through with your part? Do you try and justify your way out of giving up the thing that you bargained with because the cost seemed too high? Or when you do respond in obedience is it begrudgingly?

I think we can learn something from Hannah’s response. After her son was weaned she responds with a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving and sacrificially gives her only son back to the Priest to raise and serve God. Read 1 Sam 2:1-10

Granted, now she had value as a woman, but I’m sure there was a connection with her child and the sacrifice of letting him go must have been torturous. We don’t read that part but as women we can only imagine the agony she must have experienced.

So how does God respond to her gratitude and sacrifice? He blesses her with 3 more sons and 2 daughters. More than she could have dreamed possible.

I believe God is always searching our hearts. He wants to bless us. He wants to grant us our hearts desire as long as it's in line with His Word. He also wants people who will serve Him, obey Him, honor Him, trust Him, love Him and be thankful whether we see the response we want or not.

Can you trust God with your hearts desire? Will you follow through with your end of the bargain?

It’s a matter of integrity. I think too often we rationalize our way out of doing what we have promised; not only to God but to others and we limit the possibilities of further blessings in our lives. 

We have a New year coming and many resolutions will be given which often we ask for God's help with. How about this year we follow through with our part with a thankful heart and just see what will happen. 

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that we will be people of integrity. I pray that You will help us to honor our promises and commitments to You and others. Help us to receive all You have for us with an attitude of thanksgiving. In Jesus Name, Amen!

It doesn't go there!

Are you struggling today with what you should be doing next in your life? Maybe there is a big decision looming over your head. It’s so important to be willing to let go of all of our own preconceptions of what we think we need to do or how things should happen and trust in God’s Higher plan. 

The Spirit of God has been speaking to me over and over this year that He is in control and He has a plan. He knows the Big Picture. I believe it but do I live my life like I do?

In a recent conversation with my Prayer Partner we talked about our plans vs God’s plans. A visual was shared straight from God of our lives as a big puzzle thrown up in the air and in our quest to help Him we try to grab a piece of the puzzle and place it down where we think if should go. While God is saying, It doesn’t go there, let it go!

5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the One who will keep you on track. Prov 3:5-6 (MSG)

10 Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isa 41:10 (MSG)

I have found that when I am willing to let go of my own thoughts and desires and entrust them with God, then I am able to rest in His Peace, His Timing and get better clarity of what's going on. I'm able to move forward in my day with confidence knowing that Someone Who's a great deal smarter then me is sorting out all of the details of my life and has my back.

What about you? Are you striving to make things happen in your life that maybe don't belong there? Are you stressing over what the future holds for you? I think it's time to throw the fragmented pieces of your life up in the air and let God put them where they need to be.

There's a phrase that has been used over and over again, but I think it really applies, Let go and Let God!

I encourage you to do it today and just wait and see what He will do in your life. I venture to say it will be more then you ever dreamed possible!

Lord- Please help us to trust You with every area of our lives. Forgive us for trying to cram things in where they don't belong. We choose not to panic about what we think the future holds but to rest in the knowledge that You are in control. Thank You that You know the Big Picture and have the Master Plan. We surrender to You Lord. Have Your way God in our lives today, we pray in Jesus Name, Amen!

Jesus cleared the path

How do you approach God? Do you feel like you have to be all cleaned up, dressed in your Sunday best before you can talk with Him? Do you skulk in, begging and pleading for Him to have mercy on you? Do you cower down while waiting for His mighty fist to pound you to dust because of your sin? Here's what the Word says:

19 So, friends, we can now - without hesitation - walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place." 20 Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. 21 The "curtain" into God's presence is His body. 22 So let's do it - full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. 23 Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps His word. Heb 10:19-23 (MSG)

The devil wants nothing more then to convince you that you are unacceptable before God. He does not want you to know who you are because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Once you realize that you can boldly walk into God's Presence you will be changed. When you stand on God's promises that you are a New Creation, Holy and acceptable before Him, you will be changed.

Jesus did it all we just have to believe it!!!!!

Friends we should be walking with our heads held high in a spirit of rejoicing. We should freely dance before the Lord like David did because the path to God has been cleared by Jesus. Our sin is washed clean by His blood.

Quit letting the enemy rob you of the knowledge of what you have been freely given. Run into God's Presence. Live in an attitude of thanksgiving and rejoicing because of the Grace (unmerited favor) He has given you.

24 Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, 25 not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. Heb 10:24-25 (MSG)

Do you need to be encouraged today? Seek Him out, seek out His children. Hang out with the Body of Christ, offer your help if it's needed and talk about the goodness of God. Encourage each other about His Promises and share the miracles that He is doing in your life. Share God's goodness with non believers who are searching to be free too!

Read His Word, find out more about Who He is and who you are because all that He has done for you, just because He loves you!!

Brothers and sisters don't walk in defeat today, that is playing right into the devils hand. You are a child of the Most High God. You were bought and paid for with a price, the blood of Jesus. He cleared the path for you to walk continually in God's Presence. As one of our Pastor's at church says, WOW!

Lord please forgive us for listening to the lies that we are no good, that we can't talk with You directly. Forgive us for seeing You as a mean task master at times and not throwing our arms open wide, with a thankful heart and rejoice in Your Presence. Help us to cast off our hesitations and run into Your arms today, confessing those times of missing the mark and graciously accept the forgiveness that You died for us to have. 

Finally remind us to take time and encourage others in the faith. As we share the goodness You are doing in our lives it not only builds others up but it builds us up too!

Thank You Jesus for making a way for us to live today in Victory and spend Eternity with You!

Are you under construction?

30 "Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain." Ex 26:30 NIV

This is God, The Architect, speaking to Moses, the foreman of the project.

Being one who has gone through a home remodel project and likely going to go through another, this really speaks to me about trust in someone else's vision and the willingness for construction to take place where I live. As well as the willingness to let go of something that's relatively comfortable to be changed to something spectacular.

God had a plan for His dwelling place. He knew what the Tabernacle etc. needed to look like and what it would take to make it happen. He knew the length of the panels, wood and all. He even SHOWED this to Moses in a drawing of some sort on the Mountain. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around that one. He pulled out the blueprint, maybe drew it out in the dirt and revealed the big picture to Moses.

Throughout Exodus we read all of the specifics of the design. Moses had to trust and obey all of the instructions. God continued to emphasis that Moses needed to solicit the help of skilled craftsmen to do some of the work. God knows all that needs to happen in our lives. He knows what it will take to create the end result that is needed. The work wasn't done over night,  it took along time to accomplish.

How does this affect us today? We must put our trust in Him and let Him take His Temple, where He dwells, and remodel us to look like Him. We need to let Him be the draftsman and follow the blueprint that He has laid out for us in His Word. He has shown us what the Big Picture should look like, in the Person of Jesus.

19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Cor 16:19-20 NIV


10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Col 3:10 NIV

15 He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Col 1:15

Now it's up to us to respond when He says get rid of this or that and replace it with such and such.
He has provided skilled workers in our lives to help us be all that we can be. People who may have already gone through something that we need to change or learn about like our Pastor's, Bible Teacher's, a mature follower of His that we see His Image, Jesus, revealed through.

Let's let Him be the Architect in our lives. Let's read the plans He's laid out for us and make the changes needed so we can be all that He has created us to be. All leading to the end result of being conformed into the Image of Jesus Christ. It won't happen overnight, it will take a lifetime of construction.

The good news is we don't have to do it alone. He has even given us the Foreman and Workman, His very Spirit, dwelling within us to give us the ability and strength to follow the plans. But we must be willing to surrender our thoughts and will to Him and let Him do the work in us. We must step out in faith and trust that He knows what needs to be done next and then we do it, through His power.

He knows what it's going to take to become the beautiful Image of Himself today, here on earth. His Temple in us; a place where His Spirit freely dwells and is able to move through to reveal Jesus to others.

Are you willing to be a construction site? Are you willing to let Him draw in the dirt of your life the Big Picture and go from someone relatively comfortable to someone spectacular?

Trust Him

The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace. Ex 14:14

When you go through life doing what you feel God has told you to do sometimes it can feel like you’re fighting the gates of hell to move forward. You can feel very alone and isolated. No one seems to understand you and few seem to care. Know this, as a follower of Christ He has made you a promise that He is with you and will fight on your behalf.

This passage in Exodus is referring to God’s hand being at work on behalf of His children as He was bringing them out of captivity. They continued to grumble and complain because it wasn’t happening the way they expected it to. They needed to TRUST God that He was at work.

We, as His grafted in children through the sacrificial blood of Jesus, have a right to the same promise. He will and is fighting for us to accomplish what He has called us to do. What do we do, grumble and complain. Why? Because we don’t understand how He is working. We think we’re battling the situations we see before us but there very well maybe other battles that are going on that we are purposely in the dark on.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eh 6:12

Are you stepping out in faith and doing what you feel God has asked of you? Hold fast and let Him work it out. Let Him fight the battles.

5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Prov 3:5-6

Don’t be discourage brothers and sisters. God has a plan. He is at work in your life. Stop looking at the circumstances you’re in as your enemy and begin to Thank Him for them. He has made a promise to you. As His child He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will give you all you need, when you need it, to do what He has called you to do.

More than anyone this is a strong reminder to me. While I’m in the midst of so much activity, I must hold, treasure and guard my peace and know that I am right where He wants me to be. I need to let Him lead me and fight any battles that need to be fought. I need to stand against the lies of confusion, fear and discouragement. I need to put one foot in front of the other and know that as I press into Him He will lift me up.

Thank You Jesus for this reminder again. Thank you that I must rejoice and look forward with great expectation to the natural and the supernatural victories that are mine as I put my Trust in You!!

Playing His beautiful music for all to hear!

The life of a servant of the Most High God is filled with movement and flexibility. Like participating in a beautiful classical piece being orchestrated by a Master Conductor, we each have our part to play. Are you willing to learn how to tune and play your instrument and perk up when it’s your time to join in or do you want to sit on the side lines and just listen missing the opportunity to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself?

4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully 

Rom 12:4-8

I encourage you today to let Him teach you how to turn your life into a beautiful instrument. Find your gifting so that He can mold and create through you His beautiful music. Whether anyone else even sees or hears your part specifically it doesn’t matter because it’s all part of the great piece of music that He has penned in our lives to bring Him glory and reach the world around us, revealing Who He is to others so they may join in His glorious song.

Seek Him with your whole heart and He will show you what to do next. Be responsive when He points to you with His Conductors Baton. Sit up and play your part and watch your life open up for His glorious music to come out. It takes us all working together to bring out the beautiful music He is longing for the world to hear.

Thank You Lord for the opportunity we have to be a part of Your beautiful symphony. Help us to know what our gifts and talents are. May our lives always be willing vessels for You to move in and through to bring out the most amazing music for all to hear. May it all be so that You would be glorified in us and through us this day for the increase of Your Kingdom, in Jesus Name, Amen!

Let Him lead

Living in a whirlwind

There's a side of getting older that I don't think men totally understand I'm afraid. Hot Flashes! My wonderful husband however never complains he just adds another blanket while I have two fans blowing on me and I throw covers off and on all night. I feel like I'm in the middle of a whirlwind and I find comfort. Comfort because I can get some rest while my body battles the signs of age with ways to cool off and stay warm as needed.

This nightly whilrwind makes me think of the recent events in my life. Seeing mom off to Heaven, planning and going through the Celebration of Her Life with Video. Picking up, selling our house and moving in a weekend; as a good steward of God's provision, taking care of trust tasks as the Executor with the Lawyers, Advisors etc. while still trying to work. Through this whilrwind of activity I have been able to find comfort.

Comfort through my Best Friend Jesus urging me on and providing the strength of 10 men to me when I needed it. Comfort from my husband who never stops making sure things are getting done, as we push through as a team. Comfort from my family who has stepped up and pitched in to help us reach our goals. And comfort from my friends, family and church family who have been praying and encouraging us along the way.

When it gets too hot I'm able to stop and pray and get that refreshing from the Lord and the knowledge of knowing my parents and the cloud of witness' are cheeing us on.

There are times when life is a whilrwind and times when it's a calm easy breeze. I'm thankful for both. Through the whirlwind I learn how to press in even more to Jesus and find rest as things fly by. Through the calm I'm able to rest and build up my strength for the next whirlwind of life.

In the late afternoon, the other day, I snuck out and played 9 holes of golf. I had to get away. I didn't have time to warm up and go through my routine. I just walked on and started playing. God provided a partner in an older gentleman that I had played with before. We talked about mom and the whilrwind but we also were able to just hit the ball around, root eachother on and enjoy the few hours of escape. I had some good shots and some not so good. But it didn't matter because I had a few moments of under the covers and warmth while the wind whirled around me.

Do you find yourself in a whirlwind today? Are you struggling between getting blown over and needing to hunker down and get er done. Find comfort my friends in knowing that you are not alone. We all go through stuff, it's how we handle it that can make or break a person. Learn how to take those breaks when needed. Learn how to rely on God's strength when you are at your end. Learn how to reach out to your family and friends to help you make it through. 

Life is not always a calm breeze but if you learn how to surround yourself with ways of dealing with the wind when it picks up you will make it through stronger and more confident than before it started.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matt 19:26

You won't know until you get out of the boat.

Choices in life are not easy. Especially if you are paired up with another and need to come in agreement on that decision that is before you.  

God has given us ways to help us make the best choices in our life’s journey. He has given us His Word, Godly counsel through relationships with possibly family, friends, Pastors etc.

Sometimes we are confronted with some very difficult choices. People can gives us their advice. We can pray about it and seek God but finally we have to step out and make a decision one way of the other.

One thing that has helped me over the years when facing hard decisions is the comfort in knowing that God has my back. Even if I don’t make the best decision at that time He will turn the outcome around for my best.

How can I have that confidence? Because I have seen it proven over and over again in my life. 

At one point a decision needed to be made whether to move our family of 3 out of the state or not. My ex-husband wanted to be closer to his mother in Oregon to help her out, which meant leaving my family and friends in California. We were in a thriving church, actually in the middle of a revival in the 80’s. We were leaders of a growing Home Group. I didn’t want to go but my husband did. 

I struggled with the decision for a long time. A sister in the Lord gave me some great advice. 

She said, “Even if it’s not God’s highest for you He will use it for your good.“  She encouraged me by reminding me that I was being scriptural in following my husband and that God would honor that obedience.

That helped me to let go and put my trust in Jesus along with a confidence in believing that He had my back. We uprooted and moved to Medford. 

Come to find out his mother really didn’t need us there. We joined up with our neighbor’s small 6 person church which met in their house. We had little money, 1 car, no heat in the house other than the fireplace. This was during the summer into the winter months. I felt very isolated.

Many times I cried out to the Lord for comfort but I wasn’t hearing Him like I did during the power of the revival in California. 

My husband was gone a lot working. The only bright side was I had the opportunity to not work and stay home with my little girl, Jessica. She was my delight! I got to pick her up from school and spend wonderful quality time with her at home. That was a time to treasure. I can still see us snuggling up on the coach, wrapped in 1 big blanket watching afternoon TV. There I found life.

Spiritually however I felt like I was dying in a desert with no water to be found. I searched and searched the scriptures to find my Lord. As I searched I was learning more and more about Him and others in the Bible that also searched for Him. 

We moved back to California 6 months later. Was this choice a failure or a success? On the outside it seemed like it was the wrong choice. We had to start over with jobs etc. But God used it so mightily in my life. 

I learned how to find Him in the depths of trials when He was seemingly no where to be found. He was able to build in me a strong Biblical foundation that as more trials came my way I have been able to draw on.

My walk with Him was no longer based on the emotion of exciting spiritual experiences but on the truth that He would never leave me or forsake me. That He would use every situation in my life for my good because I loved Him and was His child.

I was able to build wonderful memories with my daughter. I was able to learn that I could survive off of little income. I learned how to grow my own food and bake my own bread. I learned how to make lemonade out of the lemons that were before me.

Are you facing some tough decisions today? Where are you putting your trust? Is it in your abilities or in the One who has your back?

Making a choice and stepping out requires faith. You have to get out of the boat. Sure you may sink but you also may walk on water. You won’t know until you get out of the boat. The thing to remember is that if and when you begin to sink He will be there to lend a hand to get you to the next place you need to go on your journey.

Even though Peter may not have had a totally successful trip walking on the water by allowing fear and doubt to creep in, at least he tried. I would venture to say that his experience of knowing that Jesus would be there as He wavered helped him in the future choices he needed to make. 

Read Matt 14:25-33

The Lord wants us to put aside our fears. He wants us to step out. Put aside the paralysis of analysis. Get Godly counsel, seek His Word and step out. The Nike phrase comes to mind... Just Do it!

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

My Prayer:

Dear Lord, please help us in our daily walk with the many choices that are before us. Help us to be willing to be obedient to Your teachings and trust the outcome to You. Lead us to Your Word, build our faith and bring people around us to encourage and teach us in Your ways. Help us to put our trust in You and step out in faith today Lord, I pray, in Jesus Name, Amen!

Are you ready for the day? The Full Armor of God Eph 6

Putting on the Full Armor of God
 (repeat by special request)

1/27/11- Putting on the Full Amor of God 

This month I celebrate my 31rst birthday as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not all been easy leading up to it or walking in it. I'll write my testimony someday to share. One of the things that has helped me to walk in victory through all these years is actively putting on the Full Armor of God as often as needed. It's not about the repetition of the words themselves its about aligning myself with ALL that Christ has done, is doing and will do for me today. I go through these steps in my quite time and anytime I am feeling weak or need that extra confidence and reminder of who I am in Christ Jesus.

I hope you know that there is a spiritual realm that we live in. Putting on the Full Armor of God is putting on your Spiritual clothes so you are protected as you move through your day and night. Over the years the Lord has worked with me to expand this activity to make the most out of it. The following are the words I use as I follow God's direction through Ephesians chapter 6. May this help you as you seek to walk a victorious life today in Christ Jesus!

PUTTING ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD

      (EMBELLSIHED FROM EPH 6:10-17)

THANK YOU JESUS FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS OF ALL OF MY SINS.

PLEASE CLOTHE ME NOW WITH THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD.  

         

• THE HELMET OF SALVATION

LORD,

TAKE ALL OF MY THOUGHTS CAPTIVE UNTO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST, CASTING DOWN ALL IMAGINATIONS AND ANYTHING THAT WOULD RAISE IT’S HEAD UP AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOU. (PARAPHRASED 2 COR 10:5,6)

HELP ME TO SEE WITH YOUR EYES, HEAR WITH YOUR EARS, THINK WITH YOUR THOUGHTS, FEEL WITH YOUR FEELINGS, SPEAK YOUR WORDS, DREAM YOUR DREAMS, SEE YOUR VISIONS AND PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME

• BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

LORD,

HELP ME TO WALK ACCORDING TO THE PRICE YOU PAID AT CALVARY NOT ACCORDING TO MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR FAILURES.

• SECURE MY GARMENTS WITH THE BELT OF TRUTH

LORD,

HELP ME TO KNOW WHAT YOUR TRUTH IS AND CHOOSE TO WALK ACCORDING TO THAT TRUTH.

• SHOD MY FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF PEACE

LORD,

HELP ME TO WALK IN A PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF THOSE I COME IN CONTACT WITH AND WITH YOU. 

 • IN ONE HAND I CARRY THE TWO EDGED SWORD OF THE GOSPEL   

LORD,

HELP ME TO USE THAT SWORD TO NOT ONLY DIVIDE TRUTH FROM LIE AND RIGHT FROM WRONG BUT TO STAND AND DEFEND THE GROUND YOU’VE GIVEN ME FOR YOUR GLORY AND TAKE MORE GROUND FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

 • WITH THE OTHER HAND THE SHEILD OF FAITH 

LORD,

HELP ME TO USE THAT SHEILD TO NOT ONLY PROTECT MYSELF FROM ALL OF THE ONSLAUGHTS OF THE ENEMY BUT TO PUSH THROUGH ALL OF THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY ON TO VICTORY.

LORD,

CLOTHE ME NOW IN YOUR BLOOD. WASH ME AND CLEANSE ME FROM ALL OF MY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, SEAL ME AND SEPARATE ME IN YOU.

COME HOLY SPIRIT AND FILL ME A FRESH AND A NEW WITH YOUR PRESENCE.

IN JESUS NAME, AMEN!

What is faith?

Pledge of Faith- by Beth Moore

• God is Who He says He is.
• God can do what He says He can do.
• I am who God says I am.
• I can do all things through Christ.
• God's Word is alive and active in me.

God has used Beth's studies in my walk with Him in so many great ways. Her series on Believing God was so powerful at just the right time to build up my faith. We were encouraged to memorize this Pledge of Faith and have it sink in to build up our faith.

Is your faith a bit weak today? Do you really believe God is Who He says He is and that He can do what He says He can do?

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Heb 11:1 (NIV)

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor 5:7 (NIV)

A life of faith involves trust and belief. When you put a seed in the ground and you are told it's a tomato plant, that's what you expect to grow. Not a bell pepper. You are trusting and believing that the person who labeled the package or gave the seed to you knows for sure that what they are giving you is what you are expecting to come out of the ground.

When we put our faith in God we must have that same trust and belief. Where do we find the labels of what to expect to see grow in our lives, the Word of God. Where do we learn about Who the person is that is planting the seed in our heart, the Word of God. Where do we find out what will develop in us and grow from us, the Word of God.

When you have doubts, when you have questions, when you need your faith built up, go to the Word of God. Let Jesus speak to you through His spoken Words written on paper. Let His Love letters warm your aching heart. Let His Holy Spirit remind you through out the day of His great love for you. He has it all under control and He has a plan for your life.

Jesus does not say that we won't go through trials but that He will be with us when we do.

6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deut 31:6

I find great comfort in reading His Word and believing He can do and will do what He says He will do. I believe that there is a higher purpose in all situations that I encounter. A scripture that always helps to build me up when my faith starts waver is Romans 8:28

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

Is your faith being challenged today? Trust and believe that He is Who He says He is, The Great Physician and Healer, The Great Provider, The Great Creator, Our Comforter, Our Peace, Our Hope for Eternal Life!

29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed (spoken to Thomas); blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (US)." John 20:29 (NIV)

Put your faith where it will produce life within you. Put your faith in Jesus today. Let Him water that seed within you and receive His Peace. Surrender all of your cares to Him, trust and believe that there is a plan for your life today. He will give you all you need to make it through the day, one day at a time, moment by moment.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, please help us to put our trust in You. We don't understand all the things we are going through today. Help us to believe that You have a purpose in every situation. Help us to hear Your Words of comfort and wisdom as we step out in faith, one step at time. Be our strength Lord in our times of weakness. We surrender all to You and say Come Lord Jesus, have Your way in our lives today, in Jesus Name, Amen!

How much do you care?

The early days of my walk, were established on a strong moral compass that my dear friends were able to hold me accountable to- the Whole Word of God. These friends loved me enough to be willing to risk my friendship to direct me to Christ.

I was totally unaware of the Truth but once it was presented to me, in love, as much as I wanted to run away from it I couldn’t. I was a new believer, married and separated from one man while living in sin with another. I was directed to the Word of Truth. It was written there in black and while and as much as I tried to justify my actions I couldn't. The Holy Spirit hounded me until I consciously chose to do things His way! 


I had to make a stand and declare to that man that we would not be together unless it was done God's way. We moved apart, got our divorce's, went through marriage counseling at our church, submitted our desire to be married to the leadership of the church and finally got married. Our marriage lasted 18 years. He left but with God's strength I have been able to stand strong and move on. He has blessed me 100 fold! Praise God I made that choice so many years ago to live God's way.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (MSG)

9 I wrote you in my earlier letter that you shouldn't make yourselves at home among the sexually promiscuous. 10 I didn't mean that you should have nothing at all to do with outsiders of that sort. Or with crooks, whether blue- or white-collar. Or with spiritual phonies, for that matter. You'd have to leave the world entirely to do that! 11 But I am saying that you shouldn't act as if everything is just fine when one of your Christian companions is promiscuous or crooked, is flip with God or rude to friends, gets drunk or becomes greedy and predatory. You can't just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior. 12 I'm not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don't we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? 13 God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.

My prayer:

Thank You Lord for putting people in my path who knew Your Word and were willing to speak Your truth to me. It was hard to hear and harder still to act on but with Your help I did and I believe that that act of obedience and faith in You helped to start a lasting relationship with You  of love and trust. Forgive me Lord for those times I have spoken in anger to Your children for poor choices they have made. Help me Lord to speak Your truth in love, not out of my flesh. More of You and less of me I pray. In Jesus Name.

Spring has sprung, here come the weeds!

Looking out my back window I see new life rising up. Flowers are blooming, leaves are unfolding, fruit from our plum tree is soon to follow and weeds are starting to raise up their ugly heads. Even with the beauty of spring bursting forth, a bit of the unwanted still comes. I think this is a wonderful example of our lives. Pardon the mixture of metaphors but I think you'll get the point.

You are now a follower of Christ, Hallelujah! You have received Him in your life and asked Him to make you new. He has begun to shine through your life with glorious fruits of His Spirit, yea!

It all starts with Him:

5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

The definition of the Fruit of the Spirit is:

22 .. the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.. Gal 5:22-23

So where did that bit of resentment just come from? How about that anger? How about that impatience?

Just as with a garden it’s not until the weeds of our flesh or the bad fruit comes out that we are able to see what needs to be removed by the Master Gardener.

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:1


If you want to be one of His branches that bears fruit you must allow the pruning process to occur. If you want to have more flowers bloom in your life and have His fragrance permeate your being, all that is taking away from it's growth must be removed.

So often we want to run away, stuff or ignore the ugly parts of our character. Instead of beating yourself up for another fit of rage that came out, why not stop and ask God to show you the root of that anger. He wants to help remove that part of your character. He wants to bloom throughout your whole being so others will look and see His glorious work that is alive in your life.

We need to learn to be thankful when we see the weeds in our lives because God is allowing us to see areas that need a bit more attention. Maybe even a pick ax is needed to get down to that very stubborn root in your life. 

The great thing about God as our Master Gardener is that He knows where to work, how far to dig and He does it in a way that doesn't reveal too much for us to handle at a time. He even knows how to dig out the unwanted while keeping the flourishing parts of our character that He has started to develop.


Sometimes the reason why we act a certain way stems from years of abuse or certain bad things that may have happened as a child. In some cases we have buried the offense so far down that we didn't even know it was there. But our actions reveal that there is something deep within that needs to be pulled up. 


For example, God has shown me how defensive and hurt to most criticism I would become. It was evident by how I would quickly lash back with my justification as to why I was right without even considering another persons opinion. 


This year I invited the Gardener in more than ever to do His Work and He has been able to show me deep roots of pride that needed to be pulled out. He has worked over the years to remove pebbles and rocks along with bad soil to get to the root. This was the year to pull it out. Thank You Jesus! Now I can finally hear and learn more so that more good fruit can come out! He was able to replace that weed in my life with His Love and Acceptance for me just as I am and not because of my performance. All because I am His daughter. 

He lovingly continues to show me new areas that need to be worked on, it’s a life long process. I have learned however not to run away from the revelation of my weeds as they lift their ugly heads, but to run to Jesus with thanksgiving so He can show me what needs to be rooted out. This will allow Him to plant more of His beauty in my life. More of Him and less of me, that is my hearts cry!

29 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in Him. 
Romans 8:29

Let’s truly rejoice in all that God has in store for us. Welcome the Master Gardener in your life today!


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

Dear Lord, please help me to embrace all that You have for me today. Help me to open my eyes to see those rocks and weeds in my character that need to be extracted so more of Your beauty can spring forth. I choose  to walk through this life with thanksgiving knowing that You are working everything out in my life to make me more like Jesus. Have Your way my Lord. Pour out Your Living Water on and in me as Your Son shines in my life bringing out more of Your glorious Fragrance from Your Spirit within as You bloom in me today.

In Jesus Name, Amen.