There is Beauty in the Storm

Across town the snow is falling and the roads are getting slick, Mary begins to look out the window and worry.  Over the last hour the snow started to really come down and the newscaster is predicting over 4 inches in the new few hours.  Mary said to no one in particular, "storms come for no reason but to bring trouble". She starts hoping and praying her boss tells everyone to pack it up.  She can just see the traffic at a stand still.  Mary wants to get home to the kids, the school already said they would be dismissing early.  Soon the announcement comes that everyone can go, and to get home as soon as possible, it going to be a blizzard.  Mary becomes worried and fearful, the last time she drove in the snow someone almost hit her car and she knows today will probably be no better.  Curse this snow, Mary thought.

 

Now the snow begins to fall in the neighborhood and Alex and Hailey can't wait to get off of the school bus.  They hurry into the house and their Dad, Michael has just arrived home too.  They greet their Dad and inquire as to when Mary, their Mom will be home.  Michael reports that he just spoke with her and that she's on her way.  The kids get giddy with excitement and run toward the garage.  Michael continues into the living room.

 

Mary makes it home after a grueling bout with traffic. She walks in the house as the wind picks up and again curses the snow under her breath.  As she walks in the house she's greeted with warmth from the fire place and immediately feels warmth all the way down to her toes.  She come to the living room where she sees the window covering spread and open to reveal the shovels in the back yard and all the fixings to sled and make snow men. The snow is falling and its a beautiful sight! She also find Michael, Alex and Hailey gathered around the fire with mugs of hot chocolate. One is sitting to the side for her. Hailey exclaims they've been waiting for her to get home!  Alex explains how they were super excited to get out of school early and how they got everything ready to play in the snow later!  Michael holds his arms out so that she can come get comfortable with them and enjoy the rest of the day.  As she sits down he whispers into her ear "thank God for blizzards".

Mary considered her earlier feelings regarding the snow, about how it was such a hassle and just made for a miserable time.  As she thought to herself, she looked at her family and considered their outlook on the snow, she quickly realized that perception is everything.  That though snow and blizzards can bring about some ugly conditions in some circumstances,  they can also bring some awesome moments too. She realized there is beauty in the storm.

I pray this touched your heart today and that you will consider every side of  the situations you find yourself in.  Look for the beauty, if you happen to not be able to find it, look directly to God because He has purpose in everything.

~God Bless U

On A Personal Note...

I don't think I ever really write anything about myself. Today I want to share with you an area I am asking God to sharpen in me.  I need God and am believing for Him to equip me to believe in myself. 

I have enough self esteem to fool people most of the time, but never enough to fool myself any of the time.  What I mean is that lately I find self doubt a part of my thoughts more that I find self assurance.  This was once something I struggled with in childhood and I'm not entirely sure I've gotten over it.  As a matter of fact, I know I haven't.  I'm not talking about the kind of self esteem that gages how cute I am or if a boy thinks I'm worth talking to. That I have no problem with, and... well...that husband of mine is stuck with me!   I'm talking about the kind of self esteem that accepts I'm nothing apart from Christ, but also knows I'm everything in Him because of Him. I know that He didn't save me to leave me and forget about me and every situation that I will ever face.  But I find myself feeing unworthy and sometimes even helpless because of history.  On top of this comes guilt, because I know better.  I know that God loves me.  I know He has a plan for me.  I know it's not me that makes me worthy, but the grace and mercy that He gives me freely. 

So why can't I get it together?  Because sometimes even I;  the person that takes care of everyone else, that prays for others, that's always discarded until somebody wants a word from God; needs to be encouraged and reminded that God's grace is sufficient and that it's okay for me to matter.  Also, that every promise that God has made to me will come to pass.  I also need to be reminded that Satan wants to bring me down and ruin the relationship that I have with God.  But, I'm also reminded that he's a liar and a thief.  God has the final say and He's there to help his children along the way.  He won't even suffer one of us to be lost. (Thank you Jesus)

I thank God right now for this.  I wasn't sure what I was writing when I opened my computer, but I see now that God wanted to minister to me.  I needed to be able to see what He has been speaking so clearly in my ear.  I do believe that God has great things for me, my family, and my ministry.  I also know that if I can hold on a little longer it will come to pass.  If anyone reading this finds themselves attacked on every side, finds that the old things that used to plague you have shown back up from out of nowhere, I encourage you to take it to God in prayer right now.  Remember that the bible calls Satan a worthy adversary, because he plays dirty and he will do everything to deceive you and have you focused on the wrong thing.  Just remember to always enquire of the Father and He will direct your paths.  Tell the enemy, no way, he's a liar, and you refuse to play his dirty games.  Start to call out the promises of God in your life, speak life, health, favor, and blessings over yourself daily. Believe that you are as precious as God says you are.  That you matter to Him, so you better start mattering to yourself .  Know that there is nothing wrong with knowing who you are and whose you are.  You are a better person for it.   This advice I write is to myself first.  And I plan to walk in it right this moment!

After writing this I feel so encouraged to run on in the faith,  I hope you do too!

~God Bless U

Don't Give Up

I just want to quickly encourage you all to not give up.  So many times we are right on the edge of our breakthrough and because we loose steam, loose the fight, or stop pressing, we never get what God has right around the corner for us.  Ecclesiastes 9:11 says:
 "The race is not given to the swift nor the strong but he who endures until the end."

God would not admonish us to have endurance if we didn't need it.  He doesn't want us to give up!  If you just hold on a little longer, the blessing of the Lord is sure to overtake you.

Here's what I want to share with you today.  Do you know that the enemy gets busier as you get closer to God and what He has for you?  His number one priority is to keep you from getting there.  He wants to keep you depressed, oppressed, discouraged, downtrodden, impoverished, and useless. This keeps you from realizing who you are in Christ, who you are to God, and who God is to you.  Don't let him win.  Keep fighting! Keep believing!  Keep striving!  Don't give up!!!

Think of what would have happened if Abraham had given up, or King David, or Elijah, or most of all Jesus.  But they did not.  Jesus did not throw the baby out with the bath water, He suffered and endured for us.  As a matter of fact, He did it just for YOU!  So I encourage you to endure the sufferings and persecutions a little longer. Withstand the attacks of the enemy.  The Apostle Paul said  ^"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us", in Romans 8:18.  In other words nothing can compare to what God has coming up for you.  Believe that, stand on that, proclaim that, and don't give up!

~God Bless U

Count it All Joy

I attended a funeral today and found I had a few things on my mind.  I didn't know the deceased very well, but some members of her family are very near and dear to me.  I found myself sitting among those grieving and asking God to just help them. Help them get through this day, help them get through their grief, and to help them heal in every part of their lives.  In asking God to help them it made me take account of just how helpless I was feeling in the situation.  I was among these hurting people and there was nothing I could do to take their pain away, after all there is no real humanly comfort in death.  That kind of comfort is spiritual and it comes from God. I really started to pray and ask God to reveal His Word to me in this and it wasn't until I sat down to share with you all that I caught it real good.  The scripture of James 1:5 keeps coming to my mind, "Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."  The part that really resonates with me is the count it ALL joy.  In other words not just the good times, or happy times, but all times. 

 

As I started to meditate on this I began to ask God how can I find joy in a funeral and people's grief?  Then He began to show me that many things take place during these sad occasions.  Often times funerals and births have a way of healing rifts in the family. They bring people closer.  They also remind us of our humanness.  If we have distorted our focus to the world these occasions serve to put our focus back where it belongs. On GOD.  People rededicate themselves to God , so that they are found ready when their departure comes and some just come to realize that death is not something to fear, but to learn that it too is part of the plan in God's will.    Grief certainly has it's place, but God wants us to lean on Him for strength and healing.  Also lend your ear to what He may be speaking in these types of seasons.  Remember that all things work for the good of those that love God and that are the called to His purpose. 

 

God Bless U

What Are You?...

What are you?... I truly can't get over when  people ask me that question. And it all together saddens me.  In other words they're saying; "what is the difference between us.  What do or don't we have in common.  Are you a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Apostolic, Pentecostal, COGIC, etc?"  My question to them is why? Why does it even matter to you?  Will it make you like or love me any less? Or will you decide depending on my answer if I truly love the Lord, if I have enough faith, if I'm real enough, or if you will ever speak to me again?

I know this isn't a popular topic and many will disagree with me.  I'm okay with that though. I am ready to cut beyond the religious tape and get to the meat and potatoes of things.  I don't and I'm sure others don't need the extra.  Our plate is full.  We are mothers, wives, daughters, workers, coaches, husbands, brothers fathers and christians, among the many other hats we wear.  I don't need to have one more title put on me.  I don't believe the christian organization determines right or wrong. ( I am not venturing into Catholisism, Scientology, Muslims, Mormanism, or those others.) Iwant to be clear that I am only speaking about the organizations that cosider Jesus Christ in His full Glory their core belief system. I consider those, different sections of the body of Christ.  We all have one thing in common for sure and I'm sure if you look deep enough a few others also; we love God, we believe that Jesus came and died for our sins, that He is the son of God and that through Him we can obtain eternal salvation.

I don't discount the ways of any of the bodies of Christ listed above.  But my thought is this; know that we are all part of the body and our congregations and those identical to us don't make up the body as a whole.  In other words, one organizations ways are not the only way to go. (whew, I'm in trouble now!, lol)  Are there some very distinct core things you should have under your belt? Yes, there is. But what religious organization you belong to is not one of them.

Here is my point. The word of God says in 1 Corinthians 12: 12-14:

 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (NIV)

For the sake of a mental picture imagine this. A picture of a body , I call it Christian.  As I start to name my body parts I start with the Head.  I name is Jesus Christ, because the word says He is our head.  But then I label my  left hand - baptist, and my my other hand -apostolic, and my right foot -cogic, and my left foot - methodist, and so on and so on.  We are all one body under the head of Christ, just different parts.  

And I believe that is okay.  I have sat under some of these organizations and I find for the most part no fault with any of them.  Except some in the faith have no tolerance for other organizations that differ in doctrines.  We should have but one doctrine, and that is the doctrine of Christ.  Love, charity, patience, peace, long suffering, righteousness, holiness, sanctification all under our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Those should be the things we live by.  The word of God is true and I believe God never intended us to be so separate in our thinking.

So where do I stand?  I stand with my feet firmly planted in Jesus. I do believe in the Apostolic way, the way the apostles went and the very words in the book of Acts.  I also believe the Methodist.  There is a method to the Christian life, you can not come to God any kind of way. I also believe in the Baptist.  If Jesus was baptized before the people as an outward show of His devotion to the Heavenly Father, then who are we to disagree.  And so on with the other organizations.  But that is as far as I go. 

It doesn't matter to me the doctrine and dogma of others as long as the core principles line up with the Word of God.  We need to have one very important thing in common, no wavering, and no variances:  Jesus Christ!  Not that He was just a prophet, or a very important historical figure, or that He is one of many gods. But that He is the Savior of this world. That He died on Calvary's Cross.  That He Was, and Is, and Is to Come. That He is the One True Living God. That He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, and that He will one day come again and we will reign with Him in Heaven.  That is what I'm about.  I mean people that mean Jesus. And if we have that in common, then God can work out everything else.

I pray this has helped someone.  Let's not get caught up in religion and tradition as the Pharisees and Sadducees did in the days of Jesus.  People are hurting and they are in need of a Savior not our  own opinions and doctrines. We are to introduce them to Jesus and preach the Good News.  He is the only one that can clean us up and put us on the right path.  I would sit with any one of the Christian organizations as long as they had a good solid foundation and the true Word of God was going forth.  That's all it takes. But, I am not a babe in Christ and I can rightly divide the Word for myself.  Many can't and are unsure and  don't know which way to go.  Help them go the way God planned, not how we think they should go.  I have seen people not fellowship or speak to others because they differed in organizations.  But that is wrong, and a trick of the enemy to keep us divided.  

The above scripture goes on to talk about the members of the body not being fully functional  if it was all the same.  This is true for us too.  We may be different parts but we are one body with one Head, again  that is Jesus.  When someone asks you that question; What are you? Your answer should be, A follower of Christ. That is enough!

I pray no one is offended and that my words and thoughts are received in love. That I am a helper to my bretheren.  God Bless you.

When in doubt... Simply Jesus.

When starting a sunday school, bible study, blog, things like that, there is always the question of where to begin.  Whenever a situation or any problem presents itself, I simply start with Jesus!

He is the beginning and end of everything. The Word says, "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise". (Psalms 100:4) So, I'll do just that. Thank you Lord for all that you have done, are doing, and will do in my life and the lives of your people. For you are the King of kings and Lord of lords, all things belong to You. For that, I honor and bless your Holy Name. ~Amen

Jesus is the answer to all that is going on in your life.  Without Jesus, we would still be seperated from God. It was the work on the Cross that brings us into the Kingdom of God. Without Jesus dying on the Cross for our sins we would be lost. John 14:6 says: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Thank God for sending His Son. Because through His perfect work everything that we could possibly go through has been overcome by Jesus Christ. The Word also tells us that Jesus personally understands.

Hebrews 4:15 in the NIV reads:

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin." 

So, know this, in all the things you could be going through, pray to God. He understands and is the only One that provides real relief and comfort. Let Him in, give it over to Him to work it out for you.

For the seasoned saints hang in there. All things work for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose. To the babes in Christ, let the Word of God lead you and keep you.

Remember, whatever may come or has come to try you, envoke the power of the Lord.

~ In all things... Simply Jesus.