John 12:24; Galatians 5 - "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

August 31...how is it even possible this is the last day of August?!?!?! As I reflect back on the last month, I wonder about some things...

• Did I please my Heavenly Father with my actions, words and attitude?
• Did I miss any opportunities He put before me?
• Did I hear His Voice every time He spoke?

As I read John 12 again this morning He stopped me at verse twenty-four where He was speaking to the disciples before He died. These words have special meaning to me. I had to die to self before He could live fully in me. When I accepted Him He lived in my heart but when I consecrated myself to Him, He took over my whole being. That is when I started living with peace no matter what happens. Peace is one of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5) that flows from one who allows the Holy Spirit full reign. The others include: love, joy, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As I die daily to self, these fruit will be seen more and more in my life. As I walked on the beach yesterday and watched the rough water I started singing "Oceans" and was overwhelmed with where the Lord has brought me over the last fifteen months. He had to stop me physically in order to get me to where I am. At the time I struggled with all of the physical issues but oh my, I am so grateful now. 

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Praise His Holy Name for the way He is with us in the storms of life! As I started to fall asleep last night He had me praying for many who are going through some mighty big storms...

• the lady seeking a new life with a new career, home, etc.
• the lady seeking His will for her job situation
• the lady grieving over the loss of her brother to heroin
• the wife struggling with her husband's addiction
• the family dealing with the news of issues with the health of their unborn baby
• the young lady awaiting major surgery
• the young man dealing with unknown health issues
• the family watching their loved one's health deteriorating
• the man waiting on biopsy results
• the pastor on the verge of taking the next step with his congregation
• the pastor who continually feels like he is hitting a brick wall with opposition from his congregation
• the pastor who went into his first pastorate only to find false teaching that needs resolved
• the lady dealing with a debilitating disease
• the family praying for their prodigal son to come back 

I prayed for their spiritual health and then for their specific situations. I prayed God will enable them to die to self so He can be glorified in their situation. I fear for some believers who have not taken this step. If they were to die today, they may be surprised where they would spend eternity. A great lady from the eighteen hundreds by the name of Phoebe Palmer stood upon her strong belief in holiness. She went as far as saying one had the ultimatum of "holiness or hell" when it came to their eternity. When one accepts the Lord into their heart, that is only the first step. Surrendering all to Him and living a consecrated life of holiness is a must if we want to spend eternity with Him.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the time yesterday I walked on the beach, singing to You, praying, taking pictures...enjoying Your creation! Father, thank You for the ones You brought to my mind to pray for. Lord, I pray I blessed You with my words, actions and attitude over this last month. I also pray You will enable me to go deeper in our relationship as I look ahead to another month. Father, I pray for more of You to be in me so people will not see or hear me but rather it will be You they see and hear. I pray for Your empowerment to be upon me. Holy Spirit fill me to overflowing. Thank You Jesus for being My Holiness. Amen.

John 12:3 - "The More I Seek You"

I can only imagine how Mary felt as she sat at Jesus' feet. I know the emotions I go through as I 'sit at His feet' daily. It saddens me to think of people who do not even believe in their Heavenly Father. But it really saddens me for those who are in relationship with Him yet 'don't have time' to spend with Him. I don't understand how people think they can just call on Him when they need Him. Yes, He is there for us but shouldn't He be called upon more than just when one needs something from Him? It reminds me of some adult children who have nothing to do with their parents until they need something. It is sad that a relationship with Him is not top priority for all. Yes, it takes work and time but all relationships take those things. Yes, it takes energy but all relationships take that. The blessings of having an intimate relationship with the Lord are in abundance. The more one puts into any relationship, the more one gets out of it. The more one looks for ways to bless another in a relationship, the more they will be blessed in return. I can't figuratively sit at the feet of Jesus but I sure can sit at His feet in my spirit. As I sit by the ocean watching His creation I feel so close to Him. But I also feel close to Him sitting in my living room or laying in my bed. Why? Because I am in relationship with Him. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this picture this morning of Mary sitting at Your feet. Sometimes I feel like I need to stop more and sit at Your feet. I am so grateful that I can be there in no time at all because of the relationship we have. Father, I pray for more of You to show through my words, actions and attitude today. I pray for You to ooze out of me in a mighty way. I ask that You would continue to heal my body. I pray for an abundance of Your strength to overtake me today physically. Lord, I also pray for those who do not take time to sit at Your feet. Oh how I pray for something to open their eyes up to what You desire of them. Whatever it takes, Lord to stop them from the craziness of their schedule and take time for You...whatever it takes. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Bask In. Amen.

John 12:49-50 - "The More I Seek You"

This morning the Lord impressed upon my heart to read John 12 again. As I was reading it I was reminded of so many things from yesterday. The oil reminded me of the two I anointed in service. The discussion about Jesus' death reminded me of my Sunday School lesson with the children. It sure did not go the way I planned but I am so grateful when the Holy Spirit takes over and accomplishes the Lord's will. The last part of this chapter is thought provoking.

What if we followed God's direction on what we say as Jesus did? What would the world be like if we were obedient as Jesus? What would the world look like if more people had their eyes set on eternal life with in heaven? How would our individual lives be different if we followed Jesus' example? The more we seek Him, the more we will realize such a life. Our life will be filled with peace and joy instead of turmoil. That does not mean there won't be tough days because the Lord takes us through tough times to stretch our faith. Our life would be full of opportunities to be Jesus to others because that is the way He uses people surrendered to Him. No doubt, when one consecrates their whole being to the Lord there is peace in knowing He is in control. There is even peace when He calls you to do things such as move across the country to a new place with new people to do a new work!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for being who I have my eternal goal set upon! Thank You for loving me so greatly and using me to be Your servant. Father, I pray for believers who have not made it to this point in their spiritual walk. I pray they will get there! I also pray for those who do not believe or have not accepted You to find You. Father, today is a day where I feel like I just want to stay in bed but I know You will direct my steps. I pray for a healing in my body. I ask that You empower me to overcome the difficulties of this day. Empower me with Your Holy Spirit in a mighty way! Fill me to overflowing with more of You! Thank You for being My Goal! Amen.

James 4:10 - "Oceans"

"Humble" is not a word that many people like to consider doing but in our spiritual life it is a necessity. We must 'humble' ourselves to the Lord. We must treat Him with respect and realize He is greater than ourselves. I love reading this verse in The Message translation. It reads, "Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet." These words are so very true. The "only way" to be living the way we need to live is by humbling ourselves before Him. We must be comfortable in who we are in the Lord in order. When we are, we will put others before ourselves. We love with His love even when it is hard. The only way for that to happen to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. The way to be empowered by the Holy Spirit is to be filled with Him. Humbling ourselves before Him enables us to walk in His grace, love and forgiveness. It enables us to embrace the gifts He has given us and fulfill the desires of His heart. Humbling ourselves before Him enables us to accept His will for our life. Sometimes that is difficult to do when He takes us out of our 'comfort zone' but when we are living in His will there actually is no such thing. His will shows us what to do and how to do it. There is no fear with 'comfort zones'  but instead there is empowerment. Woo hoo! Yes, our humanness can still creep in and when it does that is when fear will follow. But we can be assured of His love to get us through the tough times the emotions of doubt, fear, loneliness, etc. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, grace and forgiveness. Thank You for taking me into unknown places without fear. Thank You for being the One who enables me to do Your will. Father, I do not always understand why You have us here but I do know it is Your will. Please continue to open doors of opportunity for us. I pray for Your will to be revealed in a mighty way. Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment. Amen.

James 4:14 - "Show Me Your Glory"

God took me back to James 4 this morning and in fact He took me verse fourteen. It is 'funny' how things come back to our minds. Last night as I was getting ready for bed I started thinking about tomorrow. I prayed about the 'what ifs' that can happen when someone with MS goes under antiseptic. Throughout the night I had bad dreams over and over. I would wake up and go back to sleep only to have another one. Then the Lord reminded me of this verse. He knows what tomorrow holds. I do not have to worry about it. I need to be strong in Him and allow the Holy Spirit to protect me from anything going wrong. Sometimes it is easier to say those words to someone else than to live them out myself. But I refuse to allow the enemy an open door to make me fearful. "...on earth as it is in heaven." Yes! There is no fear in heaven. Therefore, there will be no fear in me. There is no doubt in heaven. Therefore, there will be no doubt in me. There is no worry in heaven. Therefore, there will be no worry in me. "...on earth as it is in heaven." This is what I am praying over myself today. It is so much easier to pray for others than myself but the Lord is guiding me to do so. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder of this verse. Thank You for loving me so greatly. Thank You for enabling me, through Your Holy Spirit, to be victorious over fear, doubt and worry. Father, I know I can't be the only one going through such a circumstance. I pray for others who need reminded of You today. I pray for You to speak through someone to them that will encourage them. Father, I pray You will fill me to overflowing so I can be of encouragement to someone today. Thank You Jesus for being My Everything. Amen.

James 4:14 - "I Will Follow"

I was thinking this morning about how Mordecei likes to be wherever I am. He trusts me to protect him and to care for his needs. He listens to me. He loves on me. A dog's loyalty to their master is one that goes very deep. The same loyalty is needed by us with our Master. The lyrics from "I Will Follow" were going through my head yesterday and again this morning...

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow

This is the way I live. I want to be going where the Lord desires of me. I love the promise of the last part of this song...

I will live for you alone
You're the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone

Amen! He is all we need. As we live a life fully devoted to Him, we will hear His voice to know where we are to go and what we are to do. The first part of this song takes it one step further. He needs to go before us. For many people it is too hard to wait on God. If only more people would realize, it is in the waiting time that He is found to a greater depth. When He directs us to wait, it is for a reason. He has something special for us or He wants us to learn a lesson. No matter what, waiting is a special time when we seek Him. In James 4 he talks about how we should not worry about tomorrow. The Lord knows what is in store for us and we need to wait on Him.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the promise that You are all I need. Thank You for the many times in the past, present and future that You kept me in the waiting stage with circumstances. Thank You for the lessons that were learned and the ones that will be learned during the waiting times. Father, You know all. You know the career and where it is for my friend. You know the building You have in store for Beaufort Naz. You know all. Plain and simple. I pray for those in the waiting room to be seeking more of You and to not miss any opportunity You put before them. I pray for those waiting to not get ahead of You and manipulate circumstances. Father, I pray for myself to be filled with Your Holy Spirit in a mighty way so people will see and hear You today through me. Thank You for being My Master! Amen.

James 4:5b - "Thy Will"

The Lord's will...how do we know what His will is? How do we hear from Him? What if His will doesn't make sense? Does He ever change His mind? These are all questions that are asked over and over. Sometimes it is easy to know His will because one hears from Him so clearly. Other times there is a struggle to hear His voice because of where we are in relationship with Him. The peace that comes from listening to Him and walking in obedience is so awesome! Sometimes that peace doesn't happen even when we are walking in obedience because His timing is different than what we think. That does not mean we are not being obedient. It means He has something for us to learn through the experience. Hilary Scott wrote "Thy Will" about a tough time in her life when she miscarried. Her pain is felt in this song. She was in a place where she did not want to be yet the Lord led her through it and her faith became stronger.

Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Like a child on my knees all that comes to me is
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
I know you see me
I know you hear me, Lord

There are times when we may become discouraged because we think we are doing what He wants and it feels like nothing is happening right. It is in those times we must remember that His will is perfect. His will may not always make sense but it is perfect.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this reminder this morning. Father, I am praying for three individuals in particular that are seeking Your will today in specific areas. I pray for Your peace to come down upon them in a mighty way. Father whatever Your will is for them, I pray You will be glorified in them. Thank You Jesus for being My Will. Amen.

James 4:8 - "I Am Not Alone"

This morning I woke up to the words of a song Kari Jobe sings called "I Am Not Alone" and immediately started praying for many who are going through tough times.

I am not alone
I am not alone
You will go before me
You will never leave me [2x]

Praise His Holy Name! He is always with us! I wonder if Noah felt alone as he was obedient in building the ark. Or if Paul felt alone as he spent many days imprisoned for sharing the Gospel. I am sure in their humanness there were times of feeling alone but I also believe in their spiritual lives they knew they were not alone. That is how it is for us today. In our humanness when we go through tough times there are times we feel alone. But in our spirit we know the Lord is with us. In order to have this knowledge one must live a life for Him. Noah was known as "a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." (Genesis 6:9 NIV). His way of living was the way we should live today. As we draw nearer to the Lord, we will receive His peace in the midst of the storms of life. We will receive His love, mercy and grace to get us through not only the 'good' days but also the 'bad' days. We will still go through tough circumstances because it is through them that our faith grows. The difference is that we will have Him to see us through.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder from this song this morning. I know You are always with me, no matter what. I am so thankful for that knowledge. I also know Your strength gets me through tough days and strengthens my faith in a mighty way. Father, there are some going through some pretty tough things right now. I am praying they will come to know You if they don't already. I am praying if they are in relationship with You that You will take them deeper. Oh Father, comfort the family who lost their young child yesterday. Put people before them that will love on them with Your love. I pray for them to find You in the midst of their pain. Thank You Jesus for being My Comforter. Amen.

John 12: 47-48 - "Holy Spirit"

Today will be a life changing day for so many people. Many will make a decision to follow the Lord as they listen to Him speak through a pastor. Some will be for salvation while others will be for sanctification. Some decisions will be for a life-time while others will be for a short-time. No matter whether the decision is taken seriously or not there is one thing that is for sure. Every decision made today will determine where one will spend eternity. The decisions made are serious ones. They are ones that will not only affect people's days on this earth but it will affect the days after leaving this earth. It is hard to watch people allow the ways of the world take over their life. It is hard when people won't accept the Lord. It is hard when people won't embrace a life of surrender. Plain and simple, it is hard to watch people make decisions that pull them farther and farther away from the Lord. I was reminded in John 12 this morning that I am not to judge people. My task on this earth is to share the Gospel. God is the One to save them. He is the One all will answer to on the day of Judgment. My actions are what I will answer for along with the opportunities He gave me that I did not accept. I will pray for people's salvation. I will pray for people who know Him to go deeper with Him in a life of surrender. I will pray for more of Him in myself. I will not fret over what He desires of me because I hear His voice. I will not worry about if I miss an opportunity He gives me because of His love, mercy and grace. I will live a life of surrender which will not include judging others.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the day ahead! Thank You for those who will make a decision for You today. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace. Thank You for encouraging me. You are so awesome! Lord, fill me to overflowing with more of You so people will see and hear You through me today. As I prayed earlier for pastors You gave me words like 'boldness in their words' and 'love in their actions' as they gave what You laid on their hearts. You had me pray for some who are hurting to not allow their hurts to hurt others. You had me pray for the Holy Spirit to intervene into services. Father, whatever pastor it is that is going to see the Holy Spirit fire fall onto their service I pray they will listen to You. Oh Father, how we need more of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Thank You Jesus for being My Encourager. Amen.

Psalm 23:6 - "10,000 Reasons"

A few weeks ago the Lord woke me up in the middle of the night to pray for a pastor friend. He told me to pray for protection for his soul. It didn't make sense to me then and it continues to not make sense to me as He woke me up at 2:34 AM last night. I questioned God about if it truly was this man I was to pray for and He assured me it was. I then questioned Him about why and He said, "It is not for you to know, Daughter. Pray." So once again I prayed. It is unsettling to me when the Lord does things 'out of the blue' like this but I will be obedient. When I woke up this morning and started thinking about it, what exactly does it mean to pray for protection for someone's soul? Does it mean he is going to encounter something evil? Does it mean there is something in his life that is not of God? Does it mean he is wrestling with his beliefs? I will probably never know the answers to these questions. I am perplexed by God's request but I will be obedient and pray. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your favor upon my friend. Thank You for the opportunity to pray for him. As I pray for this dear man, I pray He will put on the armor of God each and every morning before his feet hit the floor. I pray for his ministry to prosper. I pray He will be strong in his faith and not give into any temptation the devil may put before him. I pray the same for myself and all believers. I pray for Your strength to be our strength as we go out into this dark world. I pray for Your boldness to be our boldness as we spread the Gospel. Lord, fill me to overflowing so You will be my actions, my attitude and my words throughout this day. Thank You Jesus for being My Full Armor! Amen.

Psalm 90:12 - "More of You"

No one but the Lord knows when our days will end on this earth. When I was growing up, I remember hearing 'live life to the fullest!' That saying has different meanings for people. Some believe it means to have all the 'toys' you can get. For others it means to have a 'fun' time as often as possible through partying, drinking, etc. For me it means to live out the Lord's will in the way He enables me to do so. 

In John Wesley's commentary on this verse it reads: Teach us — To consider the shortness of life, and the certainty and speediness of death. That — That we may heartily devote ourselves to true wisdom. Matthew Henry's commentary reads: Those who would learn true wisdom, must pray for Divine instruction, must beg to be taught by the Holy Spirit; and for comfort and joy in the returns of God's favor. In order to learn from the Lord one must have a teachable spirit. They also must be surrendered to His will in order to live it out. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this verse this morning. It encourages me greatly to continue to seek more of You. Father, may I receive Your "heart of wisdom" throughout this day. I pray for more of You to be in my actions...my words...my attitude. I pray for people to see and hear You through me. Guide me with an empowerment to fulfill Your will. Thank You Jesus for being My More. Amen.

Psalm 90:17 - "Favor"

I just love how the Lord works in bringing things together. During corporate prayer time Sunday He brought Psalm 90:17 to my mind. The word 'favor' is one that was brought to us when we visited Beaufort in February. Actually, as we sat by the waterfront and prayed for the Lord's direction for our lives this picture was taken. I am still amazed at the beauty of His creation each and every time I walk outside. It is amazing to not only to see His creation but to hear the different sounds of this place. The birds, the waves when we are at the water...it is amazing. Today is my day of prayer and fasting. I am praying....

• Psalm 90:17 over our church
• His favor to be upon us
• His will to be glorified in every decision that is made
• for the prodigals to return
• for boldness to come through my husband
• for open doors to bring people into our church family

Matthew Henry writes about this verse: Let us pray that the work of the Holy Spirit may appear in converting our hearts, and that the beauty of holiness may be seen in our conduct. Another commentary says:  let the beauty--or sum of His gracious acts, in their harmony, be illustrated in us, and favor our enterprise. John Wesley's commentary on this verse reads: The beauty — His gracious influence, and glorious presence. In us — Do not only work for us, but in us. (The word 'favor' is also used with the word 'beauty' in some translations.) In reading all of these, my translation of Psalm 90:17 would be:

May His Holy Spirit be our Guide so all we do glorifies Him!

Yes! I am praying that everything that is done by each one in our church family is done through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The only way that can occur is for each one of us to be surrendered to Him. We must have our focus on Him in order for us to live out His will. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminder of this word this morning! Thank You for the day in February as we set by the water and prayed and You spoke. Thank You for all the ways You continue to provide blessings upon us through this time of transition. It is so hard being so many miles away from friends and family. Thank You for the encouragement You give through the videos from Ben, the cards, the words of encouragement through many. Thank You for the new friends we have made and the ones who are yet to be made. Thank You for the giggles last night that warmed my heart. Lord, today as I pray and fast for my church family I am asking a lot but most of all I am asking for 'favor' to come down upon us as a church body. Cleanse, purify, sanctify us all in order that You will be seen and heard through all of our words and actions. Thank You for being My 24/7! Amen.

Matthew 12:18-21 - "Overcomer"

This morning my reading in Matthew 12 was stopped on the words of Isaiah. He was speaking of Jesus in this passage and described Him as being 'chosen'...'loved'...filled with the Spirit...One who will speak out for His beliefs...One who will see victory! I was so excited to read these words and apply them to myself! As I live a life of holiness, I live by His example. Therefore, these words also describe me. Woo hoo! That is exciting to think about!  The 'bruised reed' and 'smoldering wick' are signs of weakness. Circumstances of this life can bruise us and try to put our 'light out' but we must stay strong in our faith. We must continue to do His will as He leads us. We must allow Him to strengthen us through the trials. When we do, we will receive the 'victory' He has in store for us! Christ does not want us to be defeated! His desire is for us to be victorious while on this earth so we can live in victory for eternity! 

We do not have to live in the 'junk' of this world but instead can live with His strength to overcome! 
We do not have to allow the enemy a foothold but instead can live with His strength to overcome! 

The way we can live victorious is to live a life surrendered to His will, 24/7! It is not enough to ask Jesus in your heart and be happy. We must take the next step and surrender everything to Him. That is when full victory will be realized!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your sanctifying grace You have given me to be an Overcomer! Thank You for the way You cleanse and purify! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for blessing me in abundance! Lord, I want to thank You for yesterday as I got to know my new friends better. I also want to thank You for today as I pray for my NCO friends. Lord, as I go throughout this day, please be my hands and feet. I pray for Your words and attitude to be mine. I pray for an abundance of Your wisdom today with all that is ahead in this day. Thank You Lord for being My Victor! Amen.

Matthew 12:36-37 - "Words"

This morning as I was reading Matthew 12 the Lord stopped me at verses thirty-six and thirty-seven. As I read these verses, I started thinking about how many times 'empty words' have left my mouth. I am not exactly sure what all are considered 'empty words' but I believe they are words that have no meaning, words that lift up neither myself or the person hearing them, words that are nasty which would not only be cuss words but words that speak death instead of life...the list is quite extensive. God, forgive me for all of the times any of these type of situations occurred in me. When I don't feel good, my words get short and curt. Not feeling good is not an excuse for such behavior. I like how Matthew Henry describes words.

"The heart is the fountain, words are the streams. A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send forth muddy and unpleasant streams. Nothing but the salt of grace, cast into the spring, will heal the waters, season the speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An evil man has an evil treasure in his heart, and out of it brings forth evil things. Lusts and corruptions, dwelling and reigning in the heart, are an evil treasure, out of which the sinner brings forth bad words and actions, to dishonour God, and hurt others. Let us keep constant watch over ourselves, that we may speak words agreeable to the Christian character."

Yes! We must be speaking words of life in order to be speaking as the Lord desires. We must think before we speak. That is not always possible so instead we must live in the Spirit so He will be our words. That is only possible when we surrender to Him. Many do not want to give up their wants and desires to live for Him. That saddens me because if people would only realize His desires for us are so much greater than anything we could ever desire for ourselves.

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

Dear Jesus,
I pray these words for not just today but for all of the rest of the days of my life on this earth. I pray You will be glorified through my words and actions. I pray You will be greater in me so my words, actions and attitude will be Yours. Cleanse my tongue when words of death begin to come out of me. Purify my words so people will hear You through me. Thank You Father for being My Words. Amen.

Matth

Matthew 12: 31 - "Good, Good Father"

As I asked a little boy yesterday if he had ever asked Jesus into his heart, I was stunned by his answer. "Yes. But He doesn't live there." I thought I misheard him so I asked again. Same answer. I didn't know how to respond but knew I needed to find out what he was thinking. I asked him why he thought Jesus didn't live there and his response broke my heart. "I'm bad." At that point I wanted to give him a big hug and tell him Jesus loves him and does live in his heart since he had invited Him in. But before I could say a word a very wise fifth grader said, "That is not true. The only way Jesus won't live in your heart once you've asked Him is if you speak against Him." I went on to explain that when we have Jesus in our heart and we sin then we must repent. We must tell Jesus we are sorry and He will forgive us. He looked speculative and seemed to be pondering on what we said. It was the end of class and as we walked out I prayed for the Lord to bring this little guy back. I don't know if he learned this at home or church but it breaks my heart to think about it. He looked pitiful as he talked about Jesus not being in his heart because he was bad. How many people are walking around in the world today with this same concept? How many people are told they are 'too bad' for Jesus to love them? How many people need to know there is a cleansing power through the love of Christ? Oh my heart breaks because I know the answer to these questions are 'many'! It is the job of believers to spread the truth. It is our job to reveal the hidden gems found in His Word so people will have freedom in Christ. It is our job to encourage people with the love of Christ. I was so proud of the fifth grader who not only stood up for what he believed but most importantly he knew what he believed! I wonder how many adults would do the same if they were put in those shoes. I was taken aback by the response of the little boy and didn't respond very quickly. I believe one of the reason for that is that God wanted to use the fifth grader to speak the truth.

Dear Jesus,
You are so awesome in the way You show through children, teens and adults! You are so awesome in the way You love on people through others! You are so awesome in the way You gave this opportunity to plant new seeds in this heart yesterday! Father, I pray You will bring this little guy back to class so we can share more of You with him. I also pray for the four who responded to seeking sanctification in the service. I pray You will empower them to walk in Your path this week. The enemy will work overtime trying to discourage them but Father, You are greater than the enemy and for that I am grateful! Lord, today is a new day. I don't know what You have in store for me but I do know I am ready to do Your will. Bless my words...my actions...my attitude in a mighty way today! Fill me to overflowing with more of You! Thank You Jesus for being My Sanctifier! Amen.

Matthew 11:28-30 - "Healer"

This morning the Lord took me back to Matthew 11:28-30 for another look at His rest. In the words of John Gill His rest is: "peace of conscience, ease of mind, tranquility of soul, through an application of pardoning grace, a view of free justification by the righteousness of Christ, and full atonement of sin by his scarce..." He continues that His rest can be eternal when we live a life for Him. I love the way He describes eternal rest...."in perfect, and uninterrupted communion with the Father, Son, and Spirit"! Woo hoo! When one thinks about this type of rest compared to spending eternity in hell, you would think there would not be any question of how to live. Unfortunately, the ways of the world are enticing over the ways of living a life for Christ. For some people it is easier to go with the flow of the ways of the world than to be obedient to Christ. Some say His ways have too many rules. Some will even argue there is no God. To that I say look around at the beauty of His creation and tell me there is no God! People who are so 'tired' in their life are people who are either not believers or they have not surrendered wholly to Him. Some of them are ones who think they have surrendered everything but they are still holding onto something. Sometimes people do not even realize they are holding back something. The only way to feel His rest is to accept it. In order to accept it one must be in relationship with Him to the point where His voice is heard. The "perfect, uninterrupted communion" with Him can be found on this earth when we pray "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." His will, not ours. Heavenly attributes can and will be realized on this earth for those who truly seek His will.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for taking me back to these verses this morning. Thank You for loving me so greatly that You have enabled me to see heaven on earth multiple times. Lord, I pray for those seeking You. I pray for those who are so tired of carrying around the sins of their life and need to lay them down at Your feet. I pray for those who are holding onto something that is stopping them from experiencing Your will to the fullest. Oh Lord may more people come into relationship with You in such a way that the world will not longer be enticing to them. I pray for those addicted to receive freedom through You. I pray for those who are sick to receive healing through You. But most of all I pray for those who are spiritually sick to receive a complete healing in their spirit through You. Lord, fill me to overflowing today so people will see and hear You through me. Thank You Jesus for being My Rest. Amen.

Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come As You Are"

The promise of rest from Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30 are some of the sweetest words of His we read. The 'rest' He is talking about is not a physical rest but a spiritual rest. This world can be tough. There are so many things the enemy tries to do to pull believers away from the Lord. He gets one little foothold into a life and that is all it takes to play havoc. The enemy uses people to cause unrest in believers. The Lord also allows havoc in people's lives in order to grow our faith. He will allow sickness, turmoil, etc. to see what our reaction will be to it. Will we give the enemy a foothold or will we seek a deeper walk with the Lord? Will we accept the Lord's 'rest' or will we wallow in the 'junk' of the world? Will we blame others for decisions we have made or will we seek the Lord's will in our circumstances? These all are questions one must ask when going through difficult times. A step toward the Lord is the answer. Accepting His love, grace and mercy will empower one to bask in His 'rest'. But first one must submit to His will. This is where many struggle in their flesh. They try to take care of themselves. Many will fight what the Lord tells them because of the dying to self that must occur. In order to receive His 'rest' one must completely surrender to His will. If that step is not taken, 'rest' will not be found for any length of time. He may allow one to see a glimpse of 'rest' but it will not last. The promise of 'rest' in these verses is only for those who will not only believe in Him but will surrender to Him.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder this morning of Your 'rest'! Thank You for reminding me of the promises You give us in these verses. Thank You for loving me so much. You are so awesome, Lord. I am in awe of all the ways You show Your love to me. Father, I pray for more of You to ooze out of me today. I pray You will be in my words, my actions and my attitude. Give clear direction on what You desire of me. Thank You Father for being My Rest. Amen.

Matthew 10:32 - "Tell Your Heart To Beat Again"

I woke up this morning to a song Danny Gokey sings...

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday's a closing door
You don't live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you've been
And tell your heart to beat again

As these words played over in my mind the Lord brought people who are going through difficult circumstances for me to pray for...

• the woman and two men seeking new employment yet there does not appear to be any open doors
• the children watching their parents split apart
• the couple in ministry between assignments who continue to have no open door to walk through
• the family who lost a husband/father/son/brother this week
• the parents who continue to plead for the return of their prodigal
• the family caring for a loved one at home and feeling anxious they are doing the things
• the recently divorced couple
• the woman and man who have returned to treatment due to the return of cancer
• the business owner who is struggling financially to the point of not knowing how much longer they will continue to be open
• the woman dealing with a difficult relationship

All of these ones are dealing with disappointment in their heart. As I reflect back on different times I have been disappointed, I am amazed at how many of those times of disappointment were the greatest times of growing in my spiritual walk. Sometimes the Lord allows disappointment in order to stretch our faith. Sometimes the enemy gets a foothold and plays havoc in our life. But no matter what the case is when it comes to disappointment we have the promise of a better life in eternity with  God. But that better life will not come automatically. We must not only accept Him into our heart but we also must live a life of surrender to His will. It saddens me to see a lot of believers who do not take the next step in their walk with Him. Many are comfortable with staying at salvation. But oh my there is so much more!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminder of the promise of eternity! Thank You for Your love that is so greatly given to me! Father, I am praying for many this morning who are dealing with disappointments. I am praying they will see/hear You through these difficult times. Lord, speak clearly to them so they will draw nearer to You. Lord, I also am praying for this day. Lead me to where You desire me to go...be my words, actions and attitude...fill me to overflowing with more of You! I pray You will allow me to be the soothing balm for a hurting soul today. Thank You Jesus for being My Eternity Maker! Amen.

Matthew 10:7-8 - "God of Wonders"

The direction given to the disciples in Matthew 10 is pertinent to us today. If we are His followers, we should be ready and willing to do His will. As I was reading this chapter again this morning, I stopped at verses seven and eight. I feel like a failure as I read them. The Lord has blessed me with a physical healing. I need to pass it on as the last part of these verses direct. I need to not only proclaim the Gospel but I need to be instrumental in being active in healing in not only physical bodies but also emotional and mental bodies. I have never been a part of raising someone from the dead in the physical sense but I have been in the spiritual sense. When I was a Chaplain at Mercy, I had a lot of opportunities to pray with people. As I lived out my daily life in Willard, opportunities came my way. Now here I am in a different place with knowing few people. Opportunities are few and far between. I feel like I am failing the Lord on a daily basis. I need to pray for His direction on ways to get to know people or at the very least get out into the world. Leaving my comfort zone of fifteen years has got to be more than what I am doing. I know He has a plan and I just need to realize it. I miss my 'norm' but I have to find my 'new norm'! I woke up with these words in my heart...
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth. Yes! I will sing these words as You "reveal Your heart to me..."

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for second chances! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Father, I need Your direction in a mighty way. I don't want to feel like a failure. I don't want to feel like I am not doing what You brought me here to do. Lord, would You fill me to overflowing with more of You? Would You love on people through me in a mighty way? Would You open doors that will allow me to find my 'new norm'? Father, I want You to be proud of me. The desire of my heart is for people to be healed from physical, emotional, mental and most of all spiritual issues. Oh Father, I am so sorry I am struggling in this area. I am sorry I have stayed in the walls of this house too many days. I am sorry for any opportunity You put before me that I missed. Plain and simple....I am sorry. Forgive me...lead me...guide me...direct me...empower me to do better! Thank You Jesus for being My Director! Amen.

Matthew 10:27 - "In The Secret"

As I read Matthew 10 this morning I stopped at verse twenty-seven to ponder. There are many times when the Lord wakes me in the middle of the night to pray for an individual or situation. "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight" is something I try to follow. When He has me praying for someone, I do my best to let them know. As I do that, they will know He loves them and is watching over them even when they are sleeping. I believe in this particular verse the Lord is telling His apostles they need to have a time of one-on-one with Him before they could go out to spread the Gospel. That is exactly what He desires of us. He wants us to be in prayer to open up the lines of communication with Him. He wants us to be in His Word so He can speak through it to direct us. He wants us to be silent before Him so we can hear His voice. When these things are accomplished, then we will be ready to "...proclaim from the roofs" what He gives us. Intimacy with the Lord leads to fulfillment. As we draw deeper in our relationship with Him, He will become more real. On one hand, last night was a tough night with Mordecei having issues throughout the night and me getting little sleep. On the other hand, God sure had me doing a lot of praying. I prayed for...

• the Momma burying her 11 year old daughter Friday due to a sudden death
• the parents of the young man who left this earth
• a church in dire need of hearing from the Lord
• a pastor who is so discouraged with the situation his church is in
• a wife who is struggling with her husband choosing things outside of their marriage
• a bi-vocational pastor who is struggling with keeping up with life...church, job, husband, children
• two pastors who are recuperating from major surgeries
• a young lady getting ready to leave for the Army
• a family taking a leap of faith in caring for their loved one at home
• a pastor seeking to know the Lord's will for him and his church
• an elderly man who is in a nursing home for 30 days of respite care for his wife as she undergoes surgeries
• a loved one struggling with high sugar
• a loved one struggling with the pressures of life and turning to addictive ways
• a couple who need to seek the Lord instead of the ways of the world
• a lady in severe pain 24/7
• teachers and students as they prepare to go back to school
• first-time college students, especially those who will be leaving home
• the wife who is leaving her marriage; the husband who has emotional issues; protection over the children
• the couple in ministry who are between churches and needing the Lord to show them the next step

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the privilege to pray for so many different people! Thank You for the intimacy we share! Thank You for the way You provide exactly what I need, exactly when I need it! Yesterday's letter from Miss Evelyn was such a blessing! Lord, You know the desires of my heart and provide for them so greatly! Lord, bless my children and grandchildren in a mighty way. I pray they will know how much I love them but more importantly they will know how much You love them! Father, today is a new day and I look forward to seeing how You will use me today. I look forward to You filling me with You so You will ooze from my words, actions and attitude! I praise Your Holy Name for encouraging me when doors I thought would open are closed. Father, continue to guide my path to Your will. Thank You Jesus for being My Intimacy. Amen.

Matthew 10:24; Luke 12:49-53 - "Good, Good Father"

When Jesus was sending out the twelve in Matthew ten, He made a statement that was one I stopped to ponder on...

These are the words of Jesus. As I read them, I questioned why He would say He didn't "...come to bring peach to the earth." I also questioned what He meant by "...a sword." After doing some research I found the Jews found peace in temporal things. Jesus was trying to make them (and us) realize He desires our obedience to Him. The things of this world will not get us to spend eternity with Him. Our surrender to being obedient to Him is the key to eternity. The next couple verses after this one tells us family members will turn against one another. This is not because the enemy is making them do so. It is because the Lord is showing us how we, as true believers, need to take a stand for Him. This may mean 'losing' loved ones but 'losing' them temporarily on this earth would be a lot better than 'losing' them permanently to hell. We must not compromise our values just to accommodate how friends and family feel. We must stand on His Word and love with His love. This may be very difficult if a family member is dealing with an addiction. But we must love them with a tough love that encourages them into a relationship with Him. He did not put us on this earth to save anyone. He put us on this earth to love with His love and to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. The "sword" He speaks of is what He will use to cut off those who are disobedient. In Luke 12, He speaks of division instead of peace....

49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the pondering of this morning! Thank You for the way You bring to light new meaning from Your Word! Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace! Father, You are so good! Oh how I pray for more people to come to that realization. I pray for more people to come to the knowledge that You desire to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of their life. I pray for more believers to go deeper with You to the point of surrendering all. I pray for more of You in me so that You will ooze out of my words, actions and attitudes. Fill me to overflowing with You, Father. Thank You Father for being My Good, Good Father. Amen.