When I think about how God created this world from nothing, I am amazed. Every tree, plant, animal, etc. was nothing until He spoke it into existence. It amazes me how people can look around at nature and not believe in God. Nothing was here before He spoke it into existence. When I think about how He made man and then made woman from a rib of man, I am in awe. Every aspect of creation He did was not done on a whim but instead He knew what He was doing. This time of year was always my favorite because of the beauty of the trees. Since moving to South Carolina I miss that. I am grateful for memories and pictures of such beauty. When I lived in Ohio, I dreamed of living close to the beach so I could see its beauty. Now I no longer have to dream of it because we live it. No matter where one goes, God's beauty can be seen. The fall trees, the beach, the cotton fields, the mountains... everywhere. But most importantly His love can be felt. His empowerment can be realized no matter where we are when we live in His presence day in and day out. The beauty of His presence is something available for all to experience. It takes trusting Him and walking by faith. It takes dying to self and allowing Him to work in and through you. It takes saying 'yes' even when it does not make sense. As I read my textbook this week, I was reminded of this. Kinlaw wrote, “God's redemptive power becomes effective for others when we give up our rights to ourselves and become sacrificial instruments of His Spirit!" (Kinlaw 122). As I read this statement, God brought to my mind the way our stepping out in faith as we listened to Him to come to South Carolina affected many people. We have been told by some that we were crazy for leaving the situation we were in up in Ohio to come here. Going from one hundred and twenty people on Sunday to twenty on a ‘good’ day seemed like a step backward to many. But it was and continues to be a step forward. It’s all about His will and the desire of His heart. We must die to self so we no longer seek happiness but instead seek holiness. That is the desire of my heart, holiness. I do not want to live in doing what I desire in the flesh but instead want to do what He desires of me. He created me for a purpose and I want to make Him proud by fulfilling it. Dear Jesus, Thank You for all of the aspects of Your creation. Thank You for loving me so greatly that You enabled me to see You have a purpose for me. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. May You ooze out of me today in a great way through my words, actions, and attitude. May people see/hear You through me. May the beauty of Your creation be seen through me. Lord, I pray for more people to see the purpose You have upon their life. May more people desire holiness instead of happiness. Thank You God for being My Creator. Amen.
The Lord took me to Psalm 89 this morning. This Psalm is full of encouragement to me. The first four verses encourage me to have faith no matter what is happening in life. Verses five through fourteen shows His love is showered upon us as we worship Him. The next four verses are the 'icing on the cake for me' as they encourage me to walk in the empowerment of Jesus. Matthew Henry writes, "The joy of the Lord is the strength of his people, whereas unbelief dispirits ourselves and discourages others." He continues, "Christ is the Holy One of Israel; and in him was that peculiar people more blessed than in any other blessing." Woo hoo! I love being one of the peculiar people! Verses nineteen through thirty-seven shows how God protected David and will protect those of us who accept Him and live in His will. I like how Matthew Henry describes such people. "Happy are those who so know the joyful sound of the gospel as to obey it; who experience its power upon their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives." The Psalm ends with praise. As we praise Him, we need to remember to not only to praise Him for what He has done and is doing but to praise Him for what He is yet to do in our lives. Even in the bleakest times of life, we need to praise God. When we receive a 'bad' diagnosis, lose a loved one, have financlal difficulty, etc., we still need to praise Him. His strength will empower us to get through such times. His wisdom will be ours as we take on more of Him. His love will flow through us as we love Him more. It is not the easiest thing to trust God through tough times but it is the most fulfilling thing to do. He desires to take us down a path that will enable us to do His will. He takes trust and great faith to walk that path. The results of walking that path are joy, love, and encouragement. Dear Jesus, Thank You for these words today to encourage my heart. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. I pray for Your physical strength today as I am so tired. May Your supernatural empowerment take over in me today not only physically but especially spiritually so I do not miss anything You have for me. May every opportunity You give me to be You be realized in the greatest way. Lord, I pray for those going through tough days to feel Your empowerment. May You be their joy during dark times. Thank You Jesus for being My Joy. Amen.
As I was preparing my sermon to preach yesterday I thought about people in my life who have great faith. People who are not afraid to step out in faith to see mountains move in their life and in others lives. I think of Brother Dan who drove from Indiana to Ohio on 'his way' to Texas so the Lord would perform a miracle of healing in my body. I also think of my husband Doc who took a step of faith to leave everything we knew in life when the Lord directed him to come to South Carolina. I'm sure there are many more people who have gone deeper in their faith as they followed God's will. I desire to go deeper as He works in and through me. I love how He opened my eyes up to the what He wants to do in our life through this sermon. He wants to see us grow. He desires to see 'mountains' be moved in our church life. His will is to have an explosion in our attendance. But first we all must go deeper in our faith. It sounds so easy yet it is not that simple. The enemy will try to stop us. We all must be prayed up so we will stand against his tactics. This is easier said than done but it is a doable thing. We all must be seeking more of the Lord so there is less of us. Once again, this is easier said than done. We must all believe He can and will move mountains if they are to be moved. He revealed to me our mountains will not be moved without us living out great faith. Oh how I pray for that to happen. I pray for the people who took a step of faith yesterday by coming forward to be empowered by His supernatural power today to take great steps of faith. I pray the enemy will be knocked down in their lives as they seek a greater faith. I pray great things to be accomplished by them today and the days ahead. Woo hoo! I truly believe there are greater days ahead for our church. I am excited to see mountains moved.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace that You lavish down on me. Thank You for encouraging me yesterday. When I finished praying and opened my eyes to see the majority of the congregation standing before me, I was blessed in abundance. Thank You for their obedience to Your call. Thank You for the way You will work in and through them just as You do in my life. Thank You for the revelation You gave me through this sermon. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing. Use me in a mighty way today. Thank You Jesus for being My Faith Builder! Amen.
The words to "Who You Say I Am" are going through my mind this morning. What a blessing!
Who the Son sets free Oh is free indeed I’m a child of God Yes I am In my Father’s house There’s a place for me I’m a child of God Yes I am
Everyone needs such freedom from the ways of the world. There is such bondage in not living for God. He is the only One who can provide peace. He is the Only One who can provide true acceptance. Last night I prayed for pastors to preach so people would accept the Lord into their life. Some people need to do this for the very first time. Others need to take a honest look at their life and make a change. No matter what, they need to hear the Gospel preached in a way that will wake them up. I truly believe we are living in end times. If people do not make the decision to walk with the Lord now, it may be too late.
I am chosen Not forsaken I am who You say I am You are for me Not against me I am who You say I am
These are words we all need to remember. Jesus did not die and rise up from the grave for just a few. He did it for everyone of us. He chose us to be His. Eternity in heaven is not just for some but for all who will accept Him in their heart and walk in His will. My heart breaks to see people accept Him and then walk in the ways of the world. That is not the life that He desires for anyone. He desires repentance and acceptance of His ways to be how we live. Last night I prayed for pastors to not candy coat their sermons but instead to preach the truth. God wants all of us to give Him all of us. Wow! All is a small word yet so powerful! Dear Jesus, Thank You for giving me the privilege to pray for pastors last night. Thank You for laying them on my heart and in my prayers. Thank You for being with each one as they go into the pulpit. I especially pray for my classmates who are preaching this week. Give all of us Your boldness to not only preach the Word but to present it in a way that will change people. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. The message You have given me to preach is one that asks people to move. I pray they will do as You direct. Thank You Jesus for being My Mover. Amen.
I had a conversation this morning about the panhandlers around. I truly believe some people are truly in need but there are so many who are takers. There are times when it is hard to not jump to one conclusion or the other about them. There are also times I desire to give something to them but I stop myself and ask God first. He enables me to know when and what to do. Some of the people in need who 'beg' are not in their situation from their own decisions but rather just a tough time in life. When people allow others to give help them, it does not mean they are beggars. I can remember years ago being in need of assistance and my boys being embarrassed when I accepted it. I didn't want to embarrass them but at the same time I think/hoped they learned from the situation. I remember Ben going to help at the Free Store and coming home with groceries. He was so proud of himself for 'earning' them. He learned what it means to give of yourself to help others. Now he is an ordained pastor and works to help families in need. Paul would mow yards for people in need for no pay. He also would go to Grandma and Grandpa's and run the sweeper for no pay. They both were raised to be compassionate to others and it shows through in their adult life. For that I am grateful. There are too many people in this world who think only of themselves and miss so many opportunities the Lord puts before them to love on others. This morning the Lord took me to Psalm 41. This Psalm reminds us that when we won't have a life that is a bed of roses just because we are believers. One of the things this Psalm talks about is there is physical sickness and their is sickness in our soul. We need to pray more for spiritual sickness. Matthew Henry writes, "Sin is the sickness of the soul; pardoning mercy heals it, renewing grace heals it, and for this spiritual healing we should be more earnest than for bodily health." Sometimes when we see people 'down and out' we are tempted to give them financial assistance but we really need to ask God how we can help them spiritually. There are many with emotional/mental needs that may need helped before they can comprehend their spiritual needs. The most important thing we, as believers, need to remember is to ask God before giving any assistance to them. He will direct us on what and when to help people. Matthew Henry puts it this way: When we can discern the Lord's favour in any mercy, personal or public, that doubles it. If the grace of God did not take constant care of us, we should not be upheld. But let us, while on earth, give heartfelt assent to those praises which the redeemed on earth and in heaven render to their God and Saviour.
I am so blessed in knowing no matter what comes before me, God is with me. He is always there to direct my path and give me His words to love on others. He blessed me years ago by taking me back into His loving arms when I had walked away. He continues to bless me now as I seek more of Him. He is a "Good, Good Father" and I am so grateful for His love. Dear Jesus, Thank You for the reminder of Your love for me. Thank You for the way You provided this week with friends. Thank You for the way You encourage me throughout the days that are tough. Lord, You are so awesome! I pray for a cleansing in my spirit today so You can fill me to overflowing. May all who see me, see You. May my words be Your words throughout this day. I pray for tomorrow as I preach to be all about You and not me. I pray for an abundance of You throughout these next couple of days. Thank You for being My Good Father! Amen.
If my Daddy were still living, I would receive my morning call and the conversation would go like this: HIM: Did you get a good night's sleep? How are you feeling? ME: Well...I slept ten hours but I was awake three times praying during that time. HIM: Sheila Babe, how many times do I have to tell you...you are going to get bed sores staying in bed that long! (laughing) Oh how I miss my Daddy! I miss his morning calls so much. I miss the way he encouraged me and prayed for me. I am thankful he is no longer in misery with health issues and that he is with Jesus. I also am thankful for the way his last hour or two of life was spent with him holding my Momma and them talking. What peace that gives her. During the night I had three times of prayer...
Two families who are going through times of losing loved ones. I prayed for Peggy to have God's peace as she and her family figure out how to do life without Mike. I prayed for Tami and her family as they do the same with the loss of Jane.
Those dealing with cancer diagnosis/treatments: Billie, Mike, Ellen, Sheryl, Little Richie, and a few others to feel His strength. I prayed for their families to have the same. I also prayed for wisdom in the decisions that need made in their health.
Praises...Martin getting his citizenship/what a blessing for him and his family; one who had a 'clean' mammogram yesterday; Doc being able to visit our newest grand baby; finding out my Momma is coming again in February for a visit with Halls; and John having a clean bill of health with his cancer doctor.
This morning as I reflect on how God uses me to pray I feel so blessed. He knows exactly what I need. He knows when I am awake during the night I need more time to sleep or His supernatural empowerment to get through the day. He also gives me wisdom to walk through open doors He presents before me. I feel so blessed by Him. I think of Jesus' words when He presented the Sermon on the Mount. I live out Matthew 5:6. He fills me to overflowing every day with more of Him. The only way this is possible is for me to 'thirst for righteousness' as this verse says. I can never get enough of Him. I desire more and more. My thirst will not be quenched until I am living in eternity with Him. Woo hoo! Those will be some indescribable times!
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me. Thank You for all of the blessings You pour down on me. Father, once again I ask for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing. I also ask for blessings upon my night time prayers. I pray You will give me open doors today to walk in. Father, give Doc good days as he visits with Adam, Rachel and the baby. Bless him in abundance. Thank You Jesus for being My Filler. Amen.
I woke up during the night multiple times with the words to "Blessed Be Your Name" going through my mind. The Lord had me praying for the spiritual needs of people who are going through tough circumstances in their physical bodies. Yesterday I had the opportunity to share my testimony of what the Lord has done through my MS. He reminded me throughout the night that no matter what I am going through I need to always praise Him. In this song, it shows how we are to praise Him "when the darkness closes in"...when we "walk through the wilderness"...in good times and bad...when we are suffering and in pain... Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your glorious name
There are times it is extremely hard to praise Him but we can never stop. There is always something good to find in every situation. Always. In the first chapter of Job we find him losing everything he had including all his family. Satan tried to tear him apart from God but he stood his ground. The last verse of this chapter reads: "In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." When we allow our circumstances to pull us away from God, the enemy is happy. We cannot allow this to happen. Instead we need to stand firm in our faith and trust the Lord through all. I pray for those who do not know how to trust Him to find the Way. I pray for those who know how but do not have a strong enough faith to go deeper in their faith so they will find His strength. My heart is breaking right now as I see so many falling to satan's ways. Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for deepening my faith. Thank You for the opportunity yesterday to share my testimony. Thank You for all the ways You lead me. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. Give me Your wisdom for the day ahead. Bless me as I bless You. I pray today for another lady who is going down the road with possible breast cancer. Be with her as she goes through her mammogram today. I also pray against pain in my friend who had the hip surgery. My heart broke as she cried yesterday. Lord, use me to encourage these ones along with others who need to feel You. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Bless. Amen.
He'll bind up the brokenhearted Oh He will, oh He will He'll set captives free from darkness Oh He will, oh He will He'll breathe hope into the hopeless Help a restless soul be still Oh-ohh, oh-ohh He will, He will What a blessing to know they are so true! During the night He woke me a few times to pray for different ones going through tough days. Some with medical issues, some with relationship issues, some with spiritual issues, and some with financial issues. He also had me pray for both believers and non-believers who need Him yet have not given into that need yet. They are holding onto their selfish ways instead of allowing Him to be their Anchor. My heart breaks for all of the ones I prayed for. Some are in situations that could have been avoided had they just not allowed the enemy into their life. Some are in desperate situations with their health. Some will be leaving this earth soon if they do not receive a miraculous healing. The Lord has blessed me in abundance over and over again. I praise Him for it. I feel like I need to bless Him back by sharing His blessings with others. It is so important for all who are in relationship with Him to share His love with others. If we don't, Jesus' death on the cross will be for nothing. That is something I do not want to happen. I also want to be an encourager to all I meet, especially those going through tough days. I remember when I was in bed as I was going through my MS diagnosis. I was so bummed with not being able to function. In the beginning when I couldn't even write or push the buttons on the phone I was really discouraged. I wondered if this would be my new way of life. I was so blessed after going through therapy to be able to write and walk again. The time of losing my eyesight was another time of discouragement, yet God saw me through. I know He does not miraculously heal everyone because we all have to die. But I also know He is still in the miracle making business and that is what I am praying for so many. Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for time to relax yesterday at my 'happy place' as I listened to the waves. Thank You for friends who are visiting. Thank You for the blessing of the children learning last night. Father, please cleanse me today so You can fill me to overflowing. May You give me opportunity to be You to others throughout this day. May I bless You as You bless me. Thank You Jesus for being My Anchor. Amen.
Sometimes dreams can seem so real even though you don't recognize the people in them. I wonder if the Lord is giving me them to pray for the ones involved. I believe that is what happened last night so this morning I am praying for families in abusive situations. The one in my dream was parents with two children. One of the parents was emotionally and verbally abusing the other and the children. The abusive became so great that it turned into physical. I woke up a couple times and prayed, went back to sleep and went right back where it left off. The Twenty-third Psalm was in my heart the entire night and again this morning.
As I said this over and over I thought about people who do not have Scripture hidden in their heart to lean upon during times of struggle. It is so important for us who work with children and teens to teach them Scripture. The other day in Sunday School we were asked about Scripture we learned as a child. The first one that came off of my lips was Proverbs 3:5-6. This is one we taught our Tuesday night children not long ago. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. There is deep meaning in these two verses that can be comforting and insightful when we say them. The same can be said about Psalm 23. It is one normally thought of as being used at funerals. What do people need at that time? Comfort and wisdom. The end result of both of these Scriptures is life with Jesus for eternity. That should be the goal of everyone and those who live such a life need to share it openly with others so they will desire the same. Dear Jesus, Thank You for the comfort and wisdom You shower down upon me. Thank You for wisdom yesterday when we could not find where we parked the car. Thank You for the goal I have of eternity with You. The only way that can happen is for a cleansing in my spirit by You and a filling of You in me. Woo hoo! Thank You Jesus for doing that for me today! I pray You will be with all families who are dealing with abuse. May Your wisdom be given to them so they no longer are in such a situation. Protect all in this situation. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Trust! Amen.
I was so blessed yesterday as the people had readings to show their appreciation for us. The thing that kept coming to my mind was how they show their appreciation to us throughout the year. They support us in every aspect as we do life together. We are a family and for that I am grateful. As in all families, there are ups and downs but we always love one another. There are times of pains with medical issues, deaths, etc. but there are also great days of joy such as spiritual advancements, births, etc. I feel so blessed for being where God has lead us. I miss my family and friends in Ohio so much and am grateful for visits from different ones from time to time. I am praying my Momma gets to come back down so we can do life together again. I also am praying the boys and their families have an opportunity to come down so they can see where we live. I pray God will continue to bless me as I do life for and through Him in my little world. It is hard to believe we have only lived here a little over two years. In so many ways it seems like it has been a lot longer than that. So many blessings have occurred since our move. The constant has been the Lord's strength and encouragement. He has never left me. Throughout the hurricanes, breast cancer diagnosis, death of family and friends back 'home,' etc. He has been my Constant. I am feeling a little weepy this morning for some reason. Some of the tears are hurting ones with a longing in my heart for so many things while others are joyful ones for the same reason. My heart aches for so many people who are not walking with the Lord in the way He desires. Some have never experienced Him while others have but have turned away. It also aches for some relationships that need reconciliation to happen. It hurts for more of a closeness that has left in some of my own relationships. Miles have separated me from people but that does not mean my love for them has lessened. Oh how I need His love, encouragement, comfort, and wisdom today. Sometimes these emotions He gave us are the hardest things to deal with but I will lean on Him heavily to get me through them. This morning the Lord reminded me of these words from Third Day's song "Tunnel"... There's a light at the end of this tunnel There's a light at the end of this tunnel For you, for you
I know this but I just needed reminded of it! Praise His Holy Name for all the ways He encourages me! The first five verses of Hebrews tells us how we are to morally conduct ourselves. In verse five it reads, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The apostle Paul learned to be content no matter what his situation. I strive to live in the same manner. Sometimes it is just hard to be miles from those you love. I have to trust and believe the Lord will get me through tough days. He has seen me through some tough things already in my life and I know He will continue to do so. Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for the way You never leave me but instead encourage me. Thank You for the knowledge I have that there is "a light at the end of this tunnel" and You will see me through the tough days. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. Encourage me with more of Yourself today. Heal my hurting heart and the hurting hearts of others. Thank You Jesus for being My Constant. Amen.
Before going to bed last night I prayed for pastors who would be in the pulpit this morning. I asked God to bless them in abundance with what He had laid on their hearts. He had me pray for those who are discouraged in their ministry to know He is there for them. During the night the Lord woke me to pray for one specific pastor who I have been praying for that wants to move from their current church. I have been praying for open doors for him and for him to not only hear but to listen to the Lord with this decision. Last night the Lord brought the song that was in my mind all day yesterday into my mind... Would I believe you when you would say Your hand will guide my every way Will I receive the words You say Every moment of every day
Well I will walk by faith Even when I cannot see Well because this broken road Prepares Your will for me
He told me this pastor needs to allow Him control of the situation and to wait on His time. He also gave me Jeremiah 29:11 to share with this pastor. In my humanness I thought, "Now that's silly because every believer knows this verse. He is going to think I am crazy." The Lord reassured me it would be fine. I usually like to include a few verses after eleven when sharing it but the Lord was adamant I was to only share verse eleven so that is what I will do. I have not talked to this pastor for a few weeks so I don't know where he is in the process of moving but the Lord does. There is a reason he was in my prayers during the night. Once again, I don't know why but the Lord does. Dear Jesus, Thank You for the way You use me to pray for pastors on Saturday nights. Thank You for the way You give me strength for Sundays after less sleep on this nights. Father, You are so awesome in all of the ways You bless me. Last night receiving things from 'home' blessed my heart in abundance! I miss my Momma and family so much. This is the longest I've been away from them and there is no trip in sight. Please continue to encourage my heart. I also pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. I pray for You to shine brightly through me. Once again, I pray for this pastor who I prayed for all night. Thank You Jesus for being My Encourager. Amen.
Every time I was awake during the night I had these words going through my head...
Well I will walk by faith Even when I cannot see Well because this broken road Prepares Your will for me
Yes! This is exactly how I must walk. There are a few situations I am going through that I can't begin to imagine the outcome of. But I do know God is in control and He knows the outcome as I walk in His will. The free choice He gives us can change outcomes. If we choose to make decisions not of His will, the enemy will get a wedge in between us. That is what the enemy loves. His favorite thing to do in life is to cause division. This happens between us and doing God's will every chance the enemy has to play havoc. He puts division in relationships whenever possible. There is nothing better to him than pulling someone away from God. That is why he fights us so much as we walk in God's will. But as I have said before, my God is greater than anything the enemy throws my way! I think of Paul's words in II Corinthians 5. Oh how I long to be out of the mess of this world and spending time at home with Jesus. I know my time has not come to leave here because there are many people who need to experience His love. God uses me every day to love on others in a way no one else does. I am grateful for every opportunity put before me. There are times I get tired and feel like I can't go on but He is always there to lift me up. I will continue to walk the path He sets before me. I also will do it with a faith that digs in deeper as He presents opportunities before me. I do not have to know the ending of my little situations because I know the ending of THE story. Dear Jesus, Thank You for the reminder of the importance of walking by faith on this road of life. Thank You for Your love that encourages me through everything that comes my way on a daily basis. Thank You for this day that is ahead. May You cleanse me so You can fill me so people will see/hear You instead of me. May You be greater than me in every moment. I pray for traveling mercies for my friends who are coming to visit; comfort for my friends who have lost loved ones including their four-legged fur babies; those going through medical treatments; those with family issues; and most of all those who need to find You as not only their Savior but their Lord of Lords. Thank You Jesus for being My Faith Builder. Amen.
The Lord took me to Psalm 79 this morning. It seems like everywhere I turn end times is coming into the conversation or study. Doc is teaching on Wednesday nights about it, a friend asked a question yesterday that pertained to it, and here this morning this Psalm was given for me to ponder. It is a prophecy that was written before Jesus' time. It describes how Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in which many were taken as prisoners. One thought is that one of those prisoners wrote the Psalm. It explains how if God does not do anything for people, then they think he is weak or does not exist at all. In this particular Psalm the term "countries" or "nations" means Babylon but it could mean anyone who hurts God's people. There are so many times people think God leaves them because they are going through tough days. That is not true. He gives us free choice to make decisions. When we make choices not of Him, there are consequences. I truly believe we are living in the last days of earth as we know it. Believers showing hatred toward others is unbelievable for me. Seeing how politics is dividing believers hurts me to the core. Hearing what believers say about politicians blows me out of the water. Discord in families to the point of not speaking to one another is another sign of people not listening to the Lord. What is going to happen to those who are not walking in His will when Jesus' returns? I do believe there will be many who will be surprised by where they spend eternity. But there should be no surprises. We make the choice while on this earth as to where we will spend eternity. The choices we make daily need to be thought about now. We need to give up our selfish ways and be loving, Christ-like people while on this earth. We must repent of our sins to receive salvation. When we do, the Lord will gather us in His flock and be the Good Shepherd who takes care of us. I love this word picture that shows us praising Him when we accept His care as our Shepherd. This is for everyone but unfortunately there are many who do not accept it. Salvation is for all. We, as believers, need to remember that it is not for us to keep in secret but instead we need to share with all we meet. The desire of my heart is for my friends and family to spend eternity in heaven. These words of Matthew Henry are ones to ponder upon: The Christian forgets not that he is often bound in the chain of his sins. The world to him is a prison; sentence of death is passed upon him, and he knows not how soon it may be executed. How fervently should he at all times pray, O let the sighing of a prisoner come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die! How glorious will the day be, when, triumphant over sin and sorrow, the church beholds the adversary disarmed for ever! while that church shall, from age to age, sing the praises of her great Shepherd and Bishop, her King and her God.
I desire to be who God wants me to be. That is why I start each day asking Him for a cleansing in my spirit so He can fill me with more of Him. Repentance is not a one-time thing but it must be sought at all times. We must be clean at the time of His return if we want to spend eternity with Him. Oh how I wish more people would get to the point in life where they would realize this. The things and ways of this world may give happiness for a short time but eternity with the Lord is where true happiness is found. As Doc said last week, "God does not want us to be happy. He wants us to be holy!" I know there are some who don't understand the meaning of that statement but I am thankful I do. I am praising His name for all He has done in my life and all that is left to be done. Dear Jesus, Thank You for the words of Psalm 79 that encourage me to show You with others. Thank You for Your cleansing power. Thank You for filling me with more of You. Cleanse me so You can fill me is my morning prayer. I also pray a continuation of healing in Mordecei's body. I love my four-legged buddy so much and it's so hard to see him suffer. I also pray for physical and emotional strength through these tough days. I pray it was just an allergic reaction in him and that the medication works to give him more days. I pray for those who have lost their four-legged buddies this week to feel Your comfort. You give us them to love and for them to love on us and for that we are grateful. Father, go before me today and open doors for opportunities to share Your love with others. Give me Your wisdom as I make decisions that will glorify You. Thank You Jesus for being My Shepherd. Amen.
"I can't do this. I'm just going to stay here until the end." My response, "No pain, no gain my friend." Yesterday as I watched my friend go through therapy I prayed and prayed for her to have strength. As I reflected back on this time, I thought about how we, as believers, stop when we begin to feel uncomfortable with what God puts before us. We sometimes feel inadequate so we stop. Or sometimes He asks us to do something we would never imagine doing on our own so we refuse to follow His will. I know I have missed many opportunities over the years that He put before me. I strive hard to not do that anymore. I want to bless Him as He blesses me through others. The only way to do that is to be prayed up so I can not only hear His Voice but follow it. I wish more believers would get to the point in life where they give up self and take on being Christ-like. As I said a couple weeks ago in my sermon, if this were the case we would see love instead of hate; people giving freely instead of living selfishly; people praying for people right when an opportunity arises instead of saying 'I'll pray for you' and walking away. Families would live in harmony and married couples would be reconciled. It would not be a perfect world because that will only be when we go 'home' with Jesus. But it would be a different world. This morning God has the song "Different" going through my head again. I do want to be "Different" because I know that is what I am called to be. If I live as everyone else in this world, I am not living as Jesus intended. If I didn't think of others before myself, I wouldn't be who He has called me to be. My brain is struggling right now with everything going on but I am staying in my Father's arms because I know He has everything under control. He knows the outcome of every situation in my little world. Woo hoo! That is such a relief to this once list-maker, worrier! I am so blessed by where He has brought me from in my spiritual life. Death to life. Darkness to light. All along the way He has been with me, encouraging me, loving on me, and giving me direction. There is just no better place to be living than in His will. Dear Jesus, Thank You for the smile that beamed on my friend's face yesterday when I walked in. Thank You for the ways You worked in and through me yesterday with her, the therapist, the nurses, the children/teens last night...oh my am I blessed. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. I pray all of my actions, words, and my attitude will be filled with You today. Make me "Different" so people will see You through me. Lord, I prayed throughout the night for so many different people with physical needs. May their physical needs take their spiritual lives deeper. I also am praying for those going to the Awakening in Texas to be filled with overflowing of the Holy Spirit. I pray that filling will not just be for their time there but most importantly for them to share it with them wherever they go. I pray blessings upon Corey and Beth; Rob; Rhonda; Brother Dan; Dana; Stuart; and Hal as they minister. I pray they will also be ministered to. May we all be made "Different" through the Holy Spirit! Thank You Jesus for being My Strength! Amen.
The words to a song Ellie Holcomb sings is on my heart this morning. There are so many people who need to realize the comfort of these words today.
Whether I'm in want or plenty
Whether I'm in health or ill
Our God promises His children
He will, He will
He'll bind up the brokenhearted
Oh He will, oh He will
He'll set captives free from darkness
Oh He will, oh He will
He'll breathe hope into the hopeless
Help a restless soul be still
Oh-ohh, oh-ohh
He will, He will
In the middle of the night Doc's phone went off with the alarm of bombs being set off in Israel. I don't know where they went off but I started praying for our friends there along with others who may be effected. I cannot fathom living under such stress. After a half hour of praying the Lord let me go back to sleep. This morning the first thing I started doing was praying for Billie, Dale, Roberta, and Little Richie as they deal with their chemo treatments. Those are 'bombs' of a different sort in their life yet just as stressful. Oh how I pray they will hold onto the fact that "He Will" be there for them at all time. "He Will" be their Healer, their Encourager, and their Comforter. In Isaiah 61 we are told God will make us "Oaks of Righteousness" as we stand firm in our faith. Matthew Henry writes: "Those who have the Lord for their portion, have reason to say, that they have worthy portion, and to rejoice in it. In the fulness of heaven's joys we shall receive more than double for all our services and sufferings." "He Will" be all things to those who believe in Him. Sometimes when going through times of suffering in our physical body we need to have people fill up our emotional and spiritual tanks. I am praying today for "Oaks of Righteousness" to be Billie, Dale, Roberta, and Little Richie's strength. I am praying their tanks will be filled by those around them. I also am praying for Shahadi and his family as they minister to many. I pray for a hedge of protection around them as they take on new territory the enemy does not like. Last night the Lord had me praying for a friend who I don't know what is happening in her life. I pray I am one of many "Oaks of Righteousness" in her life. I also pray I have many "Oaks of Righteousness" to support me in my life. I am grateful for the prayer warriors who have gone on to heaven. I know I felt their prayers many times. God blessed me with my Daddy, dear Lenore, and dear Marilyn who were "Oaks of Righteousness" for me as they lifted me up in prayer. I'm blessed now with my Momma and Ms Margaret who I know lift me up daily among many others who pray for me. "He Will" be exactly what we need as we allow Him to be. For that, I am so grateful. Dear Jesus, Thank You for these words from this song and from Your word that mean so much to me. Thank You for not only making "Oaks of Righteousness" who lift me up in prayer but for giving me the privilege to be one of them as I lift others up. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. May You be greater than the things that come my way to try to tear me down. May You be my physical strength as it is Tuesday which is so hard. Lord, thank You for being with those going through 'bombs' going off in their lives. Thank You Jesus for being My Everything! Amen.
The Lord took me Psalm 87 this morning. As I was reading it, I was reminded of Doc's sermon yesterday about how we need to be different. We, as believers, need to be sharing God with others so they can also be born again. We need to be 'different' so people will desire to live as we live. This means we cannot live as the world does but instead as God desires. Too many people fall into the trap of competition with money, vehicles, clothing, etc. Those actions are not teaching their children the right way to live. Instead a life of pleasing God and walking in His will is needed. Matthew Henry writes about this passage:
The springs of the joy of a carnal worldling are in wealth and pleasure; but of a gracious soul, in the word of God and prayer. All grace and consolation are derived from Christ, through his ordinances, to the souls of believers.
I strive to live in His grace and not in the ways of the world. As Doc said yesterday, God desires us to be holy, not necessarily be happy. If we are happy all the time, we will not be seeking Him. Instead we will feel like we don't need Him but will do life on our own. During the sermon yesterday I kept having these words from the song "Different" going through my mind... I wanna be different I wanna be changed 'Til all of me is gone And all that remains Is a fire so bright The whole world can see That there's something different So come and be different In me
The desire of my heart is to be 'different' and 'changed' so people will see/hear God and not me. I desire to have His love ooze out of me in such a way that there will be no doubt He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of my life. I don't want to be just another person on this earth but instead want to be a shining light for the Lord. The only way that can happen is for me to seek Him first in my life. I must take on His character so my actions, word and attitude will mirror His. It is not easy to do but as I accomplish this change I am blessed in abundance with the knowledge that I am walking in His will. Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace that enables me to walk in Your will. Thank You for the opportunities You presented to me yesterday to share Your love. Thank You for the ones You will put before me today. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me. Make me 'different' and 'changed' so You can flow out of me. I pray for those who were in the service yesterday to reflect back on the words spoken. I pray they will have the desire in their heart to be 'different' and 'changed' too. Father, today starts another week and there is so much on the calendar. Would You please keep me focused on You and desires of Your heart so I don't miss anything You have in store for me? Would You give Doc and I some time together to just be us? Would You speak to me as I write my sermon so I convey the message You desire? Would You be with many in my realm who need a touch from You? I am praying for a friend facing surgery this week; those who are will be experiencing Brother Dan and his team; Billie as she continues on her path with the breast cancer; those who are cleaning up from Hurricane Michael; my Momma with her eye issue; Peggy and her family as they find a new normal without Mike; Jane's family as they continue to grieve; and my family who I am missing so greatly. Father, be greater than the things of this world. May You be greater than the hurts people are experiencing. Thank You Jesus for being My Changer. Amen.
Before going to sleep last night I prayed for some pastors who are going through some trying days with their health or their spouse's health. I prayed for them to have clarity as they present their sermon today. I also prayed for the people in their congregation to love on them as they see their pastor love on others. I prayed for strength in physical bodies where theirs was gone but most of all for God's strength to be realized for them not only physically but most importantly spiritually. I prayed for people to be sensitive to the needs of their pastor and spouse not only for those who are going through tough days but for all pastors. I prayed for pastors with prodigal children to be loved by people in a way that would encourage them. As I began to fall asleep I told God I was so tired from the conference but if He desired me to continue praying for pastors to please wake me. After a couple hours of sleeping He woke me to pray for retired pastors. He shared that there are many who are struggling emotionally. They know nothing other than being a pastor. Now that they have 'retired' they struggle with knowing who they really are. He encouraged me to pray for those who have 'retired' from ministry to realize there is not a time of retirement from the call put upon their heart. They may have retired from a specific church but they have not retired from being a pastor. They need to find ways to minister outside of the church or in special occasions within a church. He also had me pray for retired pastor's spouses. They may have only known the life of pastor's spouse with no 'outside' employment. Therefore, they are struggling with their identity in the the world. He had me pray for them to be reminded they are His Child and they have worth. He had me pray for churches to remember retired pastors during October which is Pastor Appreciation Month. It is sad to think of how many churches don't show appreciation to their pastor only during this month when they should show it all year long. He had me pray for pastors whose church won't even recognize Pastor Appreciation Month. So many pastors and spouses are tore down emotionally which takes a toll on their physical, mental, and most of all spiritual bodies. He encouraged me to pray for pastors to be encouraged in someway today as they minister. Dear Jesus, Thank You for the way You use me to pray for pastors and their families on Saturday nights. Thank You for bringing situations, people groups, and sometime specific ones to pray for. Lord, I pray the prayers I lifted up for these ones will not only be heard but I pray they will be felt. May pastors, their spouses, their prodigals, and retired pastors and spouses know someone has prayed for them. I also pray for congregations to love on their pastors in the exact way their pastors, spouses, and families need to be loved on. Lord, continue to be with Billie and her family as they are on this road with breast cancer. I also pray for a pastor friend who is dealing with cancer herself. Lord, be the encouragement that is needed. Cleanse me so You can fill me so You can use me to encourage others. Thank You for the encouragement I received from both Lysa and Ellie. Thank You for the way You provided financially for me to attend this event. Thank You for loving on me through others. Thank You for Jennifer who allowed me cry in her arms as she prayed for me. I am so blessed and so grateful for all the blessings You give me. Thank You Jesus for being My Encourager. Amen.
I am beautiful...wonderfully made...loved...treasured...made new! Woo hoo! Thank You Jesus for last night with Lysa Terkeurst and Ellie Holcomb! The peaceful ride here with the beauty of His creation was such a blessing. I will never tire of seeing cotton fields. It is amazing to me how seeing things I never saw growing up tickles my heart. God is so amazing in speaking to my heart with exactly what I need to hear. The concept of how we are "living between two gardens" was something I have never thought of before. Both of those gardens represent perfection. Many of us seek perfection while on this earth but it is not attainable. Perfection was only found in the Garden of Eden and in the New Garden in Heaven. This hit home as I have been so distraught over having a 'B' in my class this time. I know a 'B' is ok but I have never liked having anything other than an 'A' in class. It is something silly when you think about it. It is nothing compared to what others are dealing with in life yet it is something I have been dealing with. No longer will it be an issue to me. I know the grade I receive is what the Lord sees fit for me to have. There is nothing wrong with a 'B' nor is there any reason for me to fret over it. I am beautiful...wonderfully made...loved...treasured...made new! Praise His Holy Name! Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for loving me so greatly that You would provide for me to be here for this time with Lysa and Ellie. Thank You for the revelation about the Gardens. Thank You for the worship that touched my heart last night. Woo hoo, Lord! Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. I pray for strength in my physical body as this day had to start so early. I pray for strength in my emotional and spiritual body when my physical body gets weary. May You be a shining light through me so people will feel Your love. Thank You for Marion doing well. I pray the move will happen as planned for her today. May she remember what I prayed over her so she will lean upon Your strength! Thank You Jesus for being My Strength. Amen.
Every time I was awake during the night the words to a song Matthew West sings called "Forgiveness" was going through my mind. "Forgiveness" is one of the hardest things to give as human beings. It is something that does not go with our normal actions yet it is something that we must give if we want to have peace in our life. God forgives us over and over again. But He is God. We are human with very deep emotions. In this song, it talks about how painful it can be to be in a situation where one has hurt you. The pain can cause us to not think straight at times. It can cause us to be angry and bitter. It is ok to be angry but it is not ok to sin in anger. Bad mouthing another, thinking vengeful things about them, etc. are all ways anger can turn into sin. These words need to be our prayer when dealing with someone who is/has hurt us yet we need to forgive them.
Show me how to love the unlovable Show me how to reach the unreachable Help me now to do the impossible Forgiveness, Forgiveness Help me now to do the impossible Forgiveness
"Forgiveness" does not come easy, especially if the person who hurt you does not ask for it. But there is freedom that comes with it. As long as we stay in a state of not forgiving another, we give the enemy an open door into our lives. He will play havoc with telling us they don't deserve forgiveness or you are better than them. When we hold onto not forgiving another, we become bitter and sometimes are hateful. That is not what God desires of us. He desires us to love everyone. When the boys were growing up and had a tough time with someone, I also told them 'you don't have to like them, but you do have to love them with Jesus' love.' We can't 'like' everyone or be best friends with everyone but we do need to love them because Jesus commands us too. People make mistakes that can tear us apart but we need to remember Jesus forgives them when they have repentant hearts. We need to do the same, even if they don't ask. There are many situations where forgiveness may seem impossible but nothing is impossible when God is in it. I think of Jeremy's family with the man who hit and killed him; many ladies who were sexually assaulted as little girls; spouses who had their husband or wife commit adultery; children who are/were abused by their parents; siblings who have said hurtful words to one another; the list goes on and on. Every one of these people need a heart of forgiveness with those who have hurt them. I think one of the hardest things is to forgive someone who continues to do an act against us. But once again we need to remember that Jesus forgives us even when we continue to sin. I struggle with the words of Luke 17:3-4. Jesus told His disciples:
3So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.
4Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
These words go against what I have been taught. Jesus is telling us to forgive people "if they repent" no matter how many times they do something against you. There are times such as when being abused that the person will not ask for forgiveness. If we keep bitter feelings against them, we will live a miserable life. But then I went back and re-read these words and realized He isn't talking about all but a "brother or sister" which means another believer. One who is not a believer won't understand the concept of repentance so they would be apt to ask for forgiveness. I know some situations going on right now where all are believers yet the hurt keeps happening. I think of the saying 'hurting people hurt people.' It is so sad to see families being torn apart by the enemy; friendships being crushed; people living in a state of bitterness and anger; etc. The enemy is playing havoc in our world and he needs trampled down by the prayers and praises of God's people. If a believer is causing havoc, the one being hurt by them needs to pray for God to open their eyes to what they are doing. I believe the one being hurt also needs to ask God to forgive them for anything they have themselves did to sin in the situation; pray for the one hurting them to realize what they are doing; and forgive them even before they ask for forgiveness. Then peace will be found.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for the peace You give me in the midst of being hurt by others. Thank You for the joy You give me as I allow You to work in and through me. Thank You for cleansing me today so You can fill me to overflowing. Father, I praise You for the way You opened my eyes to forgiveness of those who hurt me. Lord, this morning I am praying for so many who are in the middle of hurtful situations. May You open their eyes to forgiveness. Thank You Jesus for being My Peace. Amen.
