Thursday, February 28, 2019

Acts 1:8 - "Changed" by Jordan Feliz


I woke up this morning to these words going through my mind...

I've been changed
I've been saved
Brand new day
I've been changed

The song begins with...

Let me tell you all my friends
About this joy I'm living in

Isn't that what all believers should be doing? Shouldn't we all 'tell' people about Christ. Weren't we all commissioned to do this? God empowers us to tell our story. We are the only one that can do so. It does not take being a preacher to testify. All it takes is being a believer with the boldness the Holy Spirit gives. Sometimes it takes leaving what we as humans call our 'comfort zone' but I learned a long time ago as I walk in obedience I no longer have 'comfort zones.' As I am willing to do whatever He calls me to do, I don't have 'comfort zones' to leave. I know His empowerment will enable me to do anything He calls me to do. Woo hoo! I no longer have to have a 'Plan A,' 'Plan B,' etc. His plan is the perfect plan. The other night when the bus was loaded with twelve children/teens and it would not start I did not panic. Instead I prayed and God gave me the solution. It was not Plan B. It was God's plan. He already knew the bus was not going to start. He wanted to see how we would react to the situation. He provided rides and everything was taken care of. If I would have panicked, got angry, etc., the end of the story would have been much different. Instead I walked in His peace and allowed Him to work in and through me. This life is so different than how I used to live. When disappointments come, I ask God to show me how to get through them without losing His peace. I do the same when tough days are a part of life. I pray people see how I live my life and desire the same. I need to get better though at testifying about how He has "Changed" my life not only through sanctification but first through salvation. We cannot expect for people to love Him if we don't share His love with them.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for being my Plan A. Thank You for walking beside me through disappointments and trials of life. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Go before me today and speak through me. May Your words, actions, and attitude show through me. Father, today may more believers  become bolder in their witness. May more of us show Your love in a way that people will desire to be in relationship with You. May You be greater, Lord. May You be greater than the fear the enemy is trying to put on my friend and her family as she goes for a breast biopsy today. May You be greater than all of my friends dealing with 'C' with treatments and surgeries. May You be greater than the hurt many are feeling right now with the death of loved ones. May You be greater than the fighting married couples are going through right now. May You be greater than the addiction my friend's wife has. May You be greater than the unknown health issues a couple people I know are going through. Plain and simple, God. May You be greater. Thank You Jesus for being My Plan A. Amen.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Psalm 48 - "Well Done"


These words are going through my mind this morning...

Well done, well done
My good and faithful one
Welcome to the place where you belong
Well done, well done
My beloved child
You have run the race and now you're home
Welcome to the place where you belong

I pray these are the words I hear when I walk into the arms of Jesus at the end of my life on this earth. Will I? Is there any chance I won't? If I stay on the path of obedience to His will, I will. If I allow the enemy to have his way, I wouldn't. This morning I am praying for people who know Him and have been in relationship with Him who have given the enemy an open door into their life. Some have blatant signs in their life. They are doing sinful things and no longer serve God. They have turned their back not only to God but to friends and family who love God. Families have been destroyed, which is exactly what the enemy desires. Christian leaders have fallen, which has put many questions in the minds of those under them. The enemy loves this kind of thing. Why, how can believers turn their back on God? What does the enemy do to entice them? What can look so much better than God's love? Sometimes it comes in the form of money, prestige, etc. Sometimes it comes in the form of another person showing them 'love' when they feel unloved. Sometimes it comes in the form of words of affirmation when they are feeling worthless. When the enemy sees an open door, he takes it. When people allow him to walk into their lives, they no longer see God as the One to live for. This saddens my heart. Sometimes it makes me angry. There is nothing I can do to change their mind as long as they allow the enemy his way in their life. But I can pray for them and when given the opportunity I can speak Life into them. I also can pray for those in their influence to not get caught up into sin. This morning the Lord took me to Psalm 48. I read it in different translations to grasp what He wanted me to receive. This Psalm is one of praise to our Heavenly Father. It tells us how God will protect His people. If God protects His people, then why does the enemy get to play havoc in people's lives? The answer is simple. We have free will. God wants us to exercise that free will to live a life for Him. Unfortunately, when we walk in the flesh instead of the spirit we make decisions away from Him. If we want to walk in the Spirit, we must be sold-out to Him. We must pray every morning for a cleansing in our soul so He can fill us up with Himself. We must throw off the fleshly desires. We must stand firm in our faith as we live for Him. It takes believing in the Hope of Christ for eternal life as we live on this earth. Matthew Henry writes of the last part of this chapter...

This God, who has now done such great things for us, is unchangeable in his love to us, and his care for us. If he is our God, he will lead and keep us even to the last. He will so guide us, as to set us above the reach of death, so that it shall not do us any real hurt. He will lead us to a life in which there shall be no more death.

Yes! No more sorrow nor death will be a part of what we experience in heaven. We just have to get there to experience it. We must live a life of holiness where He is first in our life to live with Him for eternity.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this song and Scripture this morning. Thank You for loving me so greatly. Thank You for reminding me of what it takes to get to heaven. Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me. I pray for more of You and less of me to show through in my actions, attitude, and words throughout this day. Give me opportunities to love on people. Lord, this morning I am praying for so many who have fallen out of relationship with You. I pray for their families who are hurting to be encouraged by You somehow today. I also am praying for some with physical needs who need You as their Great Physician. May they lean into You today in a new, different way. I pray Dale was able to sleep last night; John will continue to gain strength; the doctors of one who was admitted into the hospital yesterday to have Your wisdom; Colleen to receive answers for her pain; John to be protected as he deals with his physical issues; Billie as she continues with her road with 'C'; a friend who will be having a breast biopsy tomorrow; Gay and Lynn with their unspoken request; another with an unspoken request; and many more who I prayed for during the night. Lord, most of all I pray You will be real to all. Thank You Jesus for being My Goal. Amen.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Psalm 98 - "Reckless Love"


 

Woo hoo! "Sing to the Lord...shout for joy to the Lord...burst into jubilant song with music..." That is exactly what I did last night. It was so awesome to have Doc playing the guitar and Jack on the drums. I love singing with 'live' music! It is so different than the 'canned' music. There is such a freedom for both the instrumentalists and the vocalist. I loved every minute of it. The walls of our garage seemed to be shaking as we lifted our praises to God. No matter what the avenue of music, I love lifting my voice in praise and worship to Him. God is so great and does so much for us to praise Him for every moment of every day. When going through tough times, it may be hard to see but there is always something to praise Him for. If we wake up in the morning, that is a praise. I have been physically tired with pushing myself so much. When Doc got up, I asked him to let me sleep another half hour. It was wonderful to sleep eleven hours. I praise God for His rest. I praise Him for the bus starting yesterday when Doc jumped it. I praise Him for being with me as I worked on school work last night. I praise Him for loving me so greatly as He carried me through the day. I praise Him for answering prayers. I praise Him for being with people who are hurting so greatly such as the teen who lost her Momma in a house fire; the family whose daughter is missing from a boating accident; one who is awaiting test results; another who is in the ER; John being released from the hospital...the list goes on and on. Most of all I praise Him for giving people spiritual strength through sermons such as the one Doc shared Sunday. It was one that encouraged my heart greatly to continue to strive to live a life of holiness. I praise Him for giving me that desire. I praise Him for directing my path to walk into opportunities to share His love with others. As Doc and I had our Mentor/Student meeting last night, I realized I need to be doing this more. I need to be bolder in sharing the gift of salvation with others. I am bold in sharing the gift of sanctification with believers but I need to get better with those who are not in relationship with Him.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the time last night with Doc and Jack. Thank You for filling my tank up as I sang. Thank You for loving me so greatly. Thank You for the eleven hours of sleep. Thank You for the way You will open doors for me today to share You with others, especially those who are not in relationship with You. Thank You for being the Great Physician for those who need Your touch today in their physical bodies. Thank You for being exactly what is needed for those who are going through 'tough' days. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. Lord, be greater. Be real. Ooze out of me in a new, different way. Thank You Jesus for being The One I Praise. Amen.

Monday, February 25, 2019

II Corinthians 3:16-18 - "The Answer to the Question"


"From glory to glory..." Woo hoo! I love those words Doc shared yesterday from II Corinthians 3. I also love the way he described that we need to rest in knowing God will sanctify us. The Holy Spirit is the One to do the work as we believe. This is a product of our faith. Yesterday's sermon was so encouraging for all to strive to live a life of holiness. The points Doc gave were thought-provoking and encouraging. Jesus set the example of how to live and we all need to strive to follow that example. 

Jesus is the picture of holiness...He lived a life of total dependance on His Father...came to fulfill His Father's will...lived to please His Father and not man.

Jesus' values and priorities...His supreme motivation was to glorify His Father...He exalted eternal over temporal.

Jesus' relationship with other...He was merciful...always put others above Himself...had a servant's heart...was available even when people interrupted Him or at inconvenient times...was submissive to human authority...taught and practiced respect.

Jesus' words...He spoke only the words His Father told Him to speak...He didn't judge or have His own opinion.

Jesus' character...He continually praised His Father...was bold when confronting sin...He had ALL the fruit of the Spirit...He had authority and used it. 

The other day I was in a conversation about faith. There was discussion on what could be accomplished when one had faith. I made the statement that I believe I could raise someone from the dead if God directed me to do so. I meant it. I know I can do anything God desires me to do. He empowers me. Just as Jesus had authority, I do. I have no doubt in my mind that whatever He desires me to do I can do. I have been miraculously healed multiple times. I have the empowerment to pass that healing onto others. I believe the Holy Spirit can empower me to do whatever He wants accomplished. The only way for God's will to be accomplished through me is for my focus to stay on Him. I must live in His presence to not only hear His voice but to walk in obedience to it. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the words of encouragement from yesterday's sermon. Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace that You bless me with every moment of every day. Thank You for cleansing me today so I can walk in obedience to You. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. May You use me to bless others. I pray You will enable me to keep my focus on You. I pray for more of You and less of me. Father, I pray for the ones who heard the message Doc gave yesterday to be encouraged to live a life of holiness. Thank You Jesus for being My Example. Amen.

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Psalm 40 - "The River"


Before I went to bed I prayed for pastors. During the night every time I woke I prayed for pastors. The first thought I had when I woke was to pray for pastors. I love Saturday nights when pastors are brought to my mind. I pray people pray for their pastors. Many cannot comprehend the weight a pastor is under. For example, those who live in areas of bad weather will get up this morning and wonder if there is church. Some will call their pastor to ask. If they are in a large church, the pastor may not even be the one to make the decision. If church is cancelled, some will be mad at the pastor. If it is not cancelled, some will be mad at the pastor. Sometimes the pastor cannot win. There will be pastors who go and shovel the snow, salt the ice, plow the parking lot, etc. before anyone else gets there. Some pastors will walk around the church checking to make sure every room is ready for the day, the heat is working, etc. before anyone arrives. There is more to being a pastor than preaching. But many do not realize this. I prayed during the night for pastors who are on mission trips to not worry about what is happening back home. I prayed for those filling the pulpit to be filled with the Holy Spirit and pastors who will preach with an interpreter to be blessed. I prayed for pastors who will hear Dan Bohi and his team to be filled with God's love in a new, different way. I prayed for pastors who need a physical touch to receive. Most of all I prayed for pastors who need to be refreshed in their spirits to leave a new person. God provides exactly what we need, when we need it, when we allow Him to do so. He fills us up with more of Himself so people will see/hear Him instead of us when we step out of the way. God took me to Psalm 40 this morning. David waited patiently for the Lord. He had hope in God. He trusted God. He had faith that God would deliver him. In verses nine and ten it shows how he proclaimed God's love as he waited. That is exactly what we are to do today as we wait on His return. We are to be bold in our witness. As pastors proclaim the Gospel, they are to do so in a way that will be grasped by the people. Matthew Henry wrote of verse eleven: "The best saints see themselves undone, unless continually preserved by the grace of God."  God's love, mercy, and grace are needed by all every day to get to live with Him for eternity. We cannot live in this world without Him and go to heaven. If we want our friends and family to be with us for eternity, we need to present the Gospel to them in a way they will desire to live a life for Him on this earth. Verse sixteen in The Message reads:

But all who are hunting for you—
    oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you’re all about
    tell the world you’re great and not quitting.


Yes! We cannot quit until all in our realm of influence hear the truth about God. We cannot quit until we know we have done everything there is to do to share the Gospel. God does not make quitters. When times get discouraging we may want to quit but we cannot quit. He did not call us to quit but instead He called us to win souls for Him.
cDear Jesus,
Thank You for the privilege to pray for pastors throughout the night. Thank You for Psalm 40 that encourages all to not quit in sharing Your love with others. Thank You for Your cleansing power that will wash me white as snow today so I can be Christ-like to all I meet. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. May You be greater than my flesh. Lord, go before all who will go into the pulpit today and speak boldly through them. I pray for pastors who will be listening to Dan Bohi and his team; Michael Adams; and others who are visiting in churches. I pray they will be refreshed and renewed through the services they are not in the pulpit. I pray for pastors who need a spiritual touch to receive it and be changed in their spirit. I pray for pastors who need a physical healing to receive it and be ready to share their healing not only in words but also in the empowerment their healing gives them. I pray for Mike Dennis as he and his team minister in Guatemala. Lord, go before the pastors who are discouraged and encourage them in a way their spirits will be changed. Thank You Jesus for being My Greatest Influence. Amen.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

I John 5:4; Psalm 62:1-2 - "Never Once"


When I was awake throughout the night with physical issues, I decided I would pray. God brought to my mind a roller coaster. This has been the second time in the last few weeks where He did this. Life is like a roller coaster ride. There are ups and downs, thrills, fears, etc. throughout our days. I am so thankful God is my Constant Companion to get me through such days. As I thought about a roller coaster, I thought about how when ascending a roller coaster there is anticipation. You wonder if you are going to be able to handle the downside that is coming. That is much the same with when you are dealing with things such as illness, relationship issues, etc. The only way to get through such times with peace is to lean upon His strength. When one walks in His will, He is the strength that can not compare to any other. He is the empowerment needed to stand in victory. My sister bought me this yesterday...


Woo hoo! We must realize every victory God blesses us with, even if they are small. The enemy does not like when we do so. The more we celebrate, the more we will have to celebrate. Waking up each morning should be a celebration but it usually is not something on most people's minds. It is easier to celebrate when God blesses us with a 'good' diagnosis, financial means, etc. But we need to celebrate more often. God loves to hear our praises. He loves to shower us with blessings. Psalm 62:1-2 reads:

I wait quietly before God,
    for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress where I will never be shaken.


Woo hoo! "My Victory"..."My Rock"..."My Salvation"..."My Fortress"... YES! He is all of these wrapped up into One. How is that possible? It is only through my faith.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for being My Victory! Thank You for being my supernatural empowerment on the roller coaster of life! Thank You for all the blessings You give me each and every day! Lord, cleanse me so I can be Christ-like to all I meet and speak to today. May You be greater than me today. Shine brightly through me in my actions, words, and attitude. Thank You for being My Constant Companion! Amen.

Friday, February 22, 2019

Ephesians 6:7-10 - "Soul On Fire"


Before I went to bed last night the Lord had me praying for people going through 'tough' days. There are some who are strong in their faith while others are not in relationship with Him. They were the ones He had me focus on. I do not know how people get through the 'tough' days without His strength to lean into. There were a couple times throughout the night He woke me to pray. One time it was to pray for my dear friend Billie who leans into God as she is fighting her battle with cancer. He had me pray for her to hold onto Galatians 6:9 and not give up. I am so thankful she is in relationship with the Lord. Another friend who is suffering with cancer in her body and continues to fight is also in my prayers this morning. I pray for her as she continues to minister to others even through treatments. I am so grateful these sisters in Christ depend upon Him. I also am grateful for the way He leads me to depend upon Him. The song "Soul On Fire" was in my mind throughout the night and again this morning. Specifically, these words...

God, I'm running for Your heart
I'm running for Your heart
Till I am a soul on fire
Lord, I'm longing for Your ways
I'm waiting for the day
When I am a soul on fire
Till I am a soul on fire

We all need to run for Him so we can be "a soul on fire"! I am so thankful for the day He pulled me back when I "wandered" away. He pulled me out of the "darkness" into His Light and for that I am forever grateful. I also am grateful for the way He is using me to love with His love as I minister to many. Galatians 6 is about not giving up as we 'work' for Him. Both of the ladies I prayed for throughout the night are serving Him even while dealing with cancer. Another one (Peggy) is a pastor's wife who is on the 'C' journey. I pray for her and her husband to lean into Jesus as they are in this battle. May they continue to run into His arms. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the privilege to pray for many dealing with 'C' during the night and again this morning. Thank You for bringing those who need to find Your strength into my prayers. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing so people will see/hear You instead of me. I pray for Your love to ooze out of me in such a way that there is no doubt You are my strength. Lord, go before my dear friend who continues to fight the battle of 'C' today and be her strength. Go before Billie, Peggy, Dale, John, and Mike today as they continue their fight  with this horrible disease. I am so grateful each one of them have Your strength. I also am praying for those in physical battles who do not know You to find You. I pray for those who know You yet do not depend upon Your strength to realize how different their life can be. Lord, thank You for the blessing of the roof being put on the church building. Thank You for the blessing of the beautiful weather yesterday and today. Thank You for the blessing of having my sister Linda with us. You are so, so good at blessing us! Thank You Jesus for being My Light! Amen.


Thursday, February 21, 2019

II Timothy 1:7 - "God of All Days"



These words were on my mind throughout the night as God woke me to pray for some people who are going through some tough days and again this morning when I woke...

In my worry, God You are my stillness
In my searching, God You are my answers
In my blindness, God You are my vision
In my bondage, God You are my freedom
In my weakness, God You are my power
You're the reason that I sing
'Cause You're the God of all my days

God is Everything we did. He is what we need to get through 'good days' and what we need to get through 'bad days.' I had a disturbing dream last night that could make me be fearful but it was just a dream. It seemed so real but my God will be with me so I need not worry. No matter what lies ahead in my days, He is My Strength. I pray for others to have that same peace but the only way they can is for them to be focused on God. I pray for people to realize the enemy will try to make them fearful, God will not. I pray for people to lean into God for His strength. He is all we need. The day I realized that was a day of freedom. I no longer was in bondage to the fear the enemy placed upon me. Instead I walked in freedom of knowing Christ is in control of every aspect of my life. That does not mean I don't have 'bad' days because we all need them in our life. If we didn't have them, we would have no need to depend upon Him. 'Bad' days take us into a new depth of faith. They will take us into a deeper reliance on our God. Oh how I pray for more people to find such depth. This morning I am praying for..

  • a friend with an alcoholic spouse
  • those going through cancer...my pastor friend, Little Richie, Little Natalie, John, Dale, Mike, Peggy
  • my friend Wanda who is recovering from ear surgery
  • one who is recuperating from a heart attack
  • my friend with knee issues
  • Mike and his team in Guatemala
  • people who will hear Brother Dan as he speaks at Coshocton
  • Little Eli and his family who continues to battle his immune deficiency disorder
  • those who have fear put upon them by the enemy
  • those who need to release control of their life and allow God to be their Everything
Physical needs are something that seem to always be on prayer lists but they are not the most important thing we need to pray for. We need to be praying for the spiritual needs of people. Many times the physical needs will be gone once spiritual needs are fulfilled. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for waking me during the night to pray for many people. Father, I pray You will be so real to people. I pray the trials people are going through will deepen their faith. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Go before me today and be my words, actions, and attitude. May people see/hear You instead of me. May I walk through every open door You present to me. Thank You for being My Everything! Amen.



Wednesday, February 20, 2019

I Corinthians 8:2-3 - "Known"


At 4AM and again when the clock went off at 6:30 these words were going through my mind...

How real, how wide
How rich, how high is Your heart
I cannot find the reasons why
You give me so much

I'm fully known and loved by You
You won't let go no matter what I do
And it's not one or the other
It's hard truth and ridiculous grace
To be known fully known and loved by You
I'm fully known and loved by You

God is so good! When I strayed, He never left me. When I turned my back on Him, He still loved me. When I walked back into His arms, He embraced me. He loves me so much. Last night as the children and I talked about His love, I was blessed with the way many of them spoke of the need for us to stay focused on Him. That is where we will feel His love the greatest because the need to fulfill our own desires is gone. As one walks in obedience to His will they will become more Christ-like. As this happens, our faith will go deeper. I explained to the children last night that when disappointments or tough times come our way God will help us. He may not take them away because He wants us to grow deeper in our faith through tough times. Some of the children are living with Grandma due to the death of both parents. One shared last night that she gets disappointed when her Daddy doesn't come home when he says he will due to be a long-distance truck driver. One shared how there are two children in his class that are mean to him. Disappointments are things we all have to handle. I don't remember being taught at church to lean on Jesus as a child but I want to make sure my Tuesday night children are taught this. My parents lived a life of faith which modeled for me how to live. All of their health issues, my twenty-one year old sister being murdered, the sexual abuse I endured, etc. gave them a lot of experience with drawing deeper in their faith. I believe their relationship with God brought about the gift He gave them with my Daddy's last couple of hours on this earth. Their love story had the most beautiful ending on this earth. It was definitely God orchestrated. I desire to live for Him with such a great faith. I know God loves me and desires for me to give myself fully to Him. The desire of my heart is to fulfill the desire of His heart every day. Each day is a gift He gives us. We can open up the gift with expectancy or we can discard it and open it later. We can take the gift He gives us today and embrace it as we walk in His will or we can open it and put it aside because we don't want to give up what our flesh desires. We all have the choice of allowing Him full control or hanging onto bits and pieces of our fleshly desires. Oh how I pray for more people to surrender today. I pray for more people to surrender their heart to Him. I pray for more people who have surrendered their heart to Him surrender their whole being to Him. That is where the greatest life is found.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the strength You provided yesterday. Thank You for the way You love on me so greatly. Thank You for the peace You gave yesterday as I walked in for my mammogram. I was so grateful to not emotionally fall apart as I waited. This was the first time since the breast cancer I didn't. Thank You for the initial results being good. Thank You for the way You empowered me to be Your witness while I was there. Thank You for the time with the children last night and a good night's sleep. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of Your love. Go before me today and pave the way for me to share You to all I meet. I pray my Tuesday night children will remember You love them as they face disappointments in life. Thank You for being My Fullness. Amen.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Ephesians 3:14-21 - "From the Inside Out"



I woke up at 5AM with these words going through my mind, fell back asleep, and they were with me at 7AM when the clock went off...

Everlasting
Your Light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your Glory goes beyond all fame

Your Will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing You praise


I asked God to tell me what He wanted me to receive from this song. He told me no matter what happens in life, I need to keep my focus on Him. He told me I need to praise Him no matter what. He asked me, "Daughter can you do this?" I told Him I could and would try my best to keep praises on my lips. He told me He would empower me to do so If I allowed Him. I asked Him why He was asking this of me. Don't I already do this? Have I failed at doing this? He told me, "Your toughest days are ahead." Those are not really words one wants to hear but yet I am thankful He is My Strength to get through whatever is ahead. Whatever is ahead will draw me deeper in my faith. The way I am through it will be a witness for Him. That is what is the most important aspect of life. I do not know how people get through life without His strength. I do not understand why people who know Him refuse to continue to live in the ways of the world. It just does not make sense to me. What makes sense is allowing Him to empower us throughout the bad times and the good times. "My purpose remains" no matter what happens. Jesus did not die on the cross just for something to do. He died for all of us so we could live. When He died, His Light did not quit shining for His Heavenly Father. He rose again to show us how powerful He is. He is greater than the leukemia John is fighting. He is greater than the cancer my friend is fighting. He is greater than the fear the enemy is trying to put upon me with my mammogram this morning. He is greater than the cancer is Little Richie and Little Natalie's body. He is greater than Little Eli's immune deficiency. He is greater than the turmoil in marriages. He is greater than the addiction many are dealing with. Plain and simple. He is greater!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder from this song today of my need to stay focused on You. Thank You for giving me the desire to live in Your will. Thank You for the way You empower me to do so. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me so I can be a beacon of light for You today. May Your words, actions, and attitude flow out of me in a way people will know You are the One in control of my life. Father, I pray for those who are not in relationship with You to find You. I pray for those in relationship with You yet are holding onto something that is making them not surrender fully to get to the end of themselves. Father, go before me today and pave the way for Your love to ooze out of me. Thank You Jesus for being My Strength. Amen.

Monday, February 18, 2019

Philippians 4:19 - "You Are"

God is so good. He knows what we need and provides. I was so discouraged when we couldn't have the six Ohio grand babies together as planned due to illness. My heart was broken and the Lord knew I needed to have grand baby hugs so He provided. It hurts my heart to only see them once or twice a year. It is one of the hardest things I deal with as I walk in obedience yet it is one of the things God works through with me. He gives special words from them that I hold near and dear to my heart. He gives hugs that last over the months between. He enables me to get through not spending time with them by encouraging me. If I had my way, I would not live so far from them but my way is not the way I live. It is His way. Sometimes I wonder why His way separated us but I cannot stay there. I have to know He is in control and what He desires of me is the best. But it is so hard sometimes. God also protected us yesterday through freezing rain, wind, heavy rain, and fog as we drove south. There were times I didn't stop praying for many minutes. When we had the one semi going in and out of traffic in heavy rain, I was especially praying for not only our safety but for everyone else on the road. Thankfully, God provided protection. He is so good. He also provided a gift card for our dinner when we arrived at our stopping place. He gave me direction to go to a specific website where we had points so our room was only $58 and Mordecei was free. He is so, so good. Now today He is providing a visit with my sister. Tomorrow He will provide strength and peace as I go for my mammogram. He provides in so many ways in every situation. Today I am praying for those who feel like God does not care about them. I am praying for those whose needs are not being met. I also am praying for those whose cannot differentiate the difference between needs and wants and for those who are not in relationship with God to be able to realize this. God is so good and wants to bless people. All we have to do is accept Him into our heart and allow Him to be in control of every aspect of our life.
cDear Jesus,
Thank You for providing everything You did yesterday. Thank You for the visit with Ben, Emily and the children. Thank You for loving us so greatly. Father, go before us today as we continue our trip home. I pray for the next week with my sister visiting. I pray for those who are traveling in bad weather today to have safety. I pray Audrey and her family made it safely home. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me so people will see/hear You instead of me today. Thank You Father for being My Provider. Amen.

Sunday, February 17, 2019

Ephesians 6 - "You Say"


Saturday nights amaze me. God amazes me. I love how He has me pray for pastors on Saturday nights. I prayed before going to sleep for pastors who were filling the pulpit today. I prayed for Pastor Brenda who was going to be with our congregation to be blessed in abundance. During the night God woke me up once to pray for a pastor who was feeling overwhelmed with the way God was blessing him and his congregation. He is struggling with feeling unworthy. God had me pray for him to accept the blessings being given to them. He also had me pray for pastors with multiple services to rely on His strength not their own. He had me pray specifically for John Mulphas. He brought Mike Dennis to my prayers as he and a group prepare for their mission trip to Guatemala. I prayed for those dealing with disease in their bodies to continue to rely on His strength; those with family members with disease to know He is there with them; and those struggling with issues such as finances, pornography, marital issues, having a prodigal child, and discouraged to know He is the One to focus upon. He had me pray for my pastor to not feel like throwing in the towel but instead to wipe the sweat off his brow and continue on just as he said in his sermon a couple weeks ago. I thought I was done praying but then He had me pray for all of the people in congregations to realize He has given them their pastor to love and support. He had me pray for congregations that were struggling in their relationship with their pastor to look to Him for answers. He told me to pray specifically for those "congregations and pastors who would soon be parting ways." He also had me pray for congregations who were "looking to the pastor as their Savior" instead of Him. His final words to me was to pray for more people to not only read but to live Ephesians 6. I assumed He meant putting on the full armor of God but then He told me to read the whole chapter. He said every verse is needed today.

  • verses 1-3 - Children obey your parents...we see children every day not following these words. Disrespect is not being taught in many homes today which saddens my heart. I don't believe parents realize they are not doing their children any favors by allowing them to run the home.
  • verse 4 - Fathers are to lead their children down the path of not only knowing God but living for Him. This is another area in today's society that many are lacking in. In our county, ninety-five percent of children do not go to church. That statistic is staggering but it also reflects upon the issues we are seeing with families.
  • verses 5-9 - We must not put our work before God. There are so many people who have to work on Sundays to provide for their families. We cannot allow our work to take the place of God. If we work on Sundays, then we need to find an alternative to worship with our family. He must be first in every aspect of our life.
  • verses 10-18 - Put on the full armor of God daily to live as He desires. The enemy is out to destroy but when we are prepared for the battle we will win in God's strength. It takes putting on daily: the helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, sword of the Spirit, shield of truth, and the shoes of peace. It also takes prayer.
Paul's words to the Ephesians are words for us today. I am praying this morning for more people to read and grasp these words. I am praying for changes in people's lives which in turn will change congregations all around the world.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the privilege to pray for pastors, their families, and their congregations throughout the night and again this morning. Thank You for Ephesians 6 that blesses me so greatly. Father, may I adhere to these words daily. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. I pray for You to be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. May You be greater Lord, may You be greater. Thank You for going before us today and giving us safety as we travel. Lord, soothe my hurting heart with the disappointments from this trip. Thank You for being My Protector. Amen.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

I Corinthians 13 - "The Proof of Your Love"


Disappointments are part of life. We have a choice to give the enemy an open door in them or praying for God to soothe our hurts. God does not have a problem when we question Him  as to why things do or do not happen. He does not even get upset if we yell when we are disappointed. What He does care about is the way we handle times of disappointment. He desires us to draw closer to Him. There is nothing He would rather have than for us to climb up into His lap and allow Him to comfort us. He loves us so much. He allows things to happen in life to strengthen our faith because of His love for us. Sometimes He does not answer prayers in our time to take us deeper into relationship with Him. Sometimes He waits on us to come to our senses with situations instead of stepping in. No matter what, He loves us deeply. That love covered all of our sins when Jesus died on the cross. His love keeps Him with us 24/7 when we allow Him. His love encourages us throughout the 'good' and the 'bad' days. His love is really all we need in life. It will direct us down the path He desires for us which is the best way of living. It will ooze out of us so others will desire the same. This morning I am meditating on the 'love chapter.' His love is perfect. As I desire to live Christ-like, my love will line up with His. In The Message verses three through seven read:

If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything, 
Trusts God always, Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
"Bankrupt!" When someone declares bankruptcy, they have spent more than they had and exhausted all resources. It is a last resort effort to continue living. That is how surrendering to God is. We do everything we can in our power, living as we desire when we realize that way of life is simply no longer working. We may feel love in our spirit but true love is only found in Christ. We may think life is good but the good life is found in surrender to Him. We are nothing without His love. We just exist with no true meaning in life without Him. Verse twelve of this chapter in The Message describes life before surrender...

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

Woo hoo! I love this description. I also love verse thirteen...

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
His love is the only way to live on this earth if we desire to live with Him for eternity. It is the only way to live to fulfill His will for our life. There is a part of verse ten that touched me this morning so greatly. But when our Complete arrives, our incomplete will be cancelled. Woo hoo! Life will change when the Lord returns. There will no longer be questions but instead there will be complete understanding. There will no longer be illness and disease but instead those who are taken to heaven will have pure bodies. The things on this earth that we could call 'incomplete' will no longer be. Sin will be eradicated. Come, Jesus, come. Woo hoo! But until His time for this I must live in His love, sharing it with all I have an opportunity to.

So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You
And what You're made of
How you lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love


Dear Jesus,
Thank You for taking me to this chapter that I have read many times and bringing new light to it. Thank You for Your love that is so great. Thank You for giving me opportunities to share Your love with others. Lord, may You cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May my life be "The proof of Your love." Go before me today and bless me with more of You oozing out of me than ever before. Father, my heart is hurting for many people. One awaiting a breast biopsy; John and his family; a young teen and his family who are dealing with things in life no one should ever have to; one with a medical test on Monday; and so many others. May Your love be shown to each of them in a mighty way today. May You put people before them to love on them. Father, I also pray for the disappointment in my heart. May You be greater than it. Thank You Jesus for being My Complete! Amen.

Friday, February 15, 2019

II Timothy 1:7 - "Not Today"



I went to bed and woke up with these words going through my head...

I'll sing the night into the morning
I'll sing the fear into Your praise
I'll sing my soul into Your presence
Whenever I say Your name
Let the devil know not today

I do not think I am fearful of anything at this moment. I know the enemy is trying to cause fear over my mammogram Tuesday. Every time he does I say "Jesus" and feel His peace. I know He is in control. No matter what the outcome of the test, He will be my strength. He will be the One I praise if it is clear and He will be the One I praise if something shows. I love these words to this song...

Trouble won't throw me, won't break me
Won't scare me no more
Fear must have thought I was faithless
When it came for my heart

'Cause I got a song that will never die
I know Your love is the reason why

Amen! He did not give me a spirit of fear but instead gives me empowerment over anything that comes my way. I have a friend with a child with a disease that constantly has them on a roller coaster ride with their emotions. I have other friends who struggle with illness/disease in their body that keeps their emotions raw. Some of these dear ones lean on the Lord's strength and others are not in relationship with Him. I do not know how people get through the roller coaster rides in life without Him. I do not like roller coasters. I have always done everything I could to not get on one. When we went to Disney for Paul's graduation trip, Doc and the boys tricked me into getting on one. Did I like it? No. Did I survive? Obviously I did. I held on and screamed for much of the ride. I am thankful I do not have to treat the roller coaster rides in life in the same manner. I do hold on to God because He is the Only One who knows the outcome. He is the Only One whose strength I can depend upon. He is the Only One who will see me through it. As I pray this morning, I think of many who are dealing with not only physical issues but also relationship, financial, emotional, etc. issues. I pray for those who are in relationship with God to draw deeper into His inner strength. I pray for those who do not know Him to find Him. I pray people will be more willing to allow Him into their lives. I pray for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to take over in people's lives in a way they will know He has taken over. No matter what their circumstance, His empowerment will see them through.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the way You empower me to stand up against the enemy when he comes knocking at my door. May more people be empowered to do the same. Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me with more of You. Thank You for the way You encourage me so many different ways. Lord, may You be my words, attitude, and action throughout this day. May You be seen/heard by all I come in contact with today. I pray for all who are going through tough times to lean into You. I pray people will find Your empowerment today to stand up against the enemy. Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment. Amen.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Psalm 99 - "Take My Life"


I love when the Lord wakes me with a Scripture to read. It normally is a chapter in Psalm. Today it was Psalm 99. This chapter is all about God being King. We need to praise Him for all He has done and all He is yet to do. It has two main parts to it. The first is found in the very first verse. The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; He sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. The second part is found in verses two through nine. These verses tell us we are to be reverent to Him. Why? Because He is a holy God. He is a righteous God. He is worthy of our praise. He has done great things for His people throughout the years. When we call upon Him in times of trouble, He is there to protect and guide us. Most of all He has forgiven us and given us a future. His grace and mercy have been showered upon all who call on Him. There is nothing anyone can do for us as great as what He can do. There is no one who can lead us down the right path in life as He can. There is no one who can give eternal life but Him. That makes me desire to worship Him. His holiness is something I desire to seek in my own life. I desire to follow in His footsteps. Matthew Henry writes, "The more we humble ourselves before God, the more we exalt him, and let us be thus reverent, for he is holy." Woo hoo! Yes! David speaks in this Psalm about great men in history. Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. They knew they needed to follow God for their prayers to be answered. We, today, should know the same. He is the Key to answering our prayers. We need to make sure we are praying in and for His will or we will be disappointed. As we pray in and for His will, miracles will happen. We will see changed lives including our own. But we must not only exalt Him with our words but we must exalt Him with our hearts. We must live a life of holiness if we want to see Him be glorified in all we do. Oh how I pray for more people to come into such a life. I pray for more people to realize the blessings of living a life seeking Him with their whole heart.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for loving me so much that You seek me and encourage me to seek more of You. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of Your love. May You ooze out of me today in a new, different way. May You go before me and be my words, actions, and attitude. Father, my heart is heavy for John Harris and his family. May You perform a miracle in his life. I also pray for many others who are dealing with illness or have a family member with one. Thank You for the successful heart surgery Dan Campbell had. May Your strength be their strength. Thank You for the safe travels yesterday. I pray for my sister who is traveling today. I also pray for a friend having surgery today and another who is facing medical testing. Thank You Jesus for being My Strong King! Amen.