Psalm 14; Psalm 53; Matthew 24 - "Rescue Story"

God took me to Psalm 14 this morning. I read it in different versions along with reading its counterpart Psalm 53. Psalm 14's view is from the past. Psalm 53's view is from the future. Both Psalms speak about people who have rejected God yet He continues to love them. The last verse of both Psalms end with the hope of Christ through salvation. Praise His Holy Name! We are living in days with many signs of His return showing. Believers are being persecuted to the point of death. Weather incidents are not only destroying the land but also taking lives. All signs point to the end of time for this earth as we know it. Yet there are still people who are holding onto living for themselves instead of God. There are still people who do not want to allow God to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of their life. It hurts my heart to see/hear people live in this manner. I was talking with a friend yesterday about how we are so ready for the Lord's return. But we must remember His return will only happen in His time. Not a minute sooner. He desires all who will surrender to Him to do so before He returns. Matthew 24 warns us of false prophets during the last days. Verse twenty-two shows how Jesus must intervene in world affairs. We can be assured He will save us in His time. We may say we are ready for Him to return but are we really? Are we ourselves ready spiritually? Have we truly did everything we could to proclaim the Gospel? Do we have friends and family who are still living in the world instead of for Him? Have we taken every opportunity that He has given us to share His love? Ouch! These are some hard questions to think about. I am grateful my God is a God of second chances. When I mess up, He is there to pick me up. When I miss an opportunity He puts before me, it's ok. He gives me more opportunities. We never know when our last day on this earth will happen. We need to be ready for Him at all time. I am so looking forward to spending eternity with Him. I can't even begin to imagine how life will be in heaven but I know that is where I want to be. Psalm 53:6 reads in The Passion Translation, Oh, I wish our time of rescue were already here. Oh, that God would come forth now—arising from the midst of his Zion-people to save and restore his very own. When God fully restores his people, Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be filled with gladness! Praise His Holy Name! Woo hoo! Until the time comes for our rescue we must continue doing what He puts before us. Some days I feel like I lack but then there are days when He reassures me of His love for me. As I was working on computer files yesterday I came upon this picture and the tears flowed. I don't remember when He said these words to me but I believe I was on a walk. What a blessing! This is why I continue striving to be the godly woman He has called me to be. My "Rescue Story" is one God wrote just for me. He loves me in ways that are incomprehensible to man but mean so much to me. 

You were the voice in the desert
Calling me out in the dead of night
Fighting my battles for me
You are my rescue story
Lifted me up from the ashes
Carried my soul from death to life
Bringing me from glory to glory
You are my rescue story

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for the tears that soothed me when memories came yesterday! Thank You for the reminder from this picture of just how much You love me! Father, I prayed for peace for a situation that happened yesterday in a friend's life and You provided. Thank You! I prayed for protection over a friend and You provided. Thank You! I come before You this morning with so many people on my prayer list. Some with physical needs, some with mental and/or emotional needs, some with financial needs, and most of all some with spiritual needs. May You speak so clearly in a way we all will not only hear Your voice but walk in obedience to it. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so there is nothing between You and I. May You flow from my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts in a mighty way throughout the day ahead. I pray for protection on the road and Your wisdom as I meet with people. I also pray Marion will cooperate with the therapist and that I will be able to see her. I praise You for Melanie having a better day yesterday! May You continue to give her what she needs. I praise You for bringing Rickey into my life and for the way he encourages me. Lord, I pray Your peace over many. Most of all I pray for those who are not in relationship with You to have someone to say or do something that will make a difference in their life. I pray for Your presence to be felt so greatly by all going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Pete and Delores; Ben and Colleen; Ofie; Scott; Norma; Nada; Sharon Sebolt; many with COVID and the families dealing with deaths from it; Ms Savon and Mr John; Gay and Doug; Rick McCartney; Carrie and Chris; those in Afghanistan and those dealing with Hurricane Ida and the wildfires in California; Little Ivy's family; a young man in rehab for anger issues and another young man hospitalized for addiction; a friend whose uncle has cancer; a young Momma waiting on test results of her unborn baby; and so many others. I pray for wisdom for the surgeon as my friend Sheila has surgery. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. Thank You for being My Rescuer! Amen.

I Corinthians 5:17 - "There Was Jesus"

Every time I was awake during the night the words to "There Was Jesus" that Zach Williams and Dolly Parton sing were going through my mind.

In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing, in the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I've been or where I'm going
Even when I didn't know it
Or couldn't see it

There was Jesus
On the mountains
In the valleys
There was Jesus
In the shadows
Of the alleys

There was Jesus
In the fire, in the flood
There was Jesus
Always is and always was, oh

No, I never walk alone
Never walk alone
You're always there

It does not matter where we go or what we do. He is always there for us. It does not matter how much we turn from Him when we turn back He is there. All that matters in life is that we allow Him to be our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When we do, we will not only spend life with Him on this earth but we will live with Him for eternity. Woo hoo! That is exciting for me to think about! It is exciting to know He is with me at all time. My heart breaks for people who do not live in that knowledge. It also breaks to hear believers doubt Him. My responsibility is to live as Christlike as possible and love people through 'tough' times. There are times when we may feel led to give advice but if God does not give us words to speak over someone we better keep our mouths shut. Only God knows the big picture of situations. He is the Only One who knows what people need to hear and when they need to hear it. Praise God for the change Zach Williams made in his life when he turned from drugs to Jesus. I love what he wrote about this song: No matter our sins or struggles, God is always there for us. Even when we may stumble, He will be right by our side to pick us back up again. What a beautiful blessing, indeed! Yes! I pray more people out of relationship with God will realize this and allow God to change them. I know I would not be where I am today in my spiritual life if I would not have had a change in my heart many years ago. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessing of such a great day yesterday! Great time in Sunday School and church, lunch with friends, two hour nap, and basking in Your presence...woo hoo! Thank You for the way You started my day today with words of encouragement from Rickey! Thank You for the week ahead where I know You will give me many opportunities to love with Your love! I pray for those who will take or already took the spiritual gift assessment to be open to the revelation You have for them. Lord, change our hearts to be willing to be who You have called us to be. Cleanse me so I can be Your words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today. Father, I pray for so many who either have never been in relationship with You or who have walked away from You to realize You are there for them. I pray for the young man in rehab for anger issues and the young man in the hospital with addiction issues to both see You in their life. I pray for families with teens that are making 'tough' decisions such as the Pottenger Family and another family. I pray for protection over one who is dealing with issues with a co-worker and protection over those dealing with Hurricane Ida and those in Afghanistan. Lord, I also pray for You to be close to many going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Ben and Colleen; Pete and Delores; Ofie and family; Scott; Melanie; Sandi; Sharon Sebolt; Nada; many with COVID; Chrissy and her son as they recuperate; Veronica's mother;  a friend whose uncle is dealing with cancer; a friend going through some 'junk' of life; several young ladies dealing with anxiety/eating disorders; Little Ivy's family; Carrie and Chris; Rick McCartney; Ms Savon and Mr John; and so many others. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. May You shine brightly through people who will come in contact with these ones today. Thank You for being My Constant! Amen.

Psalm 30 - "Graves Into Gardens"

The Lord took me to Psalm 30 this morning. This Scripture reminds me of what I have gone through is in the past. I need to praise Him for the way He brought me through so much 'junk' in this life and move on praising Him for what is ahead. The mistakes I made are long gone. They cannot be changed but I am changed through the love of Christ. The sad times of life are a reminder that life cannot be perfect on this earth but it can be perfect for eternity when I live for Him here. God is with me every second of every day. He is here to encourage me and to love on me. He never leaves me even in the days I stray from Him. This Psalm is one that encourages me greatly to praise Him no matter what is happening in life. People are watching to see how I react to life situations. I am sure some want to see me fall because that is what the enemy desires but my God is greater than anything that comes my way. It is in the 'tough' times of life that we draw closer to God. He becomes more real to us when we realize we cannot do life without Him. When His strength is what we depend upon, we are more apt to walk in His Spirit. Matthew Henry wrote about Psalm 30 that we need to learn to pray in the dark. When we do, we will have reason to praise Him more than ever. David was delivered from the troubles he endured on this earth. Those who live for God will receive deliverance too. He will turn our mourning into joyful dancing (NLT). It does not matter what is happening in life God desires to be the One we turn to. He desires to be our strength. He desires to change us in ways no one can. I am reminded of the words to "Graves Into Gardens" this morning. 

Oh, there's nothing better than You
Oh, there's nothing better than You
Lord, there's nothing
Nothing is better than You
You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You're the only one who can

Dear Jesus,

May You change "Graves Into Gardens" for all who are struggling. May Your peace come down upon many going through 'tough' days. Sometimes our eyes are blinded and our ears are closed to You when going through the 'junk' of life. May all who are in this situation find Your strength to stand in Your empowerment. My heart goes out to so many who are dealing with physical, mental, emotional, financial, and most of all spiritual issues. I pray for a revelation from You for them. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Ofie and his family; Scott; Pete and Delores; Steve; Melanie; Sharon Sebolt; many who have lost loved ones; many with COVID; Little Ivy's family; Rebecca's student and family; Donna and Mike Adams; Carletta; Sandi; a young man in the hospital for addiction and another young man in rehab for anger issues; Carrie and Chris; the Pottenger family and another family making 'hard' decisions; Ms Savon and Mr John; a friend whose uncle has cancer; and so many others. I pray protection over: those in the path of Hurricane Ida; those dealing with the fires in California and the flooding throughout the United States; and those in Afghanistan. Lord, be so real to all. Thank You for the opportunities to love with Your love yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! I prayed before bed, during the night, and again this morning for pastors who would be preaching to feel Your strength. May we all speak Your words boldly. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me so I can be who You have called me to be. May my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts shine brightly for You. I pray blessings over Rickey and thank You for bringing him into my life. I thank You for the way You lead me and encourage me. Matt's Momma yesterday blessed me in abundance with her words and I thank You for that. Thank You Jesus for being My Only One! Amen.

II Chronicles 20; Ephesians 6 - "See A Victory"

Depression is real. Spiritual warfare is real. There are times in life when we can feel like we just can't take one more thing. There are times when it seems like there are more 'tough' days than 'good' days. When we experience these times, we must remember God is greater than the enemy. He is greater than anything that happens to us. My heart is breaking and many tears have fallen over my list of people who are in battles and feel like they are failing. I am so sad for parents who are watching their grown children spiraling downward with the enemy's tactics. Sometimes my prayers are so overwhelming with sadness and grief. I grieve the life people used to have. I grieve the hurts people are experiencing that have taken them away from their family. My heart hurts. One day this week after writing about spiritual warfare and spending much time praying over situations I experienced the 'hippy hippy shakes' that go along with MS to the point of having to take extra medication. I know some would argue medication is not the answer and I agree to a certain point. But I also know God provides us with medication to be used when needed. As I prayed throughout the night and again this morning for some 'tough' situations some are going through I also prayed for God to protect me. When I go into battle for others souls, the enemy retaliates and attacks me. He does not like what I do or say. But I always remember my God is greater than the enemy and desires me to See A Victory!

The weapon may be formed, but it won't prosper
When the darkness falls, it won't prevail
Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph
My God will never fail
Oh my God will never fail

I'm gonna see a victory
I'm gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to you Lord

Woo hoo! Yes! King Jehoshaphat saw victory in the battle before him in II Chronicles 20. The way he saw the victory was through prayer and praise. He knew the battle before him was greater than him but he also knew it was not bigger than God. We must have that same knowledge in our heart. We must trust God (vs 18) through the battles before us. We must remember we are not alone and do not have to face battles on our own strength but in His. We do not have to fight but instead need to allow Him to take care of things. Verse seventeen reads in the New Living Testament: "But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” Praise His Holy Name for this knowledge! We read in verses twenty-one through thirty of the victory King Jehoshaphat and his people received by allowing God to handle the battle before them. Woo hoo! I love verse thirty! It is the icing on the cake for me! So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side. Peace is something a lot of people are not living in. Even in the midst of the trials of life we can still have His peace when we allow Him to be in charge of the battle. I am so thankful for this knowledge. When in battle, we need to do as the King and his people did and praise God. Verse twenty-one shows us their praises. “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!” Amen!

Dear Jesus, My heart is breaking for so many going through 'tough' days but I know there will be a sweet victory as they allow You to have control over the battles they are in. I pray for the parents of grown children who are watching their children spiral downward. Lord, give them the strength to realize the battle is Yours. I pray for all to realize You are greater than the hurts of life. I pray all believers would put on Your armor from Ephesians six as they begin another day. I pray Your peace over all. This world is falling apart but I know You are still in control. I pray for many struggling with depression to receive encouragement from You today. My heart breaks for how many young people are dealing with it. It breaks to hear hopelessness from many. Lord, help us all to remember You are greater than anything that comes our way. I pray protection over myself as I pray for others. I pray for Your rest and peace for many who are going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Ofie and his family with the loss of Woody; Scott; Ben and Colleen; Pete and Delores; Rick McCartney; a young man in rehab for anger issues and another one in the hospital with addiction issues; Carrie and Chris; Melanie; Sharon Sebolt; a young man who contacted me last night; a lady needing protection; the young girl who found her mother dead this week; many dealing with depression; many with COVID; my friend whose uncle is dealing with cancer; Little Ivy's family; Ms Savon and Mr John and their family; Chrissy; and so, so many others. Lord, I pray You will bless Rickey in abundance today. He always seems to know what I need to hear. I am so thankful for him in my life. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so there is nothing between me and You. I pray for an abundance of You to fill me up so people will see/hear You instead of me. Bless my day with lots of opportunities to love on others with Your love. Thank You Jesus for being My Victory! Amen.

Psalm 118 - "Forever"

 

I remember thinking on Monday how it was going to be a 'light' week but now that I'm to Friday and reflect on these last few days it was not as 'light' as I thought it would be. But the one thing that is for sure is it was what God knew it would be. He took me to Psalm 118 this morning and blessed me in abundance. In The Passion Translation the words "His constant, tender love lasts forever!” are ones embedded into my heart. It reads in the New International Version “His love endures forever!” We cannot even begin to comprehend what the word forever means but when we live for Christ we can be assured forever does not end when we leave this earth but continues into eternity. Praise His Holy Name! In The Message it reads, “His love never quits.” I am so grateful for the way He shows His love to me. He protects me, encourages me, speaks to me...everything. Yesterday there were two incidents on the road where He protected me from an accident. I am so grateful for His protection. He showered me with His love when a friend talked with me through a difficult situation. His love poured out over me with Kenny cleaning out my gutters. I pray His love poured out of me with my visits with Kayla, Rhonda, and Marion. I desire to live out His love every day in the way that will be most pleasing to Him. I know I sometimes fail because I am human but I know I strive to be as Christ-like as possible. Verses twenty-seven and twenty-eight of Psalm 118 in The Passion Translation read: 

    For the Lord our God has brought us his glory-light.

    I offer him my life in joyous sacrifice.
    Tied tightly to your altar, I will bring you praise.
    For you are the God of my life and I lift you high,
    exalting you to the highest place.

This is exactly how I feel about life. I want to be joyous in all I do and bring Him praise. I desire to live in a manner that is pleasing to Him. That is why every morning I pray for Him to cleanse me so He can fill me. I desire more of Him and less of me. I am thankful when I mess up He is there to pick me up and encourage me. I am thankful when I miss opportunities He gives me He is there to love me through such times. I am thankful for all He does for me even when I may not realize it. Plain and simple. I am thankful. This morning I am reminded of the words to a song Chris Tomlin sings called "Forever" and am thankful for the knowledge "His constant, tender love lasts forever!” 

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
And by the grace of God we will carry on
His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise 

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the knowledge that Your constant, tender love lasts forever! Thank You for the ways You loved on me yesterday with Your protection on the road, through people, opportunities You gave me to love on others, etc.! Thank You for Kenny who cleaned out my gutters! Thank You for Chrissy's son getting through surgery and on the road to recovery! Thank You for Ms. Savon's mother and Mr. John having successful procedures! Lord, I have much to be thankful for as I start another day of life with You. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You go before me and be blessed by my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout the day ahead. I pray for Rickey to be blessed by You as he goes through his day. Thank You for being so real to Him! I pray blessings over many going through 'tough' days to realize Your realness today in their struggles. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Ben and Colleen; Pete and Delores; Ofie and his family with the loss of Woody; Scott; so many who have lost loved ones; those with COVID; many struggling with depression; a young man dealing with addiction and another young man in rehab for anger issues; Melanie; Sharon Sebolt; Melinda; Carletta; the nine year old that found her Mommy dead yesterday morning; Gay and Doug; a friend whose uncle is battling cancer; a friend going through procedures and tests for the cancer in her body; a couple young ladies dealing with anxiety; Little Ivy's family; and so many others. I pray for the young man who had a job interview yesterday to realize You are the reason it went well. Thank You for being My Forever! Amen.

Ezekial 37 - "Rattle!"/"All Things New"

The Lord woke me to the song "Rattle!" this morning. I went to Ezekiel 37 and read the account of the vision the Lord gave Ezekial of the restoration of Israel. As I read these words I thought about so many people who need restored in their spirit. At one time they were following God yet have walked away to do life on their own. The thing about it is we never do life on own. God never leaves us but instead is always there waiting for us to return to Him. Praise His Holy Name! My morning started off with a phone call asking for prayer for a family in turmoil. Within minutes of praying with them I receive a text for prayer for a young man I have been praying for who has an interview today. My days are filled with prayer requests. It blesses me in abundance to have people share their requests with me. But it really blesses me when I know they are praying themselves. Sometimes we don't know how to pray or we feel like we may not be in a place where God hears our prayers. We must remember He always hears our prayers. He may not answer them the way we desire but He always answers them. Sometimes it's with a 'yes' and others times it is 'no' or even a 'wait' but He always answers. As I sit here praying for people He brought a song Big Daddy Weave sings called "All Things New" to my mind.

I've heard You can take what's broken and make it whole again
Well, here's the pieces of my heart, what can You do with them?
'Cause I can't hold them all together anymore
So I let them fall surrendered to the floor

You make all things new
You make all things new
God of mercy and love
Do what only You can do and make all things new

Only You can bring such beauty from the depths of all my pain
Only You can take this shattered heart and make it beat again
Oh, You hold us all together in Your hands
I surrender all I have and all I am

He can, and does, take our brokenness and make beauty and peace. He takes our dry bones and bring them back to life. All we have to do to receive new life is surrender to Him. Last night in Bible study I shared something I read in the Beacon Commentary. "Discipleship demands perfect obedience." We were studying the rich man in Matthew 19 who was told to give away his possessions yet he refused. God knew possessions were most important to him. That is why he challenged him in this way. I shared the story of when God told me we were moving to South Carolina and I struggled to be so far from my family. There was no doubt we were to be here so we walked in obedience to His will. I also shared how many thought I would go back to Ohio when Doc died but once again there is no doubt I am where God desires me to be. He has given me a vision for the Beaufort Church of the Nazarene and He has given me a vision for me personally. I could have done a lot of things when Doc died. I could have given up on being a pastor. I could have given up on fulfilling God's will in South Carolina. I could have went into a state of depression and asked 'why me?' but I did not do any of those things. Instead I continue to allow Him to heal my broken heart and make all things new. Woo hoo! These are exciting days. Yes, there are days I feel very alone but I know God is right here with me. For that I am so thankful!

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the privilege to pray for people! Thank You for our time in Matthew last night! Thank You for the time spent with Leslie and Cait yesterday that was so refreshing! Thank You for their friendship! Thank You for the opportunities You gave me yesterday to shine brightly for you and for the ones ahead today! Lord, I pray Marion cooperates for her therapy appointment today and I pray I get to visit with her. I also pray for those having procedures today. Chrissy's son, Mr. John, and Ms. Savon's mother. May You guide the doctors hands and give them wisdom. I pray for the young man having an interview today to realize You are the One blessing him. I also pray for the family with an appointment with their teen daughter. May Your will be accomplished through this situation and may You continue to protect this family. I continue to pray for the Pottenger Family as they are separated from their son. May they receive Your peace in a mighty way. i pray for two ladies with career issues and for Melanie as she adjusts to her new position. May You be greater than the hurts of loss for Rae Lynn, Mike Devore's family, Michele, Mike, and Alex and their families. I pray peace over many going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Scott; Pete and Delores; Steve; Sharon Sebolt; Gay and Doug; a young man in rehab for anger issues and another young man dealing with addiction; many with COVID; a friend whose uncle is battling cancer; Carletta; Little Ivy's family; a friend feeling threatened by a co-worker; and so many others. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. I pray for cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me and use me as You so desire today. May I make You proud to call me Your daughter. I pray for Rickey to have a great day with students. You bless me in abundance with his encouragement. Thank You for bringing him into my life! Thank You for being My Breath of Life! Amen.

Psalm 60; Ephesians 6:10-18; II Timothy 1:7 - "Battle Belongs"

 

I woke up thinking about someone I have been praying for that is going through spiritual warfare. It seems like this person is attacked by the enemy often. It reminded me of David in Psalm 60. The first five verses of this Psalm remind us when we receive our victory we need to not forget what it took to get there. We need to remember no matter what we go through God is greater and in His time will give us victory. Sometimes God allows the enemy in our lives to show us what we need. Him. Sometimes He waits to see how we will react to life's situations before He pulls us out of them. No matter what we need to put on the full armor of God every day. Paul teaches us in Ephesians 6:10-18 about our daily dressing to be ready and protected against spiritual battles. The Belt of Truth; the Breastplate of Righteousness; the Gospel of Peace; the Shield of Faith; the Helmet of Salvation; and the Sword of the Spirit. Another piece to be added is the act of prayer. Believers all have this armor ready to be used. Matthew Henry wrote about the last seven verses of Psalm 60:

If Christ be ours, all things, one way or another, shall be for our eternal good. The man who is a new creature in Christ, may rejoice in all the precious promises God has spoken in his holiness. His present privileges, and the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, are sure earnests of heavenly glory. David rejoices in conquering the neighbouring nations, which had been enemies to Israel. The Israel of God are through Christ more than conquerors. Though sometimes they think that the Lord has cast them off, yet he will bring them into the strong city at last. Faith in the promise will assure us that it is our Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom: But we are not yet made complete conquerors, and no true believer will abuse these truths to indulge sloth, or vain confidence. Hope in God is the best principle of true courage, for what need those fear who have God on their side? All our victories are from him, and while those who willingly submit to our anointed King shall share his glories, all his foes shall be put under his feet.

When we feel like we cannot take anymore, we must remember God is always with us fighting our battles. He never leaves us. Nothing that comes our way is too big for our God. I love what Henry said, Hope in God is the best principle of true courage, for what need those fear who have God on their side? We need to not only put on the full armor of God but we need to grasp the hope we have in Him. We need to not allow the enemy to put fear upon us but need to stand in the empower of the Holy Spirit as Paul wrote of in II Timothy 1:7. Woo hoo! I am equipped no matter what is ahead today. I have on my full armor and am empowered by the Holy Spiirit. Woo hoo! The "Battle Belongs" to God not me.

And if you are for me, who can be against me? Yeah
For Jesus, there's nothing impossible for you
When all I see are the ashes, you see the beauty
Thank you God
When all I see is a cross, God, you see the empty tomb

So when I fight, I'll fight on my knees
With my hands lifted high
Oh God, the battle belongs to you
And every fear I lay at your feet
I'll sing through the night

Oh God, the battle belongs to you 

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the knowledge You are greater than anything that comes my way! Thank You for Your armor I put on every day to face whatever may come my way! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for Rickey who encourages me so greatly through the good and 'tough' days of life! Thank You for the laughter he brings into my life! Thank You for a wonderful visit with Marion and her pain being less! I pray therapy for my Momma will lessen her pain too. Lord, I also pray for a friend going through some 'tough' days to allow You to empower her through them. Actually, I have a few friends in some 'tough' situations that I am praying for Your empowerment over. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life not only for them but for many others. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Scott; Pete and Delores; Steve; Melanie; a friend whose uncle is battling cancer; a friend going through issues with the cancer in her body; a friend who is having a procedure tomorrow and Chrissy's son who is having brain surgery tomorrow; many with COVID; two ladies with career issues; Mike, Alex, and Michele with recent losses; Little Ivy's family; Sharon Sebolt; a friend with aggressive brain cancer; Carrie and Chris; a young man in rehab with anger issues and another young man fighting addiction; and so many others. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Thank You for stopping me from speaking yesterday in the store! I am pretty sure the words said at that time would not have been what You would have desired. Thank You for directing me with crafting this week's sermon! Lord, You are so awesome in all the ways You bless me. Thank You for being My Full Armor! Amen.

Psalm 148 - "I Give You My Heart"

This morning I was woke up with a weather alert on my phone for fog. Thankfully I was able to go back to sleep but first prayed for anyone out on the roads. I prayed for safety for school bus drivers with their precious cargo along with the homeless that are out in the weather. When I woke up, I was drawn to Psalm 148. I read it in different translations and settled in The Passion Translation. I love this Psalm! It is one of the many that direct God's creation to praise His. Yesterday morning on my walk I failed to praise Him for His creation. Instead I was grumbling about the humidity. Shame on me! There is always something to praise Him for in life. No matter what the circumstances, there is reason to praise. Yesterday I posted on Facebook a picture about being thankful for all you have. My friend, June, responded that she thought about being grateful 'when she saw someone sitting along side the road with a broken down car or walking because they have no car.' There is always things to praise God for no matter what. I praise Him for a night with ten hours of sleep and for giving me the opportunity to visit my friend Marion today. I praise Him for the way He will give me safe travels on the crazy roads. I praise Him for my friend Will who took this picture I used to put Scripture on today. It does not take much to find reason to praise Him. I was reading in Matthew Henry's commentary about this Psalm. 

Even in this world, dark and bad as it is, God is praised. The powers of nature, be they ever so strong, so stormy, do what God appoints them, and no more. Those that rebel against God's word, show themselves to be more violent than even the stormy winds, yet they fulfil it. View the surface of the earth, mountains and all hills; from the barren tops of some, and the fruitful tops of others, we may fetch matter for praise. And assuredly creatures which have the powers of reason, ought to employ themselves in praising God. Let all manner of persons praise God. Those of every rank, high and low. Let us show that we are his saints by praising his name continually. He is not only our Creator, but our Redeemer; who made us a people near unto him. We may by "the Horn of his people" understand Christ, whom God has exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, who is indeed the defence and the praise of all his saints, and will be so for ever. In redemption, that unspeakable glory is displayed, which forms the source of all our hopes and joys. May the Lord pardon us, and teach our hearts to love him more and praise him better.

When I saw this picture Will took, I knew I wanted to use it on my blog. He captured God's creation in a great way. I wish I would have been there to see it in person but pictures are the next best thing. Henry explains how all of God's creation need to praise Him. As I look at this picture, I see the sky praising Him through its beauty. I see the ocean praising Him through its movement. I see the sand praising Him through its sparkling. I see creation praising Him and realize I need to get better at praising Him no matter what is happening in my little world. When we are going through tough times and praise Him, our focus will be on Him instead of ourselves. I love the words of Henry, May the Lord pardon us, and teach our hearts to love him more and praise him better. Amen! That is my prayer. Lord, empower me to praise You more no matter what my circumstances. Woo hoo! These words to "I Give You My Heart" are going through my mind this morning...

This is my desire to honor You
Lord, with all my heart, I worship You
All I have within me, I give You praise
All that I adore is in You

Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul, I live for You alone
Every breath that I take, every moment I'm awake
Lord, have Your way in me

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the beauty of Your creation and for the way Will captured it in this picture! Thank You for loving me so greatly and for the opportunities You gave me yesterday to share Your love! Thank You for Chris, Carrie, and the boys who bless me in abundance! I pray they will find reason to praise You through the 'tough' days they are living. I pray the same for: my Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Scott; Pete and Delores; Steve; Ben and Colleen; Melanie; Sharon Sebolt; Gay and Doug; many with COVID; a young man dealing with addiction and another young man in rehab for anger issues; two ladies with career issues; a friend whose uncle is dealing with cancer; a man who was in a motorcycle accident over the weekend; Mike, Alex, and Michele with recent losses in their family; Sandi; and so many others. Lord, I pray each one of these dear people will find reason to praise You today. Thank You for Rickey who encourages me greatly! I pray You will bless him in abundance. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May I shine brightly for You everywhere I go today. Thank You for being The One I Praise! Amen.

Psalm 118:24 - "When We Fall Apart"

Yesterday we opened the service with the song "This Is The Day" which was a great blessing to this pastor's heart. Singing Scripture blessings me in abundance. Every day is a gift from God. We can open the gift up, embrace it, use it, etc. as He desires or we can be selfish and use it as we desire. We can allow Him to direct us through whatever happens in the day ahead or we can manipulate situations and make things turn out the way we desire. Yesterday was a day full of gifts throughout the day. I was blessed in abundance with a great time of study in Sunday School, God speaking through me in the sermon, being taken out for lunch and having great fellowship with friends, a two and a half hour nap, working on a Christmas present, and then at the end of the day when I was feeling emotional having Rickey speak life over me. The enemy tries so hard to tear me down but I refuse. My God is greater than anything he puts before me. Woo hoo! Today begins a new week. I know what is on the calendar but I also know I am ready for God to reveal to me what He desires of me to say and do. I prayed this morning about removing something I posted on Facebook yesterday. I did not do it for pity but some of the responses make me feel weird about it. When I asked God about removing it, His response was "No, Daughter." I know I have received a few private messages about it so hopefully it is healing hurts realized by others. I pray every day for God to cleanse me so He can fill me. I desire for Him to show through my words and actions all the time. I know the best way for that to be accomplished is me living a life focused on Him. Woo hoo! Last year at this time they were trying radiation on Doc's spine to alleviate the pain from the cancer spreading there. It was a week that once again changed our life. He was to have five radiation treatments but Dr. Newberry stopped after four and Doc was moved from Palliative Care to Hospice Care. Those were 'tough' days but they were blessed ones. That Sunday I was blessed with doing what we called 'tag team preaching' with both of us sharing the sermon time. We were blessed on Friday evening with a visit from Pastor Sam, Candy, and Zippy. We both knew he was in his last days on this earth yet we strived to make each day what God desired. As I reflect on those days, I am in awe of how God kept us both going. Actually, I'm in awe of how God was glorified through those days. I am thankful for our hours of talking. I am especially grateful for his last words he was able to speak the next week after the stroke. "I love you!" Thank You Jesus! Doc taught me to make the best of every day. He taught me to stay focused on God so you knew you were walking in His will. He taught me so much in our thirty-one plus years together and for that I am thankful. There are words in the song "When We Fall Apart" that mean so much to me...

Well, it's been awhile
Since you've been gone
Sometimes I still catch myself trying to call your phone
All the hopes and dreams we used to talk about
They're still alive in me and I just hope I make you proud
Now I'm your legacy
And it's your love still holding me together

Yes! I pray I am making Doc proud but most importantly I pray I make God proud. I pray every day to be the woman God has called me to be. I know as I live this out in life both of them would be proud of me. 

Dear Jesus, Thank You for a wonderful day yesterday with a great time of study in Sunday School, You speaking through me in the sermon, being taken out for lunch by Jack and Paula and having great fellowship with them and Nestors, a two and a half hour nap, working on a Christmas present, and then at the end of the day when I was feeling emotional having Rickey speak life over me! You are so awesome in the ways You bless me. The days leading up to Doc's last day on earth bring on so many memories. I am so grateful for each and every one of them. I pray for memories to be made today with You. May You cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You shine brightly through my words and actions today. I pray for so many going through difficult days to make good memories with You today. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Pete and Delores; Steve; Scott; Melanie; Sharon Sebolt; Sandi; Mike, Alex, and Michele with recent deaths of loved ones; many with COVID; a young lady with severe anxiety issues and another young lady with unknown health issues; Little Ivy's family; a young man battling addiction and another young man in rehab for anger issues; two ladies with career issues; and so many others. Lord, be glorified through our circumstances. Thank You for being My Focus! Amen.

Romans 12:1-2 - "Be Alright"

I woke up to the words of "Be Alright" going through my mind and thought about all of the people I prayed for during the night. Some would be able to sing these words and believe them. Others are not in relationship with Him and have no idea what it means to trust God with their future. That saddens my heart.

In the darkness and the trials
He's faithful and He is true
The whole world's in His hands
Y todo va a estar bien
Ohh
Everything will be alright
Everything will be alright
Ohh

Everything will be alright
Ohh

He's got the whole world in his hands
He's got the whole world in his hands
He's got the whole wide world in his hands

God is in control even when it seems like He is not. He knows the outcome of every situation. He gives us free will. Therefore, we can choose what we do. The desire of His heart is for us to choose Him and His ways. As I prayed throughout the night there were many people who are choosing the ways of the world instead of God. They are choosing to allow the enemy to cause havoc in their life because it is 'easier' than following God's ways. It is so sad to see this happening all around me. People are nasty with one another over things such as the vaccination because the enemy loves to cause division. People are choosing to spend their 'free' time in other ways besides with God to make others happy, keep up with their neighbors, etc. I do not know how long God will allow this to happen before there will be consequences for the actions. I am not judging but it seems like there are some God continues to challenge so they will realize what they need to do. I know God loves us all greatly and desires all to spend eternity with Him. The only way that can happen is to live for Him on this earth. Then, and only then, will we live with Him for eternity. Paul urges us to be 'living sacrifices' in Romans 12. That is the desire of my heart every day. I ask Him to cleanse me so He can fill me with more of Him so I can be who He desires me to be. It is only then I can sing and believe Everything will be alright.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for all the opportunities You gave me during the night to pray! Thank You for bringing many pastors, their families, and churches into my prayers! May we all live as You desire so more people will desire the same. Thank You for the time Rickey had with his family last night! What a blessing to hear him talk about it. Thank You for the fun time I had with meeting new friends at Cait and Alex's house yesterday! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Lord, I totally believe Everything will be alright. and I know I believe it because of the way I live with You. You never leave me but are always right here encouraging me. Thank You for that! Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing so more people will see/hear You instead of me in the day ahead. May You speak so boldly through the sermon this morning so it will make an impact on people's lives. I pray for Your love and peace to be with many going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Scott; Pete and Delores; Steve; Ofie and his family with Woody's death; Melanie; Chrissy and her son; Chris and Carrie; the family with the husband/father in a motorcycle accident; many with COVID; Little Ivy's family; Sharon Sebolt; a friend whose uncle is battling cancer; Michelle and her family with Amber's viewing today; my friend who needs protection from a co-worker; a young man dealing with addiction and another young man in rehab for anger issues; and so many others. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. I pray for safety for many traveling and for good times with family and friends. Thank You for Aaron mowing my Momma's yard yesterday! Lord, I pray You will continue to put people in her path to take care of such things. Thank You Jesus for being My Faithful Father! Amen.

Philippians 3 - "Scars In Heaven"

The tears fell as I prayed for a man yesterday in his last hours. I have never met this man. He is/was a friend of a friend. I was sad when I found out he did not know the Lord. I told my friend if they had the chance to pray over him. We never know when someone will cry out to God even on their deathbed. My friend had tried to share the Lord with him so there is hope he heard something to make a difference if he spends eternity in heaven or hell. I can't imagine the feelings you would go through when you have tried and felt unsuccessful in sharing God with someone who dies. My heart breaks for my own family members who continue to refuse Him in their life. I am thankful for the knowledge of where my sister, Daddy, Doc, and other family members and friends are when they took their last breathe on this earth. I am thankful for the knowledge I will spend eternity with my Heavenly Daddy as I live for Him on this earth. There is a song out by Casting Crowns called "Scars In Heaven" that bring tears to my eyes every time I hear it.

The only scars in heaven, they won't belong to me and you
There'll be no such thing as broken and all the old will be made new
And the thought that makes me smile now even as the tears fall down
Is that the only scars in heaven are on the hands that hold you now

Praise His Holy Name for the knowledge of new bodies in heaven! Those who have lost loved ones and have the knowledge they are with the Lord can rejoice even in the midst of mourning. Paul encourages us in Philippians 3 to live for Christ on this earth so we can spend eternity with Him in heaven. Paul lived for Christ. He desired to do as God desired of Him. This is how we all need to live. We never know when our time on this earth will be over and need to be ready at all time. Matthew Henry wrote: 

Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ Jesus; through his hand it must come to us, as it is procured for us by him. There is no getting to heaven as our home, but by Christ as our Way. True believers, in seeking this assurance, as well as to glorify him, will seek more nearly to resemble his sufferings and death, by dying to sin, and by crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts. In these things there is a great difference among real Christians, but all know something of them. Believers make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world. If they differ from one another, and are not of the same judgment in lesser matters, yet they must not judge one another; while they all meet now in Christ, and hope to meet shortly in heaven. Let them join in all the great things in which they are agreed, and wait for further light as to lesser things wherein they differ. The enemies of the cross of Christ mind nothing but their sensual appetites. Sin is the sinner's shame, especially when gloried in. The way of those who mind earthly things, may seem pleasant, but death and hell are at the end of it. If we choose their way, we shall share their end. The life of a Christian is in heaven, where his Head and his home are, and where he hopes to be shortly; he sets his affections upon things above; and where his heart is, there will his conversation be. There is glory kept for the bodies of the saints, in which they will appear at the resurrection. Then the body will be made glorious; not only raised again to life, but raised to great advantage. Observe the power by which this change will be wrought. May we be always prepared for the coming of our Judge; looking to have our vile bodies changed by his Almighty power, and applying to him daily to new-create our souls unto holiness; to deliver us from our enemies, and to employ our bodies and souls as instruments of righteousness in his service.

Yes! We must be ready at all time. I love the knowledge that I will have a new body when I leave this earth. No more threat of cancer. No more MS. Woo hoo! I know the Bible says there will be no more tears in heaven but goodness I cry when I am joyful so I can't imagine not having tears! LOL

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for my visit with Marion even with restrictions! Oh how I pray her pain will be alleviated. I pray for Ofie and family with Woody receiving a new body last night as he took his last breath on this earth. I pray for my friend with her friend in their last hours. My heart hurts for this situation with him never accepting You into his life. I pray even at the last moment he cried out to You. My heart breaks for Michele and her family as they have Amber's visitation and service tomorrow and Monday. This family sure has had a lot of loss. I pray for others who have lost loved ones to remember they have new bodies if they lived for Christ. May more people get to the end of themselves and live for Him. May all believers get better at sharing Him so more people will realize who He is here and when we leave this earth. I pray His peace over many going through difficult days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Ben and Colleen; Melanie; Sharon Sebolt; Mike and Alex with the losses in their families; a friend whose uncle is battling cancer; a young man battling addiction and another one in rehab for anger issues; Iwilda; Little Ivy's family; Carrie and Chris; many with COVID; and so many others. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. Thank You for successful surgery for Pete yesterday! Thank You for bringing Rickey into my life who encourages me so greatly! Bless him in abundance today with more of You. Thank You for being My Life Giver! Amen.

Psalm 2 - "Starry Night"

How appropriate for God to take me to Psalm 2 with all going on in the world today. People in King David's time rebelled against his authority which in turn showed rebellion against God. In today's time it seems like more and more people rebel against God's authority. Many do not want anything to do with God because of the authority He has over them. What those who rebel against God forget is there are consequences to running from His authority. If we choose to run, we choose to live in hell for eternity. God is a gentleman but He also loves everyone dearly. He desires for all to live for Him. We were talking in Wednesday night Bible study about how hurt He must feel as a Father watching His children rebel. HIs reaction in Psalm 2 is not what I would expect. He laughed (vs 4). But then He let His anger show through (vs 5) in His words. I would call this a righteous anger. He did not sin with His words or actions because He was responding to a situation that needed addressed. How many times do we fall and God is there to direct us? How many times do we make wrong decisions yet God is there to love us back into relationship with Him? How many times do we make God angry only to receive His love, grace, and mercy? The answer is numerous for all. No one is perfect but we do need to strive to live a Christ-like life. As we do, we will live out verses ten through twelve of Psalm 2. It reads in The Passion Translation:

“Listen to me, all you rebel kings
    and all you upstart judges of the earth.
    Learn your lesson while there’s still time.
11 Serve and worship the awe-inspiring God.
    Recognize his greatness and bow before him,
    trembling with reverence in his presence.
12 Fall facedown before him and kiss the Son
    before his anger is roused against you.
    Remember that his wrath can be quickly kindled!
    But many blessings are waiting for all
    who turn aside to hide themselves in him!”

We need to fear God. I don't mean we need to be afraid of Him but we need to show reverence to Him. He desires us to be His children who love Him enough to do His will. The desire of His heart is for all to worship Him. When we do, we will know His love to a greater degree. His peace will be ours. His joy will be ours. As we experience this type of life He will use us to love on others with His love. I am reminded this morning of the words to "Starry Night" as I put Scripture on a picture I received from a friend.

From the painted sky
To my plank filled eye
He is God of all he is everything

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me this morning so there is nothing in between us! May You flow through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a mighty way. May people see/hear You instead of me. I pray for opportunities to not only be put before me to share Your love but for an openness in my spirit to them. Lord, there are many hurting today. Some physically, some mentally, some emotionally, some financially, and some spiritually. May You give them Your peace with whatever their day holds. May they see/hear You through others today. I pray continued prayers of healing for Donna as she was released from the hospital yesterday. I also pray for many traveling to have safe travels and good times with family and friends. I pray for Mike and Alex and their families with the loss of loved ones. I pray for a young man in rehab for anger issues and another young man dealing with addiction to have Your peace. I pray for others to receive that today too. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Ben and Colleen; Pete and Delores with his surgery; Little Ivy's family; Gay and Doug; a friend whose uncle has cancer; Sharon Sebolt; Carletta; many with COVID; Chrissy and her son; and so many others. May You be greater than the hurts of life. I pray blessings over Rickey's day with students. Thank You for brining him into my life! Thank You Jesus for being My Everything! Amen.

Psalm 16:9; Ephesians 3:20 - "Blessings"

I was talking with someone yesterday about having disappointments in life. They happen. I believe sometimes they happen because God is protecting us but they always happen because He loves us so greatly. When we experience disappointments, He is there to love us through them. Sometimes we understand the reason for them and sometimes we do not. No matter what we must remember He is in control of everything that happens in life. We just need to allow Him that control. God gives us what we need to get through every day whether it has disappointments or not. I love a quote I read about disappointments. “Disappointments are God’s appointments.” So, so true. I had so many people I wanted to see, things I wanted to do, etc. on my recent trip to Ohio. Some happened, some didn't. I was disappointed but was reminded of all I did do, people I saw, memories I made, etc. and was thankful. One of the things I really wanted to do was walk at Lake Anna in Barberton with Rickey but it didn't happen. We walk in Orrville and I enjoyed sharing childhood memories with him. I have enjoyed sharing my little world here in South Carolina with many walks. Our favorite place to walk in the waterfront park. He has fallen in love with it just as I am. I wanted to walk at Lake Anna with him because it is where he walks many days a week. For whatever reason that didn't happen this trip. God reminded me this morning plans I make are not always what will happen. I have to be open to whatever plans He puts before me. Guzik wrote of Psalm 16:9: 

A man’s heart plans his way: This is not a bad thing. We, as the God in whose image we are made, think about and plan our way. Many people would do well to more carefully plan their way. 

But the Lord directs his steps: We plan as we can and should, but we should never think that our ability to plan makes us lord over our lives. It is the Lord who directs our steps. Every plan we make should be held in humility before God and surrender to His ultimate will.

We can make our plans but we must be ready when God changes them. Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, (NIV). We cannot see the big picture as God does. He knows all and sees all. When He changes our direction, we must be willing to follow Him. We cannot manipulate circumstances to go 'our' way but instead but fully embrace His way. This morning I am blessed with this picture of Lake Anna Rickey sent to me on his walk last night. Even though I wasn't able to walk with him, I still enjoyed the scenery.

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

Dear Jesus, Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for the shoeboxes Cait and the children/teens put together last night! Thank You for those who participated in Adult Bible Study! Thank You for Rickey sharing the picture of Lake Anna with me! I am one blessed lady! Father, today as I bring together the sermon You have laid on my heart I pray for blessings of clarity in what You desire. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so there is nothing between You and I. Fill me to overflowing with more of You. I pray for Your love to lavish down on me in a mighty way today. I pray the same for many going through difficult times. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Ofie; Pete and Delores; Steve; Chrissy and her son; Sharon Sebolt; Rick McCartney; many dealing with COVID in themselves or family; a young man dealing with addiction and another one in rehab for anger issues; and so many others. I pray You will reveal to a young man going through some tough stuff what You desire for Him. May he embrace this revelation. I pray for safe travels for many. I also pray for everyone to embrace Your will in our lives. Lord, be greater than the lies of the enemy. Be greater than the things happening in our world. May more depend upon You and not the government. Thank You Jesus for being My Guide! Amen.