II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 47, 139, 30:2 - "God of All My Days"

"Read Psalm 47." Those were the words I heard during the night so this morning that is what I read. I thought, 'What if I don't feel like praising God?' or 'What if I feel like I do not have anything to praise God for as I deal with this headache?' Shame on me! There is always something to praise God for! I can praise Him for...

• another day of life...I woke up...I'm breathing...
• the groceries given to us yesterday...
• Doc being able to go to children/teen activities last night...
• the first storm out in the ocean this week not looking like it will become a hurricane...
• the time of celebration with the children/teens last night for Carrie's and my birthdays...
• having my Momma pray with me over the phone yesterday...

The list goes on and on. Why? Because God loves me and wants to bless me. This morning I also read Psalm 139 again after God woke me throughout the night with a song Casting Crowns sings called, "God of All My Days." He is the "God of All My Days." He is the Author of my life because I have surrendered everything to Him. I have nothing to fear because He is in control of not only the 'good' days but the 'bad' days. I will stand on II Timothy 1:7 no matter what is ahead in this day! In the first four verses of Psalm 139, I read how He not only knows me but He takes care of every step I take, every word I speak, and lives in intimacy with me. He is always with me (vs. 5-8) and guides me throughout every day (vs 9-10). I love verses eleven and twelve...

It’s impossible to disappear from you
or to ask the darkness to hide me,
for your presence is everywhere, bringing light into my night.
12 There is no such thing as darkness with you.
The night, to you, is as bright as the day;
there’s no difference between the two. (TPT)

Nothing is impossible for Him. Nothing limits Him. He never gives up and we need to do the same, no matter comes our way, He is there to empower us through. He is greater than a migraine that won't give up. He is greater than MS. He is greater than hospital bills. He is greater than chemo. He is greater than pancreatic cancer. Plain and simple, He is greater! He knows our needs and will provide just as He did yesterday with the groceries. He knows the desires of our hearts and will provide them or change them if they are not in His plans. Verses twenty-three and twenty-four in The Message are ones I live by every day as I ask Him to cleanse me so He can fill me.

Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

Eternal life is only for those who walk in obedience to His will. We must go beyond salvation into a life of sanctification. Living a life sold-out to Him is the only way I desire to live. I may not be able to comprehend all that happens in my life but I don't have to understand. All I have to do is hold onto Him for the ride He has in store for me. He is truly the "God of All My Days" and for that I am grateful!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for knowing what I need even before I realize it! Thank You for the way You are going before me with the discussions I had with the hospital and the mortgage company yesterday. I pray the issue with the mortgage company will be resolved sooner than later so our payment doesn't increase. But, Lord, if that is not to be then I know You will provide until it does. I also pray for the way You are going to restore Doc's health as in Psalm 30:2. May he feel stronger today and be able to function more normally. I pray the same for Peggy whose cancer has lessened but is still dealing with the effects of it and the treatments. I pray You take away this headache so I can lead Adult Bible Study tonight. In this song this morning it speaks of seasons of life changing. I pray for Shirley as she is in a big change in life with John's death. I pray for You to continue to be with Jim with Sandie's death; Drew with Shellie's death; and Kim's family with her mother-in-law's death so soon after her mother's death. I pray for my friend who is looking for a job to be blessed by You as she continues to bless us. Father, these are physical and emotional issues but most of all I pray for spiritual needs. I pray You will cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Lord, go before me today and be my words, actions, and attitude. May You ooze out of me in a new, different way so people will see/hear You instead of me. Thank You Jesus for being The "God of All May Days!" Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 61 - "Your Name"

I woke this morning with these words of "Your Name" going through my head...

Jesus in your name we pray come and fill our hearts today and give us strength to live for you and Glorify your name

Your name is a strong and mighty tower your name is a shelter like no other your name let the nation sing it louder cause nothing has the power to save but your name

I thought about what these words mean to me. "His Name" goes beyond salvation for me. It even goes beyond sanctification. "His Name" is what will see me to eternal life. Woo hoo! I have comfort in calling upon "His Name" on this earth and can only imagine what it will be like when I sit at His feet in heaven. I think of how I feel when I bask on the memories I have of my earthly father. I get a warm, fuzzy feeling as I think of times in the past that we spent together. I always felt his love for me. I can say the same for my Heavenly Father. I always feel His love for me. While on this earth I could call my earthly father at any time and receive his counsel, love, etc. The same can be said for my Heavenly Father. He is always here for me. I especially feel His strength in the 'tough' days of life. I experience His strength in my physical body when mine wants to quit or is in pain. I experience His strength in my emotional body when my emotions are raw and I call upon His name. I experience His strength in my mental body through the wisdom He gives me. I experience His strength in my financial being through the way He blesses me through others. His strength can only be found in the fullest through my obedience. I will continue to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His strength. I will not allow the enemy to cause fear in my life. This morning He directed me to read Psalm 61. I was so encouraged as I read it in different translations. In The Passion Translation it is entitled a "Prayer of Protection." I need protected from the enemy. I love how verse three describes this. None of my foes can touch me when I'm held firmly in your wrap-around presence! Woo hoo! His wrap-around presence! That means there is no gap in His presence. There is no gap in His love for us! 

O God, hear my prayer. Listen to my heart’s cry.
2 For no matter where I am, even when I’m far from home,
I will cry out to you for a father’s help.
When I’m feeble and overwhelmed by life,
guide me into your glory, where I am safe and sheltered.
3 Lord, you are a paradise of protection to me.
You lift me high above the fray.
None of my foes can touch me
when I’m held firmly in your wrap-around presence!
4 Keep me in this glory.
Let me live continually under your splendor-shadow,
hiding my life in you forever.
Pause in his presence
5 You have heard my sweet resolutions
to love and serve you, for I am your beloved.
And you have given me an inheritance of rich treasures,
which you give to all your lovers.
6 You treat me like a king, giving me a full and abundant life,
years and years of reigning,
like many generations rolled into one.
7 I will live enthroned with you forever!
Guard me, God, with your unending, unfailing love.
Let me live my days walking in grace and truth before you.
8 And my praises will fill the heavens forever,
fulfilling my vow to make every day a love gift to you!

As we live in Him, we will be able to live out verse eight. We will be empowered to praise Him...making every day a love gift to Him! I love this! I desire to not only live out His will in my life but in doing so making every day a love gift to Him! There are days I know I miss opportunities He puts before me. When that happens, I must ask for forgiveness. That is why every morning I start my day asking Him to cleanse me so He can fill me. That will be the only way I can make every day a love gift to Him! His love is described in verse seven as unending, unfailing. That is the type of love I need to strive to share with others. I need to live in His presence so His love will ooze out of me in a new, different way every day. As I do that, I will have a future with Him for eternity. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, 

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for going before me and blessing me physically, mentally, emotionally, financially but most of all spiritually. Thank You for this song and Scripture this morning that encourages me to call upon Your name no matter what is happening in my life. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. May Your love ooze out of me in a new, different way today so people will see/hear You instead of me. I pray Your love to pour into Doc in a new, different way. He needs physical and emotional strength in a mighty way today. Lord, continue to heal his body of the cancer. Lord, I also pray an emotional strength for: Sharon with her father's health; Shirley as she begins this new journey of live without John; and Jim and Drew on their journey without their special ladies. Father, thank You for being their Comforter! Father, I also pray for physical strength for my day ahead. I pray Your supernatural empowerment to come down upon me in a mighty way! When my physical body is struggling, my emotional and mental bodies are effected. May You be greater, Lord! May You be greater! May I be empowered to make a love gift for You today! Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 73 - "Known"

When I was awake in the middle of the night, God told me to read Psalm 73 when I got up. This morning when I woke He had the words to "Known" going through my mind. I love how He works in my life. He knew I would wake tired and fatigued. He also knew I needed encouraged to start my day. The words to this song are...

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

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

He knows me. He knows me so well and gives me exactly what I need. Yesterday He knew it was a tough day for me because Doc was feeling so lousy. Therefore, He blessed me at church with a little guy accepting Jesus into his heart during Children's Church. After church He blessed me with a dear friend giving me back my bears that she 'bought' from me when I put them on-line to sell. She knew how much they meant to me so she gave them back. Needless to say, the tears were flowing after church. They were tears of joy. When we got home, tears of sadness flowed when I saw Doc struggling so bad. I believe this emotional roller coaster is what is causing me to be so tired. No matter how much I trust God, I am human. No matter how deep my faith, the human emotions kick in. But I am grateful for a God who encourages me to keep on and takes my faith deeper. In Psalm 73 in the English Standard Version this Psalm is entitled, "God is My Strength and Portion Forever." God knew I needed this reminder this morning. This Psalm speaks of people who get bitter against God. I have seen many who have lost a loved one, had a disease, etc. who became bitter against God. It is sad to see. But I refuse to become bitter against Him. I will stand in faith through tough days. I will not only stand in faith but allow Him to take my faith to a new level through these days. Why? Because "God is My Strength and Portion Forever." Woo hoo! Verses twenty-three through twenty-six read:

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (ESV)

Yes! My flesh and my heart may fail...this will happen because I am human. There will be times where I doubt. There will be times where I feel like I cannot continue on in my physical body. BUT "God is My Strength and Portion Forever" so I do not have to stay in those circumstances. I can stand victorious through Him! Woo hoo! How can this happen? Because "I'm fully known and loved by" Him! Woo hoo! Once again, I am blessed in the way He works in and through me. He knows me and what I need. Therefore, He provides what I need because He loves me so greatly. Woo hoo! The last two verses are ones I can speak and mean with all my heart...

Those who abandon the worship of God will perish.
The false and unfaithful will be silenced, never heard from again.
28 But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord Yahweh,
for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of
your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God!

I will remain true and faithful to Him. I will draw closer to Him as He guides me through the 'tough' days of life. I will continue to stand on II Timothy 1:7 as I walk in obedience to Him. As I do, He will use me for His glory. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, 

Once again, I am in awe of the way You speak to me. Giving me a song and scripture at two different times is such a blessing. I am in awe of how much You love me. Thank You for the blessings of yesterday with the little guy praying the prayer of salvation and the gift of my bears. Thank You for giving Doc what he needed to get through the morning. Thank You for the rest we both had yesterday afternoon. Thank You for the projects I completed on Saturday. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me this morning. I want to glorify You in my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. I pray for a filling in my physical tank as well. I just feel so tired and fatigued. Lord, I need You in a powerful way to not only get through this day but to thrive in it. May You be greater than me. Lord, I also pray for ones grieving with the loss of their loved ones yesterday. Lord, both of these ladies were in relationship with You and for that I say woo hoo! But the ones left behind are missing them greatly. I pray for people to be put in their path who will minister to their hearts. I pray for Kim and her family and Shelly's family to feel Your presence so greatly. I also pray for the families of the little guy from Oregon and the teen from Huron to feel Your presence with their losses. Lord, thank You for being My Strength and Portion Forever. Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 48 - "Your Name"

The Lord woke me in the night to pray for pastors to remember He loves them more than anyone on this earth has the capability to love. He had me pray they would remember His love is something to be shared with all they meet. He also had me pray for those who are struggling in their ministry to remember all they have to do is call upon Him and He is there to encourage them. Last night I was involved in a discussion with pastors of small churches. There is great discouragement among them. It hurts my heart and I can only imagine how it hurts God to see it. We all must remember God directs our life when we allow Him. If we walked in obedience to the church we are at, He choose the life we are living for us. Therefore, we need to lean into Him for His empowerment to get through the 'tough' days. We cannot fear the future of the church He has put us. Instead we need to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 and allow Him to empower us to love those He puts before us and to continue to walk in obedience to His will. When we live such a life, we will be blessed. That does not mean our church will grow to being a large church. Oh course, that will happen if it is in God's will. What it does mean is that God will give us peace no matter what happens. He will give us His wisdom as we make tough financial decisions. He will give us His love to pour into the people. He also will give us joy in the process. This morning God took me to Psalm 48. I love how He works. First, He has me praying for pastors during the night. Then this morning He has me read about the glories of the church. Woo hoo! Matthew Henry writes of the first seven verses, Happy the kingdom, the city, the family, the heart, in which God is great, in which he is all. There God is known. Another word for 'happy' is 'blessed'! Churches will be blessed, pastors will be blessed as they put God first in their lives. Henry continues to write of the last half of the Psalm:

Let our faith in the word of God be hereby confirmed. Let our hope of the stability of the church be encouraged. Let our minds be filled with good thoughts of God. All the streams of mercy that flow down to us, must be traced to the fountain of His loving-kindness. Let us give to God the glory of the great things he has done for us. Let all the members of the church take comfort from what the Lord does for his church. Let us observe the beauty, strength, and safety of the church. Consider its strength; see it founded on Christ the Rock, fortified by the Divine power, guarded by Him who neither slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious ordinances are its palaces, what precious promises are its bulwarks, that you may be encouraged to join yourselves to it: and tell this to others. 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.

As we lead people to Him, we are leading them to eternal life. Woo hoo! No matter if we are pastoring a church of fifteen or a church of fifteen hundred, He must be the Center of all we do and say. Then we will be blessed. We must remember to praise God through all of the ups and downs of ministry. Verses nine and ten of Psalm 48 in The Message reads: 

We pondered your love-in-action, God,
    waiting in your temple:
Your name, God, evokes a train
    of Hallelujahs wherever
It is spoken, near and far;
    your arms are heaped with goodness-in-action.
cDear Jesus,
Thank You for another Saturday night of praying for pastors! Lord, I especially pray for those who are discouraged. I pray for those who will look out over their people this morning and see fifteen or twenty. I also pray for those who will see hundreds or thousands before them. May each one remember, You must be the center of their life and their church. May each one be blessed in a new, different way today. Father, I pray an abundance of strength for Doc today. I pray he would be able to preach as You bless him with Your empowerment. I pray You will go before him and give him Your wisdom and peace. May You also go before me and cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with Your love. May You be greater than me in my words, actions, and attitude. I pray all pastors have this prayer in their heart so people will see Your love through all of us. Lord, I also think of my friend who is not in the pulpit at this time. I pray You will strengthen his faith, heal his hurts, and give him Your peace during this low time in his life. May Your soothing balm come down upon him and give him Your peace and wisdom. I pray for Tom who has ministered in two funerals this week and Scott who will be ministering in his friend John's funeral tomorrow. I pray Your continued strength for them. Lord, may all pastors call upon Your name and glorify it in all their days. Thank You Jesus for being My Center! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Colossians 3:23-24; Mark 6:31 - "Way Maker"

Some days I just want to crawl into bed and cover up my head. Life can be so difficult at times. I am grateful for the way God filled my spiritual tank with District Assembly. I also am grateful He gave me physical strength for it. But when my emotional tank is being sideswiped, my mental tank struggles. I can't seem to stay up on things which causes more problems. I am grateful we live in a society where bills can be put on automatic payment so you don't have to remember to write checks. Today I am praying for God to enable me to get some things accomplished that have been put off. It is so hard to do things when Doc is watching TV or sitting out in the Carolina room. I just want to be with him. That's what causes my procrastination. Some things are unpleasant or will take a lot of mental capability so I 'wait until tomorrow' with them. Some things will take physical energy and some days I just don't have much of that. But I must not procrastinate. Instead I need to ask God to empower me to get accomplished what is needed to be done. I do not want to do anything unless it is in His plan. If I get caught up in doing tasks, I may miss an opportunity He puts before me to love on someone. Paul's words in Colossians 3:23-24 regarding Christian households come to me this morning:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 

He gave me these verses in the first year of being in Willard when I was trying to do everything, everyone wanted me to do. I thought that's what a 'good' pastor's wife did! I soon realized He is the Only One I need to please. I was not going to be good to anyone if I was so stressed and wore out by doing for others instead of listening to Him. He also reminded me we all need a time of rest; a time away from our normal daily tasks. The more we stay on top of those daily tasks, the easier it will be to have a break from them. I can get so caught up into reading a book that an hour will slip by before I even realize it. Is that wrong? Not if I have accomplished what God desired of me before spending that hour reading. Jesus Himself took time away from his normal daily tasks. In Mark 6 before the feeding of the five thousand, He took His disciples out into a boat to get away from the crowds. He said, Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest (vs 31). There is a lesson to be learned from them. After they listened to Him, the great miracle of feeding the crowd with two fish and five loaves of bread happened. I believe God wants to do miracles through us. He cannot work in and through us if we are stressing over tasks that need done. Therefore, we must stay on top of tasks so they are not a burden. I normally do pretty good at staying on top of tasks but it seems like over the last couple of weeks I have not. So once again, I will ask the Lord to empower me to accomplish them today. Maybe that is why I only slept seven hours and woke so early. This is the time He is giving me to get things done. I sure hope there is a nap in my future today because seven hours is definitely what my body functions best on. Or maybe He will perform a miracle and give me His supernatural strength to function on it today! Or maybe He is reminding me that I had eleven hours of sleep the night before and it all equals out! No matter what, I want to take every opportunity He puts before me today. Even if the tasks do not get accomplished! No matter what, I must stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His strength and empowerment.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the way You provide for us! Thank You for Doc pushing through the side effects of chemo! Thank You for Your empowerment in my physical, mental, emotional, and financial bodies! Thank Your for the opportunities You put before me yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for open ears and open eyes to them! Father, I pray for Your continued direction with the church building rehab. I pray for the funds to come in for the completion of this project. Father, may You be glorified in the process. Lord, I pray for those who are contemplating being in church tomorrow to make the decision to go no matter what church they choose. Lord, there are so many people who need to be grounded in their relationship with You in a new, different way. I pray You will pave the way for this to happen. I especially pray You will cleanse me so You can fill me so You can use me when You open doors for me to love people with Your love. Thank You Jesus for being My Way Maker! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:1-2 - "Different"

I love waking up with a song in my heart. This morning it is "Different" that Micah Tyler sings.

I wanna be different
I wanna be changed
'Til all of me is gone
And all that remains
Is a fire so bright
The whole world can see
That there's something different
So come and be different
In me

As I live grounded in II Timothy 1:7, I am living a "Different" type of life. Standing on this verse allows me to be empowered to not fear things such as Doc's cancer; love with His love; and walk in obedience to His will. Fear is something the enemy will use against me when given a chance. He will put doubts into my mind when given an open door. That is why I must stay prayed up and in relationship with God. In the beginning of the song there is a line that goes, "I don't wanna hear anymore, teach me to listen..." That is key to being in relationship with God. We must go beyond just hearing and truly listen to Him. The only way that can be accomplished is to die to self and take on Christ. The thought of giving up control of our life is scary for some people. But when you think about it, we don't have control. Either Christ does or the enemy does. As we look through our checkbook and see where our money is spent we see either Christ centered things or things of the enemy. As we reflect over our calendar it is the same. Our time is either being invested as Christ desires or it is as the enemy desires. We cannot live our life in both directions. It needs to be one or the another, preferably for Christ. Paul tells us in the first two verses of Romans 12:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (NIV).

I love how it reads in The Message...

 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Woo hoo! I don't have to live as the world does but instead need to live as God desires of me. This does not mean I cannot live in the world. All believers need to be around people. If we surround ourselves with just other believers, we will not be able to accomplish what God has called us to be. We cannot share His love with those who need it if we are not around them. I love the last part in The Message where it says, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Woo hoo! In the NIV it is called his good, pleasing and perfect will. Yes! That is what I want for my life. I want to live in His will, doing as He so desires of me. I must be a living sacrifice. I must be holy and pleasing to God. Then I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind. As I live out Romans 12:1-2, I will be empowered to stand on II Timothy 1:7. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this song and Scripture this morning! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for my new friend I spent time with yesterday! Thank You for the beautiful sunset You blessed Doc and I with last night! Thank You for the life You have given me to be a living sacrifice! Thank You for transforming me as you renew me! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me! Thank You for loving us so greatly! Thank You for going before Doc today and empowering him against the effects of chemo! Father, strengthen our faith as we continue to trust in You! Thank You for being Our Transformer! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 36 - "Your Love Oh Lord"

One of the Psalms we studied last night at Bible study was Psalm 36. The first part of it breaks my heart. There are people described in it as being wicked (vs 1). These people have no fear of God (vs 1). They think so highly of themselves they don't even recognize their sin (vs 2). Their words and actions are not good (vs 3). Their lives are full of evil (vs 4) and they like it. The life described in these first four verses is an ugly one. Unfortunately, there are many who live in this way. They have chosen to do as the evil one desires instead of God. How can we change them? We can't. Only God can change hearts. But He can use us if we allow Him. He can pour His love into us so it will ooze out of us in a way people will desire Him. Verses five through nine describes God's love as being faithful (vs 5); righteous and just (vs 6); unfailing and protective (vs 7); filling (vs 8); and enlightening (vs 9). When you compare the difference of the life described in the first five verses and that of the next ones, the difference is vast. If you have God's love in you at all, You would desire to share it with others. The darkness found in the life at the beginning does not sound very nice. As I allow His love to ooze out of me, the darkness they live in will become Light. Verse ten in The Passion Translation reads: Lord, keep pouring out your unfailing love on those who are near you. Release more of your blessings to those who are loyal to you. Yes! His love is the answer. It also will strengthen us to stand against the evilness we will encounter as we share Him with others (vs 11). Every time I read this Psalm a song Third Day sings called "Your Love, Oh Lord" comes to my mind...

Your love, oh Lord
Reaches to the heavens
And Your faithfulness
Stretches to the skies

And Your righteousness
Is like the mighty mountains
Your justice flows
Like the ocean's tide

And I will lift my voice
To worship You, my King
And I will find my strength
In the shadow of Your wings

Yes! I will "find my strength" in Him. I will allow Him to use me to bring light into the darkness of the sin of this world. Why? Because that is what He has called all believers to do. We cannot be timid but instead need to be bold in our witness. He gives us a spirit of power, love, and self-control (II Timothy 1:7) to do so. I will continue to stand upon that.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for Doc receiving the chemo that is shrinking the tumor! Thank You for our Bible study last night on the book of Psalm! Father, may I be bold in my witness so people will come out of the darkness into the Light. May Your strength be mine. In order for that to happen, I repent before You. I ask You to cleanse my soul so You can fill it to overflowing with Your love. May my words, actions, and attitude be Christ-like today in a new, different way. Father, my physical body is rebelling. I hurt and am so, so tired. I pray for an infilling of Your strength in it as well. I'm so emotional this morning. I know it is because of the way I am feeling physically but that doesn't make it easy. Thank You for Martha's call this morning that encouraged me so much. I continue to pray for Kandi as she goes through her treatments; Billie with her surgery today; Mike as he recuperates from hip surgery; the Srgo family; Pattie and the children as they continue to adjust; Brother Dan as he continues the road of obedience; and Bill for physical and spiritual needs. May You bless each one of them in a supernatural way. Thank You Jesus for being My Light! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Luke 4:14-21 - "Worthy"

Yesterday morning Dr. Graves said we, as a church, need a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. His sermon was entitled "Grab A Piece of the P.I.E." and was from Luke 4:14-21. Verse twenty-one says, "Today this scripture is fulfilled." Before that can happen in our lives we must be willing to walk in obedience to His will. We must be willing to accept was He has in store for us. But are we? Many are afraid to accept His will for their life. They question it instead of embracing it. He expects us to question. In fact, I believe our faith is grown through questioning. But we cannot get hung up in questioning. We cannot get hung up in needing all the answers before we accept His will. We will only receive the freedom from living in the flesh when we finally die to self. I loved P.I.E. and the word picture Dr. Graves gave. I love pie. In fact, I love most food. I enjoy trying new dishes. There are certain things that are 'comfort food' to me and certain ones that bring back great memories. When I think about how I love to eat, it is an enjoyable experience for me. But that joy cannot compare to the way I feel in my sold-out life with Christ. Dr. Graves gave the following for us to ponder upon...

Participate with people
Interact with people
Experience life with people

This is the only way we will fulfill scripture. As we live out P.I.E. in our life, we will live more like Jesus lived. He ministered to everyone. We must follow His example and move from representation to participation. I loved the example of TV shows Dr. Graves gave. In the 70/80's the most watched shows were soap operas. That changed to talk shows in the 90's and to reality shows now. There was little difference in soap operas and talk shows other than the professionals took the script and played the life of the people in the soap operas. On the talk shows the people played out their life as professionals. But then reality shows came into existence. People want to be participants in life. Jesus participated in life with the people. We need to do the same. We cannot allow fear to stop us. Instead we need to stand on II Timothy 1:7 and allow Him to give us a spirit of empowerment to love people with His love. We must not allow fear to make us not talking with people. Instead we need to allow Him to wipe away our fears so we can be strong in Him. We must ask Him to not only put opportunities before us but to open our eyes to them. People need Jesus and the way they will experience Him is through us. It takes time to build relationships. We cannot rush into them but instead 'walk slowly' to both start and develop them. We must pray for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to notice people. The ways of the world make people feel good for a short time but God will be with them for eternity. Relationships take time and they take work. As Dr. Graves was speaking yesterday, I thought about District Assembly. This is our fourth since coming to South Carolina three years ago but it is the first one I felt like I belonged. Why? Because I have developed relationships. I have made friends. I have experienced life with the people on this district. Even though we feel we are millions of miles apart in proximity to them, we are still family. I pray over my list of pastors and their families regularly. Some I know, some I don't. Some I know better than others. No matter how deep our relationship, I know I could pick up the phone at anytime and ask them for prayer and they would not refuse me. We care for one another and desire to support one another. I pray for all South Carolina District pastors to take on Luke 4:18-19...

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

I pray for the year of the Lord's favor to be realized by all churches. The only way that will happen is for pastors to set the example to their people of how to "Grab a Piece of the P.I.E." as Jesus did while on this earth. I pray people will catch onto this way of living. When we see this happening, the South Carolina District Church of the Nazarene will become stronger in their faith. We will experience the Holy Spirit in a new, different way and God's power will realize God's limitless empowerment. Woo hoo! I am ready to hang on for the wild ride that is going to happen throughout our District. Yes, there will be ups and downs as on a roller coaster. There will be some who will experience the thrill of stopping at the top of a ferris wheel and there will be some who will experience being hit over and over as on the bumper cars. No matter what, His empowerment is there for all of us. He will see us through the 'tough' days just as much as He will be basking in His glory with us in the 'good' days. Woo hoo! I'm so excited to hear the reports next year of how God used the piece of P.I.E. He put before the people throughout the year ahead.

Dear Jesus, 
Thank You for such an inspiring District Assembly! Thank You for making me realize I am a part of this District even when I felt like like an outsider! Thank You for Dr. Graves who encouraged my heart so much! Thank You for Pastor Sam who loves us so greatly! Thank You for all the people who encouraged us with their words throughout the days we were together! Father, may all of us "Grab a Piece of the P.I.E" so You will be real to more people. Take away the fear and give us openness to the opportunities You put before us. Before this can happen, we must be cleansed so You can fill us. May it be so in all of our lives. Father, I pray for the empowerment of Your Holy Spirit to be realized by all. I pray for You to empower Doc today as he goes through this treatment today. May You give strength in his physical body but most of all may he feel empowered in his spiritual body. Thank You Jesus for being  My Holy! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 3:14-21; Luke 4; Acts 10 - "Called Unto Holiness"

These last two days have been tough with Doc. He wants to be a part of District Assembly yet his body has refused to cooperate. We pray and yet it seems like our prayers are not heard. But I know they are. Even though we cannot understand why things are the way they are, we continue to lean into Him knowing He is in control. After receiving a message yesterday afternoon from him of what he was going through I waited a bit and sent another message but received no reply. I prayed and asked God to be with him and started back to him. II Timothy 1:7 went through my mind along with all kinds of thoughts as I went. I was relieved to find he had fallen asleep and not seen my message. As I went and got some medicine to try to relieve his symptom I prayed again for God to intervene. As I watched him struggling so, I cried out to friends asking for prayer. Sometimes this journey becomes so overwhelming I get to the point where I feel like I need extra support. People began praying and soon he was able to keep cheese and crackers down. He rested more and then decided to try to go to the ordination service. Prayers were answered and he was able to stay for the entire service. What a blessing! Dr. Graves spoke on Ephesians 3:14-21. This scripture is where Paul prays for believers. Verse sixteen reads, I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Dr. Graves spoke about how reading our Bibles, praying, etc. are important but that is not where we find God's empowerment. That is only found through the Holy Spirit. He referred to Luke 4 where verse one tells us Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit when He went into the wilderness and tested by the devil. The result of that testing is found in verse fourteen. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit... We need to follow Christ's example. We need to be filled with the Spirit. In Acts 10 we find how God used Jesus through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Verse thirty-eight reads, ...God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power...he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. Woo hoo! God was with Him! We can have God with us but when we die to self and allow Him free reign of our life, we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to do His will. I loved what Dr. Graves said about how God desires us to be strong, not weak or anemic. Yes! God desires us to have His strength! He desires to look down upon us saying, 'Wow, look at you daughter! I'm so proud of how you are living!' In verse seventeen Paul describes how God wants us to know His love. We are His children. He desires for us to know He loves us just as we want our children to know we love them. Paul wrote about how we need to be rooted in His love so we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to grasp it. I love verses eighteen and nineteen in The Passion Translation. It reads:

Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!

He desires us to experience His love that is only completely experienced through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Great intimacy is found with Him when we surrender to His will. I love the last part...this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! Woo hoo! THIS is why I pray every day for God to cleanse me so He can fill me! I desire intimacy with Him! I desire to walk in His will! I desire to be filled to overflowing with Him! I desire for Him to work through me in ways others can't understand! I want my walk with Him to produce fruit. The only way that can happen is by being in complete relationship with Him. Verse twenty in The Passion Translation reads:

Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.

Yes! Great faith enables one to Never doubt God. When we doubt, it gives the devil an open door into our lives. Instead we need to lean into Him more. We need to allow Him to work in and through us through difficult circumstances. Yesterday, there were many tears fell as I struggled with Doc being sick. But there were also tears falling as I heard the words of Dr. Graves and watched thirteen be ordained. Tears of joy are much easier than tears of fear. As I sat in the ordination service, my heart cried out to God asking Him to please heal Doc so he can walk me down the aisle next year when I am ordained. I asked Him to not just shrink the tumor but to remove the cancer entirely from his body. I also asked Him to continue to cleanse me so He can fill me to overflowing with more of Him. I loved the way Dr. Graves described the emptying/filling process. When we empty ourselves out of holding onto our checkbook, family, calendar, ministry, etc., God is able to fill us. As we put those things back into our life, that is when our cup runs over. I believe the greatest blessings our found in the process. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for empowering me through the Holy Spirit to not just get through the day yesterday but to be blessed in abundance through it! Thank You for being with Doc through the things he went through! Father, may You continue to be his strength. What a blessing to see thirteen people ordained last night. Woo hoo, God! You are so good! It was so exciting to see four of them be from the church that was just established the night before. Woo hoo, God! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me! May You be greater than my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. May Your love ooze out of me in a new, different way. Lord, Your empowerment is what I desire. Your love is all I need. Thank You for the Church of the Nazarene that stands on Your holiness! Thank You for being My Holiness! Amen.