Jill Briscoe~December lesson

~~Taking a Holiday Break...letting Jill Briscoe speak here~~

Jill's December J-Mail

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Jill spent much of her time on her recent ministry trip to India barefoot. It wasn’t that her shoes were lost with luggage or that she was enjoying a warm sandy beach. She was teaching a sanctuary full of Indian seminary students, and custom required that she remove her shoes before entering. Interestingly enough, her last teaching centered on Moses and his encounter with God in the burning bush, in which He told Moses to remove his shoes because he was on holy ground. In Jill's J-Mail, she teaches this lesson from Moses: God will use flawed people (like Moses and us!) to do His work if we are willing to bow before Him, barefoot, in awe and reverence.

Barefoot in My Heart

Stuart and I recently finished teaching hundreds of missionary and pastoral students who were in seminary training in India. My last message in chapel concerned Moses and his renewed call to service after 40 years in the wilderness. Read the account in Exodus 3 & 4.

The bush burned with fire and yet was not destroyed, and Moses turned aside to see this strange sight. When The Lord saw that he turned aside to see. He called to him out of the bush: “Moses, Moses! Take off your shoes for you are standing on Holy ground.” The fire in the bush was the fire of God.

A divine conversation ensued that had worldwide repercussions for the Kingdom of God on earth! Moses was feeling sidelined, defeated, shamed and guilty. He had killed a man and fled from Pharaoh’s wrath. God had gone to much trouble training Moses in Pharaoh’s palace for his life work: delivering the children of Israel from bondage and taking them to the land promised to Abraham.

But the devil attacked Moses through a character weakness. Temper! In fact, all through his long life, he was brought low through an uncontrolled temper! He literally broke the Ten Commandments because he lost his temper! Read about it in Exodus. You always break the Ten Commandments when you let your anger control you instead of you controlling your anger!

This led to self-imposed exile while the people of God suffered incredible brutality at the hands of the Egyptians. But failure is never final for the servant of God. So one day, the Lord, concerned with His people’s suffering and wishing to deliver them, met Moses in his dry and barren place of failure and defeat, and the great adventure began. We thought about Moses’ story as I spoke about the students and the call of God on all of our lives and the fact that failure along the way is never final for the believer.

This is India, so according to custom, I slipped off my shoes every time I entered the sanctuary for the lectures. I lived barefoot in those days. Teaching the students barefoot greatly focused my attention on the story of Moses and the burning bush where God renewed his call and commanded him to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground! I’ve thought of the many lessons that I, the teacher, (and hopefully the students) have learned!

It is only when we live barefoot in our hearts that we will hear our renewed calling to ministry. It is only when we live barefoot in our hearts that we will know the true fear of God and be suitably afraid of the great God we serve and wish to obey his calling however hard it is. And it is there, barefoot in the presence of His holiness, where He will give us the courage to go where He wants us to go and do what He wants us to do.

Here is a prayer I wrote at the end of my talks. The words were left with the students so they could make them into a song and remember the lessons of the bare feet.

Barefoot I bow at this altar of grace,

Barefoot and humbled with tears on my face.

Ashamed and repentant I hear the Lord’s voice

Barefoot and humbled He gives me a choice.

Holy the ground where the promise is made

Keep the fire burning Lord don’t let it fade.

Help me obey You despite all my fears

Help me to serve You the rest of my years.

Barefoot accepting Your plan once again

Give power for my fainting heart, peace in my pain.

Deal with the darkness give strength for my days

Barefoot and humbled I offer you praise!

Barefoot I bow at this altar of grace,

Barefoot and humbled with tears on my face,

Ashamed and repentant I respond to your call

Barefoot and humbled I give you my all!

Why not stand before the Lord? Slip off your shoes, wherever you are.

Listen! Can you hear your name? He’s calling you. What will you say?

Thank you for partnering with us,

Jill Briscoe

Gone Fishing~~Charles Swindoll

by Charles R. Swindoll

Acts 7; 17

Billy Wilder, the great movie producer, openly admitted: "I have a vast and terrible desire never to bore an audience." With tacit agreement Jack Parr once declared: "The greatest sin is to be dull."

Those two statements ought to haunt anyone who regularly practices the fine art of communication.

Communication is a competitive field. Like it or not, the teacher, writer, speaker, or preacher contends with ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Rush Limbaugh, magazines, paperbacks, CDs, the theater, the cinema, the thrilling excitement of sporting events, and a zillion other attractions. Pity the missionary whose mimeographed letter arrives in the same mail with Sports Illustrated or Newsweek. God help the Sunday evening services across America that do battle with 60 Minutes and Masterpiece Theater.

Today's communicator faces a stiffer challenge than ever before. This means that we who communicate Christ must work especially hard at winning and then maintaining a hearing. This doesn't mean we need to put on a better show or shout louder or attack our competition. What it does mean is that we must meet at least three demands.

We must be prepared. Basically, it necessitates doing our homework. But it also means we must determine what ought to remain behind the counter, held in reserve, and what ought to be placed on display. It's the art of verbal economy.

We must be interesting. We must paint verbal pictures for the uninitiated, preoccupied mind to see. To do this we need energy, subtlety, relevance, and changes of pace.

We must be practical. Communicating the Scriptures is more than dumping out a truckload of biblical facts; it means using those facts to meet practical, everyday needs.

Communicating is like fishing. We need to provide the right lures and bait to attract our listeners.

Check out Paul's address on Mars Hill (Acts 17) or Stephen's defense before the Council (Acts 7) or Jesus' great sermon on the mountain (Matt. 5-7) or His conversation with Nicodemus (John 3). Not a rusty hook in the bunch!

Funny thing about fish: They keep their eyes open even when they're bored and sound asleep. Myopic communicators tend to forget that.

When we communicate Christ, we are like GE: We bring good things to life.

Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

"How Are You?"

Have you ever really thought about the words that come out of your mouth? How often to we greet someone with the (usually) meaningless question, "how are you?"

I have had people come up to me, big smile across their face, shake my hand or hug me and say, "how are you?" If they haven't already moved on to the next person they have their eye on, I will look at them and ask, "do you really want to know?" Sometimes I get an answer; sometimes I don't.

If someone honestly wants to know how I am at that time, I will tell them HONESTLY how I am. Of course if it is a stressful day, I won't give details I will simply respond, "stressed".

People have told me, "well, people really don't care how you are....it's just a greeting." Okay, so if one genuinely does NOT care how I am...why not just shake my hand or hug me and say, "I hope your day is going well." THAT would encourage me.

We need to seriously consider our "caring" for others. Yes, I know that Jesus is the only One who truly cares for us, but sometimes taking that extra 10 minutes or so in our (and their) busy life will bless and encourage someone.

Next time you greet someone, try to come up with something encouraging to say. Take a few minutes of your time to listen and truly brighten some one's day. You may be the only encouragement they receive that day (or even that week).

Be Blessed and Stay Strong in Him!
~~Lariann

Today as I read the bible...online...I was encouraged and challenged in reading the following passages.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4: 4-8 and 12-13.

So much is packed in this set of verses! I think what I will do is go over this daily this week to let it all sink in and I will write daily thoughts as they come to me from this passage.

It is easier for me to read the Bible online and journal online. What I am using is:

https://penzu.com/p along with the bible study tools I have already posted.

Penzu is a private online journal. You can post pictures if you want, print it, and simply save and store what you write.

I encourage you to read the passages above and journal your thoughts about them either in a notebook or online journal.

God Bless and Keep you Strong in Him!
~~Lariann

Bible Study Tools

Something you may want to check out:

http://beta.biblestudytools.com/

Bible~Journaling

If any of you are interested in reading the Bible online AND keeping an online journal...I found a really great site.

http://www.biblejournals.com/

When you read to the bottom of the "Welcome" you will notice that you can click to "register". Simply explore the site and get familiar with the different things it has to offer.

God Bless and Keep you Strong in Him!

Lariann

Bagels and Tea

The title has nothing to do with the topic. Have you ever had a day like that? You wake up, stretch, roll out of bed...feet on the floor...to begin your day how you THINK it will go. You stumble to the kitchen, put on the tea kettle or coffee pot...your mind sifting through the day's activities....

Sitting down to sip and savor your hot drink...you begin your conversation with God...you wake earlier than everyone in your house simply for this reason...a quietness with your Best Friend. Something interrupts it today...your child, spouse, unexpected phone call....it just seems to get worse throughout the day...more interruptions and unexpected occurrences...you can't seem to get a grasp of your thoughts. What were you and Jesus talking about earlier this morning? Sighing, you whisper a prayer asking for a little break to meet back with your Best Friend when things settle down.

The day doesn't settle down...kids come home from school with stories of the day, spouses need to vent from things going on at work, the dog gets sprayed by a skunk, toilets over-flow....as you return to your sitting position that began early in the morning...you realize it is evening...you never were able to return to Jesus for solace and rest.

Mentally talking to Jesus, you tell Him you have no idea where your day went and pray that you can have that coveted time with Him tomorrow.

Sometimes it seems our hectic days continue...and some things are simply out of our control. Somewhere in the stillness of the night we need to return to our quietness with our Best Friend. He is the One who truly understands our heartaches, needs, desires...We need His rejuvenation.

Tomorrow, begin again and this time put on some inspirational Christian music as soon as you can...the words of the songs....no matter how the day goes...will uplift and inspire you...if not music...try something that will give you peace of mind and spiritual energy.

Jesus told us, "Come to me all you who are burdened and weary, and I will give you rest. " (Matthew 11:28 NIV)

May you be able to find rest in Him even on your most hectic days.

God Bless and Keep You Strong in Him~~
Lariann

VOICE OF TRUTH with lyrics

Gladness of Heart

"A cheerful heart is good medicine...." (Proverbs 17:22a "she" (the woman of noble character)"can laugh at the days to come (not stress over them) She speaks with wisdom..." Proverbs 31:25b, 26a (NIV)

Do I even need to add more to that bit of truth? It seems it is next to impossible to have a cheerful heart during these days of a bad economy and a variety of other issues. Some may be more personal...deep down inner feelings of: anxiety, incompetence, or simply a hectic life...it can be difficult to have a cheerful heart.

"Cheerful"~~to be glad. "Glad"~~Experiencing or exhibiting joy and pleasure. So, how can we be joyful during these times? The lady of noble character can "laugh at the days to come" because she has her hopes and faith in Jesus.

Sometimes, humanly speaking, that doesn't seem to be enough...hoping in Jesus. He is not "tangible" so to speak. So our hearts cry out for joy...to be glad. That is when we realize that we need to take more time to be with Jesus...the Creator of joy and gladness of heart. When we communicate with Him more...he will show us how to cast our cares on Him and truly be able to "laugh at the days to come".

Taking quality time to be in prayer and in His Word is essential in order to truly have a cheerful heart. Dwell on His hopes, His promises, His divine word. And listen...be quiet with Him...yes pour out your heart to Him...but also take the time to listen to what He has to say to you. "In quietness and confidence is your strength" (Is. 30:15b). Rest in Jesus then you will find that you can be joyful and that joy will spread to those around you...they will feel your quiet, joyful, trust...in Jesus. You will be able to lift your head high to Him; smiling as you do and that cheerful brightness will not only keep you glad but it will encourage others.

Shine with gladness!

Third Day - Blessed Assurance

Monday morning, September 28, 1998, my dad left his failing earthly body and ran into the open arms of Jesus. This was his favorite song...and when I asked him what songs he wanted at his funeral, he grew teary-eyed as he told me he especially wanted Blessed Assurance.

Steven Curtis Chapman "Heaven Is The Face"

Beautiful song and tribute to his little girl who is in Heaven waiting for him.

Epitaph

It seems that almost weekly a celebrity passes away. The announcements are all over the news...web sites...and social networks as people remember the various accounts of their lives and what made them famous.

People pass away...daily. Some go un-noticed as they are "mere bodies in allies". Some people will leave their "mark" forever in our minds...whether the memory is good or bad.

Death is part of life.

Some humorous epitaphs:

Here lies an Atheist
All dressed up And no place to go.
In a Thurmont, Maryland, cemetery



Here lies the body
of Jonathan Blake
Stepped on the gas
Instead of the brake.
Memory of an accident in a Uniontown, Pennsylvania cemetery

Here lies
Ezekial Aikle
Age 102
The Good
Die Young

"The best is yet to come."
Frank Sinatra

"This is the last of Earth! I am content!"
John Quincy Adams (1767 - 1848)

What could be used as your epitaph? I am not trying to be morbid. But lately I have been noticing that so many people are so wrapped up in themselves that they have forgotten about compassion, generosity, listening; simply how to be a true friend.

We focus on our stresses...our various issues in life. There is NO doubt that they are real. Take them to Jesus. Dump all of your cares on Him...then he will free you up to truly be there for others. He tells us to cast all of our cares on Him. So, obey Him and do just that. I believe He tells us that for a couple of reasons...1. He cares and will help us through; 2. So that we can be less selfish.

Selfishness is a struggle for us all. What will you be remembered for? First, have the relationship with Jesus...because there is no chance in eternity to change your destiny...then build relationships with others.

My prayer is to have a truly meaningful "epitaph" on the hearts of those I leave behind.

Mixed Emotions

It is with a sad and glad heart that I write this. For those of us with kids attending the public schools in Michigan, we will be seeing them return to school Tuesday, September 8th.

Once again the school morning "rush hour" will begin. We will wake our children, have breakfast with them, and see them off to school. Some of us may walk or drive them on the first day...or see them off on the bus. It will be with mixed emotions I am sure. We are sad to see them go as we enjoyed our time with them so much during the summer months...yet...we are glad to see them grow up and learn.

The house will be quiet. We may enjoy that as during the summer it was "humming" with voices and laughter of our kids...and ALL of their "busy-ness". Honestly, I shed a few tears every first day of the school year. I love to be home with my boys. I enjoy the conversations, being outdoors with them, playing basketball with Jesse, having Caleb's friends over...all of it.

So now we must encourage our kids this school year. We need to keep their focus not only on doing the best that they can in school but also to build relationships that matter. We need to encourage them to be friends with those who are not the most popular or well-liked student...students who need a real friend.

We need to encourage them to defend their beliefs in a manner that will be taken well by their educators. Having an open communication with our kids will help them when they need to talk about an issue they are having with a teacher or a topic that is being taught. Our kids need to be well-informed...and know that as Proverbs says, "a soft answer turns away wrath". In saying this, I am suggesting that your kids KNOW and be INFORMED of what they may have issues with in learning...but to then confront the issue with the teacher or other students in a manner that will be stressing their beliefs and knowledge in a non-confrontational way.

I encourage you to find the time with your child after he/she gets home from school to listen to how their day went. Each child needs time to "unload". I also encourage you to find time for family prayers and looking into The Word of God.

May you have a blessed school year. I pray that our children are safe in our public schools...safe: physically, mentally, and emotionally. That is how I pray for my boys...for God's protection in ALL of those ways. (not necessarily always in school but throughout life).

May God Bless and Keep you Strong in Him!

Facebook

We now have a ladies' group on facebook. If you have a facebook account and want to be a part of our ladies' group, please join GFMC Ladies. This group is about planning and DOing activities, posting comments on the wall, sharing prayer requests within the group etc. Anyone can post a comment or share a picture with us.

The group may or may not be real active but we will strive to be encouraging and uplifting.

God Bless and Keep You Strong in Him!

~~Lariann

Away

I had no intentions of taking so long to get back writing this blog. After writing the last article, we were off to family camp at The Hills. We came home with our missionary friend, Becca Doyle, to our messy home.

Our house has been remodeled this summer...walls freshly painted and new linoleum throughout most of the house. I love the "face lift" and TRULY appreciate the volunteers who have given so much of their talents and time. The mess is slowly getting cleaned up. The disorder has pretty much put my mind in more of a disorder also.

Following the return from camp, Phil was off for 5 days to Chicago. He and Doug Lewis went to the Leadership summit, which I was able to follow in facebook. When they returned, Phil did some more work painting the kitchen ceiling.

Now, we are planning a trip to Torch Lake. We will be celebrating our 22nd anniversary with our boys there beginning August 15 (our anniversary) through August 21.

I miss writing... and will begin again shortly after our vacation.

Enjoy the remaining few days of summer!!! May God bless you all and keep you Strong in Him!

Choose Life!

I would have been a "good" Eve. I enjoy snakes...I like to watch them move...observe their tongues flickering...and imagine what it would be like to shed my skin every so often (yes I know that most dust in a house is dead skin).

They fascinate me. Moving so quickly and quietly the snake can slither past you without you ever knowing. I imagine Eve walking through the Garden of Eden...breeze blowing through her hair...toes feeling the lush grass as she walks enjoying the scenery....nothing could be better.

Along comes Seductive Satan...he doesn't slither...I picture him more like a skink at this point. The cute little lizard with that flickering tongue. Eve stands under a beautiful tree...digs her toes in the cool lush grass...and along comes Seductive Satan Skink crawling up that tree and resting on a limb near Eve.

The conversation begins...you know it well...Eve's toes wriggle in the grass as the two converse...Satan looks so sleek...his voice so soothing...the seduction begins...leading Eve away from her principles, faith, and allegiance...

"Did God REALLY say?....You will not surely die....Your eyes will be opened and you will be like God." (Gen. 3:1-5) Crafty isn't he?

The breeze blew tousling Eve's hair...she smiled as she tasted the fruit...it was the best fruit she ever tasted...and so she enticed her husband, Adam into tasting it.

The TRUTH revealed now...They noticed they were naked! So, they made clothes of figs.

They hid from God...as He called for them. Giving into our temptations causes us to hide in shame. We don't want to face our holy Lord. As Adam and Eve, we often start the blame game. "If my friend wouldn't have invited me to that party...I wouldn't have...."...."If my husband hadn't cheated on me, I would never have cheated on him"..."If my kids would have just listened to me the first time, I wouldn't have lost my temper and my 'vocabulary'..." "If my parents weren't alcoholics, I wouldn't have a drinking problem"...If....if...if we would own our sins....life would be much easier to handle.

We hide from God. Sometimes it is because we enjoy the sin too much and don't want to stop. Other times it is because we are so ashamed. We need to realize that we need to do an about face...and when we are ready...God will be there to take us back. We need to become so sick of our sin and see its ugliness that we long for our friendship with our only true friend~God~ and crave being with Him again.

If you are battling a sin...craving God yet also wanting to continue in your lifestyle without Him...take some alone time...talk things out...cry things out with God...repent...do an about face...hold onto God's hand...walk through that lush grass with your Best Friend. It may take some time to make this change...but God is faithful...He will not give up on you. Strike the heel of Satan (v. 15) and be Strong in Jesus. Keep the friendship with Christ fresh and growing. Choose life!

Quizzes

I am a fan of facebook. I enjoy re-connecting with friends and relatives. Now I find myself getting caught up in taking personality quizzes that come across.

I see quizzes posted to my wall in facebook that others took...."What Plastic Army Guy Are You....What 80's Product Are You...What is Your Life Theme Song..."...the list goes on. Mind you, I am the type of person who loves to study behaviors...I always have been...and I am not sure why some opt to take these quizzes. Do they want to compare themselves with others...see if they are "better"? Do they simply enjoy filling out forms (answering questions)? Are they hoping this quiz reflects something hidden inside them? Or is it simply a goofy fun thing that is meaningless to them? (so why take it) Possibly they want others to see the results of the quiz they took posted to the wall of the other. Whatever the reason...the quizzes really are trivial and meaningless.

The "author" of each quiz is some person who merely wants to create for fun...which is all fine. Have you noticed that some of the answers to questions are VERY similar...or simply there is nothing describing what you would truly answer so you just choose one?

This makes me pause and reflect. I am taking a quiz DAILY. The only One to come up with the quiz I should be concerned with is Jesus. I am given choices, questions, and possibilities of different outcomes...as I go about my daily life.

Comparing myself to people of the Bible and how they each handled life is what I should focus on. Moses...was not much of a speaker, but was used by God to lead people for 40 years. He had to tolerate all of their mumblings and grumblings for years. I can't imagine dealing with negativity that long. It makes me think that Moses had to escape with God often. Then there is Jonah...God wanted him to give a life saving message to the people of Ninevah. Jonah hated the people of Ninevah. He chose to run away (how often I feel like running away) and as a result spent time alone with God in the belly of a huge fish. After being burped up onto land and smelling nasty...Jonah finally obeyed God. Sometimes we choose to go through some stinky experiences as we choose not to obey God also. Esther was an awesome lady of God. She was wise and heeded the advice of her cousin...not thinking she could do everything on her own knowledge. Esther was born..."for such a time as this"...and was used by God because she was obedient to save her people.

There are so many people of the Bible we can learn from and study the characteristics. I challenge you to take the time this summer to do a character study on various people written about in the Bible. Write the positive and negative things about them. How did they handle people? How did they handle adversity? Compare yourself to them. THEN study the FOUR GOSPELS. How does Jesus compare? What were the qualities and characteristics of Christ? How did he treat individuals? Compare yourself to the One worthy of following.

In this quiz of life...it is only the END result that will matter. Our personality "quirks" will reflect who we truly are in Jesus.

HE WILL CARRY YOU by STEVE GREEN with lyrics

This song is dedicated to Michele Hawks. Please keep her in your prayers.

Great Sites

I want to share a passage from a Bible passage site:

Psalm 100 (New International Version)

A psalm. For giving thanks.

¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

² Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

³ Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his ^a]">[a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I love that passage...but also want to encourage you to use www.biblegateway.com if you find it's easier to read here at your computer. You can choose the version of your preference. Check it out sometime.

There are also two very good sites for devotionals and more. Check out:

www.crosswalk.com and

www.oneplace.com

God bless and keep you strong in Him!

Memorial Day 2008 - A Tribute

Remembering those who serve and served our country

Revolution

I was watching a Christian television network this afternoon and "Enjoying Your Life" with Joyce Meyer came on. As always, Joyce had some very insightful words to share and I'd like to pass some of what I learned from what she shared on to you here.

Joyce spoke about a "Revolution" being a radical movement within. We don't need a revival. We need to radically change...move! In 1 Thessalonians 5:15-16 it reads, "See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all. Rejoice always."(NAB) The word "seek" is stronger than just "looking for". It means to crave, passionately pursue, to go after with all of your might.

Too often we find it easy to "seek" good for someone who is on our "A" list or someone we know to be a good person. This passage does not merely mean to pursue what is good for a nice person; someone easy to like. We must CRAVE good for the one who has betrayed us, the one who wants to continue in a life of sin, the one...who in our own understanding, is unlovable. Crave and pursue good with all of your might for EVERYone!

How do we go about being able to carry this out? In Colossians 3:12 it says, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (NAB)Heartfelt compassion...that is LOVE. How do you clothe yourself physically? Do you put care into it? Most often wanting to look and even smell your best? Do you take that much time "putting on" your spiritual self? We need to put MORE care into "dressing" our spiritual self than into dressing our physical self. Radically love! Choose to encourage at least 3 people every day before the sun sets.

In continuing your personal revolution you must also focus on James 5:16, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful." (NAB) We do need to confess our sins and pray for each other. A fervent prayer simply means...passionate...powerful...with great intensity. There are those who pray for very long periods of time. God bless them! But some of us find that we can pray fervently in shorter, precise prayers. Whichever you believe works for you to stay in passionate communication with our Lord, by all means stick with it. I find it easier to pray shorter, powerful prayers to God during the day.

My prayer is that we pursue our spiritual revolution...craving to do good to ALL...clothing ourselves in Jesus' love daily...and...intensely communicating with God as we live and breathe throughout the day.

Refreshed to Reflect

There comes a time in every one's life when your entire being needs to be refreshed....body, mind, and soul. When we are not able to "refresh" it begins to show like a computer monitor that gets stuck in the same mode. It sort of "freeze frames".

Of course we all know to set aside little pockets of time to be alone with God and simply gather ourselves together mentally so that we can survive bodily and in our soul. Our souls are so much more than just getting little pockets of time. Our souls need gaps of time.

Recently I was able to get away for a night. I have been married nearly 22 years and this is the first time that I have allowed myself to and been able to get away...totally alone. I rented a hotel room for the night. After checking in, I went to the lake (alone), sat at a table and talked with God about how gorgeous it all was there. I went to dinner then back to the hotel room where I began to relax. I crashed...and I mean crashed...for nearly two hours. I awoke around 9:30 and decided to really BE with God.

During the next hour or so, I had a wonderful time with Jesus, truly my best friend whom I need to be alone with much more often. I really didn't know where to turn to in the Bible but I did know that I wanted wisdom. Where do you look for wisdom in the Bible? Proverbs of course. I turned to Proverbs 31.

Some of the verses really stood out to me:

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Strength and dignity...She has that innermost beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit later spoken of in the New Testament. Laughing at the days to come simply means that she does not worry about tomorrow for today has enough cares in itself.

Look at this women in the mirror. What does she look like? I picture her as a lady who takes care of herself; looking the best that she can (if you read the entire passage it tells of how she dresses herself). I imagine a look of gentle confidence in her eyes...a comforting and friendly smile on her face...and I imagine that she IS noticed...not because she is a "hottie" but because she is confident in who she is in Jesus. Her entire being exudes His being.

She acquires her wisdom from the Lord so that faithful instruction can come from her. That is why she is respected. She does not get caught up in things that really don't matter. She prioritises. THAT is something that stuck out to me. I do get up early for tea and quiet time...but other things...even caring for myself as my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit...therefore it is a reflection of Jesus.

I pray that you are able to truly take time to get refreshed in Jesus. Quiet your mind and spirit...listen to Him...talk with Him...rest in Him....reflect Him.

How Great Thou Art, Worship Video with lyrics

Just a reminder...you can sing along if you wish

"Friend"

Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and so many more social sites. We all want to be connected to someone.Even the most introverted person wants some sort of human connection. We long to be "in touch". We crave a sense of comradery.

When someone you haven't heard from in years suddenly finds you and "friends" you or you find them in a search, your heart fills with this sense of gladness and a big smile comes across your face. A long lost "pal" has been found. A friendship reunited.

Some of us connect with relatives we haven't seen in years. Some of us even connect with relatives we have never met. It is great to see how our families have changed, kids have been added, cousins have grown up....I realize how spread out we all our from each other. A sense of belonging fills my heart. I belong to these relatives as a family.

My mind begins to wander...if Jesus were on a social site...would it be easier to correspond with Him? It is simple to look over your site and drop a line or two to a friend. If Jesus were on a social site, would He feel more of a part of my life as I post my little thought for the day. Do I take the time now to communicate with Him in meaningful ways? Talking with him doesn't always have to be a long conversation. I enjoy little "bursts" of conversation with Jesus.

The thing about Jesus is that He is never a "long lost".....He is always easily there...to talk with...any time of day or night. Jesus is the Dearest One you could "Friend".

Hope

This Friday we label as "Good Friday" because we know that Sunday (Easter) is coming! Jesus served and saved us. He was crucified...took on all of our sins...took on all of our pain...and died. If it ended there...life would have no reason...no hope.

There is an Eric Clapton song, "Tears in Heaven". Some lyrics:

"Would you know my name, If I saw you in Heaven, Would it be the same, If I saw you in Heaven. I must be strong, And carry on, Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven"

How hopeless...desperate. Because of Jesus we CAN have hope and we CAN belong in Heaven. Accepting Jesus...Believing in Him....Confessing our sins...totally turning from them to have a relationship with Jesus will give us our hope of "Someday" being with Jesus...BECAUSE of Easter...Because He lives...we can face tomorrow. We have hope.

"Someday" is posted in this blog as a favorite song of mine. Some of the lyrics are:

"You're my life and salvation, you're the Strength in me, you're my Inspiration, you're the Light that shines on me, Although I cannot see you, I know I've always felt you, So I will follow you and believe....Someday I know you're coming back for me, the one who loves you, Someday I know my heart and soul will be free, from the pain it holds onto....In times of desperation, I'm gonna cling to you, I'll find hope and protection, in the love that I've found in you...So I will follow you and believe..."

Jesus came that we may have life and hope abundantly! Praise the Lord!!!

Musical Savants - autism, blindness

Two very Amazing guys!

Prayer

Have you ever felt like you don't spend enough time in prayer? Or maybe, your prayers aren't meaningful because they aren't long enough? Take a look at the what Christ has to say; "When you pray, don't talk on and on as people do who don't know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask" (Matthew 6:7-8, CEV). We don't have to talk for hours at a time. True there ARE times when we need to spend time in fervent prayer. Please don't misunderstand me.

Check out the example Jesus gives on how to pray; "You should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, help us to honor your name. Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven. Give us our food for today. Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others. Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil " (Matthew 6:9-13, CEV). This is often called "The Lord's Prayer." 

How long did it take to say that prayer? Yes, we can expound on the Lord's Prayer. Use it as sort of an outline and add fitting words in between. Meaningful prayers can also be brief...they also get answered by Jesus.

Jesus tells us to pray continually. That simply means to keep in tune with Him. Have you ever told someone you would pray for a request they entrusted you with...only to totally forget about it? What I have started doing is simply praying as SOON as I hear the request. If it is in an email, I pray when I receive the email and then am able to send a response back to the person letting them know I prayed.(I just started this with emails) If it is by phone, I pray right then on the phone...in person...you get the idea.

Such prayers don't need to be wordy either. Jesus knows the need. It can be intimidating to think that we need to use a lot of words. 

I want to encourage you to enjoy your prayer life with Jesus; few words or many, He hears our conversations with Him and responds as He knows best.

MICHAEL SWEET - Someday (w/sub)

Micahael's wife passed away Thursday. This is a beautiful song I'd like to have sung after I go home to be with Jesus...at my Celebration of Life service.

Kept Woman

Kept Woman .......................... I Am a 'Kept ' Woman You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind, But GOD kept me sane (Isa. 26:3) There were times when I thought I could go no longer, But the LORD kept me moving (Gen 28:15) At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong, But the LORD kept my mouth shut (Psa. 13) Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough, But GOD has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc.., (Matt. 6:25 -34) When I thought I would fall, HE kept me up. When I thought I was weak, HE kept me strong! (I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30) I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you hear me! I'm blessed to be 'kept ' Do you know a 'kept ' woman? If so pass it on to her to let her know she is 'Kept ' I'm "Kept" by the Love and Grace of God

Doom & Gloom~HOPE of Jesus

It seems all of the news is full of doom and gloom. I listened on Fox News this morning as they counted how many times our President used the word "crisis" in a speech. I am not sure how long the speech was, but the word "crisis" was used 25 times!

In John 16, our Messiah, Jesus Christ gives us a message of hope. The "title" of the passage is, "Jesus Will Turn Grief to Joy" (NIV). My favorite verse in this passage is the very last verse when Jesus says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (verse 33)

It is easy to become discouraged when we hear of all the the economic problems, the wars, etc. I laughed (not as a hardy ha ha laugh) as I watched the news the other day and someone wrote in complaining that they kept reporting negative news. Megyn Kelley of Fox said that they just report the news as it is happening. Doom and gloom seems to be the way of the world. We Americans like our Disney~fairytale endings.

I have had to re-focus my thinking. Yes, the world events...United States events, ARE gloomy. My mind flashed back to an old movie I saw when I was 5 about the end times, "A Thief in the Night." After seeing that movie, I was full of fear and worry as to what would happen prior to the return of Christ. I found those fears returning recently as I began to think, "Jesus, I don't want to be living through the times that were like that movie. I don't want to live through the money crash...all of the wars. I don't want to have to worry about the future of my boys." Well, I DON'T have to worry!

Jesus IS my hope! Jesus IS my future! Jesus IS my peace! In Matthew 6:34 Jesus tells us NOT to worry about tomorrow! We may go through tough times. We may experience many difficulties. We can take heart, sisters, because OUR Jesus, OUR Messiah is always right there along side us and HE has gone before us...to give us PEACE and he has OVERCOME the world!

~~Our dear Lord, Jesus, continue to remind us that YOU are our hope and our future. In you alone is our confidence and trust. You hold all in your hands and will carry us through. We love you whole-heartedly, Jesus! Amen.

Praise the Lord~Imperials

I used to listen to this song often when I was in high school. It speaks for itself!

Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)~~Sanctus Real

It's time for healing, time to move on, It's time to fix what's been broken too long~
Time to make right what has been wrong; It's time to find my way to where I belong~

There's a wave that's crashing over me and all I can do is surrender

Whatever you're doing inside of me, It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace~
And it's hard to surrender to what I can't see, but I'm giving in to something heavenly~

Time for a milestone, Time to begin again, Re-evaluate who I really am~
Am I doing everything to follow your will or just climbing aimlessly over these hills?~

So show me what it is you want from me, I give everything--I surrender!

Time to face up, Clean this house, Time to breathe in and let everything out~
That I've wanted to say for so many years~Time to release all my held back tears~

Whatever you're doing inside of me~It feels like chaos but I believe~

You're up to something bigger than me, Larger than life, something heavenly~
Whatever you're doing inside of me, It feels like chaos but now I can see~
There is something bigger than me~Larger than life~
Something heavenly

(written by Matt Hammitt, Chris Rohman, Mark Graalman, Dan Gartley, and Peter Prevost/2008 Birdwing Music, Admin. by EMI CMG Pub., ASCAP)

Stethoscope

This takes about 2 minutes to view...pretty interesting :)

Me and Phil