To Be or Not To Be...THAT is the Question!

OFFENDED

OFFENSE:  annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one's standards or principles.

"he went out, making it clear he'd taken offense"

synonyms:

annoyance, anger, resentment, indignation, irritation, exasperation, wrath, displeasure, hard/bad/ill feelings, disgruntlement, pique, vexation, animosity, antipathy

Are you easily offended?  Do people walk on eggshells around you?

Do you realize that many are blind to this area of their personality? Some live offended lives and are trapped by this bondage. Others tend to wear their feelings on their sleeve succumbing to every "bump" of life.

I,for one, don't want to be blind.  I want to move forward, go deeper, change.

David said in Psalm 51:10-13

"Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right, perservering, and steadfast spirit within me.  Cast me not away from Your Presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.   THEN WILL I TEACH transgressors Your Ways , and sinners will be converted and return to You."

Friends ~ Do you hear what I hear???

When we submit to the ways of the Lord....MIRACLES HAPPEN!!

I was also thinking  about Stephen today.  The Scriptures say in Acts 7:55 that "Stephen, brimming with the Holy Spirit, ...."

Think about that word....brimming....

You've seen the glass..filled to "almost overflow", where the liquid almost is above the rim?    Whatever or whomever "bumped" into Stephen got a good dose of the Holy Spirit!   

What does someone get covered with when they bump into you?.....

Think about it.

I did and I'm willing cause I want Psalm 51:13!

Blessings!

There are No Secrets

It's true!!

Question....does that bring a feeling of warmth or angst?

Psalm 90:8 "Our iniquities, our secret heart and it's sins (which we would so like to conceal even from ourselves), You have set in the revealing light of Your Countenance"
V 12.  "So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom."
V 16-17. "Let Your work (the Signs of Your Power) be revealed to Your Servants and Your glorious majesty to their children.  And let the beauty, delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands ~ yes the work of our hands, confirm and establish it."

I love this! And I have NO fear of the Lord knowing the "secrets" of my heart.  
WHY

because I've TASTED OF HIS LOVE!   He's a GOOD FATHER!
HE LOVES ME...the good, the bad and the ugly!

We walk a walk of FAITH. 
This means it's not about what I think or how I feel on any given day...it's about the 
TRUTH OF HIS WORD.  
A Word that is unchanging yet active and living.

Today I'm thankful for His love, His Patience, and that He is NOT man that He should sin

It is no secret what God can do...what He's done for others He'll do for you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN8w9OZEI1s

The Perfect Parent

Reminded this morning of a day when  I wept before the Lord about my children.  (I should say ONE of the days..)

He spoke to me so clearly, "Oh Marnie, I know, I have had so many problems concerning my children."

It made me pause.

YOU?  GOD?   

Wow the revelation that God, THE ONLY PERFECT PARENT struggled, wept and cried over His Children.

This morning as I sat and relished the Psalms I came across chapter 78.  

The first part of this Psalm reminds us that we need to be diligent and intentional to pass/teach and model God to our children "that they might set their hope in God and not forget the Works of God, but might keep His Commandments" vs.7

The Psalmist then proceeds to recount the lives of the generation before "the fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation who did not set their hearts aright or prepare their hearts to know God and whose spirits were not steadfast or faithful to God" v8

It recalls all the acts that God did...His favor, His watch care, His provision that was looked at, received and SCORNED over and over again while the people continued to speak against Him!

V29. "He gave them what they craved and lusted for"

V30. "In spite of all this, they sinned STILL MORE, for they did not believe, rely on or adhere to Him for His wondrous works"

I'm veering a little but this is where boundaries come into play.  I've chatted to many who are wrestling with their addicted children and feel locked into being their watcher and provider.

LET THEM GO!   I fully realize that this is a sensitive subject but I write from experience.

God the Perfect One will catch them! 

Don't bind their progress anymore but loose them so that the Holy Spirit will be loosed from heaven to do what only He can do!  Matthew 16:19

We serve a MIGHTY GOD and we are not to carry anyone or anything!  1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22

To Him Who is able to do MORE....
I pray you experience His Peace

Ephesians 3:20

Unwavering!

Musing about Job

Job 1:20
"Then Job arose and rent his robe and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped"

I just need to ask..is this your M.O. When calamity strikes?
Job was upright and blameless, like none other on the earth! He reverently feared God and not only abstained from but shunned all evil.  (These are Gods Words!!)

In one day;
1. ALL the oxen and donkeys (1000 animals) were stolen and all servants less one slain.
2. ALL the 7000 Sheep and servants, less one, were killed by lightening.
3. ALL 3000 camels were stolen and all but one servant slain.
4. ALL 10 children were killed in a tornado and only 1 servant escaped.

THIS ALL IN ONE DAY!!

And Job worships...


Father, may I be like Job when calamity strikes.

I Is But a Sheep

I love little sheep. They  reminds me Who I belong to.  They reminds me of my responsibilities, my job....

Stay in the pasture
Listen to His voice
Go where He leads me
Be satisfied with the pasture I'm in
Be friendly with the other sheep
Don't mind other sheep's business
Be content... not fearful
Don't be greedy
Don't lag behind or go ahead

Sheep are The Lords Business!

Heaped up Anger

Job 36:13

"But the godless and profane, in heart, heap up anger (at the divine discipline); they do not cry to Him when He binds them with cords of affliction"

This verse struck me.
Have you ever experienced "heaped up anger"?  I am most certain I have met many that have.  Their whole countenance shows it.  They don't even need to speak and it's seen.  BUT if they open their mouth it will erase all doubt!

God is wanting His Children to RUN TO HIM with EVERYTHING!
He says "Cast your cares upon ME , for I care for you!"

V16. "God would have allured you out of the mouth of distress into a broad place where there is no situation of perplexity or privation; and that which would be set on your table would be full of fatness"

Your Heavenly Father has compassion.
He wants to make things better.
He perhaps is waiting for you to recognize a trait in your life.  Maybe He is wanting you to turn your gripping and complaining to PRAISE?!

Job became filled with judgement and wrath towards God

V21  "take heed, turn not to iniquity, for this (the iniquity of complaining against God) you have chosen rather than (submission in) affliction."

One thing I have learned about birth; it is ALWAYS better to submit to the pain than to brace against it!  When I have settled my mind and body that I have indeed entered the birthing process I've found that the process, though painful, will go much better if I "work with it."

So Friend, today if you find yourself in pain, I'm sorry.  God is doing a work in you.  It's not random.
For
"He Who began a Good Work in you will be faithful to complete it"!

Lay down your anger and run to Jesus!

Discord in the Family

There are Scriptures that speak of children rising up against their parents; 
Matt 10:21, Luke 12:53, Mark 13:12

Very sad indeed and most often heart breaking.

Malachi 4:6 says "and He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers..."

Many sermons, articles and commentaries have been written on this subject but I'm thinking none of the research helps take away the pain of rejection.

So when and if you find yourself in conversation with someone and they open up about a schism in their family....

Why not simply PRAY with them.  Pray as the Scripture says above. Help them to leave it with Jesus.

Father. 
We come and agree together that according to Your Word You are able to heal the family. You will turn the hearts of children and parents back towards each other.
Is anything too difficult for You? NO!
We stand in Faith Believing that Your Heart cares and longs to see reconciliation as well as ours.  Have Your Way Oh God and bring Peace and Grace to all who are dealing with this heartache.
Thank You Father!

Reservation Required

Tonight we held a meeting at the house and a young man was receiving prayer at the end.  When he was finished I saw a "picture".  

I saw a picture of the feet of Jesus. It looked like He was sitting on His throne.   Right there on the floor by His feet was a cushion that was marked "reserved for.."    I told the young man and reminded him that there is NO GREATER PLACE to be than at the feet of Jesus.  All Peace, All Grace, All Faith, All Instruction can and will be found at this place.

There is a place reserved for YOU.  
Only You.  
No one else can take your spot.  
If you're not there your place is empty.  
He waits for you!

This is not a place for petition and intercession,  It is a place of silence and listening to His Heart and His thoughts about you!

Few have found this spot.  It has to be fought for as our flesh and "life" keep us bound up in schedules and doing.  

Who will fight for More...More time in His Presence.  I hope I see you there!

The Bickersons

This is a word I have not heard in a while :  BICKER
Yet in the past month I have heard it a handful of times.  The sad part is it almost always is used to describe communication in a marriage of "long standing". 

What does the Scripture say about bickering *?  Looking at the synonyms below I guess a lot.  The Israelite's likely took the award but there are many other verses in the New Testament where we are commanded to speak loving and life giving words to each other.

I imagine most people/couples just say "oh we know each other is just kidding"  "We don't mean anything by it"  'What? Bicker? we don't bicker!"

It's a problem.  No I mean IT'S A PROBLEM!

If you are a "bickerer" stop it!   

I know I'm meddling but as Thumper said, 

"If you can't say nothing nice ~ say nothing at all".

Brother and Sister,  If this applies take it to the Lord 

and ask for help.  

I doubt God  thinks it's funny.  

What it is is simply a bad habit that can be broken. 

Remember He is not finished with us 

until our last breath.  

So if the shoe fits wear it.  

See if anyone notices. 

(I'm going to watch myself more closely)
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart 
be acceptable to You Oh God" 
Psalm 19:14

bick·er

1. ˈbikər/

   verb

   1. 1.

      argue about petty and trivial matters.

      
      

      "whenever the phone rings, they bicker over who must answer it"

      
      

      synonyms:

      quarrel, argue, squabble, wrangle, fight, disagree, dispute, spar, have words, be at each other's throats, lock horns;  informalscrap, spat "they never bickered before they were married"

   
   

Head Down ~ Spirit Up

Someone shared a story with me today.  

She was out to dinner with family.  As they waited to be seated a gentleman with a cane came towards the door.  He was bent in a 90 degree angle.  Totally bent over, head down.  
My friend opened the door for him and as he twisted his head to see her he said "thank you, I'd like to give you something."  He then pulled out two small pink crosses from his pocket and handed them to her.  "Thank you for being so kind."

 ***************************************************
I had a dear friend go home to Jesus this fall.  She was in her late 70's and  a volunteer at her church. She just loved on people.  When the days of her wake and funeral came about the line to pay respects to the family was VERY long and growing.  

Why had everyone come to say farewell to Irish Ann?

SHE WAS KIND.

PERIOD.

Standing in that line I so wanted to interview each and every participant and ask how they knew her.  "I met her at the butcher shop and she prayed for my wife."  "She brought communion to my elderly parents who were shut in." "She came and bought cards every week to send to loved ones."

Ann "signed up" for one of the most important jobs.
PEOPLE.  
She loved people..ALL people.  She made everyone feel welcome and like a friend.  

I think it would be good if we ALL TOOK ON THAT JOB!
What a change we could make in this world!

Friends ~  BE KIND  ~  and like my dad (with a twinkle in his eye) would say.."It don't cost no more."

If you left earth today what would you be remembered for?

Turns out it was my issue!!

Years ago, when our family was just beginning to grow, I found myself beaten down by the thoughts, words and actions of others in the church.

I was in a miserable place.  I was pregnant with Emmalie, our fourth baby, and her brother was barely going to be 12 months old  when she would be born.  I was tired, overwhelmed with cloth diapers (lol) and in a continual tug of war with the Lord.

You see, 4 years earlier the Lord had asked us to simply trust Him about the issue of children.  He wanted to be in charge. This posed a number of issues;
1 we had planned to have no children. 
2 we were young and had wonderful plans to work for the Lord.
3 we were basically living hand to mouth...I could list more.

On this one wintry day I was doing all that pregnant moms do and the Lord chose to visit me.  No I did not see Him..BUT He "chatted" with me for a significant amount of time.  
It went like this:
"you have not planned your children but I have known their names and their number before the beginning of the world." He then proceeded to ask me a series of questions ..." how have your pregnancies been?  Have you been healthy?  Have I provided for each and every one of your needs?"
He went on to say.."Yet you have allowed the very blessings that I have been pouring out upon you to be stolen by others."

WHAT? How come I'm getting blamed?  I'm only doing what You said!!  Geeez!!

and then His Words sunk a little deeper...
'YOU HAVE ALLOWED'....


It hit me like a brick!  
My eyes were opened and I dropped to my knees on that worn linoleum floor.   In tears I said, "Father, forgive me!  YOU HAVE poured out so many blessings, YOU HAVE been faithful!!!    I'm so sorry Lord..please forgive me!'

A sack of boulders rolled off my back that day. My nerve endings went back under my skin and my antennae shrunk out of sight. It was my first of many lessons in seeing that I cannot blame anyone for my feelings, my 'reading other's thoughts", my sensing other's body language and my over-sensitivity that was stealing ALL MY JOY!

I was back in His Grace!  

Now I have visited this place often over the years but every time I have learned deeper that I MUST NOT let anyone steal my blessings!   I must guard my thoughts and cast down those vain imaginations!* (2 Cor. 10:5)

Take inventory my friend.  Does your hope, thankfulness and joy bag have a hole in it?  Are you allowing yourself to be robbed with out putting up a fight?

HE IS SO GOOD and these many years later "I see the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the living"* (Psalm 27:13) as my 12 do much more for and in the kingdom than we two could ever have done!

I'll say it again!
GOD IS SO GOOD!








Letting others steal our blessings!

Sometimes You Run

...and you still get caught.

Joseph was just going about his business.  He took it seriously and said "No" in the face of temptation.  His temptress however was not to be ignored and though he ran...he still got caught.  Genesis 39

Sometimes it looks like God may be sleeping on the job!  You truly are living righteous, to the best of your ability, and then "out of nowhere" you get scammed, caught in a web, tricked and the curtain falls!

"How did that happen? Are there no witnesses? Truly someone will stand up for me! This is JUST NOT FAIR! etc.etc."

So...your thoughts?

My friend bad things happen. Without rhyme or reason the tables can turn and not in our favor.
How do we handle this?

I believe, most often, we posture and stand to defend ourselves.  If that does not work we "dance" for a while until we are spent, our energy used up and often fall into a pit of bitterness.

Seems normal to me.  How about you?

Well from the story of Joseph it is evident
that the Lord's hand was over every moment of his life; from the brightly colored coat to the pit, the slave train, the palace job, being forgotten in the dungeon and then back in front of the king. Some of these things seemingly happened in a very short period of time...even overnight!

This is where we must believe what we believe.  

We are in the palm of His hand.
Nothing can separate us from Him.
He knows the way that I take and when He has tried me I will come forth as gold. Job 23:10
All things will work together for good...Rom 8:28....
and many more

Beloved if you feel like you are in a place not of your making it may be true. But if it is not of your making it MUST BE of His making...or it would not be happening! Dig into the Word and gather strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.
YOU HAVE NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN!  This trial will not last one second longer than He allows. He is using your life to bring Glory to His Holy Name!
You are chosen!

  

Saint Anthony...Where are You?

I was somewhere today when I overheard some women chatting about praying to St Anthony and his ability to "find things"
UGH.  Can you imagine spending your time in heaven having to constantly look for stuff?!

I found this article about this Saint:

St. Anthony of Padua’s life is what every Christian’s life is meant to be; a steady courage to face the ups and downs of life, the call to love and forgive, to be concerned for the needs of others, to deal with crisis great and small, and to have our feet solidly on the ground of total trusting love and dependence on God.



I will look forward to meeting this brother in the Lord but personally JESUS is my GO-TO person.  I pray to Him,God the Father and often to the Holy Spirit.   
"Leave the Saints alone" the Baptist woman said "and let them enjoy heaven" 😍😳😂

Hebrews 7:25.  "Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf."

Oh what a Savior we have

the eternal Lord Jesus Christ.  

Above Him there is no other!!

That Ugly Little Lump

Today I was pondering (another word for musing I believe)

A dear friend had to have an operation yesterday to remove a lump from her breast. It had tested positive and it needed to come out.

It made me start to think about my own "lumps". I have them I'm sure..and like hers many times they are overlooked or deemed harmless.  But cancer is cancer and even though the lump was encapsulated it is BEST that it be gone!  

How about you?  Are you lumpy?  "Feel around."  Any irritation come to the surface? Look around. Do you find yourself ignoring or shunning anyone? Listen inwardly~is there anything you are ignoring in hopes that it will go away?  
The Lord's promise is that He will will not let us stay stagnant. His Holy Spirit will continually be urging us to Holiness... conforming to His Likeness and Image.

You know friend....this is BEST for you. Don't ignore it any longer.  Take a deep breath and do what's right.  Take your own counsel.
He loves you oh how He loves you!
https://youtu.be/X-rW528qiYw

Mentoring

Mentoring has been on my mind for a L. O. N. G. time.

Titus 2:3-5Good News Translation

3 In the same way instruct the older women to behave as women should who live a holy life. They must not be slanderers or slaves to wine. They must teach what is good, 4 in order to train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, and to be good housewives who submit themselves to their husbands, so that no one will speak evil of the message that comes from God"

One of my Passions is to raise STRONG WOMEN!

The world we live in is  lacking.....on so many fronts.

We've all heard the statement that the "hand that rocks the cradle rules the world".  Personally I see some truth in this.  We are the molders of the next generation.  The family has run a muck and needs Brave Hearts to stand up and be counted!!

To become "That Woman" takes diligent and intentional training.  It spells W. O. R. K and self denial.  BUT once you're "broken in" WATCH OUT WORLD!  Just like those that sign up for the 10-16 weeks of basic training offered by the army  (more for Special Operations), these are the women I'm looking for...those willing to run the race, go the extra mile, be single eyed, determined to follow Christ in every area of their lives.  Those diligent to train the next generation.

Anyone feel the same passion?  I'd love to hear from you!!

I Heard It From a Cupcake

Yes you heard me right!
It's the world we live in!   

Today I was talking with my daughter as she drove to her doctor's appointment. She was excited to hear the results of her ultra sound to make sure that she actually was having a boy.....
"I'm  excited to hear from something other than a cupcake"

You see a new way to announce the gender of the baby is to get the "results" from your Dr. on a piece of paper..take it to the bakery and they will fill your cupcakes with either pink or blue (depending on the Dr's note) you then go home and have the "reveal" by biting into the cake.

All these things are gimmicks and are fun for a season of time. 
But I fear that we have become a generation who believes whatever we hear; whether it's from a cupcake or an Esquire magazine.  Everything written sounds like fact and even has pictures to prove it.  We live in a period of Fake News and many have fallen for it hook line and sinker.

There is one  FACT that will never change! 
One day we will stand alone before the Lord and He will speak to us about our "status".  No other one will be there with us. There will be no one to point at or deflect to.  

Perhaps He'll say "what did you do with your life?"

What will you say?

Friend, we have a Holy Book at our disposal.  
It is full of God's Personal Words and Instructions.  
We stand without excuse.  
I urge you to dust that book off today and begin to read.  
Get your instructions from your Maker...the Creator of Heaven and Earth!  
I promise you that it is Full of TRUTH 
and the 
TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE!

Just a Crumb

While chatting with a friend the other day, she told me of a long standing rift that she was experiencing between her and a good friend.  As she shared her frustration, confusion and hurt over this broken relationship The Lord began to draw a picture in my mind.

I saw Hansel and Gretel locked up in the wicked witch's cottage.  They were alone and afraid. The difference between what I saw and the storybook tale was the trapped children did not leave a trail of crumbs but to encourage a healing in the relationship my friend needed to drop some crumbs.

I'm thinking that this is probably sounding confusing...but please bear with me.

Sometimes someone pulls away because of a sadness or a self inflicted wound .  They have lost ground and have found themselves trapped in discouragement and or even depression.  They pull away..sometimes for seemingly no apparent reason.

WHAT WOULD/does JESUS DO?

I believe instead of feeling hurt, rejected and frustrated with the "pulling away" of His friend Jesus would begin to drop some "crumbs". The Scripture says "...by His kindnesses He leads us to repentance". Romans 2:4

I suggested perhaps a short and friendly text, a bouquet of flowers, a card or plate of cookies.  Just little bits of "love" strewn along the way that might help draw the friend back.

This counsel I believe was from above with perhaps a heavenly hint as to what was going on.  Would or could it hurt to respond in this way?  I cannot see that it would cause more damage.

I can only hope someone would "hunt me down" and not give up on me.  
We need each other....sometimes more than we know