Who Am I?

Kendall posted this on facebook yesterday.  I like it ~


"most of the time I feel really inadequate, and then I 


realize...I am.  He just chooses to use me in spite of it. You


are so kind.

This is something we MUST NEVER FORGET!!!   

Say it with me.

I AM INADEQUATE

What freedom!   It's out!   The enemy cannot hold it over 

my head anymore!!!  I no longer need to feel like a failure.

Without the Lord I am nothing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU_rTX23V7Q

Friend spend this day in thanksgiving .   He has paid the price and set us free

Praise God

Blessings

The Waltons

My mom has been enjoying the Hallmark channel.  Today I caught a bit of the Waltons.   I was AMAZED at the bold truths, clear wisdom and many life lessons that were packed into that one hour show!!!   From "talking back" to the influence of other kids and giving a good example of a couple "fighting" with respect.
Admittedly I'm not much of a tv person these days but feel quite certain that you will not find ANY show that has anything even close to this one mentioned.


While making dinner I saw a part of Family Feud.   EVERY question had a lewd connotation to it and the answers on the board listed many things with sexual overtones.  


One might ask "when did this happen"?   How did we get from there to here?


My friend ~  slowly.  It did not happen overnight.  Do you remember the first time that you swore for instance?  You may have ducked waiting for the wrath of God....soon it was easier and then it was not even a thought as your words tumbled out
This song by Casting Crowns is a favorite    Listen again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASREBVDsLk


We will stand before the Lord with no excuse as He has given us everything we need.


Think about it


Blessings!

Shallow But Looking Good

At prayer meeting this morning a friend shared how a tree had fallen down across her driveway soon after her daughter had left the house.  It was a BIG tree; tall, green and healthy looking but with shallow roots, a small root system.


I have known people like this.  Beautiful and healthy looking in appearance but when hard winds blow, when floods come and sometimes seemingly from nothing at all   ~  they fall, they crack, despair and depression overtake them.    Why?


Their roots do not go deep enough
Take time to read these verses and pray that the Lord will cause your roots to go deep into Him
Jeremiah 17:8
Psalm 1:3
Matthew 7:17


Blessings!

It's the Ones

It's the "ones" that are important.


Too often we think that if there are not big numbers that a meeting was not really successful.   I don't think so ~ it is "the one";     The one that heard, the one who repented, the one who changed, the one who came forward.    


Everyone can reach 'one"   That is not too difficult .   When that one is touched , he/ she touches everyone in their lives.


Don't despise the "one"   Everyone starts out that way


Blessings

Never Yet

Sitting with mom and a few friends this afternoon, she reminded me of a saying my Dad used often.  "He's never let me down yet ~  why would HE start now?"


Yes I believe that is one we can hold on to.


So friend, when your mind is full or worry or doubt...think back;  has HE ever let you down?  Has HE not come through?   Is HE an unfaithful God?    


I dare say a resounding NO!!!

If there has ever been a moment that I have thought otherwise, it was likely because of impatience   I wanted my way NOW and not His.


James 1:2-4 says " (Marnie)  when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great job.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete,needing nothing"


Blessings!


Thank you all for your prayers and notes while I was away. You blessed me!

Right Out the Window.

Sitting with a group of believers, tonite we talked about how all we need to do is "love".  It's what the world needs.
This followed some conversation I had had today with a GBalm guest;  turning the other cheek, giving a coat AND a sweater,  not reacting,  blessing, blessing and blessing some more, not returning evil for evil etc.


Just was musing how when we speak of  love in a group setting we all nod and agree, no facial expressions etc.  but how quickly we forget it all at the first sharp word, criticism or arrow.   


Love goes right out the window.


Father, we need help.   We need to get this practice from our head to our heart.  We need to remember in the practical times.  We need change Lord.  We give You permission to let us "see" when we are out of sync with Your Word.  Teach us this, help us to keep silent and shed any hurtful thing that comes our way.  Show us how to control our tongue and dilute any hatred with Your grace.  


Touch Your people once again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Nn27vBRmY&feature=related
HELP US LORD!

Downsizing God

In this new effort to downsize our portions etc.,  do you ever find yourself downsizing God?


The Scripture says "He is our portion and our cup"


Psalm 73:26  My flesh and my heart fails: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 


Friend be sure that you do not "downsize"  God
We do this when we fret, worry, fear, complain and wrestle.    These things are a sure sign of distrust.   I today recognized it in my own life and reminded my self of my "standing".


"It does not really matter!. I am in the very palm of my Father's Hand and  Nothing, I repeat nothing can come into my life that the Lord has not allowed or have a purpose for in my life..


Rest sister/brother   ~  TAKE HIS PEACE!  

People are Peculiar

The trouble is  ~  I  IS one!


 Sometimes people can really get on your nerves!  
They can be ignorant, disrespectful and mean.   


But we must remember that no man is an island.  
We need each other and we are not allowed to do the picking!
The Lord wants us to LOVE.  
He says to be kind and considerate  
to minister to the "least of these"
He made You AND Me


He wants us to get along.  
Do you know how to do that?  
How are your people skills?


Cut each other some slack and accept some of HIS patience!


He will be pleased and you WILL be blessed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CobNWUXb1M

The Language of the Redeemed!

I was chatting with my daughter at dinner tonite about today's blog. She told that when she first went to Brazil to live in February the learning of the language was exhausting.  She said, " Mentally and physically it was challenging.  So much energy is put into listening and then thinking before you speak.  It made me speak only the things that were necessary."
We spoke of how we use so many words that are just "fluff"   We talk a lot and how unfortunately, in that familiarity, we can become careless.
So I began to "muse" (I know what's new?)   


Speaking the  "new" language of Christianity can be exhausting.  The discipline of thinking before we speak can be difficult to say the least.  A habit is not easy to break.  Look at it as a new language.  


The language of the Redeemed!


Reminds me of a song "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so!
I'm redeemed I'm redeemed Praise the Lord!"  Ps 107:2


THUS   James 2:12   "Speak as those ...who will be judged"


Friends, lets do what ever it takes  OK? 
(duct tape anyone?)


Blessings!


PS  Weslea will be sharing Thursday night the 14th here at the house at 7pm. All are invited and there will be prayer and ministry available.

The Negative Side of Neutral

This week in Bible Study we were studying the passage in Philippians 2:4 "Do everything with out arguing or complaining"

Do you have any idea how much of that comes out of your mouth?

I read of a Pastor months ago that was having his congregation wear a band around their wrists and they would snap it any time they would  grumble and move it to the other hand.  The idea was to break the habit of murmuring and complaining.   

I am going to try to be conscious of this this week.... Remember if you do not speak at all you will not have to worry :).

Why worry when you can pray

Trust Jesus  He'll lead the way

Don't be a doubting Thomas

Just stand upon His promise 

So Why worry when you can pray!

The Lord feels strongly about complaining.  Do a study if you doubt it.   He hates it for He knows that indeed His children have NOTHING to worry about!

Blessings!

The Hardest Easiest Thing

Hebrews 4:11 speaks of "making every effort to enter the rest"  another translations talks about "laboring to rest"


Why is resting so hard.   It means just laying down and doing nothing right?  Well most of us realize that even in a prone position  we can be far from rest.  Our mind and heart can be churning and stressed even though our body is still.

Jesus died that we might enter His rest.  

We rest because HE has DONE IT ALL!!  

There is nothing else to be won or done.   

It's finished!   

NOW we must "work" to enter that rest.   

It entails dying to our flesh and believing that He actually is faithful and in control.  

We can trust Him and believe what He says.

In 1873, Horatio Spafford wrote the words to the hymn "It is Well with My Soul"  after sailing to the tragic death site of his four daughters.

Horatio  found the secret!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8_EfDqF7YI

It's NO Secret

It is NO secret what God can do


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JENtEy9I9wk




From the Beginning  God let His Glory show.


He created.
 He breathed life and light.


He molded and made, fashioned and prepared this world for human beings.


He has had a plan from the very beginning.


The Scripture says that He will share His secrets


Psalm 25:14 says "The Lord confides in those that fear Him He makes His covenant known to them"
Amos 3:7 says that the Lord will reveal His secrets to His prophets before He does something.


This looks like a good site to visit:  


 http://www.bjm.org/questions.html


John 15:15
Does He call you a friend?


Blessings!