I could not wait to start this week's subject because I am excited! The Holy Spirit is awesome with His wisdom as He has guided these topics! The title for this week is "Search for relationships that have lasted and ask for their secrets! God's Word has the answer for us!! Colossians 3:12-14, Therefore, As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (NIV)
Last week we were to look for the positive attributes in other people. Now we are to find people that we know that have successfully had long relationships with either their spouse, their jobs, their friends and/or with the Lord. What is their secret in their own words and did they always feel committed to these ideals? People have their own private stories that could benefit individuals that desire to have these kind of relationships. Just to give you a kick start I want to share one story that could encourage you.
My husband had an Uncle and Aunt that celebrated 75 years of marriage together just prior to his Uncle passing away. They met and married each other at the age of 19 and 20 in Strasburg, Colorado. They set-up their home there, raised their children there and had a personal business there all those years. I have known them for many years and I have watched this couple. They both had different personalities that complimented each other in that one person seemed to be passive and the other a take control person. The Aunt was a homemaker and enjoyed her home and children. The Uncle had his business, but was not far from home if he was needed. The Uncle included his son in his business and they worked for many years together. The family had compassion and gentleness for each other that is not often found in today's world. They all kept their lives simple, but productive. They never seemed to desire alot of materialism, but they had nice things. The two children they raise stayed in the community and have become very active in their faith and have raised their families there, too. This family have served others when the need was revealed to them. Were they perfect? I do not think so, because I think I may have seen them get up-set with each a couple of times.
Marty and I were driving through the area during a snow storm. We called to see if we could spend the night because the storm was getting worse as we continued to drive. The answer was absolutely "yes"! The day we were there an ambulance drove the Uncle back home from a Denver, CO hospital to be placed at home in hospice. We were welcomed and we were needed at that time for spiritual and family support. We truly have been blessed by the witness and love this family has for each other, for us and for the Lord.
Has someone touched your life like this famliy has touched our lives? Do you desire to make some changes to find peace and make a committment to change your destructive ways? You can have a fresh start today!
Maybe you already know the peace that comes from having longtime relationships. Share it will others, but I caution you NOT to judge others that have not experienced this kind of life. I encourage you to refer back to the Words of Wisdom that comes from the scriptures this week. Share the light of Jesus Christ with compassion, gentleness, humility and patience.
I encourage you to read the focal scriptures every day during the entire week.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (9th Blog)
The last two week's topics have been (1) Are You Thinking Positive? (Phil 4:8) and (2) Are you Praising the Lord? (Psalms 145-1-3.) This week's topic has been on the subject of thinking about the positive attributes of others (Phil 2:4, Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. NIV)
Many years ago Marty and I bought a video that was published by Dr. Gary Smalley. We showed this video several times to couples that were having difficulties in relationships, but one time we loaned it to a couple who never returned it to us. The message was wonderful! The atmosphere was a retreat and Dr. Smalley was caring around on stage an old violin where the neck was broken. The strings were keeping the instrument attached to the neck and the body of the instrument. The cameras scanned the audience who were talking to each other and looking confused. Dr. Smalley referred to their lives as maybe being broken like that old violin and then he told them that the violin was a strativarius! The audience "awed" at that information. He said that their lives are "awe" to God and that we should treat each other with "awe"!
When I begin to think about people that I have known through my life and people I just met, I see 'awe' in their personalities and life stories! I was praying today about today's blog and a memory popped in my head that was really kind of funny! Here is that story.
I accepted a temporary position in a physical therapy office that was located in a Nursing Home. The door opened into the hall of the nursing home, so most of the time it was closed. When there were not any patient's getting therapy done the door was open. There was this one man in a wheel chair that strolled the hall yelling out all the time! I was told not to let him come in the office, because he was known to spit on you if you turned your back. I noticed him and sometimes tried to encourage a conversation and he seemed to listen. He then would leave and start his disrupting yelling through the hall. He never did spit on me. Then there came this fateful day when I was called in the office of the head physical therapist to inform me that my services were no longer needed. She was attempting to be very untruthful and cruel when this old man broke into her closed door. She was nasty to him and pushed out into the hallway. The ugly conversation was interrupted, so I just left the building. The job was just temporary anyway. Marty and I were doing worship services at the nursing home twice a month, so we went back several times in that capacity. The following week I was called from the Administration Office of the Nursing Home asking me to come back and that the head therapist had been fired! They had received a letter from an unknown person of education that discribed the incident on my last day of work. There was only one other person there that day! Yes, you guessed it! The 'awe' of how I was treated and the 'awe' of how I treated him was our secret between us. Marty and I approached him privately and thanked him. He said to not tell a soul that he puts on that act daily to help to try to right the wrong that goes on in that facility. He sees the 'awe' in people and privately takes action when it becomes necessary.
This reminds of a scripture that comes from the wisdom of God again. We truly need to find the 'awe' in people you know and in strangers that you have never met. As believers we need to spark our light of encouragement to others that need to be lifted up! People need to know that they are awesome to Jesus Christ and that they can be forgiven!
Hebrews 13:1-3, Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Rembering those in prison as if you were their fellow prisioners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (NIV)
I will post the fourth topic on February 28, 2011 for FRESH START TODAY!
Many years ago Marty and I bought a video that was published by Dr. Gary Smalley. We showed this video several times to couples that were having difficulties in relationships, but one time we loaned it to a couple who never returned it to us. The message was wonderful! The atmosphere was a retreat and Dr. Smalley was caring around on stage an old violin where the neck was broken. The strings were keeping the instrument attached to the neck and the body of the instrument. The cameras scanned the audience who were talking to each other and looking confused. Dr. Smalley referred to their lives as maybe being broken like that old violin and then he told them that the violin was a strativarius! The audience "awed" at that information. He said that their lives are "awe" to God and that we should treat each other with "awe"!
When I begin to think about people that I have known through my life and people I just met, I see 'awe' in their personalities and life stories! I was praying today about today's blog and a memory popped in my head that was really kind of funny! Here is that story.
I accepted a temporary position in a physical therapy office that was located in a Nursing Home. The door opened into the hall of the nursing home, so most of the time it was closed. When there were not any patient's getting therapy done the door was open. There was this one man in a wheel chair that strolled the hall yelling out all the time! I was told not to let him come in the office, because he was known to spit on you if you turned your back. I noticed him and sometimes tried to encourage a conversation and he seemed to listen. He then would leave and start his disrupting yelling through the hall. He never did spit on me. Then there came this fateful day when I was called in the office of the head physical therapist to inform me that my services were no longer needed. She was attempting to be very untruthful and cruel when this old man broke into her closed door. She was nasty to him and pushed out into the hallway. The ugly conversation was interrupted, so I just left the building. The job was just temporary anyway. Marty and I were doing worship services at the nursing home twice a month, so we went back several times in that capacity. The following week I was called from the Administration Office of the Nursing Home asking me to come back and that the head therapist had been fired! They had received a letter from an unknown person of education that discribed the incident on my last day of work. There was only one other person there that day! Yes, you guessed it! The 'awe' of how I was treated and the 'awe' of how I treated him was our secret between us. Marty and I approached him privately and thanked him. He said to not tell a soul that he puts on that act daily to help to try to right the wrong that goes on in that facility. He sees the 'awe' in people and privately takes action when it becomes necessary.
This reminds of a scripture that comes from the wisdom of God again. We truly need to find the 'awe' in people you know and in strangers that you have never met. As believers we need to spark our light of encouragement to others that need to be lifted up! People need to know that they are awesome to Jesus Christ and that they can be forgiven!
Hebrews 13:1-3, Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Rembering those in prison as if you were their fellow prisioners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (NIV)
I will post the fourth topic on February 28, 2011 for FRESH START TODAY!
Friday, February 25, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (8th blog)
This will be my last blog on the topic of thinking about others and their interests before I start next week's topic. I am no different then any of you in that I think about myself before I think about the care of other people. Here are some of my thoughts and some of them may be selfish. You may identify with these thoughts, or you may not. I am sensitive and am easily hurt by actions and words of other people, and that is a form of selfishness. Some of my best friends that I have had in my life are people that told me what I have done to hurt others and/or hurt myself was wrong. They were never sympathic to my self pity, but I knew they loved me. Then there are others who are evil and that is never accepted. We live in a dark world. Henry Blackaby (Author of "Expereincing God..Knowing and Doing the Will of God") once said that people of darkness are only acting like they know how to act and that the people of light need to gently guide them to a new understanding of God's truth.
I have lived having dreams and attempting to make myself known to the world as a person who has some answers to people's problems. I am NO one that has all the answers, but I know who does and He can be traced all through the 66 chapters of the Holy Bible. His name is Jesus Christ, who became human so that man could have an understanding of what Almighty God was like in His character and love for humanity.
I am writing this blog to reach out to other people and NOT to make a name for myself ! I have been doing some serious thinking about that and here are my thoughts. Who do you remember by name and why do you remember them? Martin Luther, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King and/or Charles Stanley? These men were and are men of great faith, but life has not always been easy for them. They have chosen to make Jesus Christ know to a dying and dark world. Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and/or Kevin Costner? They are identified as being intertainers. What about being known to our children, grandchildren and friends? Is that enough? You are my friend and you may be the only one reading this blog. You are special to me and to the Lord Jesus Christ. In the book I wrote "God Sees the Heart" I have mentioned that the little things in life can be the most precious to others. If I have said anything that has encouraged you then just pass the encouragement on to other people. You owe me nothing! My identity is found in Jesus Christ! My prayer is that your identity can and/or will be soon found in Jesus Christ! He has a plan and His plan to work through your life is the best plan in the world!
Remembers Philippians 2:4, "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (NIV)
I have lived having dreams and attempting to make myself known to the world as a person who has some answers to people's problems. I am NO one that has all the answers, but I know who does and He can be traced all through the 66 chapters of the Holy Bible. His name is Jesus Christ, who became human so that man could have an understanding of what Almighty God was like in His character and love for humanity.
I am writing this blog to reach out to other people and NOT to make a name for myself ! I have been doing some serious thinking about that and here are my thoughts. Who do you remember by name and why do you remember them? Martin Luther, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King and/or Charles Stanley? These men were and are men of great faith, but life has not always been easy for them. They have chosen to make Jesus Christ know to a dying and dark world. Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and/or Kevin Costner? They are identified as being intertainers. What about being known to our children, grandchildren and friends? Is that enough? You are my friend and you may be the only one reading this blog. You are special to me and to the Lord Jesus Christ. In the book I wrote "God Sees the Heart" I have mentioned that the little things in life can be the most precious to others. If I have said anything that has encouraged you then just pass the encouragement on to other people. You owe me nothing! My identity is found in Jesus Christ! My prayer is that your identity can and/or will be soon found in Jesus Christ! He has a plan and His plan to work through your life is the best plan in the world!
Remembers Philippians 2:4, "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (NIV)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (7th Blog)
When I awakened this morning I was thinking about our son and his estranged wife. Relationships can become very fragile. The topic this week is finding the good qualities in other people and caring about their interests, so how should a believer's heart be guided by God's wisdom? First, we as mother's want to protect and make things right for our children. I have to admit that I have enabled my children and I have prayed asking God to change ME in this area. My own mother once told me to grow up, start thinking for myself, make choices whether they are right or wrong, because she would not be around for most of my adult life. She was right, because she died young at the age of 66. I was 32 years old at the time of her death. Some people have lost their parents at even a younger age, so what am I saying today?
There are going to be fragile relationships in everyone's life. Not everyone thinks the same way, nor will everybody like you as a person. We as believers are instructed to live at peace with everyone. Sometimes it may mean that peace comes from departing the relationship, but still praying for the person that does not agree with you. If you want this relationship to continue and the other person does not, then are you really caring about the other person's interests if you insist on telling them how you feel? I have done that and it does not work! The secret is to care about how they feel whether it is right or wrong. The previous scripture to the focused scripture for this week gives us a little more of God's wisdom on this topic.
Philippians 2:3, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or selfish conceit, but in HUMILITY consider others better than yourselves (NIV) The scripture continues on to say to have the same attitude as Jesus Christ.
This scripture does not say the other person is better, but you are to care about the other person above your own desires. This attitude is difficult to obtain if you are not allowing the Holy Spirit to help you to control your thoughts, because people are selfish in their natural state of mind. Our survival mode kicks in and we do not put our trust in God's wisdom who knows what is best.
Jesus knows the heart of man, but yet He chose to go the cross and die for humanity. We have a gift from God that brings us into a relationship with our creator through the narrow path of faith when we accept Jesus's sacrifice on the cross for us individually. WE MUST search our own hearts privately and recognize our own rebellion towards God. We must admit our wrong to God and put our faith in Jesus Christ. Through this faith we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who will fresh jump start our spiritual journey so that we can begin to understand His great wisdom.
I care about you as a follow of these blogs and pray that you will allow the Holy Spirit to move in your hearts, so that your care for others will be geniune.
Matthew: 5:43-45, You have heard that is was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you (Jesus) Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your heavenly Father. (NIV)
There are going to be fragile relationships in everyone's life. Not everyone thinks the same way, nor will everybody like you as a person. We as believers are instructed to live at peace with everyone. Sometimes it may mean that peace comes from departing the relationship, but still praying for the person that does not agree with you. If you want this relationship to continue and the other person does not, then are you really caring about the other person's interests if you insist on telling them how you feel? I have done that and it does not work! The secret is to care about how they feel whether it is right or wrong. The previous scripture to the focused scripture for this week gives us a little more of God's wisdom on this topic.
Philippians 2:3, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or selfish conceit, but in HUMILITY consider others better than yourselves (NIV) The scripture continues on to say to have the same attitude as Jesus Christ.
This scripture does not say the other person is better, but you are to care about the other person above your own desires. This attitude is difficult to obtain if you are not allowing the Holy Spirit to help you to control your thoughts, because people are selfish in their natural state of mind. Our survival mode kicks in and we do not put our trust in God's wisdom who knows what is best.
Jesus knows the heart of man, but yet He chose to go the cross and die for humanity. We have a gift from God that brings us into a relationship with our creator through the narrow path of faith when we accept Jesus's sacrifice on the cross for us individually. WE MUST search our own hearts privately and recognize our own rebellion towards God. We must admit our wrong to God and put our faith in Jesus Christ. Through this faith we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who will fresh jump start our spiritual journey so that we can begin to understand His great wisdom.
I care about you as a follow of these blogs and pray that you will allow the Holy Spirit to move in your hearts, so that your care for others will be geniune.
Matthew: 5:43-45, You have heard that is was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you (Jesus) Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your heavenly Father. (NIV)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (6th Blog)
This week's scripture is found in Phililippians 2:4, Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but the interest of others. (NIV)
What are your interests at this time in your life? I know that our daughter has a an interest in caring for her 2 children who are 2 1/2 and 6 weeks old. Her husband's interest is for his family and keeping the job God provided for him so that he can care for his family. Their combined interests are to be people of God that place their true identity in Jesus Christ and remembering the gospel of the cross on which He died for humanity. We as believers are living under the power and gift of GRACE. Do their interests influence my thought process? Yes and I praise the Lord for how they desire to live!
What about other people that do not have a desire to walk with the Lord? Do their interests influence how we react to them as individuals? Do we look down on people that do not have the same interests as we may have? Maybe it is family member, a friend, a co-worker, or others of a different religion. What should our attitude be towards others? I am reminded of another scripture that Paul wrote regarding genuine care for humanity and that he tried to value another person's life as Jesus Christ values all life. Jesus died because all humanity sinned and turned their back on God. The Bible teaches us that there was a falling away of man towards God and it is true today. People are not interested in God and having a relationship. Without the power of the Holy Spirit drawing them to the truth of His reality they will never know Him. It make take a tragedy, or several tragedies for people to see the wisdom of having a realtionship with God. I have often said that God is a God of absolute love, but He is a God of wrath, too. We cannot no longer sugar coat our accountibility to God and our own personal sin that causes Him grief. When we become accountible to Him daily with a postive attitude as found in Phil 4:8, praise Him as found in Psalms 145:1-3 and now take on the attitude of being interested in other people's attributes as found in Phil 2:4, we begin to witness the Holy Spirit working through our life to reach people living in darkness. Please remember it is the Holy Spirit in us that draws people to GRACE and the light of Jesus Christ. When we renew our mind to the wisdom of what the scriptures tells us we are transformed into a flickering candle that may light a person's heart.
Going back to scripture that Paul wrote: 1 Corthinthians10:31-33, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God, Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (NIV)
What are your interests at this time in your life? I know that our daughter has a an interest in caring for her 2 children who are 2 1/2 and 6 weeks old. Her husband's interest is for his family and keeping the job God provided for him so that he can care for his family. Their combined interests are to be people of God that place their true identity in Jesus Christ and remembering the gospel of the cross on which He died for humanity. We as believers are living under the power and gift of GRACE. Do their interests influence my thought process? Yes and I praise the Lord for how they desire to live!
What about other people that do not have a desire to walk with the Lord? Do their interests influence how we react to them as individuals? Do we look down on people that do not have the same interests as we may have? Maybe it is family member, a friend, a co-worker, or others of a different religion. What should our attitude be towards others? I am reminded of another scripture that Paul wrote regarding genuine care for humanity and that he tried to value another person's life as Jesus Christ values all life. Jesus died because all humanity sinned and turned their back on God. The Bible teaches us that there was a falling away of man towards God and it is true today. People are not interested in God and having a relationship. Without the power of the Holy Spirit drawing them to the truth of His reality they will never know Him. It make take a tragedy, or several tragedies for people to see the wisdom of having a realtionship with God. I have often said that God is a God of absolute love, but He is a God of wrath, too. We cannot no longer sugar coat our accountibility to God and our own personal sin that causes Him grief. When we become accountible to Him daily with a postive attitude as found in Phil 4:8, praise Him as found in Psalms 145:1-3 and now take on the attitude of being interested in other people's attributes as found in Phil 2:4, we begin to witness the Holy Spirit working through our life to reach people living in darkness. Please remember it is the Holy Spirit in us that draws people to GRACE and the light of Jesus Christ. When we renew our mind to the wisdom of what the scriptures tells us we are transformed into a flickering candle that may light a person's heart.
Going back to scripture that Paul wrote: 1 Corthinthians10:31-33, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God, Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (NIV)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (5th blog)
I am going to address some hardships for this blog today. It sometimes seems like good things happen to the enemies of God and bad things happen to the good at heart in this world. Marty and I have been called poor white trash by a sister-in-law and manipulators by a family that my son married into recently. This family has never even met us personally. Where do these statements come from when we have reached out in love to these people? We desire people to know and love the Lord. Our son is very hurt and angry at God, so what is happening? It would be be so very human to strike out and become bitter at this point, but I cannot! I keep being reminded to praise the Lord and here are the scriptures that reminds me of His wisdom.
Romans 12:17-21, Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NIV)
When you begin to praise the Lord in difficult circumstances He gives you His wisdom because your heart is open to His instruction. Humanly speaking these scriptures do not make any sense, but spiritually we are reminded that Jesus Christ knows the heart. I personally am going to turn my hurt and disappointment over to the Lord, forgive these people for these accusations and leave them in God's capable hands. If the Lord wants to bless them, so be it, if He wants to discipline them, so be it, if He wants to save them, so be it, but that is His choice. I truly believe that God has more experience with working with the human heart then any of us ever will. I wrote a book called "God Sees the Heart" and it barely touches on the power and wisdom of God and what the scriptures will reveal to those who believe. This wisdom come from the Holy Spirit to the human heart. He is the comforter that Jesus Christ promised to His followers.
Praise the Lord for His majesty, GRACE, mercy and unmerited love! I love the Lord, because He first loved me. Our difficult circumstances do not compare to the torture and painful separation from the God the Father that Jesus experienced on the cross for us.
If you are having difficulty with difficult people then maybe this scripture is a reminder of how we, as believers, should respond. May the Lord bless you as you praise the Lord today.
Romans 12:17-21, Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NIV)
When you begin to praise the Lord in difficult circumstances He gives you His wisdom because your heart is open to His instruction. Humanly speaking these scriptures do not make any sense, but spiritually we are reminded that Jesus Christ knows the heart. I personally am going to turn my hurt and disappointment over to the Lord, forgive these people for these accusations and leave them in God's capable hands. If the Lord wants to bless them, so be it, if He wants to discipline them, so be it, if He wants to save them, so be it, but that is His choice. I truly believe that God has more experience with working with the human heart then any of us ever will. I wrote a book called "God Sees the Heart" and it barely touches on the power and wisdom of God and what the scriptures will reveal to those who believe. This wisdom come from the Holy Spirit to the human heart. He is the comforter that Jesus Christ promised to His followers.
Praise the Lord for His majesty, GRACE, mercy and unmerited love! I love the Lord, because He first loved me. Our difficult circumstances do not compare to the torture and painful separation from the God the Father that Jesus experienced on the cross for us.
If you are having difficulty with difficult people then maybe this scripture is a reminder of how we, as believers, should respond. May the Lord bless you as you praise the Lord today.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (4th Blog)
I remember many dreams that I desired to accomplish in my lifetime. I look back and the ones that were accomplished were blessings that the Lord allowed to happen. His plans have a way of changing our desires. I remember, as a teenager, I loved to sing. I had practiced singing as a young girl in the basement of my parents home for hours, so my mother started me taking lessons with a vocal teacher at the age of 10. I had a stutter due to being hard of hearing, so this corrected my speech. (I had major surgery just before my 10th birthday!) This beautiful woman of faith worked through the Lord's Prayer with me for about 3 years until the diction was correct while all along she was teaching me to pray. My heart sang out to the Lord privately, but there was something very wrong with my attitude when I began to desire to sing publicly. Several times God gave me opportunity to sing publicly and I sensed His approval. But....The music should have totally been about glorying Jesus and not LENNI..He allowed me to be embarrassed a few times and I noticed that I was seeking people's approval. I recently have been studying about GRACE and how important it is to seek our identity in Christ alone and not in trying to find our identity in becoming someone people will approve of or look up to. He is the one doing the work through our lives that will assist in changing others we may meet. We need to praise Him daily and leave our hearts open to His plan(s). Do I still sing? Yes, privately to the Lord, because He is my greatest fan..I sing to Him to open my prayer time with Him, which I will do after I write this blog.
What does this have to do with FRESH START? The dreams you had in the past need to be placed at the foot of the cross, so that Jesus will have the freedom to do with them as He chooses. He may surprise you, in His time, to invite you, through the power of the Holy Spirt, to do something you never thought possible. He guided me to write books and I am NOT a writer! I am simple in my writing, but that is who I am in Jesus Christ.
Please, read again Psalms 145:1-3
What does this have to do with FRESH START? The dreams you had in the past need to be placed at the foot of the cross, so that Jesus will have the freedom to do with them as He chooses. He may surprise you, in His time, to invite you, through the power of the Holy Spirt, to do something you never thought possible. He guided me to write books and I am NOT a writer! I am simple in my writing, but that is who I am in Jesus Christ.
Please, read again Psalms 145:1-3
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (3rd Blog)
This week I am reading Psalms 145:1-3, I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. EVERY DAY I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. NIV
This directed me to the NEW TESTAMENT to Philippians 2:9-11. This verse says that every knee will bow to Jesus, both in heaven and earth. (Paraphrased) I have learned the value of praising a God that is more then worthy of my praise every day. Have you ever thought that He desires our loyalty to this positive activity? People get angry at God because they do not answer their prayers the way they want them to or when they want them to. I have a vision right now and do not laugh! I see our most wonderful and powerful God at the time of Him creating the earth, the moon, the stars, the universe, all the animals that inhabit the earth and then he created man. Did He say, 'I will then become His puppet!?' No, He said we will create man in our image and He gave him dominion over the earth. He gave man the free choice to have a relationship with the creator or not have a relationship. God loves what he created, but told the first man and woman to not eat the fruit of the tree of good and evil! They were persuaded by the enemy of God to taste evil. This activity is no different today. We choose evil by the prompting of our sinful nature and by the enemy of God.
When we begin to praise the God of the Universe the ememy runs and we are again at peace within our hearts and are in fellowship with God. I challenge you to wake up every morning with praise on your lips and in your hearts! Write down in a journal what you have said and see what the Holy Spirit does next? Keep a journal for 7 days and then I will share the next part of this journey with you next week.
This directed me to the NEW TESTAMENT to Philippians 2:9-11. This verse says that every knee will bow to Jesus, both in heaven and earth. (Paraphrased) I have learned the value of praising a God that is more then worthy of my praise every day. Have you ever thought that He desires our loyalty to this positive activity? People get angry at God because they do not answer their prayers the way they want them to or when they want them to. I have a vision right now and do not laugh! I see our most wonderful and powerful God at the time of Him creating the earth, the moon, the stars, the universe, all the animals that inhabit the earth and then he created man. Did He say, 'I will then become His puppet!?' No, He said we will create man in our image and He gave him dominion over the earth. He gave man the free choice to have a relationship with the creator or not have a relationship. God loves what he created, but told the first man and woman to not eat the fruit of the tree of good and evil! They were persuaded by the enemy of God to taste evil. This activity is no different today. We choose evil by the prompting of our sinful nature and by the enemy of God.
When we begin to praise the God of the Universe the ememy runs and we are again at peace within our hearts and are in fellowship with God. I challenge you to wake up every morning with praise on your lips and in your hearts! Write down in a journal what you have said and see what the Holy Spirit does next? Keep a journal for 7 days and then I will share the next part of this journey with you next week.
Monday, February 14, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (2nd Blog)
The Holy Spirit clearly guided my thoughts with the possibility of a new book and/or a Bible Study. "Fresh Start...getting past the negative memories of your past". A Christian sister and I have started a journal based on topics that are backed up with scripture each week. The first week was the topic of "Positive Attitude?". What does the Bible say about this topic? We read Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, what ever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. NIV
The first week was amazing as we journaled what happened, but keeping the scripture in our thought every day. We both noticed that some uncomfortable experiences did happen, but keeping this active in our minds and hearts every day we DID experience GOD at work! Do you want to join us?
The first week was amazing as we journaled what happened, but keeping the scripture in our thought every day. We both noticed that some uncomfortable experiences did happen, but keeping this active in our minds and hearts every day we DID experience GOD at work! Do you want to join us?
Sunday, February 13, 2011
FRESH START TODAY - (1st Blog)
This is my first attempt at blogging, so here are my thoughts. My husband and I have been in the ministry for over 30 years and are now retired. We are just not getting paid, but that will never stop us from ministring to those in need to share God's truth.
Here lately we have experienced a great of pain in our personal life through our son's heartache. When you are a mother you never stop loving or attempting to encourage your grown children even when they make choices that have caused them pain. People that are in pain do not seem to want Bible scriptures thrown at them as an encouragement. They just want us to listen! Mothers, or least this mother, wants to fix things. I do not believe that it is our job as women who have trusted in a loving Savior to fix our children;s problems. We had to go through pain in our lives and this truth cannot be any different for our children. Jesus said in this world there will be problems arise do to sin and/or because we live in a dark world. I believe that the prayers of a righteous woman of faith for her children are heard, but we must leave the results to God in how He answers those prayers. He sees the heart of all that belong to Him, and He knows what is best. I was reminded again of Matthew 11:28-30 when Jesus spoke of His chosen people to come to Him if we are struggling. May you be comforted if you are experiencing this kind of pain regarding your children!
Here lately we have experienced a great of pain in our personal life through our son's heartache. When you are a mother you never stop loving or attempting to encourage your grown children even when they make choices that have caused them pain. People that are in pain do not seem to want Bible scriptures thrown at them as an encouragement. They just want us to listen! Mothers, or least this mother, wants to fix things. I do not believe that it is our job as women who have trusted in a loving Savior to fix our children;s problems. We had to go through pain in our lives and this truth cannot be any different for our children. Jesus said in this world there will be problems arise do to sin and/or because we live in a dark world. I believe that the prayers of a righteous woman of faith for her children are heard, but we must leave the results to God in how He answers those prayers. He sees the heart of all that belong to Him, and He knows what is best. I was reminded again of Matthew 11:28-30 when Jesus spoke of His chosen people to come to Him if we are struggling. May you be comforted if you are experiencing this kind of pain regarding your children!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)