post

Talking Like Your Dad

Posted on September 17, 2015 ·

Talking Like Your Dad

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage. Acts 4:30-32 (AMP)

Think back to when you were a little baby. Most of us had parents who patiently taught us how to speak. Little by little we built a vocabulary and then learned how to make sentences. The Lord speaks things into being. “Let there be Light”. He wants to teach us how to speak like Him. He has given us His words in the Bible.

When we speak out the word we begin to talk the language of our Father. As time goes on and we learn more and more of His word, it is easier to speak it. Speaking words of life to our children, words of healing and hope to others. Speaking out loud the promises of God. That is Father God’s language.

As children we practiced with our parents repeating over and over the words they were teaching us. We need to practice speaking the Word of God. Little by little His words become ours.

Let’s talk like our Father.

Jesus is Lord!

 

 

Filed Under: Holiness, Uncategorized, Word of God ·
post

Trial to Triumph or “Why is this happening to me?” Part 3

Posted on October 6, 2014 ·

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the priests, the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord offerings in righteousness Malachi 3:3.

After losing my second job in six months, I was devastated. I had no clue what to do. My mother suggested that I come down to Florida where she and Dad had retired and see if I could get a job there. I agreed to give it a try. I prayed. And I surrendered to the Lord. I knew that I could not do it on my own. I went down to Tampa and got three job interviews lined up. The first one was with the State of Florida Health Services. I had no idea what the position was.

We are the McDonald’s generation. We don’t want trials to be difficult or last long. But consider this: Let’s say that we want to train Marines. So we come up with training and a testing plan. We want to test strength so we tell them to run ten feet, and then jump over a one foot fence, and finish by doing one push up. If we did that we would have one weak bunch of Marines. But in reality Marines do many, many push ups, climb high walls and run many miles and then are severely tested in realistic war games before they are sent out to defend our nation.

 It is the same with us. A short easy trial is not going to build up any faith muscles. We need to trust the Lord to do what needs to be done for our good in His perfect timing and plan.

Gold being melted to remove impurities

Jesus is Lord! picture gold being melted

 

Filed Under: Holiness, Hope, Peace, prayer, Word of God ·
post

Trial to Triumph – or “Why is this happening to me?” Part 1

Posted on September 22, 2014 ·

Trials to Triumph – or “Why is this Happening to Me?!” Part 1

Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in picture gold oreor encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. James 1:2-8

 I remember the first time I read James’s words. I was shocked! I wondered “Am I supposed to say “Woo hoo!” when I am in a trial!? How am I supposed to be joyful when I am in a trial?” It wasn’t until I had been through several trials that I began to see how joy can come.

But I didn’t always have joy.

One day as I was working as a Director of Patient Services for a New York County Health Department my boss let me know that he was going to give my position to a friend of his in a few weeks and I would be out of a job.  I panicked! Did I pray? Yes, I said a quick prayer and quickly returned to my panicked state. I had three children to support. Over a period of about three hours I called every contact I had in my profession. No openings. I was a mess! I badly needed to learn how to navigate a trial in a godly fashion. The Lord was with me to help me learn how to triumph through a trial.

The first thing I learned is that trials are not punishments.

11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11

I know that the Lord has known me and my days from before the earth was created. He has only my good in mind. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Peace, Victory, Word of God ·
post

Rivers of Living Water

Posted on September 1, 2014 ·

picture spring and riverHe who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of livingwater. John 7:38

  But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life. John 4:14

 My husband and I went canoeing a few years ago. We traveled to the RainbowRiver in Florida. It is a crystal clear spring fed river. We paddled upstream until we came to the end of the river. There bubbling up from the river bed we saw fresh water coming up from the riverbed overflowing to what looks like a very large pond shaped area and then flowing out as a crystal clear river. When we canoed it felt like we were floating in the air because the water was so clear. It made me think of the rivers of living water that flow from our innermost being when we follow Jesus.

 I have noticed how stressed out even seasoned Christians can get. Some go for massages, some over eat, some share their worries with friends, some watch a lot of TV, or read novels. None of these are necessarily bad, but there is a great place to get rid of stress.

It is in the rivers of living water. Not just wet water. Living water. Water that is alive with the Presence of God. Where is it? It is flowing from our innermost beings. We are overflowing with the life of Jesus! Wow!

 I want to float in the living water river! I want to be refreshed in the living water river! The good news is that I can, every day of my life! I can go to the Lord in prayer in my quiet place and soak in the river of His presence. Even if I don’t feel it I can still go there. Why? Because it never goes away. The bubbling living water flows eternally from my innermost being. Not just a little stream but rivers plural. Have you ever seen the Mississippi River? – bigger that that!

 I’m going to have a good soak in the rivers of living water.

 Jesus is Lord!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Holiness, Holy Spirit, Peace, Uncategorized, Word of God ·
post

Staying Attached to the Vine

Posted on July 14, 2014 ·

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. John 15: 1-4

 picture of vine and grapes

 

I had dinner the other night with a group of women. The woman sitting next to me was a missionary. As we spoke I noticed how she made her decisions based the guidance she received from the Lord in prayer and in the Word. I thought that was great. And it touched my heart to see how the Lord has a special and unique relationship with each and every one of us.

He wants to guide and help us through our lives. Before the earth was formed He gave careful thought and planning to us and our lives. He knows the best plan for our lives.

How do we get to the point that we want the Lord to direct our lives and decisions? I think that the more we come to love Him, the more we trust Him with our lives. I could see how very much that Missionary loves the Lord and spends time in prayer. She is like someone who has moved closer to hear better. She is firmly attached to the vine and the very life of Jesus flows through her life.

She is attached to the vine.

Let’s do the same.

Jesus is Lord!

Filed Under: Love, Obedience, Uncategorized, Word of God ·
post

Be Patient with Me- I’m Being Pruned

Posted on July 7, 2014 ·

picture of man pruning tree15 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

 

I was out looking at my rosebushes a few days ago and decided that they desperately needed some pruning.  Branches were going everywhere, flowerless branches stuck out among the bloomers. They were overgrown and the flowers were getting unimpressive. Air and light were having trouble getting to the inner parts of the plant.

So  I Googled “pruning rose bushes”. Apparently pruning is a delicate business. Fruitless branches are removed; blooming branches are cut back but not too far. You have to look and see just the right spot to make the cut- not too high and not too low. Branches growing across the bush in the wrong direction are removed too. At first the bush looks pretty bad. No blooms and it looks kind of scrawny. But later wonderful large roses will bloom in abundance.

We are like those rose bushes. We may have some fruitless activities in our lives, maybe some things going in the wrong direction. Maybe our growth has gotten stale and slow or out of control. We need a good pruning by the Word of God. 

Another thing I learned is that the pruner has the best interest of the plant at heart. Pruning is done lovingly to bless and help the plant. But maybe the plant sees it another way. Ouch!, branches are being removed. Maybe the plant liked that branch that was not productive. Maybe we like some things in our lives that do us no good.

Jesus prunes us with the word of God. Our job is to listen, heed and obey the word of the Lord. Sometimes it can feel a little uncomfortable, but hang in there. The Lord is doing this to make you even more fruitful.

“But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,” Galatians 5:21-23

Good pruning brings good fruit. Prune us,  Lord.

Jesus is Lord!

Filed Under: Holiness, Obedience, Uncategorized, Victory, Word of God ·
post

Meditating the Word

Posted on June 29, 2014 ·

picture meditate 

My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips When I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches. For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice. Psalm 63:5-7

Our thoughts can lead us into action. Fearful thoughts, angry thoughts, worried thoughts. We can lay there in bed and think and think about slights, money, the kids, what we should have said to some one. The list goes on. But the Lord wants us to meditate on His word. Well, that’s great, but how do you meditate on the Word?

Simple. First we read our bible. When I read the word I like to picture what is going on. Sometimes I imagine myself there. I ask the Lord to reveal what I need to know from what I am reading. A great time to think about the Lord’s words is before we fall asleep. Even David did this. That also helps to disperse worrisome or angry thoughts

Our days can be so busy with family and work that it is hard to find the time to read and think about scripture. When we are under stress or in a trial it helps to find scriptures that address that situation. A concordance can be helpful to find those readings. Memorize them and say them to yourself when worries try to creep in. Think about them. As David meditated on the Lord he felt the Lord’s protection and he was able to rejoice.

We can do the same.

Jesus is Lord!

 

Filed Under: prayer, Uncategorized, Word of God ·
post

How Do I Love Me?

Posted on February 10, 2014 ·

picture blog girl looking in mirror Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e]38 This is the first and greatest commandment.39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[f]40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

“Love you neighbor as yourself”. I was thinking about this a few days ago. I need to love my neighbor – which we know is everybody- the way I love me. So let’s think about this. We feed and clothe ourselves. When we are sick we take ourselves to the doctor’s. We make sure we have a roof over our heads. We easily forgive ourselves for the mistakes we make. We are merciful to us. We look kindly at ourselves in the mirror and try to look our best. We are good to us. We love ourselves.

Now we need to think about our neighbor. The way the Lord defines our neighbor is any and all people of the earth. Everybody is our neighbor. Now the challenge is to love the people around us in the same way we love ourselves. That would mean we treat them kindly, meet physical needs – like food, clothing and shelter as we are able. Forgive easily the mistakes that others make. Love them from our hearts.

Notice that the Lord says that “Loving your neighbor as yourself” is equally important as loving the Lord our God with all our hearts, soul and mind.

Let’s love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Jesus is Lord!

 

Filed Under: Love, Obedience, Word of God ·
post

Something to Think About

Posted on January 17, 2014 ·

blog picture baby wtih cakeFor the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Philippians 4:8

 

Have you ever found yourself remembering a painful moment in life and in your mind adding in things you should have or could have said at the time? How about mulling over what someone at work said to you? Or at school today? Or worries about things that have not happened? These thoughts can make us feel angry, hurt, and sad or rejected or fearful.

 

Paul in his letter to the Philippians addressed this common problem. Led by the Holy Spirit, he advises us to replace these unpleasant and useless thoughts with thoughts about things that are true. When I start thinking about some worrisome thing I ask my self if it true? For example I was going on a plane flight. Thoughts of plane crashes started to pepper my mind. So then I had to ask myself, “Are my thoughts about me being in a plane crash true?” The answer was “No”. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Peace, Uncategorized, Word of God ·
post

The Word of God Is Like a Seed

Posted on January 6, 2014 ·

blog picture seedlings13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?14 The farmer sows the word. Mark 4 :13

This is probably one of the most critical pieces of information that Jesus has given us about how the kingdom of God operates. He as said that the Word is like a seed. Let’s think about it for a minute. Let’s picture a tomato seed. Now we plant that seed into good soil and a plant grows and produces, let’s say, 10 tomatoes. Not only will we have the tomatoes but we will also have hundreds of seeds. If we take the hundreds of seeds and plant them, when we have our next harvest, not only will we have hundreds of tomatoes, but thousands of seeds. Wow! What ever we sow will produce more like itself. The whole tomato plant is in that seed. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Obedience, prayer, Word of God ·