From the Cradle to the Cross

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

His name will be called Wonderful- 

When Jesus was born, God became flesh, he was born sinless because he was born of a virgin. Scholars and nay-sayers try to postulate this is impossible. Matthew 19:6 with God, all things are possible. He was the only baby that was older than his mother yet younger than his father. He had to be born without spot to be our savior. To be born without sin, he had to be born through immaculate conception. 

Counselor- 

Goodness. Most counselors organize your hang ups so you'll be unhappy more effectively. Good Christian counselors are priceless. They have to be good communicators but none were as effective as Jesus. "Never a man spake as this man." Come on to me and I'll give you rest. He spoke of authority and not as other men. Many people speak to hear their own voice. Some speak because they sincerely think they are right, and are convicted of their belief. You can be convicted and be wrong. Jesus was goodness in action. 

 

The Mighty God-

The vicarious death of Jesus. He became our substitute. If you stop at the cradle, you will lose the meaning of the birth. You have to go all the way to the cross. He was born to die for us, so we would not have to suffer for our sins. It is easy to forget the misery of the cross. Scourging his back before they put him on the cross with a cat-o-nine tails made of bone and nails on the ends of the whips. They mocked him, spit on him, put a crown of thorns on his head and him unrecognizable. They then hung Him on the cross to die, he suffocated from the weight of his own body. He was mocked, and scorned, poked with spears as he hung there on that cross. Even with all the indignity, all that pain, suffering injustice for a perfect life, He prayed not for himself, but for us, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." 

Everlasting Father-

If you are a true child of God, the good news is you will never die. Your physical death is just the end of your life on Earth. He was born a sinless birth, lived a sinless life, and died in our place to pay for our sins. You can't wash your hands of Jesus. Each and every one of us has to face Him. They took Jesus down from the cross and guarded his tomb. But we know He didn't stay dead. With Him in your heart, the love will flow through you. 

 

Prince of Peace-

Brother Terry ran out of time before he got here, so I have to go out on my own on this one. Jesus is the Emmanuel, Peace giver, the one who brings mercy. Why should we hope for mercy? We are wretched sinners who could never earn His favor. Our best day is still a pile of dirty rags without accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior. He was born into this world, sinless and guiltless only to die for a wicked and sinfilled world so we may be saved from the wrath of God that we so rightly deserve Romans 5:6-9 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.. Peace is found only when we turn from our sinful nature and accept God as our Lord. 

 While we are told not to judge each other, we are also warned to not take a man at his word of being a Christian. We are to judge by the fruits of his works. If you say that you were saved but it didn't change your life, you didn't mean it. Being washed of your sins, accepting Him into your heart, it is metaphysical. There is an inward and outward change. There is a glow that warms your entire being and fills every cell in your body. I always thought that people who talked like this were out of their minds. That was until it happened to me. I have a physical need to hear God's word spoken. I never understood why people went to church on Wednesday and twice on Sunday. I now understand that it's so I can learn more about His love for me. So I can be with people that feel like I do. So I can be in His presence and feel His love. I used to think that I didn't have to be in church to be a Christian, but there are several verses as to why we are to meet. I don't think that it is for any ceremonial reasons, but so that we can continuously renew our relationship with God. 

I hope that my message helps someone. Even if no one else reads it, I can go back years from now and remember where I came from.

Election Day Sermon

                                        Plumb Line

Amos was a minor prophet. Not that his message was insignificant, but that his book was short. He has three visions: locusts to which he prayed for redemption for the people and God relented; fire to destroy the lands to which he prayed for redemption for the people and God relented. His third vision is of God holding a plumb line next to a wall. The wall is our government and the people. Are the people in our building our government to the standard of God, straight and true? God gave us a litmus test to show if someone is truly a Christian. 

Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 20 Thus by their fruit you will recognize them. 

So you have to ask yourself, if I am going to vote for the person who is to lead the country that is a world power, what do I use to make that decision? Do I vote by party lines because that is what my parents always did? Or because my friends do? It's cool? Or to somehow absolve myself of the guilt my prior generations have bestowed upon me? How about voting for the person who is going to take the same moral stands you make? God has told us that we are to not live in the world, but to be above it. Are you afraid to vote for the right candidate because you're afraid you might pay more taxes? Does your candidate vote pro-life? Does he reinforce family values? Does your candidate believe in the Biblical definition of marriage? Does your candidate recognize our responsibility to Israel?  

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I stand on no party line. I am a Christian conservative who wishes to see our country restored to the splendor of yesterday. I saw a quote recently "Don't set our country back 50 years!" We need to get back to the basics from years past from when people worked for what they had, when you took care of your old people, when you intervened when someone was being wronged. When need to get back to when God came first and was in everything we did, that morality was how we governed, the government was for the people and not the other way around. 

If you still truly believe that a Democrat is the one on your side, I can't change your mind. But know that any man that has the host of his speaking engagement cover a picture of Jesus as part of his negotiations to speak is not a man working for God. When the Democratic National Convention voted twice to have God removed from their platform, they booed when  the Mayor of Los Angeles over-rode them and kept God in the Convention. They booed God.  

There's a Fountain Flowing Deep and Wide

One of the sweet ladies at church took my husband aside and told him that she could tell that he and I were still in love after 10 years. She could see that we were a truly happy couple. He and I are best of friends; I share everything with him and he with me. I am most comfortable when I am with him, call me co-dependent.

If someone from the outside can tell that we are not only together but completely and totally happy, we are projecting our love outward. We should have that sort of relationship with God. Others should be able to see us and know that there is a deeply personal relationship with our Lord. We should all be most comfortable when we are with Him. Since He is always with us, we have only to realize this and all our anxiety would wither.

The fountain of Christ's love is deeper and wider than any love we have ever known before.

John 15:13 NIV

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

1 John 3:16 NIV

New International Version

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

 

I did a search for "Love" on my favorite Bible site and it returned with 500 hits. I don't need a search engine to tell me that God loves me five hundred times over. I feel it every day. I know that when I rely on Jesus, I am at peace. Brother Terry said that when we are truly born again that our lives change. I can't remember back that far if my heart was different. I have had to block out a lot of my childhood. I do know that since I have rededicated my life to Christ, that it is wonderful to be in His house. It bothers me to find myself in the sins of my past person.

Everyone needs to be able to look at us and know that we love our Father with all our hearts. We need to be a daily reminder to them that He loves them, too. I hope that I am that Christian in other's eyes, but I really do try.

Helping Others and Blessings Will Rain

A co-worker (and friend) and his wife are in a fight for her life. She complained of a lump that was being irritated by the underwire of her bra, not a normal place for a lump. The xray and manipulation indicated that it was most likely a cyst and not to worry. The lumpectomy and subsequent lab work changed everything. It was not just breast cancer, but she has lymph nodes in her breasts (rare again,) the lump was close to the bone, and she has a familial history of breast cancer. The choice had to be made for chemotherapy first then mastectomy or vice versa. They chose chemo first. His wife is a tiny woman so she gets cold easily...not a problem I've ever had! So I decided that I would make a quilt with encouraging scriptures t wrap around herself, metaphorically and physically. 

This project taught me scriptures I didn't know. I now have people who don't know her sending out their prayers, too. My daughter saw what I was doing and hopefully is encouraged to do something selfless for someone else.

I hope my friend gets as much comfort from this as I have.
God Bless You Shawn.

If You Can't Something Nice

Today's sermon has nothing to do with what is on my mind. Yesterday was a day of fun and uplifting with my daughter and I spending the day out. I made a concerted effort to say something encouraging to everyone I encountered that day. Let me rewind for those who have just joined the program. My name is Dana and I am a sarcastic-wicked witted-smartmouth. It's a disease. Part of it comes from being the youngest and having to defend myself, also from being bullied mercilessly, and it's also genetic. I come from a long line of smart-alecks. I used to be quite proud of how quickly I could retort, and often with a laugh from the peanut gallery.



As I have grown older (and wiser?) I have been instilled with the knowledge that not everyone appreciates this gift. Looking back, it has been a curse more often than not and that I should hone the ability to encourage those around me instead of hurting those around me. It is irrelevant the pain inflicted as I cannot control others actions. I can pray they come to their own epiphany they need to change. I can pray I react in a way they see the folly of their actions, but not so I hurt them in the process. It isn't mine to make others to bend to God's will. I don't know what His plan is for them. I have only my own log in my eye in which to remove. I can't judge others and I can't make them behave, no more than I can make someone else's kid stop acting like a heathen. I am not their parent and I can't discipline them, only intervene if bodily harm might befall them. Do my nerves scream bloody murder every time they do, oh you betcha! But I will not intervene again.

God's children are his to discipline, not mine. If you are not walking, or talking, with God, only you and He can decide that.

Judging Others

7:3-5pp -- Lk 6:41,42

1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

Psalms 1-41

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Inspiration Strikes Back

My husband has inspired me to get back into my graphic art design hobby. Since I have never been paid to create anything, it is just a hobby. He has been on fire for the Lord since the passing of his grandfather, and has recently been certified as a peer counselor. I was inspired by the host state's logo for their chapter, and this is what I came up with. I don't have a problem with anyone using this for personal use, but please, do not use it for monetary gain.

Submission to the Authorities

1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

The Secrets of a Great Church

Acts 2:31-47
37 When the crowd heard this, they were deeply troubled. They said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Change your hearts and lives. Each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is for you, your children, and for all who are far away—as many as the Lord our God invites." 40 With many other words he testified to them and encouraged them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." 41 Those who accepted Peter's message were baptized. God brought about three thousand people into the community on that day.
42 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. 43 A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything. 45 They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. 46 Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. 47 They praised God and demonstrated God's goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. 

  
1. The church must be a converted membership. Each of the members of the church have to be saved and not just folks with a name on a church scroll. Do you know without a doubt that your name is written on the Lord's Book of Life? 
the call of salvation is by the Lord. God takes the initiative for our salvation. Have you heard the call? Have you responded to or ignored the call? We are all here by divine appointment.
Divine conviction: God touched their hearts as he touches ours when we are saved. You have to know you are lost before you can be found. You have to know that you are a sinner and have been convicted of our sins before we can accept and appreciate the divine salvation. 
Our sins are responsible for the death of Jesus. When you realize this and come to know Christ as your savior, this knowledge should break your heart. 
What shall we do? 

Lost

 I saw a really cool contrail in the sky and took a picture. It wasn't until I got home to edit the photo that I saw the cross. I think this was God talking to me. We need only to look to God to know what we are needing to do.

Today's Sunday school lesson was canceled because the teacher's mom is doing worse than last week. It looks like she is at the end and about to see her mansion He has prepared for her. Prayer requests were made for her and the family. Please pray for strength of the family and grace for her mom as she passes. Shawn Renshaw is also requesting prayers as she has been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. She is facing chemo and a mastectomy (possibly double mastectomy) but she is hoping that it hasn't already metastasized into her nodes. Pray for healing, strength, but let us not forget that her family is going through this, too. She has three sons, the youngest is still in high school, and rightly so, these kids and her husband are scared and worried. Her husband is trying to be the strong one for the family, so he needs strength. There were other prayer requests, but I will just leave it to God as he knows what we need and we need only ask. So please just pray for those whose names were written on our board. I really believe that is all He needs.

I asked in Sunday school what can I do to help someone to get back to God. I have someone I am really close to that has forgotten their relationship with their Father. Their love of Christ has been replaced with anger, resentment, spite, and anxiety. I got back some really good advice. Do the possible and leave the impossible up to Him. Instead of letting our problems drive us from God, how about we let our problems drive us to God. Just keep praying. It might not happen immediately, but a mountain isn't made overnight.

John 3:1-7 was our focus for morning service and was really poignant for me and the title of the sermon was "Lost Church Member".

Background- Nicodemus was not just a church member, but was considered a preacher and expert of the Bible. He was by-the-book religious in everything except by Regeneration. He was a Pharisee who were considered to be hypocrites, but not Nicodemus.

Nicodemus realizes that all his good works and studies have been for naught. Jesus tells him that the only way into Heaven is to be born again. His incredulity of how to be born again was matched by Jesus' supreme knowledge of all things spiritual. Reformation is turning over a new leaf, a fresh start. Reformation is putting a new suit on a man. Reformation is putting a new man in the suit. Our sins come from the inside, as so is our rebirth. Our literally birth was on the outside, our rebirth is from the inside and is just as definite. It can never be repeated. Salvation is simple. Believe in Him & repent.

The evening service started off with a video of a very talented child, I would have to guess 5 years old, telling the story of Jonah in her own words. I can't say I have ever understood it better than when she told it. She was very animated and entertaining. I can see her having a future in ministry.

I think it would be easiest to break down what I got out of the sermon in bullets.

• We have to do the will of God from our heart or it is wasted. 
• My God gives second chances and I am grateful he does!!!
• We are under the wrath of God because of our sins but we are protected from wrath by His love with salvation.
• God likes deadlines (Noah, Jonah...)
• Have you reached your deadline God gave you?
• Even the livestock received benefit from the revival in Ninevah
• Guilt of sin is overwhelming. It can be a big reason for keeping people away from God. 
• Jonah 3:9 - repent & relent. Turn from your anger and not perish. 
• God does not change his mind. I really think that he planned it all along to save the citizens of Ninevah and needed to scare them into salvation. We all know how much fear can motivate. 
• God does not excuse sin, but forgives sin if asked. 

There is not any day of the week we enjoy more than Sundays, except possibly Wednesdays! My daughter and I were talking about how much we loved going to church and there were just too many days between Wednesday and Sunday. She came home and was singing hymns in the shower. 

Amazing Grace

I diverted slightly from my usual format because I wanted to devote an entire post on last night's sermon. Brother Terry extended our study on Jonah, specifically Jonah 2:1-10.

Jonah's Prayer

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God. 7 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. 9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." 10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. 

In the first part of the chapter, you see that Jonah is praying to God in the worst possible place, but he is doing the right thing. He is using scripture when praying, stating what he did wrong, and he is asking forgiveness. Jonah was literally in the belly of the beast and because he told the Lord that he knew that He was the only way that he was going to be saved, salvation came. And when God saves you, he doesn't do it halfway. When he saved Jonah, he didn't command the fish to just spit him out, but onto dry land.

The song Amazing Grace really sums it up for me, 

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

When Brother Terry asked us to take a moment and dig deep to think of what we all REAAAALLLLY wanted from God, the only thing I could think of right then was for God to give the additional motivation, strength, light, whatever they needed for the lost to find their way to Him. I can make it with what I have if it meant that my one prayer brought someone to the Lord. I want everyone to know how much my salvation means to me. I always thought that unless you were serious about your walk with God, then you were a hypocrite. I didn't want to be a hypocrite so I didn't bother going to church. I prayed occasionally, but usually when I was in a bind. I had been saved when I was 9, so all my teen years and adult life was a series of back-slides and sinking deeper. There isn't a sin that wasn't a friend of mine, it seemed. That is only a slight exaggeration, but sin is sin...regardless if I murdered a cat or coveted my neighbor's weed eater. My sins were my own, though and kept me from my Father. It was when really listened to the words of this song that I was brought to tears. I know He loved me so much he gave His only Son to die so I would not have to suffer for my sins. That fact is heart melting. But to know this love is unconditional, that I have only to ask for forgiveness and He forgives me no matter how wrongly I was living. I was in the belly of the beast, but because I prayed to my Lord to please deliver me from the evil I was drowning in, He saved a wretch like me. If He can love me, I promise He can love anyone!!!

Every day, I try to walk closer to the Lord. I will fail every day, but I will ask for forgiveness when I do. I will try the next day to do it better than the day before. I cannot be anything but a sinner, but each day I will try to make my Father proud and that is all anyone can do.

Good Parenting

Sunday school class was about Ruth and how she left her kids behind so they can take care of themselves and she can go home and glean what she can at home. Because she made such a sacrifice, the Lord provided for her by giving her Boaz to take care of her for the rest of her life. The morning sermon was about Peter preaching to the crowd at the temple after healing the cripple. He spoke of the Jesus of the Past, the Jesus of the Promise, and the Jesus of the Present. The evening sermon was about Jonah's 3D's-Distress, Decisions, and Deliverance.

Ruth was said to be one of those women that everyone loved to be around. That kind of person that has an inner glow, that has love to give. Her husband died, her daughter's husbands died. Instead of cursing God, she tells her girls that she was going to go home and try to take care of herself there and leave them where they were in hopes they would find a husband to care for them.

In those days, there wasn't a Wal-Mart for the girls to work as cashiers, and Ruth (presumed to be fairly old) couldn't be a door greeter. The men were the breadwinners and the women were the care givers. It wasn't until the social revolutions in recent history has this changed. Our generation was probably the first complete generation that was raised to believe that women are complete equals. I was raised this way. My father taught us four girls how to take care of ourselves to the point of how to change the oil in our cars, how to change a flat, how to do simple repairs on the home. Part of this was because he wanted to make sure we didn't have to rely on him to do it for us, but also so that we could stand on our own. Two of us daughters were also his tom-boys so we were also his little grease monkeys.

But as we discussed in class, I think that part of the digression of society is that we no longer have the male role as the dominant voice in the house. The female isn't the supporter and encourager, but is now quite often the bread-winner. It is very rare that both parents aren't working outside the home, but it isn't just the financial leadership that is lacking from the men, but the spiritual leadership as well. I know how much trouble I used to have with the idea of this with a man having any "control" over me and even suspecting he was going to tell me what to do. After years of an overly strict father and abusive ex-husband, the last thing I was going to tolerate was a man telling ME anything. The difference is simply that the man is leading a God loving and God fearing family with God's will and not his own.

Another point that brought me to a gut wrenching epiphany is that we do teach our children to be self-sufficient, specifically our daughters. We teach them they do not have to have a man to be happy. They do not have to have a man to change their oil! There is not a single thing a man can do that a woman can't do. Just because it can be done doesn't mean it should be. I can stand on my head but I probably shouldn't because I end up with a headache. I need to revamp how I teach my girl. She needs to know how to be supportive without being a doormat. She needs to know how to be an encourager without being saccharine. She needs to know how to be a good wife, mother, and daughter of the Lord. This is going to be added to my prayers.

Acts 3:11-18  

11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. 17 "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.

Brother Terry is pretty funny. He asked us what we thought a Baptist preacher would do if he saw a bunch of people together...preach a sermon of course! It helps if there's a miracle present. We are in the presence of miracles every day. Our sins being washed away by the blood of the Lamb is a miracle. If something happened that can't be explained, it was God. 

I have one of those instances recently. As some of you may know, my son and I were estranged this summer. His father poisoned him against me for years, but this past summer was the culmination of years of accusations and anger. I had to let my son go. I told him that I would pray for him and good luck in life; he was going to need it. This wasn't God's will, this was the words of a hurt and wounded mother. I was doing what I thought was best for everyone by letting him go, and at that time it probably was the right thing. All I know is that it has gnawed at me for months that he didn't talk or even try. So I started praying for God to show me his will. I had glimpses of what I thought I should do. Every time I thought of something to do, a voice in my head said, "your son won't learn anything if you cave in now. Let him come to you." So I kept praying for God to show me his will. I waited. Then the voice was silenced; the Devil had to shut up. I came home from shopping last Friday and my computer was logged in as my son's user name. He hasn't been at my house in three months. He doesn't have a way to get into the house. There is no explanation other than God stopped being subtle and spoke clearly. My opportunity came later that day when he posted that his phone was no longer operational and Facebook was his only means of communication. "If you need me, message me on here and I'll try to get back to you." My comment was I had been praying for him. He didn't answer, so I sent him a message. This opened up the line of communication that we haven't had for the last three months. We haven't talked yet since, but I am still praying. God's grace has blessed me and I will pray without ceasing that it will touch his heart as well.

Revival...Squirrel Not Required

When I used to hear the words "revival in our church" it evoked images of ladies in their dresses and fancy hats, men in their hats and suspenders, fanning themselves under a tent in the sweltering heat trying not to sweat even though it was hotter than the smelting furnaces at Nucor in August all the while a string of preachers read from Revelations, because we all know fear is a powerful motivator. Immediately after this image I start to sing, "the day the squirrel went berserk in The First Self-Righteous Church," by Ray Stevens (The Mississippi Squirrel Revival.) If you haven't ever heard the song, it's pretty funny. We would listen to Ray (and Charlie Daniels, The Judds, Conway Twitty, and whomever else Dad had on tape cassette) on the endless ride up here from Florida every summer, so I became familiar with the song.

Tonight, however, those images were not even a flicker on my mind's eye. When Brother Terry said that he can feel the beginnings of a revival in Finch Baptist Church, I felt an electric buzz, a hum almost in my ears. I know how corny it sounds to someone else reading this. I've sat in your seat. I was that doubter. I was that person who said, "You have lost your mind. I don't know who you're fooling or impressing." I cried my eyes out tonight in church and I am not ashamed or abashed to say it. I love the Lord and I love the positive changes He has made in my life. He has changed my husband into the spiritual leader the home needed. Our family is a cohesive unit that is connected in a way that never was before. We have a greater love for each other that wasn't there two months ago. I can't wait to be in church and two months ago it was a coin toss if I would go Sunday morning. I am volunteering to cook as often as they will let me (and I can with work) and six months ago I was a wretched, horrible, angry, sinner. I'm still a sinner who is undeserving of His grace, but I was as far from His will as one could be. Because I was not obeying His will, I had to hire an attorney to fight my ex-husband and the State of Arkansas to make them do what was right and honest. I was paying for my deeds. I deserved it because I turned my back on God. I don't deserve to have the redemption I have received, but you best believe I am grateful and will shout it from the rooftops that GOD IS THE REASON I AM ALIVE!!! If it were not for his grace and forgiveness, I would not be where I am today, and that is my own personal revival. I pray that it is the start of something bigger.

Post Script:
I am going through a personal issue that I might go into later, but I don't have it in me right now to share. But if you would, please pray for me to have the strength to persevere and to find God's will for me in this issue. Thank you and God Bless.

Healing the Lame and There's No Where To Run

The morning service was on Acts 3:1-10

1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Brother Terry reminded us (or for those of us who aren't versed) that Peter and John weren't best buddies prior to the Resurrection. However, there was a common ground they were now on, a common goal they were set, and this has brought them to these Beautiful gates. The description of these gates are said to be the best brass, brushed with gold, grand and broad gates aptly called Beautiful. The beggar was said to be crippled from birth so this man had never walked a day in his life. We've all seen these people who haven't had use of their legs to walk; they loose muscle and are very gangly. He was poor. There wasn't a welfare system like we have now. If you didn't work for yourself back then, you weren't going to be well cared for. His family (one assumes) would take him to the Beautiful gates to beg for his wages. I bet people were uncomfortable having to walk by this dirty, gangly, begging, persistent man every day, three times a day to go to temple. There were some that paid alms for pity, some because it's what's right, and there are others that would keep walking for it was distasteful to have to see something like that before going into the house of God. The beggar called to Peter and John expecting money and was told by Peter that he had no silver or gold. The gift the beggar was given was the miracle of God, healing his legs, and went into the temple to then be a witness to the congregation of the gift he was given. 

We are every day surrounded by the spiritually crippled. People that have never been shown the grace and beauty of His love. There are people that have been lost from the way, either forgotten the love or forsaken His love. If we are like those who walked past the beggar every day and simply toss some coins in a cup, are we really giving the gift we should be to these crippled souls? If we throw our nose up in the air in disgust at their types of sin with no regard to how to get them to the doors of the temple, have we shared the gift we were given as we should? We are Christians. We are to be witnesses by actions and words to those lost and crippled so they, too, can walk the aisles of the house of God and in turn witness to others. We need to figure out if it's being dignified or being terrified not to shout out in church. 

Our evening service was from the Old Testament and the book of Jonah Chapter 1.

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." 3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. 4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish." 7 Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" 9 He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land." 10 This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" 12 "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you." 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased." 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. 17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

As we have heard our whole lives, God has a plan for us. I think the part of faith that is hardest to deal with is discovering what his will is for us. However, there are those that are well aware of his will and run from it. Jonah was the best example of what happens to someone who runs from God's will. 

He was told to do three things, Get up, go to Nineveh, and preach. Two out of three ain't bad...it was the Nineveh people that was the issue. These were the meanest of the mean, vicious, deviant, and murderous people. They were feared by all, but God told Jonah to go there and tell them they would fall in 40 days. Because of fear and vengeance, he didn't want to go. He wanted the city to befall their fate but knew if he prophesied the falling, they would repent and thus be saved. Jonah felt that ignoring God would essentially kill two birds with one stone. He went down to the harbor and found a ship going to
Tarshish, a place he just so happened to want to go, and he just so happened to have the right amount of fare to make it there. It's amazing how it works out when you want to go against His will how everything can work out. It makes it look almost like that is what was supposed to happen. HOWEVER, this is not what God wanted him to do. He makes it onto the boat, and they make it out to sea. It says that God sent a great storm onto the sea...it popped into my head the scene from Forrest Gump where they're on the shrimp boat and he says that Lt. Dan said, "Where's your God now?" "And it was right then He showed up." The hurricane blew in and when the Lt. Dan had come to Jesus, the storm parted and left with the sea peaceful and the sky beautiful. These sailors were Pagans, so when the seas became rough, they prayed to their gods to no avail. It became more dire and they knew it, but Jonah was sound asleep. They drew him onto the deck and long story short, his guilt showed on his face. They knew it was his fault they were all about to die. He told him, I am a Christian and I worship the creator of the earth and sea. It was then he realized there was no where to run to escape God. And why do we want to? Jonah convinced them to throw him overboard (I'm sure this didn't take a whole lot of talking) where he was quickly swallowed by a big fish. We were always told this was a whale, but all the translations I saw today said fish. Again, flash to a movie...Finding Nemo, Dori and Marlin are swallowed by a whale and transported to the Sydney Bay where Marlin comes to the realization that he has to let go and have faith. 

To be honest, I ran from His will years ago. I was dropped into that turbulent water to save the others and swallowed by a whale. It took a whole lot longer than three days to come to Jesus, apparently Jonah was a lot faster learner than I am. The sailors of that ship to Tarshish didn't know that Jonah was a Christian much less a prophet by his actions. It took his words for them to know. We shouldn't be asleep in the helm of the ship while the lost are sailing our sinking ship. We, as Christians, should live our lives so there is no question of our faith. I know I will not always know His will for me, but I will pray for the strength to follow his plan for there's no where to run to, no where to hide.

 

Starve a Cold, Feed a Spirit

Summer colds are horrible!

With that said, I have been fighting with the worst cold/flu I have had in years. It hit me on Sunday morning about 2:00 am and I have managed to drag my carcass out of the house long enough to go to the doctor and appear at work on one day of three this week. As of this evening, I will have missed three sermons and Sunday school.

A month ago, I wouldn't have thought twice about it. Missed church? I will just go next Sunday. Now, I really wish I could be with my church family and feed my spirit. I never could understand how people were in church each time the doors were open. Now that I allowed myself to be open to it, I can see how immersion in the fellowship is not only fun but it's imperative to fuel the faith. We have to keep the fire of our faith burning bright, if not just for our own salvation, but to be a beacon for others to find Christ.

I look forward to Sunday so I can get a hearty service, and of course...go back for seconds!

Ventures in Spirit Living

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

 Brother Terry began the service with the analogy of the bread man. He has a truckful of wonderful products, but he wasn't the baker. While he delivers these tasty breads all over the town, it because of someone else this was possible. 

Activity versus Ministry

Activity regards what we do in the flesh while ministry is what we do for the Holy Spirit. It is our responsibility as Christians to deliver His word. 

7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

• Power-spiritual power to obey His will and serve the Lord

• Love- to do His will in the right spirit

• Self-dicipline- [sound mind-wise head] Spirit of power-spiritual power to obey his will and serve the Lord

 These three things should be part of our morning devotional. We need the power each day to follow His will. We need the love in our hearts to obey His will or else it is for nothing. We need the sound mind to know what his will is for us. 

If we were the powerful Christians we should be, WE would be the vocal majority instead of the silent majority. Brother Terry said that we should all be cannon Christians instead of pop-gun Christians. We don't pack a punch when we're out in the world. Too often we are worried about blending in with society that we don't show the strength in our faith. 

We have to be careful not to get a hard heart from being in the world. Those of us that work with the public, especially in public service, have to immerse ourselves in the Word to keep the love flowing. I have to be honest that this is my personal challenge to not be so jaded. I have a tendency to be sarcastic. I will work on this.


 

 

 

Witnessing 101: Where Is This Class?

Today was pretty remarkable. It started with my verse for this morning:

Psalm 25:7 NIV

Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.

 

That couldn't have been more appropriate. That was reassuring  for someone who hasn't walked the walk much in the past 40 years. It put a smile on my face that lasted the whole day.

It also set the tone for the morning. I have to tell you about yesterday to tell you about today. I spoke to one of my contractors about getting his inspection set up, he and I went around the block about all sorts of things, to get us to his sheepish request that I pray for his son. "I don't know if you do this or not, and if you don't that's okay...but will you say a prayer for my son. We found an inflamed lymph node in his armpit. We're hoping that it's just the immunizations he just got, but they put him on some antibiotics. So just say a prayer if you can." I told him that I was going to activate the prayer tree...I thought he was going to cry, which made me want to cry. I told him not to worry, his boy was in God's hands. I asked the good folks at work to start praying for him and of course they are. I said all that to say this, I had to call my new friend to tell him this morning about when his inspection is scheduled. I also asked how his son is doing, told him I was praying for him to have strength to get through this. I added that I don't ever ask for healing alone, but for God's will be done and the strength and courage to make it through. Even as I am saying this, I'm tearing up...he then asked me to pray for him to find God again. I wish I would have had a Witnessing: How To Book, or a script to read, or something!!! I just talked from my heart. I talked a bit about what I went through and how it was hard for me get here. He shared that he had loss, and I won't get into great detail, but it was enough to make even a strong person question their faith. He has, indeed, been through some heavy stuff. I told him that he needed to read my blog because it was easier to read it and not have to listen to someone drone on about it. I remember what it was like when someone was trying to tell me why I needed to be faithful. It was kinda like hearing the voice of Charlie Brown's teacher when people would talk about how I had to be in church, blah blah blah. I am not the type of person to be motivated by fear or guilt. I also invited him to church, gave him directions and everything. He didn't seem likely to be there soon, but I told him I was going to keep inviting him. It took me most of the morning to regain my composure. I was all verklempt , to say the least.

I think that I am going to call him next week and invite him to lunch. My husband, him, and I will just have a friendly get-together. 

The Day That the Lord Has Made

Each day we are given is a chance to show the world how God has blessed us and how he can bless them. Last night was another night of lost sleep battling with thoughts and still not knowing what I should do. My morning devotional was laden with pleas to help me to be the person God wants me to be.  Show me His will, guide me, and prayers to bless those that are needing his hand.

Everyone who has ridden with me or been on the phone with me during rush hour can testify about my aggrivation about non-drivers. I have no patience for inconsiderate motorists.  Invariably, I will have cars fail to yield with little room to react on every trip to and from work. Today, it almost tweaked me but I didn't get mad. When the next one jumped line, it was almost funny. By the time I made it to Sage Meadows, those two cars were expected to cut in front of us even if it meant running a stop sign. It was foreign to feel almost peaceful when I turned onto Peachtree. As I rounded the curve, this is the view I had. This is a day that the Lord has made, be glad in it. 

Lifetime Change-Romans 12:1-2

 As we were walking into church this morning, this is what I saw. I took this with my phone, no special camera, and no post-editing.

July 29, 2012 Brother Blake gave the sermon in Brother Terry's absence. It was extremely poignant and pertinent.

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

  

Brother Blake broke it down into three points:

1. Sacrifice ourselves
2. Transform our life
3. Submit our will 

1. Sacrifice ourselves, surrender all, be a living sacrifice, a holy sacrifice, and a pleasing sacrifice. He didn't halfway die for us, so we can't halfway life for Him. 

2. Transform our life. The light of a new Christian is brightest at rebirth. I liken it to a sparkler on the 4th of July. When you first light a sparkler, that is so bright you almost need welders goggles. But as it burns, it runs out of fuel and the light gets dim. If you don't give it more fuel to burn, it will eventually die. Our faith needs fuel, and that fuel is the word of God, and it is the fellowship of our church sharing in our light that keeps it burning. If what we were doing before we found God was so great, we wouldn't need him. We have to become what is pleasing to him to be able to fully gain the benefit of the gospel. Be set apart from the world in speech, in actions, in life. Be a living word and message of God. We will fail, but it is how we pick ourselves up when we stumble that defines us. Renew your mind. What you put in your head is what feeds your spirit. Don't feed it with vulgar music and movies, tv shows and books. 


3. Submit our will. We cannot do the will of God if we are under our own will. He has a plan for us, but we can't see it and have to have faith in him to guide us. We must obey his word and submit. A pilot can't fly a plane that's on autopilot. One of the two has to relinquish their will over the plane. Let God steer us. He referenced Jeremiah 29:11-13 with emphasis on verse 13.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

I think of all these, the transformation would be hardest. I once thought submitting my will would be, but I have decided I have done a spectacularly awesome job of messing things up so it's best I let God lead the way from here on out. Transformation isn't going to be easy, though. It took years to get to where I am. I am regimented; I am structured. But, I have to ask each day to be that person that others see Christ through me. I don't want people to question if I am His child. I want it to be obvious that I was born again by the blood of Christ. All this in His name. Amen.

My Path, His Will

You are about to read a blog by a person who has not been in church her whole life. This is a prelude to how I have found Light in my church family, and in my life family. I went as a kid. We were exposed to it as children, but to say we were immersed in the life and lifestyle would be a misnomer. My paternal grandparents were in church every time the doors were open, but I never saw the Light through them. They were mean, bitter people and I never felt that I was loved by them. They didn't encourage us to be better people. I learned a lot of how not to be by watching them, but I also learned why they were they way they were. They had a hard life. They suffered bitter disappointments. About 20 years ago, Dad started going to church every time the doors were open. If there was a church service, my father was there. I went to appease him, but I still felt alienated and not welcomed by the Church. It might have been more of where I was in my life at the time than their attitude, but there was severe issues within the congregation. There were fierce battles of control and power with some of the members. Once again, the Light was not shining through them. It hardened me against Religion, and I struggled with my Faith.

For awhile, I justified not attending church as I don't have to be with those of like faith since there aren't many who believe as I do. I was against organized religion, but still retained my belief that God sent his Son as a sacrifice for my sins so I would not spend an eternity in Hell, but have everlasting Life with Him. That's all well and good, except that in order to feed your spirit, you have to eat and drink from the body of Christ, translation you have to meet with those who can lift you up and you have to have the word of God spoken and discussed as part of that fellowship. I stumbled through life for the past 18 years. I have endured abuse, custody battles, divorce, terror, being homeless, my daughter nearly dying multiple times, my husband nearly choked to death while on duty, an employer fired me and then threatened to kill me and a fellow co-worker, family battles that would make Jerry Springer blush, court battles, and estrangement from my son. My job was so stressful I was having health problems from it.  It wasn't until I began attending church again this year that my life began to turn around. I know now that all those things were a test of my FAITH and not a punishment for my sins. Bad things are going to happen. Let's face it. If being a Christian meant that life was going to be gravy what would be the point of Heaven? We pay our penance on earth to have our glory in Heaven.

My daughter is probably the biggest reason for my renewed faith. For me Faith is not Christianity. Faith is that even though I can't see Him, I know I can surrender my will and give all to Him. My daughter has bloomed from learning of His word. She was saved a few weeks ago and was Baptized last weekend. It is so wonderful to see her singing in the choir. People come to us and speak of how special she is and how they love to see her in the loft. "She just smiles and sings with all her heart." "She's such a sweet girl." They see the Light through her. My girl is one of those children that seeks those that are look sad or lonely, that no one else will play with. That takes strength of character that a lot of adults don't have. We all want to be accepted and we want to run with the pack. To break out of the pack and nurture the wallflowers, the shy ones...that is Light. She's at Bible camp this weekend and my anxiety level is peaked. But I know that she will be able to learn more from them than I can teach her since I wasn't raised in the church. I have to be a good person and do what is right in His eyes as an example for her. I have to show my daughter that we will be faithful and obedient and with that comes mercy and glory.

I still have a problem with Religion. Religion is a set of rules and doctrine that is rigid and structured. It is a business. It isn't for spiritual growth, it is an epidemic. Religion is the reason for most wars and a lot of political rhetoric. I would rather people ask me what my Faith is versus what is my Religion. I am a Christian because I believe in Christ. Our church is Southern Baptist and subscribes to their doctrine. While I still cannot attach myself completely to the idealism of the business of religion, we have made a full-fledged proclamation to immerse ourselves in our faith. God led us to our church, and He has brought us back to this church. And since we have, I can testify that my job is less stressful and I am having less trouble sleeping. My husband has garnered the attention of his supervisors in a positive way. He has started attending the Men's meetings, and has encouraged us to be better Christians. He has taken his role as a Christian father and husband. We are both happier and our marriage is even stronger (if that was possible!) Our regular preacher was on a much deserved vacation this week, but our youth minister stood in for him. He did a wonderful job. One of the many things that stuck with me was that even though we can't earn our way into Heaven, we need to show the world that God loves each of us by doing good deeds. Call someone and say, "I don't know what you've got going on in your life right now, but I just wanted to say I love you, and so does God." Smile at a total stranger and say, Hi. Post onto someone's Facebook and tell them you're praying for them. Don't wait until there's a prayer request to pray for people. If you know they're struggling or grappling with a dilemma, pray for them.


 Brother Blake said today that we need to start off each day with a simple two part prayer:

1. Please make me the person you need me to be, Lord
2. Give my your spiritual armor to protect me, Lord.

We need to end each day with a simple prayer:

1. Thank you, Lord, for all you have given to me.

If you stayed with my rambling this long, I appreciate it. This was mostly a cathartic writing to put into words what has been bouncing around in my head. My heart is aching over other things, but I think that starting my secret public journal will possibly help. If it helped you in any way, give praise to God.