Navigating through Prayer…

 

 

The Roads we travel are not always clearly marked…make sure that you are Asking for Direction

Your Destination depends upon it…

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Jeremiah 6:16…

This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior, and you need Direction…you can go here to say a Sinner’s Prayer and begin a life with Jesus as your personal GPS.  If you would like to speak to someone from our church you can go here.

One of my favorite trees is the Japanese Maple.  We have 4 of them in our yard.  When they are trimmed up properly, they are beautiful with their long and far reaching branches… IMG_0265….but when I don’t get around to trimming them….their branches become heavy….and they droop….and they don’t look right….japanese.maple_.crimson.queen_….and if the trimming is neglected long enough….the weight of the limbs becomes a burden to the tree….and wounds form….and scars form…IMG_0263The process of trimming takes effort and time….if you want to grow big and strong.   The process requires you to step back and look….look for the places that are heavy laden.  And the process actually begins underneath the tree….in the places that aren’t visible at first glance….you have to trim from the inside out.  The burdensome, heavier limbs have to be unloaded….so that instead of drooping, the branches can rise towards the sunshine.   Because without the proper Light you can’t grow to be strong….and without the proper trimming you can’t reach the destiny God has for you….

Psalms 38:4….For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Psalms 55:22….Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalms 1:1-3….Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

Hosea 14:4-9….“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him.  I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon.  Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine.  Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.   “Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’  I have heard and observed him.  I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in Me.”  Who is wise?  Let him understand these things.  Who is prudent?  Let him know them.  For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them.

Matthew 11:28…Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

If you are heavy laden…if you have wounds and scars that need tending to…God is waiting for you…

John 15: 1-3…“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…”

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can go here to say a Sinner’s Prayer.  If you would like to speak with someone from our church you can go here.

 

Happy Resurrection Day!!

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I remember when I got saved…I said the Sinner’s Prayer…I cried as I asked God for forgiveness…and then that was it…until…

…my husband came home and asked me how my day was…I told him I had said a Sinner’s Prayer…I told him I had gotten saved…and it was at that moment that a smile formed on my face and I was filled with the Purest Joy that I have ever felt!

I was reading some Scripture with my children this week…reading to them the accounts leading up to Jesus’ Betrayal…Crucifixion…and His Resurrection…

It was while I was telling them about Jesus rising from the dead…not like a Zombie…but coming back to Life again in real human form…His heart beat again…His blood flowed again…He breathed breath again…He was Alive…

He is Alive!!!

It was at that moment that a smile spread across my face and I felt that Pure Joy again.

You want to feel that Pure Joy?  Testify…go tell someone that Jesus is Alive…go tell someone what Jesus has done…and bask in the Glory of that God-given Joy!!

Matthew 28:5…The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

Mark 16:4-6…But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Luke 24:1-7…On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”

Praise Be To God!!!

If you have never experienced this Joy as a gift from God…if you have never said a Sinner’s Prayer…you can go here to say one.  You can go here to contact someone from our church if you have any questions.

Every cloud has a silver lining…

silverliningHave you ever heard the phrase “Every cloud has a silver lining“? Just in case you haven’t heard it…it is a metaphor depicting something good…the silver lining…during times of hardship or trial…the cloud.

I went looking for that silver lining this past weekend. I wracked my brain this weekend trying to find the good in a situation. Wanna know what I found? I found God…

It turns out that God is the silver lining in every cloud. Let me rephrase that metaphor…God is the good during every time of hardship or trial.

Can you see God in your hardships or trials? Are you looking for Him?

It is easy to sit back during a hard time and declare that God is nowhere in your situation.

I have been there…I have done that…

Those thoughts of being alone…those thoughts of God abandoning you…those thoughts of hopelessness and despair…

They all come from the enemy of God in an attempt to keep you from the Truth…

Psalms 139:7-10…
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

Proverbs 15:3…
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

2Chronicles 16:9…
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

Psalms 34:15-18…
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry…The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Psalms145:18-20…
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love Him…

Isaiah 432-3…
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God…

Zephaniah 3:17…
The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

Joshua 1:9…
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Genesis 28:15…
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8…
And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

I want to challenge you to look for God in your hardships and trials…it may be difficult…but God has been there for me in each and every difficult situation and He will be there for you too…

Deuteronomy 10:17
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

If you do not have a personal relationship with God and you would like to know the God that is with you through every situation in life, you can go HERE to say a sinner’s prayer.  If you would like to speak with someone from our church you can go HERE.

Lincoln Memorial

In 1838, Abraham Lincoln delivered an address before the Young Men’s Lyceum in Springfield, Illinois…”The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions”.  In his speech he argued that Liberty in America could not exist without a reverence for laws…

Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others. As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor;–let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character of his own, and his children’s liberty…

I am here to tell you today that Freedom from the bondage of sin…big or small…cannot exist without a reverence for Laws of the Word of God…

Hebrews 4:12-13…For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Have you been saved by the Mighty Grace of Jesus Christ?  There is no sin that cannot be conquered by the blood of Jesus…no heart that cannot be set free by the Spirit of the Lord…

2Corinthians 3:17-18…
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

If you have never said a Sinner’s Prayer and would like to take the first step toward Freedom from your sin you can go HERE and say the Sinner’s Prayer.  If you would like to speak with someone from our church you can go HERE to contact someone.

Decorated-Christmas-tree-and-gifts-4There are soooo many things to love about Christmas…the baking…the decorating…the music…the gift giving

Truly…the gift giving is a very special part of Christmas. I have found there to be a treasure trove of Joy in it, and I have tried hard to instill in my children that Joy of gift giving. There really is nothing as exciting as making or purchasing a gift for someone and watching them enjoy it…I am trying to find words and all I can think of is just GIDDY!!! I love it!!!

I really do believe that that is how God and the Angels felt when Jesus was born…GIDDY with Excitement!! My mortal mind is picturing God throwing a huge Christmas goodbye party for Jesus as He prepares to leave Heaven…a big smile fills the Face of God…the Angels can’t stop singing songs of Praise and Joy…they are all GIDDY in anticipation of giving the Greatest Gift Ever to mankind. In fact…God was so TRULY GIDDY about giving the Gift of His son Jesus that He dropped a few hints throughout the Old Testament…

Isaiah 7:14…
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Jeremiah 23:5…
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Zechariah 9:9…
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.

Isaiah 11:1…
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

Micah 5:2…
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”

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.

Look at the names God gave Jesus in Isaiah 9:6…I can imagine Him thinking “Oh this is gonna be good!!” when He was dropping that little hint to Isaiah.

The Bible actually does record the GIDDINESS of the Angels after Mary gave birth to Jesus….

Luke 2:8-14…
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Truly…the hardest thing, that I have found, about gift giving is when the gift that you give isn’t enjoyed the way you had hoped that the gift would be enjoyed. Have you ever experienced that…it is a big letdown. :(

Can you imagine how disappointed God gets when our business…discouragements…fears…anxieties…disappointments…keep us from enjoying the Counsel…the Power…the Peace that is the Gift of Jesus?

I want to encourage you to take time to enjoy what God has given us in His Son Jesus…it will be your gift to the Giver this Christmas Season 😉

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Saviour, go here to say a Sinner’s Prayer…or here to speak with someone from our church…it will be the best Christmas Gift you ever receive!!

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Are there places in your heart that look dead?  Are there places in your life that look Hopeless?

We are entering into the Christmas Season…the season where Jesus is born so that Hope can spring anew in the hearts of those who are weary.

This Christmas Season Hope can grow in the dead areas of your heart…this Christmas Season Hope can grow in impossible places…

Isaiah 11:1…A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

Jesus is our Hope…He brings new life to all weary hearts.  I want to challenge you seek out Jesus, the Savior for all mankind, this Christmas season…draw near to Him…and watch Hope grow…

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can go here to say a Sinner’s Prayer…or you can go here to speak with someone from our church…

Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving week…and while shopping this past weekend, I heard people referring to Thanksgiving as “turkey day”…have you heard people calling it that where you live? As much as I love the turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and stuffing that dresses our table on this holiday…it isn’t the turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and stuffing that make this day a holiday. It is Thankfulness that marks this holiday…the remembering to be Thankful…and the remembering what we are Thankful for.

Sometimes my life feels completely overwhelmed…not only by the activities and challenges of a home with 7 children…but also by the stories that I read about in the news…or hear about through the grapevine. Sometimes my heart is so emotionally impressed by these circumstances and stories that feeling Thankful seems almost silly. But look at what God says…

Ephesians 5:20…
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…

So…when you feel overwhelmed…remember that He knows

All the bitter weary ways
Endless striving day by day
You barely have the strength to pray
In the valley low

How hard your fight has been
How deep the pain within
Wounds that no one else has seen
Hurts too much to show

All the doubt you’re standing in between
And all the weight that brings you to your knees

He knows, he knows
Every hurt and every sting
He has walked the suffering
He knows, he knows
Let your burdens come undone
Lift your eyes up to the one
Who knows
He knows

We may faint and we may sink
Feel the pain and near the brink
But the dark begins to shrink
When you find the one who knows

The chains of doubt that held you in between
One by one are starting to break free

Every time that you feel forsaken
Every time that you feel alone
He is near to the broken-hearted
Every tear
He knows…

And…remember to be Thankful for the One who knows….

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior and would like to…you can go here to say a Sinner’s Prayer…or here to speak to someone from our church.

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“It’s your fault…no, it’s your fault…it’s his fault…no it’s his/her fault…”

These are words that are spoken everyday in our home…and I am sure they are spoken everyday in your homes as well. These words may not always be spoken out loud…sometimes they are whispered…sometimes they are only thoughts. The words spoken may not sound exactly as written above…but the motivation behind the words spoken is the same…to direct attention to the faults…or flaws…of another.

I don’t know about you…but it is fairly easy for me to notice areas in another person’s character that need to be worked on. And…not too surprisingly…my children have all inherited this talent from me :) In fact…I had one day this past week when all 3 of my older boys became keenly aware of each others’ faults at the same time…and considering that 1 of those 3 lives all the way in Colorado I would say that we have some real talent going here :)

To make 3 long conversations short…I will simply tell you what God laid upon my heart as I prayed my way through these conversations…

2Corinthians 3:16-18…
Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Our hearts and characters should be constantly surrendered to God so that this scripture becomes Truth in our lives…and our Fasting and Praying should be tools that ushers in this transforming by the Spirit of the Lord. And…as we begin to see our own flesh…in all its sinfulness…I pray God helps us to have a little more empathy and compassion for the people we are faulting.

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior and Friend, you can go HERE to say a Sinner’s Prayer and begin your Transformation in Jesus.  If you have any questions about our church you can go HERE to contact someone from our church.

Proverbs 23:7…For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

 

Words matter….they do!! I tell this to my kids all the time…“use kind words”…”ask nicely”…”say that respectfully”

The words you speak to others can tear them down…or build them up

The words you speak to others can hurt them…or help them

Did you ever stop to think that the words you speak to yourself matter too?

The words we speak to ourselves change us on the inside. The words we speak to ourselves change our attitudes…the words we speak to ourselves change our hearts

Proverbs 23:7…For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

What words are you speaking to yourself?  Are they LOVED…SAVED…SET FREE…SANCTIFIED…REDEEMED…SHELTERED…PROTECTED…COMPLETE…CALLED…JUSTIFIED…VICTORIOUS…CHILD OF GOD?

If you are Born Again then you need to claim and speak every one of these words to yourself…build yourself up in Jesus name!

If you have never been Born Again and would like to enter into a relationship with the Living God then you can go HERE to say a Sinner’s Prayer…and then you can claim and speak every one of those words to yourself!

If you would like to contact someone from our church you can go HERE