When I woke up on the morning of Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 11:36 AM EST, God had this to say:
So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the LORD drives. "And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression," declares the LORD. "And as for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD: "My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring," says the LORD, "from this time forth and forevermore." Isaiah 59:19-21
Here’s how The Message Bible states it:
In the west they'll fear the name of God, in the east they'll fear the glory of God, for he'll arrive like a river in flood stage, whipped to a torrent by the wind of God. I'll arrive in Zion as Redeemer, to those in Jacob who leave their sins." God's Decree. "As for me," God says, "this is my covenant with them: My Spirit that I've placed upon you and the words that I've given you to speak, they're not going to leave your mouths nor the mouths of your children nor the mouths of your grandchildren. You will keep repeating these words and won't ever stop." God's orders.
I do not know who needs this message today nor I am sure what you have to face today but I want you to be encouraged & know that God will not allow the enemy to prevail. The sovereign God of Jacob will come to our rescue and He will surely wipe every tear from our eye soon. Hang in there and don’t give up or start making your own plans. Continue to pray, stay in the word, sing praises to God and believe. He will…, He is…, He has…, and He does!
Be encouraged.
Friday, May 28, 2010
I don't wanna go through the motions.
I don't wanna go one more day,
without Your all consuming passion inside of me.
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"
Songwriters: Jason Houser; Sam Mizell; Matthew West
(This is a prayer request sent home church on Thursday, 1-14-10, 10:54AM EST)
As I reluctantly type this prayer request, the words to Matthew West's song are ringing in my ears. So once again our heavenly Father is urging me to send out another prayer request for Haiti. As I watch the news & listen to the radio, I see destruction, devastation, & heartache. If you are one of the many K-Love radio listeners, no doubt you have heard from many of your favorite Christian artists that have been there or are going there to help. A few of them already had established ministries to Haiti set up long before this disaster. People are still trapped, buried, missing or presumed dead. Lots of Haitians are digging through the rubble with no tools, just bare hands trying to find their loved ones & save others. Many of the buildings are unstable & they are afraid to go inside to look for their friends & family members. With my father already gone home & having just lost my mother I don't think I could camp out in the street of my neighborhood wondering if my kids & husband were okay. I'd be a basket case digging through that rubble with my own bare hands or running through a leaning house trying to save them especially if I could hear them calling for help. No amount of concrete could keep me from putting my own life in danger to save theirs.
Please pray about how God would have you help if you haven't already done so. Not sure what to pray? Try putting yourself in their shoes. What would you ask God for? What would you need? There are many established ministries & charities that are there or en route and they will need your prayers as well. If you personally know of a ministry in Haiti that could use your prayers or help, pray about helping them. Pray for the safety of our troops headed there and other workers headed there to help dig through the rubble. Many of those buildings look okay from the outside or look as If they weren't harmed but foundational cracks can't be seen from above the ground. Pray for the right people to be sent to assess the buildings that weren't damaged.
Is God leading you to go down there for a season? Is He leading you to adopt an orphan? Is He leading you to send food, clothing, water, tools, to give a monetary donation or something else? I have a sense from the Holy Spirit that God needs us to do more than just pray especially since they are reporting that many of these people have been open & receptive to hear the Word of God. This is going to be a big challenge when half of their population practices voodoo. So please also keep the Haitians that are brand new Christians in your prayers.
You can go to www.klove.com or www.samaritanspurse.com to find a way to help. You can also go to www.weatherchannel.com then click on "Relief: How You Can Help" to find both Christian & secular organizations such as the Red Cross, World Vision & Operation Blessing, if you'd like to help that way. Be lead of the Holy Spirit as you find an established ministry or charity in Haiti to give a donation to and always, always keep them in your prayers. Let's not just go through the motions with this one.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
I did not want to originally type this, but "Obedience is better than sacrifice." (I Sam. 15:22)
I don't wanna go one more day,
without Your all consuming passion inside of me.
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"
Songwriters: Jason Houser; Sam Mizell; Matthew West
(This is a prayer request sent home church on Thursday, 1-14-10, 10:54AM EST)
As I reluctantly type this prayer request, the words to Matthew West's song are ringing in my ears. So once again our heavenly Father is urging me to send out another prayer request for Haiti. As I watch the news & listen to the radio, I see destruction, devastation, & heartache. If you are one of the many K-Love radio listeners, no doubt you have heard from many of your favorite Christian artists that have been there or are going there to help. A few of them already had established ministries to Haiti set up long before this disaster. People are still trapped, buried, missing or presumed dead. Lots of Haitians are digging through the rubble with no tools, just bare hands trying to find their loved ones & save others. Many of the buildings are unstable & they are afraid to go inside to look for their friends & family members. With my father already gone home & having just lost my mother I don't think I could camp out in the street of my neighborhood wondering if my kids & husband were okay. I'd be a basket case digging through that rubble with my own bare hands or running through a leaning house trying to save them especially if I could hear them calling for help. No amount of concrete could keep me from putting my own life in danger to save theirs.
Please pray about how God would have you help if you haven't already done so. Not sure what to pray? Try putting yourself in their shoes. What would you ask God for? What would you need? There are many established ministries & charities that are there or en route and they will need your prayers as well. If you personally know of a ministry in Haiti that could use your prayers or help, pray about helping them. Pray for the safety of our troops headed there and other workers headed there to help dig through the rubble. Many of those buildings look okay from the outside or look as If they weren't harmed but foundational cracks can't be seen from above the ground. Pray for the right people to be sent to assess the buildings that weren't damaged.
Is God leading you to go down there for a season? Is He leading you to adopt an orphan? Is He leading you to send food, clothing, water, tools, to give a monetary donation or something else? I have a sense from the Holy Spirit that God needs us to do more than just pray especially since they are reporting that many of these people have been open & receptive to hear the Word of God. This is going to be a big challenge when half of their population practices voodoo. So please also keep the Haitians that are brand new Christians in your prayers.
You can go to www.klove.com or www.samaritanspurse.com to find a way to help. You can also go to www.weatherchannel.com then click on "Relief: How You Can Help" to find both Christian & secular organizations such as the Red Cross, World Vision & Operation Blessing, if you'd like to help that way. Be lead of the Holy Spirit as you find an established ministry or charity in Haiti to give a donation to and always, always keep them in your prayers. Let's not just go through the motions with this one.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
I did not want to originally type this, but "Obedience is better than sacrifice." (I Sam. 15:22)
Looking for the Living One in a Cemetary
1-3At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the Master Jesus.
4-8They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" Then they remembered Jesus' words. (Luke 24:1-8, The Message Bible)
In today’s world I am reminded Daily that I am “just a woman”. People often mis-quote the scripture about me being the weaker vessel which doesn’t really bother me. It’s funny how those not lead of Christ can think that me being “just a woman” would hinder whatever it is He has called me to do. It won’t. I may be “just a woman” but Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.
Those women had no clue how they were going to roll that stone away nor did they care. Their one mission was to go and anoint his body with spices. No stone could stop them because they went anyway. When you allow Christ to truly use you, no stone can stop you. I pray that nothing hinders you from following through with what He and only He has called each of you to do.
In Christ Alone
No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me; From life's first cry to final breath. Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.
4-8They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" Then they remembered Jesus' words. (Luke 24:1-8, The Message Bible)
In today’s world I am reminded Daily that I am “just a woman”. People often mis-quote the scripture about me being the weaker vessel which doesn’t really bother me. It’s funny how those not lead of Christ can think that me being “just a woman” would hinder whatever it is He has called me to do. It won’t. I may be “just a woman” but Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.
Those women had no clue how they were going to roll that stone away nor did they care. Their one mission was to go and anoint his body with spices. No stone could stop them because they went anyway. When you allow Christ to truly use you, no stone can stop you. I pray that nothing hinders you from following through with what He and only He has called each of you to do.
In Christ Alone
No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me; From life's first cry to final breath. Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.
God's Faithfulness
On the morning of March 19, 2010, I dropped the twins off to preschool & I noticed a small clump of snow attempting to hang on in these last days of winter. With a half smile on my face my mind drifted back to just 8 weeks ago when we had 10 foot high snow drifts, school closings, impassible roads, all the ear markings of a difficult winter. I remember the Holy Spirit so vividly repeat to me daily, "Don't allow what you see to get you down. Spring is coming & the snow will be forced to melt in the warm sun." Each day I watched more snow fall but I hung onto those words. Finally, a few weeks later I saw a robin & immediately began to worship God.
He is so faithful! He reminds us each day as we carry our crosses in the midst of our wintery trials, that spring is coming! When we see a robin let us rejoice for the end of our wintery trials. As His light shines brighter upon us when we draw nearer to Him, it begins to melt our sorrows away. One day we will see a glimpse of something that will remind us of the trial we used to face & how He brought us through. We will look back & think about how faithful He was during our trial. That problem will seem so insignificant like that small clump of snow. We'll think "Why was I so worried & why didn't I just trust you?"
When I went back to pick the twins up from school, that clump of snow was half its original size. Now in the fullness of the suns rays it didn't stand a chance. I thanked God that with my attention solely on Him, my problems didn't stand a chance. They would melt in the fullness of His light & I can resist the devil & he will flee.
With the promise of more snow on the way we have no choice but to be glad. The robins are here, spring is here, the warmth has come! When the enemy plans to attack we have no choice but to rejoice! God's truth is with us, Jesus has shed His blood, the light has come & God is still faithful forever and ever!
He is so faithful! He reminds us each day as we carry our crosses in the midst of our wintery trials, that spring is coming! When we see a robin let us rejoice for the end of our wintery trials. As His light shines brighter upon us when we draw nearer to Him, it begins to melt our sorrows away. One day we will see a glimpse of something that will remind us of the trial we used to face & how He brought us through. We will look back & think about how faithful He was during our trial. That problem will seem so insignificant like that small clump of snow. We'll think "Why was I so worried & why didn't I just trust you?"
When I went back to pick the twins up from school, that clump of snow was half its original size. Now in the fullness of the suns rays it didn't stand a chance. I thanked God that with my attention solely on Him, my problems didn't stand a chance. They would melt in the fullness of His light & I can resist the devil & he will flee.
With the promise of more snow on the way we have no choice but to be glad. The robins are here, spring is here, the warmth has come! When the enemy plans to attack we have no choice but to rejoice! God's truth is with us, Jesus has shed His blood, the light has come & God is still faithful forever and ever!
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