Raye Dawn Smith Forgives

~Friends~

2011-05-03T23:02:00.004-05:00

Proverbs 18:19
19 Do a favor and win a friend forever;
nothing can untie that bond.

People come into our lives....for a season (I've read somewhere), but the impact that they make on on our heart lasts a lifetime. I've blogged about finding purpose or having a mission in the life we live daily. Sometimes that mission is only to touch that one person today. Not a long lived mission, but a short term that is only for the moment. If it pursues itself as long term, then blessings to the soul! I wanted to share some of the people I've met...believe me, it isn't all of them! It's just a few that have made a difference and have found the strength to be called to their "mission". Thank you....all of you that I've met and have had the privilege to call you friend for my family.

...Place in our hearts....

2011-04-30T22:47:00.003-05:00

We always strive to do God's will in our lives.....let's let Him place it in our hearts instead.

Life With God!

2011-04-30T00:00:00.001-05:00

Celebrate The Day!

2011-04-28T20:34:00.003-05:00

Easter is over, but our Lord still lives in the hearts of His "Easter People".

"We are called to be an Easter people, a resurrection people…people who proclaim life in a world of death and distraction. May we live together (united, even though we are part of different local communities) as the people of God in the everyday work to which God has called us…"
~Todd Hiestand, (Field Notes on Missional Leadership and Community Formation)

To Celebrate each and everyday, a new day;

a new moment;
a new phase of enhancing the world around us;
a new day to make a difference.
Go....Celebrate.

Isaiah 25:9
^9-10Also at that time, people will say,
"Look at what's happened! This is our God!
We waited for him and he showed up and saved us!
This God, the one we waited for!
Let's celebrate, sing the joys of his salvation.
God's hand rests on this mountain!"

2011-04-23T19:32:00.003-05:00

HE HAS RISEN!!

CELEBRATE!!
HE GAVE US HOPE!!

Matthew 28:1-10

¹ After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ 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.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

It Was For You...

2011-04-22T21:07:00.004-05:00

John 19:28

...Jesus said, “It is finished.”
With that, he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit.

~Maunday Thursday~

2011-04-21T22:11:00.005-05:00

We remember tonight at the Maunday Thursday service at church the Last Supper that Christ shared with his followers. What a wonderful way to share the symbols of what He did for us. Every time my church partakes in the communion service, it touches my soul and reminds me of the life that was given just for me.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26
²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts of Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

John 13:1-17

¹ It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

The part of this scripture that really shook me tonight during the foot washing service at church was that Christ knew who betrayed Him, but still washed the feet of Judas. Can we do the same to those that betray us? Can we shed our outward clothing and use them as a towel to dry the feet of those that do us wrong? Are we willing to set aside the hurt and anger to be humble to be a servant to them?

Emptying himself, that our joy might be full, he fed the hungry, healed the sick, ate with the scorned and forgotten, washed his disciples' feet, and gave a holy meal as a pledge of his abiding presence. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the spirit.

"Stand On What You Believe"

2011-04-20T20:14:00.003-05:00

STAND ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE

DON'T WAIVER

^{Psalm 18:2}
² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

No matter how big or small you think your Rock is; it is non moving and will be firm beneath your feet. Don't leave the Rock . It's a safe place to be.

Hear the Whispers

2011-04-19T19:34:00.003-05:00

In our daily lives of living in such a rush, we sometimes forget to stop and breath; stop and listen; stop and heal from the day. Our soul needs to be refreshed and heal from the noise of this world. Turn to the whispers of God and breath....deep......heal.

Proverbs 18:8
⁸The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

Job 26:14
¹⁴ Those are only on the edges of what he does.
They are only the soft whispers that we hear from him.
So who can understand how very powerful he is?"

Be You, Don't Compromise!

2011-04-18T20:23:00.003-05:00

~Keep Your Integrity In Tact~

~Stay Firm On What You Believe~
~Keep True To Your Faith~

Proverbs 2:20-22
^20-22 So—join the company of good men and women,
keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths.
It's the men who walk straight who will settle this land,
the women with integrity who will last here.
The corrupt will lose their lives;
the dishonest will be gone for good.

Celebrate! He has come!

2011-04-17T19:23:00.005-05:00

We celebrated Palm Sunday today waving Palms and singing "Tell me the stories of Jesus".
The children marched in waving and singing!
It was quite a celebration to start Sunday services with.
Shouldn't all of us celebrate every morning by waving praises to our Savior?
Have the celebration in your heart, Christ has come!

John 12:13
^12-15The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered:

Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in God's name!

~Forever Safe~

2011-04-16T09:48:00.004-05:00

1 John 2:1 & 2
"And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

What is it to become a Christian.?It is to employ Christ as your Advocate, by committing your cause entirely to Him. You can not be saved by your works, you can not be saved by your sufferings, by your prayers in any way except by the intervention of this Advocate. "He ever lives to make intercession for you."

He proposes to undertake your cause; and to be a Christian is to at once surrender your whole cause, your whole life and being to Him as your Advocate.

He is an Advocate that loses no causes. Every cause committed to Him, and continued in His hands, is infallibly gained. His advocacy is all-prevalent. God has appointed Him as an Advocate; and wherever He appears in behalf of any sinner who has committed his cause to Him one word of His is sure to prevail. Hence you see,

The safety of believers. Christ is always at His post, ever ready to attend to all the concerns of those who have made Him their Advocate. He is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him; and abiding in Him you are forever safe.
~(Charles Finney, SermonIndex.net)

Be Strong and Fight for What's Right!

2011-04-14T22:52:00.003-05:00

Be strong and step out with the whole armor of God on.
You can stand up for what is right in this world and fight for it.
Strength, Courage and Hope
will lead your steps to Victory.

Ephesians 6:10-18
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and

always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

"Be Still And Know"

2011-04-13T21:05:00.002-05:00

"Close your eyes...reflect on Him....Be Still....And Listen...."

Psalm 46:10
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

There are times to speak up and take action--but sometimes it's important to just humbly sit back and silently reflect on God's presence. This psalm encourages us to take time to meditate quietly in the assurance that God is in control.

So as your world crumbles around you, the call from Scripture is: don’t flinch in faith in God. Stand still — not because of a self-made confidence, not because you are the most composed person in the face of disaster, not because “you’ve seen it all.” Be still because of what you know about God.

2011-04-12T23:34:00.002-05:00

Sing Of Joy!

Psalms 30:1-20

¹ I will exalt you, LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
² LORD my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
³ You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.

⁴ Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
⁷ LORD, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain^[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
⁹ “What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
¹⁰ Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
LORD, be my help.”

¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
¹² that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

"I Believe & Will Never Give Up"

2011-04-11T20:23:00.003-05:00

^{Mark 9:23 (The Message)
23}Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen."

^{Mark 10:27 (The Message)}

²⁷Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."

All is possible to those who believe within God, because no power can stand against God. But God alone is all-powerful. Belief will not exempt us from suffering. It will not make us popular, nor will it make our earthly life easy. At times, believers of today will be, as many were in the past, called to witness Christ by sufferings.
But belief in God gives us power.
Belief in God gives us life in God Himself.

Standing in God's Rain!

2011-04-08T20:16:00.002-05:00

SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS!
Stand in God's blessings Everyday!

Psalm 72:1
...Please stand up for the poor,
help the children of the needy,
come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
Outlast the sun, outlive the moon—
age after age after age.
Be rainfall on cut grass,
earth-refreshing rain showers.
Let righteousness burst into blossom
and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.

Proverbs 8:32
"So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed. Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life. Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day's work. When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God's good pleasure.

Sweet Dreams!!

2011-04-06T21:29:00.002-05:00

Sweet Dreams!

Psalm 127:2
² It is useless to work so hard for a living,
getting up early and going to bed late.
For the Lord provides for those he loves,
while they are asleep.

Blessings come to us from our Father even when we sleep!

2011-04-05T22:02:00.003-05:00

~ Cause ~ Cost ~ Condition ~ Consequences ~

John 3:16
¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

For God had a cause...He loved you so very much that He gave His only Son, which cost Him dearly with the condition that you believe in Him so you will not perish but have the consequences of eternal life.

Amazing!!

We should all have a "Cause, a Cost, a Condition, a Consequence"
for our purpose in life every day. Find your cause, expect the cost of giving knowing there are conditions for the consequences you seek.
Think about that.....long and hard. If we all did this, what a difference we
can make in our world!

Laughter...it's good for the soul!

2011-04-04T22:03:00.003-05:00

The little joys of life....
Laughter heals the soul!

Psalm 126:2²We celebrated with laughter

and joyful songs.

In foreign nations it was said,

"The LORD has worked miracles

for his people."

Back To Forgiveness.....

2011-04-03T21:29:00.003-05:00

She stood up at the end of her trial, turned and looked at those who brought this injustice to her and said "I forgive you". Even though giggles and chuckles were heard from those with the hearts of malice against her, she kept her composure as she was escorted out in shackles and chains. She knows in her heart as her God knows, she meant it.

A Story About Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21-22
²¹At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"

²²Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.

Forgiving one another is the hardest thing to do and the most beneficial. As God's chosen people we are to forgive all grievances we have between one another because of the example set forth to us by Christ.

Colossians 3:12-14

¹²God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.

¹³Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.

¹⁴Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

Look Up At The Stars!!!

2011-04-02T23:16:00.002-05:00

Remember the Stars!!

Today I finished a fun filled day grilling hot dogs and hamburgers with the kids and grandkids at my home. Busyness and games kept the day fun and filled with laughter. When all left and the house got quiet again, my husband, best friend and I went outside and gazed up at the clear night sky. The stars were incredibly clear and bright. One can't help in thinking of God and all of His glory. Remember the stars and who put them there for us to awe over and remember, there is a purpose in all of God's creation. He gives us the joy in our heart and uses his creation for His reminders of that.

Matthew 2:9
⁹ When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.

Friendships~

2011-04-01T20:10:00.004-05:00

"Betrayal is the violation of an expressed or perceived trust by a person or persons with whom a person relies upon for some aspect of his or her life." (Wikipeida)

At times, we find people in our lives that we seem to connect with and enjoy sharing quality time. With these people, we grow and learn to trust with confidence that the friendship is real and is a part of our lives. Honesty, truthfulness and trust can be broken at any moment. When a 'better' offer of friendship appears... or selfishness seems more important than caring anymore...When does the friendship end and the betrayal start? Jesus had his heart broken when Judas betrayed. He became selfish and listened to the 'wrong crowd' that convinced him it was right. Jesus never let the friendship go, Judas did.

John 13:21
²¹ After Jesus had said this, he was deeply troubled and declared openly,
I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.

Christ will never, every leave you alone. He will never, ever betray or turn his back on you. He will always be the best friend you can every have.

2011-03-31T21:00:00.004-05:00

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

One thing Evil enjoys doing is throwing the past in our face. He will often send people into our lives to accomplish this; even those close to us. But if you are in Christ, you aren’t who you used to be. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Evil has nothing on you!

Live Life With Triumph!!

2011-03-30T19:43:00.004-05:00

God can hold you tight and won't let you slip or fall...He will keep you raised in a life of
Victory and Triumph!

Psalms 118:15
^5-16 Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
from the wide open spaces, he answered.
God's now at my side and I'm not afraid;
who would dare lay a hand on me?
God's my strong champion;
I flick off my enemies like flies.
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in people;
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in celebrities.
Hemmed in by barbarians,
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Hemmed in and with no way out,
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they hemmed me in;
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt.
I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
when God grabbed and held me.
God's my strength, he's also my song,
and now he's my salvation.
Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs
in the camp of the saved?
"The hand of God has turned the tide!
The hand of God is raised in victory!
The hand of God has turned the tide!"

Every answer to our prayers is an evidence that the Lord is on our side; and then we need not fear what man can do unto us; we should conscientiously do our duty to all, and trust in him alone to accept and bless us. Let us seek to live to declare the works of God, and to encourage others to serve him and trust in him. Such were the triumphs of the Son of David, in the assurance that the good pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand.
(Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary)

Make A Commitment

2011-03-29T21:20:00.004-05:00

"Be committed...to yourself, your heart, your family, your friends, your work, your God"

If we really love the Lord, we will put HIM first and will make every effort we can to obey HIM. To do this we must put all of our ideas and wants to the side and ask HIM for guidance. The first of two commandments are stipulations in how to love God, with all thy heart, soul, and mind. It is up to us on how we decide to choose. The choice is clearly stated on what God wants us to do, but now it's your move.
(http://www.iamnotofthisworld.com/2-Articles/8-Thoughts-for-the-Day/88)

2 Corinthians 9:13
¹³You will honor God through this genuine act of service because of your commitment to spread the Good News of Christ and because of your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else.

1 Kings 8:61

⁶¹May your hearts be committed to the Lord our God. Then you will live by his laws and keep his commands as you have today.”

Luke 6:22
²²Blessed are you when people hate you, avoid you,
insult you, and slander you
because you are committed to the Son of Man.

2 Chronicles 15:7
⁷But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded.”

Revelation 22:12
¹²“I’m coming soon! I will bring my reward with me to pay all people based on what they have done.

2011-03-28T20:13:00.003-05:00

Follow the direction of the gifts God has given you;
Integrity
Faith
Grace
Strength
Love

Psalm 15

A psalm by David.

¹O Lord, who may stay in your tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?

²The one who walks with integrity,
does what is righteous,
and speaks the truth within his heart.

³The one who does not slander with his tongue,
do evil to a friend,
or bring disgrace on his neighbor.

⁴The one who despises those rejected by God
but honors those who fear the Lord.

The one who makes a promise and does not break it,
even though he is hurt by it.

⁵The one who does not collect interest on a loan
or take a bribe against an innocent person.

Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

2011-03-27T20:30:00.003-05:00

Matthew 11:28

²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Our shoulders should be sore from carrying the burdens of others. I once saw an example of carrying burdens. A young woman was holding two books. Someone came along and gave her 3 more books to hold. It was difficult, but not too hard holding 5 books. Then, someone came along and piled 3 more books on top of the 5 she already had. Okay, it was getting tough holding the stack steady. One more person came and stacked 3 more books on top. This is a total of 11 hardback books! She was struggling to carry and hold the books without dropping them. Soon a person came to her and took 6 books from her and they both walked away together. It's nice to know when someone wants to help carry the burdens. It makes them lighter for you.....Christ will carry ALL of them for you. Give them to Him...He is offering to carry them everyday for you!

Galatians 6:2
²Help carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings.

Are you willing to help carry some of the heavy burdens for others? Should we not be living the life of Christ daily? Many people are 'heavy laden' with their worries and issues of daily living. What can YOU do to lighten their burden??

Matthew 23:4-12 ⁴
They pile heavy burdens on people's shoulders and won't lift a finger to help. ⁵Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels ^[a] for everyone to see. ⁶They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. ⁷And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers. ⁸But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. ⁹Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. ¹⁰None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. ¹¹Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. ¹²If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.

Led By Light~~

2011-03-25T22:02:00.003-05:00

Isaiah 42:16

¹⁶I will lead the blind on roads

they have never known;

I will guide them on paths

they have never traveled.

Their road is dark and rough,

but I will give light

to keep them from stumbling.

This is my solemn promise.

We don't know what the road may be like while walking down it with our Lord.

We just need to know that He is with us and we can just keep moving forward..

Find your purpose.....Move forward.....Let the light lead.....

Here I Am....Take Me....

2011-03-24T19:36:00.004-05:00

^{1 Corinthians 16:14
14}Show love in everything you do.

Malachi 2:5
⁵I blessed him with a full life, as I had promised, and he kept his part of the agreement by honoring me and respecting my name.

^{John 15:13
13}The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.

Hosea 12:6⁶So return to your God. Patiently trust him,
and show love and justice.

Be The Life~

2011-03-23T19:21:00.002-05:00

DEAR JESUS, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.

2011-03-22T19:02:00.002-05:00

Enjoy your coffee....every drop. Make the most of the life you have everyday by
Giving...
Sharing...
Caring...
Loving...
Live the Life you were meant to live..

Galatians 6:8-10

⁸If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life. ⁹Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up. ¹⁰We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord.

Unconditionally.....Love......

2011-03-21T23:10:00.003-05:00

Love with a life open to God.....

1 Timothy:3-7
^3-4On my way to the province of Macedonia, I advised you to stay in Ephesus. Well, I haven't changed my mind. Stay right there on top of things so that the teaching stays on track. Apparently some people have been introducing fantasy stories and fanciful family trees that digress into silliness instead of pulling the people back into the center, deepening faith and obedience.

^5-7The whole point of what we're urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence.

The more I think about it, the more I realize
there is nothing more artistic than to love others.
Vincent Van Gogh

Receive the Gifts!!

2011-03-20T21:53:00.002-05:00

Every good thing comes from God!

Accept!
Receive!
Enjoy!
Share!

James 1:16-18

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my dear friends!¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning.¹⁸ By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.

Love With All Your Heart!

2011-03-19T22:05:00.003-05:00

Love one another!

Matthew 22:37-40

³⁷ Jesus answered,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.³⁸ This is the greatest and the most important commandment.³⁹ The second most important commandment is like it:
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.⁴⁰ The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.

Find Your Riches!

2011-03-18T23:50:00.002-05:00

What we put in our lives that takes more presence in our soul than the presence of our Father, takes away our eternity with Him. Whether it be money, cars, people or status...if it is the only thing we strive for, God will have no room in your heart. Don't be obsessive of things...or of others gain. Take the gifts that God has in his hands for you and be blessed beyond measure! Have the life of Christ living everyday in your heart. You will become the richest and most fulfilled soul on Earth!

Mark 10:25 (New International Version)

²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

2011-03-17T20:38:00.002-05:00

~Jesus Leadership Expectations~

What are the expectations that Jesus sees in us?
*Humble your heart
*Be a follower
*Find greatness in service
*Take risks
*Take up the towel
*Share responsibility

^12-17Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. (John 13:15-17, The Message)

We Have The Blessings!

2011-03-16T23:59:00.002-05:00

Sometimes we miss the blessings God our Father is trying to offer us. Do we recognize them when they come before us? Do we know what they look like or where to find them? Our heavenly Father works in ways we sometimes don't understand. The blessings are at times in unusual places where we least expect it. Look for your blessings....they are there for you to receive....just look up....and receive.

Ephesians 1:3-6
^3-6How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Striving For the Inner Beauty Of Christ

2011-03-14T23:02:00.003-05:00

1 Corinthians 13

Love is kind and patient,

never jealous, boastful,

proud, or rude.

Love isn't selfish

or quick tempered.

It doesn't keep a record

of wrongs that others do.

Love rejoices in the truth,

but not in evil.

Love is always supportive,

loyal, hopeful,

and trusting.

Love never fails!

We should all strive to Love the way Christ loved us...to give our all as Christ gave all...

To live as our Christ lived......

He loves us unconditionally, should we not do the same?

A Servant's Heart

2011-03-13T22:42:00.001-05:00

Servant Leaders give up personal rights to find greatness in service to others....

Mark 10:42-45

⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I have been going to a study on Servant Leadership the past couple of months. It is quite intriguing to learn how Christ was a great leader, but yet a servant to all. He sets the example for us. Greatness does not come with power, but with a humble heart. All of us need to look at the life of Christ and let His example shape us into a useful vessel for His glory. He sets in place many opportunities every day for us to be used by Him....we just need to have a servant's heart and be aware of the needs around us.

~Clean Before My Lord~

2011-03-12T21:23:00.002-06:00

~CLEAN BEFORE MY LORD~

2 Timothy 2:21 (New American Standard Bible)

²¹Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Always strive to be clean before our Lord. Your days will be filled with opportunities to do His will and His good works. Shun the evil that tries to grab your ankles and drag you down to it's level. Allow our Lord to cleanse the soul everyday so that the Holy Spirit can live in our hearts and be the helper and guide that He promised He would be.

2011-03-12T00:07:00.004-06:00

^{Psalms 51}
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.

~In Christ Alone, Is Peace~

2011-03-10T22:36:00.003-06:00

Psalm 42:5 (The Message)

⁵ Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He's my God.

A Joy For The Soul!

2011-03-09T22:20:00.003-06:00

Ash Wednesday
A Joy For The Soul

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches. It's a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast.

Churches hold special services at which worshipers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death and sorrow for sin.

Ash Wednesday services

The service draws on the ancient Biblical traditions of covering one's head with ashes, wearing sackcloth, and fasting.

The mark of ashes

In Ash Wednesday services churchgoers are marked on the forehead with a cross of ashes as a sign of penitence and mortality.

The use of ashes, made by burning palm crosses from the previous Palm Sunday, is very symbolic.

God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth.

Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence, and a symbol of our mortality.

Traditional Ash Wednesday prayer
God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth.

Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence, and a symbol of our mortality.

The minister marks each worshiper on the forehead, and says remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return, or a similar phrase based on God's sentence on Adam in Genesis 3:19.

The modern practice in churches nowadays, as the ashes are being administered, is for the minister to say something like Turn away from sin and believe the gospel.

Keeping the mark

At some churches the worshipers leave with the mark still on their forehead so that they carry the sign of the cross out into the world.

At other churches the service ends with the ashes being washed off as a sign that the participants have been cleansed of their sins.

Symbolism of the ashes

The marking of their forehead with a cross made of ashes reminds each churchgoer that:

Death comes to everyone
They should be sad for their sins
They must change themselves for the better
God made the first human being by breathing life into dust, and without God, human beings are nothing more than dust and ashes

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Lent is marked by fasting, both from food and festivities.
Churches that observe Lent use it as a time for prayer and penance. Only a small number of people today fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It is more common these days for believers to surrender a particular vice such as favourite foods or smoking. Whatever the sacrifice it is a reflection of Jesus' deprivation in the wilderness and a test of self-discipline.

~A Light In The Darkness~

2011-01-31T20:16:00.003-06:00

~A light in the darkness~

There will always be light in the darkness...
"The JOY of the LORD is My Strength...."

Book Of Job:

What Have I Done Wrong?

²²Have I ever asked any of you

to give me a gift

²³or to purchase my freedom

from brutal enemies?

²⁴What have I done wrong?

Show me,

and I will keep quiet.

²⁵The truth is always painful,

but your arguments

prove nothing.

²⁶Here I am desperate,

and you consider my words

as worthless as wind.

²⁷Why, you would sell an orphan

or your own neighbor!

²⁸Look me straight in the eye;

I won't lie to you.

²⁹Stop accusing me falsely;

my reputation is at stake.

³⁰I know right from wrong,

and I am not telling lies.

Today I Complain Bitterly

¹Job said:

²Today I complain bitterly,

because God has been cruel

and made me suffer.

³If I knew where to find God,

I would go there

⁴and argue my case.

⁵Then I would discover

what he wanted to say.

⁶Would he overwhelm me

with his greatness?

No! He would listen

⁷because I am innocent,

and he would say,

"I now set you free!"

⁸I cannot find God anywhere--

in front or back of me,

⁹to my left or my right.

God is always at work,

though I never see him.

¹⁰But he knows what I am doing,

and when he tests me,

I will be pure as gold.

¹¹I have never refused to follow

any of his commands,

¹²and I have always treasured

his teachings. ^[a] ¹³But he alone is God,

and who can oppose him?

God does as he pleases,

¹⁴and he will do exactly

what he intends with me.

¹⁵Merely the thought

of God All-Powerful

¹⁶makes me tremble with fear.

¹⁷God has covered me

with darkness,

but I refuse to be silent. ^[b]

"GIVE THANKS!"

2010-11-23T22:20:00.003-06:00

GIVE THANKS!!

Psalm 118:29

²⁹Tell the LORD

how thankful you are,

because he is kind

and always merciful.

Listen to the Truth...

2010-10-18T20:28:00.004-05:00

Timothy 4:1-4

When Christ Jesus comes as king, he will be the judge of everyone, whether they are living or dead. So with God and Christ as witnesses, I command you
to preach God's message. Do it willingly, even if it isn't the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient.
The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear.
They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories.
But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well.

Trust...and dream~

2010-10-11T22:31:00.003-05:00

Genesis 37 through 41...the story of Joseph

"These uncertain days have been reminding my soul that I need to be resting and relying on God completely, waiting in patience for his perfect timing. This week I have been considering some of the mysterious ways that God worked in the life of Joseph.

You will recall that Joseph encountered six significant dreams in his life.
This is all a very familiar story, but what has impressed me is the path of divine providence through it all.

The first pair of dreams told how God would make Joseph a ruler. Yet, as a result of that first pair of dreams he was sold as a slave into Egypt. There, Joseph honored God. And, providentially, it was only because of these eleven years of unjust slavery and imprisonment that he was brought to hear the second pair of dreams. Again Joseph faithfully interpreted the second pair of dreams, yet he was forgotten. Had the butler remembered Joseph might have been freed, but, providentially, it was only because he was forgotten in prison for two more years that Joseph was brought to hear the third pair of dreams. And God overruled so that in interpreting these dreams, after thirteen years of seeming injustice and disappointment, the first pair of dreams was fulfilled.

Take heart. The path may be dark, but it is His will and leads to His appointed end. Trust God!" (from Living for Christ, Morning Meditation)

WE WILL PRESS ON

2010-10-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

Eye On The Sparrow

2010-09-24T21:40:00.000-05:00

Mathew 10:29-31
...But not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing it. ³⁰ He even counts every hair on your head! ³¹ So don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

"Why should I feel discouraged
And why should the shadows come
And why should my heart feel so lonely
And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion
My constant friend is He
His eyes in on the sparrow
And I know he watches me

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye in on the sparrow
And I know he watches
And I know he watches
I know he watches me

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye in on the sparrow
And I know he watches
And I know he watches
I know he watches me

I know he watches me"

COMING TO VICTORY!

2010-08-31T20:42:00.004-05:00

...VICTORY...

Isaiah 41:8-16

The LORD's Chosen Servant

⁸Raye, you are my servant.

I chose you,

the family

of my friend Abraham.

⁹From far across the earth

I brought you here and said,

"Raye, you are my chosen servant.

I haven't forgotten you."

¹⁰Don't be afraid. I am with you.

Don't tremble with fear.

I am your God.

I will make you strong,

as I protect you with my arm

and give you victories.

¹¹Everyone who hates you

will be terribly disgraced;

those who attack

will vanish into thin air.

¹²Raye, you will look around

for those brutal enemies,

but you won't find them

because they will be gone.

¹³I am the LORD your God.

I am holding your hand,

so don't be afraid.

I am here to help you.

¹⁴Raye, don't worry,

though others may say,

"Raye is only a worm!"

I am the holy God of Israel,

who saves and protects you.

¹⁵I will let you be like a log

covered with sharp spikes. You will grind and crush

every mountain and hill until they turn to dust.

¹⁶A strong wind will scatter them

in all directions.

Then Raye, you will celebrate

and praise me, your LORD,

the holy God of Israel.

DO IT ANYWAY!

2010-08-25T23:43:00.001-05:00

Zechariah 7:9

So once again, I, the LORD All-Powerful, tell you, "See that justice is done and be kind and merciful to one another!

Live the Life You Ought to Live!
Unselfishly;
Caring;
Merciful;
Compassionate;
Giving.
We are not perfect, but we can always strive to live better and make our world a better place. It takes only one person to make a difference.

Fill The Pot!

2010-08-20T19:40:00.003-05:00

At my work, we have a coffee pot that has a water container on the side that holds at least 12 cups of water. This coffee pot makes one cup (small, medium or large) at a time with a small pouch of flavored coffee that the water filters through. It's such a treat to be able to go in anytime during the work day and get a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Unless, the water container is too empty to even produce 1 cup of coffee...then I have to take the container off, pop the top off of it and go to the sink and fill it back up. Place it carefully, without spilling it, and snap the lid back on. Let the water warm up.....then push the button for my cup of coffee. It seems that almost every time I go in the break room, the water container is empty. Now, I don't mind filling it up. I just wonder who the last person was that didn't bother to fill it up for the next person to enjoy. Could it be they didn't think about it? Could it be that they didn't want to take the time? Did they even notice the water was low? I've put some thought into this since I am a coffee drinker and know many of my co-workers are too.

So, the question I put out there today is....are you a person that fills the coffee pot, or just leaves it for the next person? Do you think it's frustrating that NO ONE else fills it but you? Or do you intentionally fill it so the next person doesn't have to have the trouble? Does it hurt to just fill the pot and then go enjoy your cup of coffee? That, I think, is the most rewarding thing to do for yourself and for your co-worker. The day to day things matter to those around us. Do the right thing;

Just fill the pot.

Romans 12:-12-14

¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

When Morning Dawns

2010-08-14T14:01:00.004-05:00

Psalms 46:5-6

⁵God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.

~Live the Truth~

2010-08-09T20:46:00.003-05:00

We see..We share..We live The Truth.
As God has placed His Truth in our hearts and souls, then we should only share the honesty of His love. We aren't here for our purpose, but for His purpose.
The good in people will always show His Truth.
How can anyone speak and live in His will if it's a life of lies and deception and only for their own benefit?
Christ sacrificed for Truth... What sacrifices are you willing to do for Truth?
Aren't we called to be like Christ?

Hebrews 13:16
¹⁶And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Psalm 15:1-5
¹ LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

² He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

³ and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

⁴ who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

⁵ who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Hold Your Heart Properly~~

2010-08-04T18:59:00.003-05:00

Let us not hold hate and malice in our hearts......

Psalms 28:3
³ Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.

Going Home~~

2010-07-29T21:59:00.009-05:00

Matthew 9:7

⁷And he rose and went home.

One day, we will all be home, where we belong. No matter what kind of house or no matter where, home is where we belong. May God bless our homes....and our family.

"I Will Wait With Hope...."

2010-07-19T22:48:00.003-05:00

Our family believes....If God is with us, who is against us?

Psalms 52
¹Why do you brag about the evil you’ve done, you hero?
The mercy of God lasts all day long!
²Your tongue makes up threats.
It’s like a sharp razor, you master of deceit.
³You prefer evil to good.
You prefer lying to speaking the truth.
⁴You love every destructive accusation, you deceitful tongue!

⁵But God will ruin you forever.
He will grab you and drag you out of your tent.
He will pull your roots out of this world of the living.

⁶Righteous people will see this and be struck with fear.
They will laugh at you and say,
⁷“Look at this person who refused to make God his fortress!
Instead, he trusted his great wealth
and became strong through his greed.”

⁸But I am like a large olive tree in God’s house.
I trust the mercy of God forever and ever.
⁹I will give thanks to you forever
for what you have done.
In the presence of your godly people,
I will wait with hope in your good name.

~Judge Righteously~

2010-07-13T19:46:00.006-05:00

It's an election year. Candidates have their signs, posters and stickers dotted through out the county for a chance to be elected. Democratic and Republicans meet and greet the public with such vigor and excitement. Putting their best smile on as they shake the hands of the soon to be voters. They speak on justice and changes for the good of our community....give us hope that our children and families will be safe. I want to encourage all the registered voters out there that it IS important to have the right person in our local offices. Whether it be a District Judge, State Representative, County Commissioner or a District Attorney. These people that are elected and hold the office they say they stand for will make a difference. Either a difference for the good, or the bad.

MAKE sure you know your candidates.
MAKE sure they have a heart of servant hood.
MAKE sure they are in that office for YOU.
PRAY before you vote.
EDUCATE yourself to what the candidates stand for.

Proverbs 31:9

⁹ Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.

Blessed Are All Who Wait For Him!

2010-07-11T17:57:00.003-05:00

God is unfolding His blessings before us.
He loves us and seeks us out to give us the desires of our heart.
We'll wait on Him and His justice.
He is Good and giving!

Isaiah 30:18
¹⁸ Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

Do His Work .......

2010-07-10T17:10:00.003-05:00

Make a difference in your world...a difference in someone's life. Take the challenge God has given and do His work. Be the purpose He made you for.

On OUR Side!

2010-07-05T10:45:00.002-05:00

What a comfort knowing God is on our side!!!!!

Romans 31-39:
So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture.

Joy In The Morning!

2010-06-26T22:40:00.004-05:00

Our Joy is coming........Morning brings us joy in our God's new creation. Be full of his Spirit and may His joy keep you smiling in the new day.

Psalm 30:4-6

4 Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.

⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
"I will never be shaken."

FOLD THE OLD COATS AWAY!

2010-06-23T20:53:00.003-05:00

The old will become new. We will work on the change and fold the old coats away...
Our God will put our enemies aside so that we may move forward with the change that is needed.
Stand up! Take hold of the changes at hand!

Hebrews 1:1-13

^10-12And again to the Son,
You, Master, started it all, laid earth's foundations,
then crafted the stars in the sky.
Earth and sky will wear out, but not you;
they become threadbare like an old coat;
You'll fold them up like a worn-out cloak,
and lay them away on the shelf.
But you'll stay the same, year after year;
you'll never fade, you'll never wear out.
¹³And did he ever say anything like this to an angel?
Sit alongside me here on my throne
Until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.

The Sun Is Coming!

2010-06-10T21:09:00.003-05:00

Since I'm not attending my church right now on Sunday mornings, I have been reading positive, spiritual books and also watching either Joyce Meyer or Joel Osteen on tv. Why am I not attending my local church? Well, I have my 'church' with Raye on Sunday mornings because that is the ONLY visitation time our District Attorney and the 'system' set up for us.
I was watching Joyce Meyer this evening, and this verse she read and shared just jumped out to me!

Isaiah 61:7

⁷ Instead of being put to shame
my people will receive a double share of wealth.
Instead of being dishonored
they will be glad to be in their land.
They will receive a double share of riches there.
And they'll be filled with joy that will last forever.

Our God is telling us that our rewards will be not only in heaven, but HERE, NOW! In our land! What a blessing! We are His children and He WILL take care of us. Our faith is strong.....He will never fail us.

2010-06-01T22:08:00.004-05:00

Mark 12:36(New International Version)

36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:
"The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet."

Raye shared this verse Monday, Memorial Day with me. So fitting.... Her faith is strong...

WE WILL STAND!!!

2010-05-28T20:11:00.004-05:00

A thought....
There are those out there that know right from wrong, truth and untruth, justice and injustice. So when you see something that isn't right, do you do something about it? Do you put what tells your heart into action to change it? It's hard to step up and do the right thing. Why don't more of us step up?? Maybe because we feel ALONE in our quest. Fear grips our actions and defuses our logic to justify the 'wrong'. Our heart tells us differently, but our mind wins over it. Perhaps if we knew we weren't alone in changing the wrong to right, then we would stand and not just sit on our hands and do nothing.
The reason I'm discussing this is because I know many things can change if we choose to stand TOGETHER for the Truth. We stand up for our Faith, our Family, our Country......let's stand together to fight for Truth; Raye's Truth.

WHO IS WITH ME??

Psalm 94:16 (New International Version)

¹⁶ Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?

"Down In The River To Pray"

2010-05-27T20:36:00.006-05:00

I have been reading "The Secret" and want to share a thought of what I read today....

Close your eyes....see a big flowing river, moving slowly but with a power of currents. It's going in a direction..only one direction as nature sees fit. Imagine yourself in this river, swimming and trying to go a better way, or even in the same direction as the currents. It's a struggle, you get tired. Now just lay back, relax and float. Look up to the sky...let the current take you where you are suppose to go. Don't fight it, nature will direct you in the right way. Don't fight the direction you are suppose to go. Just let it happen, and you will find where you are suppose to be and what you are suppose to be doing.
God directs us, but we have to 'float' with Him to be where we are suppose to be. He will give us the desires of our heart, but we have to 'let it go' and know He is in control.

John 7:38 (Contemporary English Version)

³⁸Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say."

~In His hands~

2010-05-26T20:11:00.003-05:00

Psalm 4:8 (New International Version)

⁸ I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.

We Pray,

We have Faith,

We have a God that keeps us safe in His Hands...

Patience........

2010-05-25T22:36:00.005-05:00

Lamentations 3:20-25

²⁰ I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

²¹ Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

²⁴ I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

Patience.....we have patience for God's mighty hands.

We will prevail.

~Promises~

2010-05-20T20:53:00.001-05:00

Rainbows that we see in the sky remind us of the promises our God gives us. Promises of Hope & Love. Never forget that God has given the dreams and desires of the heart. He has placed them there for a reason. Somewhere over that rainbow, there is a place where our dreams really can come true....

2 Peter 1:4
⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

They Will Fall!

2010-05-16T22:48:00.004-05:00

A ' friend' shared with me today this verse. She truly believes God is with her and will defend her with Truth. The giants she faces and that come against her and her family everyday will

FALL.
These Giants will fall because it is promised by the faith that this family holds dear.

Isaiah 54:15-17

¹⁵“If anyone attacks you, it will not be my doing.
Whoever attacks you will be defeated by you.
¹⁶I’ve created blacksmiths to fan the coals into flames
and to produce useful weapons.
I’ve also created destroyers to bring destruction.
¹⁷No weapon that has been made to be used against you will succeed.
You will have an answer for anyone who accuses you.
This is the inheritance of the Lord’s servants.
Their victory comes from me,” declares the Lord.

Hold On!

2010-05-09T22:53:00.004-05:00

Those that read some of Joel Osteen's books, you will know what I mean when I say "Today is Friday, but your Sunday is coming..." in other words, HOLD FAST! DON'T GIVE UP!

I know that Raye and her Family & Friends will NEVER give up for her or for the Truth to be told.
NEVER.

Luke 12:32

32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

2010-05-06T21:24:00.004-05:00

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.": - Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

I've been overwhelmed by the out pour of our local media about the exploitation of a child's death and her maternal family. What brings this kind of behavior??

⁶The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.-Proverbs 11:6

Is it Greed?

Fame?

A heart of anguish and guilt?

A spirit of hate?

I don't know what spurs the effect of someone that HAS to harbor hate for others so much as that of these people. I do know that my GOD is bigger, stronger and WILL answer the desires of MY heart. I trust in Him to take my anger and revenge those that have come against me and my family. I have given Him the burdens of my sorrows, heartbreak and anger. His promises teach that He will carry us and never let us be alone.

²³Nevertheless I am continually with You;

You have taken hold of my right hand. -Psalm 73:23

2010-05-05T21:55:00.003-05:00

Words of Encouragement and Worth

If words aren't said from the heart, they aren't worth saying. Encouragement brings strength to those that need it. All the tearing down and harassment toward each other with words that discourage self worth and place fear in hearts is not what we are called to do.

For years now, Raye, family and friends have endured words full of hate and discouragement. Words that grew to stories and lies. It amazes me how much the Truth has been stretched and lost, even in publications from our local media.

Psalm 19:14 (New International Version)

¹⁴ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

2010-04-04T20:30:00.003-05:00

"He has Risen! Just as He said!"

He knew that He would rise on the third day. He embraced the cross knowing that He would be lifted up from the grave. He knew that He would sit again at the right hand of the Father. The God of Jesus truly missed being with the Father in heaven. Jesus knew His entire mission.

Our mission is similar. We also have the promise of seeing the face of God. We too have the prospect of spending eternity in the presence of the Father. This GIFT is not earned. This GIFT is freely given to us!

Accept Him.

Be like Him.

Live like Him.

He will give you eternal peace from this world.

Ultimate Giving~

2010-04-02T20:34:00.007-05:00

Tonight, all over the world, believers of Jesus Christ are remembering what the sacrifice

He gave for us all. It is 'Good Friday' or some call it 'The Day of Darkness'. At our church, it's called the service of darkness. It is the time we reflect when Jesus was crucified on the cross.
He gave a tortured, bleeding, humble sacrifice....so that we may have eternal hope. A hope for something much better than what we have here on Earth. A hope to carry with us as we do travel on our journey while here.

A hope that love will prevail forevermore.

John 19
^1-3 So Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face.
They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read:

jesus the nazarene
the king of the jews.

²⁸Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, "I'm thirsty."

^29-30A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.

Father, thank you for giving for us all....

2010-04-01T20:00:00.007-05:00

Tonight was "Holy Thursday" or some call it "Maundy Thursday". What this day tells us is that we should serve the humanity, it teaches us to bring peace and harmony in our community. During the Last Supper, Christ shared wine and bread with his followers. Jesus Christ washed the feet of his own disciples during that meal. The church and believers have been doing the same act of humility (washing of the feet) showing Christians servitude to humanity.

Remember the passion of Jesus Christ.

John 13:3-11
³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

⁷Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

⁸"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

⁹"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

¹⁰Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." ¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

Father, make us clean. Help us to always have a clean heart and a heart of servant-hood. I pray for those that need their 'feet washed' by you so that they may be clean. Help us to accept the opportunities that cross our path and be like you. Teach us to be helpful and kind to others. Please touch the hearts of those that are hateful; clean them from their feet to their head so that they may be wholly clean and pure for you.

Live a Life Of Integrity & Truth

2010-03-31T20:46:00.004-05:00

Who may live forever with God the Father?
Psalm 15 tells all.

Psalm 15:1-5

¹ LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

² He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

³ and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

⁴ who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

⁵ who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Live In The Light

2010-03-30T20:40:00.003-05:00

I have blogged about this already, but we live in a dark world. Darkness comes to us in many different ways. There are those out there that help create darkness for others. Their lives need redemption and God's love to give them light in their life. All we can do as believers is to daily commit to walk in God's light, in His ways and hope that His light helps diminish the darkness.

Psalms 27:1-3
¹You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe. I am not afraid of anyone.

You protect me, and I have no fears.

²Brutal people may attack and try to kill me, but they will stumble.

Fierce enemies may attack, but they will fall.

³Armies may surround me, but I won't be afraid;

war may break out, but I will trust you.

John 1:3-6

⁵The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out.

Father in Heaven,
You made me Your child
and called me to walk in the Light of Christ.
Free me from darkness
and keep me in the Light of Your Truth.
The Light of Jesus has scattered
the darkness of hatred and sin.
Called to that Light,
I ask for Your guidance.
Form my life in Your Truth,
my heart in Your Love.
Through the Holy spirit,
give me the power of Your Grace
that I may walk in the Light of Jesus
and serve Him faithfully.

Accept Love

2010-03-29T21:10:00.006-05:00

I've heard about some Internet blogs/forums with terrible things said about my close friends and family. So terrible that it upset me to the point I was going to blog about how people tend to enjoy hating and having vengeance and make up such terrible things about others. Something came to me as I was reading and researching the psychology of hate....it was taking me in to their world. The purpose of this blog is to try to elevate the effects of the hate that has surrounded Raye Dawn and her family. We are trying to convey that we don't want to fight or 'hate' them. We are searching for forgiveness and healing. They are choosing NOT to accept, but that is the trouble with so much hate in the heart. We are willing to forgive and heal, they are not. I will continue to pray for their hearts.

Romans 12:9-11
⁹Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. ¹⁰Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. ¹¹Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord.

1 John 4:19-21
¹⁹We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. ^20-21 If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.

So, the bottom line is, we must do all we can to love our brother in Christ. If we don't or won't, then we CAN'T love our Heavenly Father. We are human with human emotions, so it's not an easy task to let things go in the past in order to move forward, but with God's love, we can. I watched a movie last night "Amish Grace" and it talked about forgiveness in a terrible situation. I recommend this movie. It's based on the Amish school shooting in Pennsylvania.

Dear God in Heaven, I pray for the hate to leave and the forgiveness enter. Help those that can't get past the hate and can't 'let the past be the past'. I pray for their hearts and their lives. Happiness in their daily life has to be hard to find when they harbor so much in their hearts. I pray for healing for all.

Words of Prayer

2010-03-28T22:13:00.005-05:00

There are days when we just can't seem to find the words to pray. Our emotions seem to overtake us and we close our eyes, but the words can't come...We need to remember the prayer Christ taught His disciples. So simple, but so strong from the heart.

Matthew 6:7-19 (Worldwide English version)

⁷And when you talk to God, do not say words that mean nothing, over and over again. People who do not believe in God do that. They think their god will hear them because they say many words.

⁸ Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹ So talk to your God like this:

"Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

¹⁰ "May your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹ "Give us our food for today.

¹²"Forgive us for the wrong things we have done, the way we forgive those who have done wrong things to us.

¹³"Do not test us but help us, so that no one will make us do wrong. Deliver us from the evil one. The kingdom and power and praise belong to you for ever. Amen!"

¹⁴ If you forgive others for the wrong things they have done, then your Father in heaven will forgive you.

¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you for the wrong things you have done.'

Always Celebrate!

2010-03-27T20:37:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It's the story about when Jesus rode a donkey through the city and people laid palm leaves down along the road as a sign of celebration and respect.

John 12:12-19

¹²The next day a vast crowd of those who had come to the Passover Feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

¹³So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And as they went, they kept shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is He and praise to Him Who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!

¹⁴And Jesus, having found a young donkey, rode upon it, [just] as it is written in the Scriptures,

¹⁵Do not fear, O Daughter of Zion! Look! Your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!

My question on this story is what happened a week later? Where were the people celebrating Jesus coming through the city? Were they in the crowd during the shouting at Pilate "crucify him!" ? Did they gather at the cross during his crucifixion? Is it that easy for people to 'turn' the other way, knowing who they are shunning? They knew who Jesus was. He had followers that knew his mission and that loved him. I believe more than just the twelve, but crowds of believers. Did all those people that waved the palms and once celebrated turn away from Jesus because of the social aspects of what was most popular at the time? Did they decide to go with the group or story that had the most publicity? They knew Jesus was innocent and who he was. The didn't stand up for him when he needed them the most. Only his closest friends and family stayed with Him to the very end. They saw the miracle of His risen life and received His blessings because of it. The others, perished.

Dear Heavenly Father, we do celebrate and wave the palms of our heart for coming into our lives. You will never leave us or forsake us in any situation. Help us to always remain true to you as a blessing to others. We don't want anyone to perish because of what we have done, but pray that they might live eternally with you because of the example of your love through us.

The Gift of Family

2010-03-26T22:11:00.006-05:00

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, "Identity Crisis," M*A*S*H

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. ~Johann Schiller

The family is a haven in a heartless world. ~Attributed to Christopher Lasch

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses. ~Joyce Brothers

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Father, I am so very thankful for my family. If it wasn't for them, life would be empty. Thank you for the love, thoughtfulness and strength that this family gives. The family depends on your direction from the Holy Spirit that gives faith everyday. I have a wonderful family! Thank you for the many extended family members that have crossed my path...my kind hearted friends. My family continues to grow but only with the help of Your love. I pray that my enemies will come to know the true meaning of friendship and family. The absolute love that comes from these relationships no matter what, unconditionally.

Tired of Lies.....

2010-03-25T20:58:00.004-05:00

"Keep Your Tongue From Evil And
Your Lips From Speaking Lies"

Proverbs 19:5

5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who pours out lies will not go free.

Proverbs 14:25
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.

Jeremiah 9:5
5 Friend deceives friend,
and no one speaks the truth.
They have taught their tongues to lie;
they weary themselves with sinning.

Proverbs 12:17
17He who speaks truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.

So what should we do?

Proverbs 8:6-8
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.

7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.

8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.

Dear Heavenly Father, hear no lies from my mouth. Keep my mind and spirit free from the lies of those that hate. Clean their mouth from the lies they speak and make it truthful and just. Dear God, I'm tired of the lies.

He asked "Do you love me?"

2010-03-24T20:19:00.004-05:00

If you remember, Peter lied about knowing Christ three times, then a rooster crowed three times...in the passage below, Christ asks Peter three times if he loves Him...He knew Peter needed forgiveness in order to move forward with his calling. Do you think we should be like Christ and forgive those that we know have wronged us, and that they know they have done wrong? Will it open the doors to move forward? Does it allow us to do our calling? Does it minister to those that do wrong? I believe that this is the intentions of what Christ was telling Peter. He forgave Peter for what he did against Him. Peter needed that forgiveness in order to put it behind him and press forward. Shouldn't we do the same for those that wrong us?

John 21:14-17

(Jesus Forgives Peter)

¹⁴ This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. ¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

Father, forgive us as we forgive those who wrong us.

~Don't Be Blinded~

2010-03-23T19:29:00.002-05:00

What is Easter? Some think it's about the chocolate and the marshmallow peeps. Children hope for Easter baskets from the Easter bunny and their parents hope for an Easter ham at Grandma's house. Things surround this religious celebration so tight that we sometimes can't see the real reason. We become preoccupied with all the fancy, colorful events of it all. Do you think with all of the distractions that we become blind to the real Truth? As with many things, we become distracted when we are seeking the Truth in all things in our lives. Seek the Truth in ALL things so that God can bless you.

Matthew 28:5-7
⁵The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. ⁶He isn't here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying. ⁷Now hurry! Tell his disciples that he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. That is what I came to tell you."

Isaiah 32:3-4
Then the eyes of those who see won't be closed anymore.
The ears of those who hear will listen to the truth.
⁴ The minds of thoughtless people will know and understand.
Tongues that stutter will speak clearly.

Father, help our eyes see the Truth in all things. There is so much untruth that passes us in our daily life that it tends to distract us from your Will and your Truth. Help us to always seek the Truth every day with your spirit always leading and discerning. I pray for those that listen to any 'truth' and hear only what their selfish will wants to hear. Soften their hearts and open their eyes.

Living for a Purpose

2010-03-22T21:09:00.003-05:00

Why are we here? What is our purpose?
If we live a Godly life;
live a truthful life;
live an unselfish life;
we will always have success and blessings from God our Father.
We can make a difference in our world around us.
No matter how small we feel our actions are,
our sincerity in what we do will make the difference.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 9:16-18
6 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. ¹⁷For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

"Suffering for Doing Right"

1 Peter 3:8-10
⁸Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. ⁹Don't be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God's chosen ones, and he will bless you.
¹⁰"Do you really love life? Do you want to be happy? Then stop saying cruel things and quit telling lies.

Father, take our lives and use them to make a difference for those in need. Help the small actions of our daily life touch those around us. We pray for your Spirit and love to embrace us so that everyday is a purpose lived for you. Keep us from hate and spiteful spirits that follow us and attack us. Help us to fight the hate with kindness.

Opened Doors!

2010-03-21T16:35:00.004-05:00

Great divinely orchestrated openings!

Therefore the doors that God has set open for you no man will shut.
There will be only Joy as door by door opens.

Revelation 3:8-11

⁸"I see what you've done. Now see what I've done. I've opened a door before you that no one can slam shut. You don't have much strength, I know that; you used what you had to keep my Word. You didn't deny me when times were rough.

⁹"And watch as I take those who call themselves true believers but are nothing of the kind, pretenders whose true membership is in the club of Satan—watch as I strip off their pretensions and they're forced to acknowledge it's you that I've loved.

¹⁰"Because you kept my Word in passionate patience, I'll keep you safe in the time of testing that will be here soon, and all over the earth, every man, woman, and child put to the test.

¹¹"I'm on my way; I'll be there soon. Keep a tight grip on what you have so no one distracts you and steals your crown.

Thank you Father for the doors that have opened and for those doors yet to open! Your miracles never cease to amaze! No man can shut the doors. No evil can change your power of those open doors. Bless your children that trust in your divine intervention! I pray that the doors of evil be shut and closed forever! They have no power over what You have done or what You have opened. Thank you!

What's in Your Heart?

2010-03-20T19:55:00.006-05:00

It is what is in our hearts that count. God will bless those with a heart like His.
Live Well, Live Wisely

James 3:13-15 (The Message)

13-16 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. It's the furthest thing from wisdom—it's animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats.

Psalm 51:9-11
(New International Version)

9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

I pray for the heart of those who have harbored hate for so long toward others. Father, soften their hardened hearts and help them to see the Truth in your love for others. Your son gave his life so that we ALL may know your mercy and love....thank you...

Be Still

2010-03-19T18:48:00.004-05:00

Psalm 46:10-11

¹⁰ "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

This command — “be still” — forces us to think on two things: that we are finite, and that God is infinite. That being the case, we need to drop our hands, go limp, relax, and “chill out.” Christian people ought to “come, behold the works of Jehovah,” that we may enjoy a calm confidence in him who gave us his Son.

“Shall he not also with him freely give us all things?” Paul reasoned (Romans 8:32). Psalm 46:10 encourages us to reflect on what God can do in the face of what we are unable to do.

So as your world crumbles around you, the call from Scripture is: don’t flinch in faith in God. Stand still — not because of a self-made confidence, not because you are the most composed person in the face of disaster, not because “you’ve seen it all.” Be still because of what you know about God.

(excerpt from the christiancourier.com)

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to be still and listen to what you have to say to us. In our moment of silence with you, tell us of your strength, glory and power to overcome all that we face. Things that give us anger, fear and rejection....we know You can be there as Jacob's fortress to fight it off. Thank you for your sweet Holy Spirit that breathes on us with your love and power. Breathe on them....those that offer the anger, fear and rejection to us. Let them understand your love and the silence of your glory.

~I am called~

2010-03-18T22:23:00.002-05:00

John 5:28-30 (New Living Translation)²⁸ Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, ²⁹ and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. ³⁰ I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

Ephesians 4:1-3

¹ Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. ² Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. ³ Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Father of Heaven, we will be called to you as believers which is a comfort during these times here on Earth. I pray that we should all have the life of being called to you in living, not waiting for our home in heaven. Everyday of our life, in our busy endeavors of work, play, raising our family, should all be living for you because we are called by you to do your will. I pray you allow these thoughts enter those that live for the pleasure of self and not for you. Shake them, help them to see the errors of their life and the way they touch others with their selfishness.

Washing Your Hands?

2010-03-17T20:36:00.007-05:00

Pilate, an authority figure had a chance to stand up and do what was right. But he chose to follow the crowd; the most popular; the current 'story' on this man Jesus. He knew Jesus was innocent of the crimes he allegedly was charged with. He could not stand up against the crowd. He could not risk his position as a Roman leader. Does this still speak of our leaders of today? I personally know of two judges and a District attorney that has done the same. Politics hasn't changed much in 2000 years. Interesting isn't it? Would YOU be willing to stand up for the Truth against the crowd? Is it really that simple to wash the hands of accountability?

Luke 23:4
⁴ Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”

Matthew 27:24
²⁴ Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

^{Luke 23:22-24
22} For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.” ²³ But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded.

Dear Father, I pray for those that have authority of the law. Soften their hearts, give them strength to be responsible and the knowledge to be accountable for the decisions they make. Touch them with your Holy Spirit so that they know they never have to 'wash their hands' to the innocent but to uphold the law so it protects them. I ask forgiveness for the those that have turned their back against doing what is right and justice. Show them they can still make a wrong decision right.

Do Not Be Weary!

2010-03-16T18:34:00.004-05:00

Matthew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Galatians 6:8-10 (The Message)^7-8Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

^9-10So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Father, Do not let us become weary in doing what is right! Keep us strong in our faith! Keep us strong so that we may NOT quit the good fight! We want the evil and hate to stop, with your help, we will have victory!

Prayer

2010-03-15T23:49:00.000-05:00

~PRAY~

Psalm 17:1-3 (The Message)
1-2 Listen while I build my case, God, the most honest prayer you'll ever hear.
Show the world I'm innocent—
in your heart you know I am.

3 Go ahead, examine me from inside out,
surprise me in the middle of the night—
You'll find I'm just what I say I am.
My words don't run loose

Daniel 10:12
Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.

Father, we pray. Our faith will urge us to pray everyday for the hope of forgiveness to those that harm us. The forces of evil are strong and tire us. Your hope for forgiveness is all we can pray for in times like these. Please tug at the hearts of the hateful and vengeance ones. Clean their minds and spirit and replace it with your hope of forgiveness.

Open Our Arms...

2010-03-14T08:53:00.002-05:00

Proverbs 31:16-18 (New International Version)

16 She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

Luke 10:31-35 (New International Version)

31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

Dear Father, open our eyes, our hearts and our prayers to be alert on what is going on around us. Make us servants for you. Our time needs to slow down so that we may see the opportunities you place in our path. Teach us to care for one another.

~Always Pray~

2010-03-12T22:16:00.005-06:00

1 Thessalonians 5:15-20 (The Message)

13-15 Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

19-22 Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

"Pray without ceasing"

Dear Father, teach us to pray, always. In everything we do, say, always be a prayer to you. Teach those that don't have a life of prayer. Touch them, love them, bless them. My prayer is that they will soon come to you and live the life you long for them to live.
Amen

He is Faithful!

2010-03-11T22:53:00.003-06:00

Hebrews 12
1Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. 2We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side [a] of God's throne! 3So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get discouraged and give up.

Dear Father, great is Your Faithfulness to us! Thank you for helping us and being with us no matter where we are, or what we do. This world you have created is beautiful and your truth spreads across it with your people that give you the glory. I pray for those that do not understand your faithfulness; to those that need to come before you and clean their hearts of hate and anger; to those that need your loving touch so that they may live a life like Christ; to those that need to confess their wrong and make it right. I thank you for the love you have for ALL no matter who they are or what they have done.

Battle for Victory!

2010-03-10T20:09:00.006-06:00

"Sometimes maintaining our Truth and integrity during times of lies and hate means to take up the armor of our faith, strength of our prayers and never cease in the battle of what we stand up for."

1 John 5:3-5 (New Living Translation)

3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Deut 31:6
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Journey to Forgiveness***

2010-03-09T21:32:00.005-06:00

Forgiveness is a journey.

Matthew 5:7, 39-46

"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Matthew 6:14-15

You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Lord Jesus, by faith, I receive Your unconditional love and acceptance in the place of this hurt, and I trust You to meet all my needs. I take authority over the Enemy, and in the name of Jesus, I take back the ground I have allowed Satan to gain in my life because of my attitude toward those that speak lies and hate. Right now, I give this ground back to the Lord Jesus Christ to whom it rightfully belongs. Amen

(Adapted from The Gift of Forgiveness, by Charles Stanley. 1987. pp.173-175.)