I have been following another blog "The Hardy Life" and have begun a revival in myself. I am beginning with prayer. I can't begin to describe the amazing things that God is doing in this family's life and with their sweet baby girl, Clara. She is one brave child and a fighter if ever I saw one! I pray she is well soon so that her sweet, God loving mom can hold her soon!
I have never been more moved by tears and joy as I have watched God work in their life. It is truly amazing the love that God has extended to all of His children. We are all blessed!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Excuses....
I do not have any excuses for not continuing my devotionals daily. None are good enough for God. I have merely allowed life to control me and not allowed quality time with God. My love language is quality time and I have not even fulfilled that with God. I can only hope to do better, however I know I will not succeed because the flesh is nothing like an immortal body. I am looking forward to an endless happy eternal life with God where there are no deadlines! God is blessing me even when I am forsaking Him. How amazing that I am covered under the blood and He is constantly guiding me even when I make excuses for not spending quality time with him. What kind of person am I?
I guess I can only begin again. He allows us to come back every time we walk away. What a wonderful friend!
I guess I can only begin again. He allows us to come back every time we walk away. What a wonderful friend!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor! Exodus 20:16
We should always be honest in everything we do or say. "The truth shall set you free" is a very meaningful phrase. God does not want us to deceive people by leaving something out of a story or adding to it, inventing a falsehood, or telling a half-truth. We should always live the truth of Christ and spread the gospel in truth. It is not a good thing to try to live a lie, and so many people do this by owning huge homes, multiple cars, boats and anything they want and then getting food stamps on top of that.
I would rather live in rags and do God's work than to have all the riches of the earth, but I know that God is going to take care of me. God provides all of our needs and we don't have to make up stories for that to happen.
I would rather live in rags and do God's work than to have all the riches of the earth, but I know that God is going to take care of me. God provides all of our needs and we don't have to make up stories for that to happen.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
What does it mean to "honour" our parents?
Exodus 20:12 "Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."
My study bible says: "This is the first commandment with a promise attached. To live in peace for generations in the Promised Land, the Israelites would need to respect authority and build strong families. But what does it mean to "honor" our parents? Partly, it means speaking well of them and politely to them. It also means acting in a way that shows them courtesy and respect (but not to obey them if this means disobedience to God). Parents have a special place in God's sight. Even those who find it difficult to get along with their parents are still commanded to honor them."
Cross Reference Deuteronomy 5:16 "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hat commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."
My study bible says: Obeying our parents is our main task when we are young, but respect for them should continue even beyond their death. One way to honor parents is to provide for them in times of financial need or when they are ill and unable to care for themselves. Perhaps the best way to honor them is to pass on their godly values to our children. Honoring involves all that sons and daughters do with their lives--the way they work and talk, the values they hold, and the morals they practice. What are you doing to honor your parents? Are you living in a way that brings honor to them?"
This can be a difficult subject or an easy subject. In today's time, there is so much that goes on in a child's life whether it be a broken home, abuse, disabilities, or just nobody that cares and gives them their time. I pray for these children because there is hope. God will place someone in their life to help them to ultimately seek God as their one true Father. I on the other hand need to check up on myself in honoring my parents. I like it when my mom says that she is proud of me. I really feel like I am doing something right. I want to please her and I want to please my dad. My ultimate goal is to please God my Father who has been with me before I was born or thought of. I pray I would devote my time to honoring His wishes and passing on His love and values to all those I come in contact with.
My study bible says: "This is the first commandment with a promise attached. To live in peace for generations in the Promised Land, the Israelites would need to respect authority and build strong families. But what does it mean to "honor" our parents? Partly, it means speaking well of them and politely to them. It also means acting in a way that shows them courtesy and respect (but not to obey them if this means disobedience to God). Parents have a special place in God's sight. Even those who find it difficult to get along with their parents are still commanded to honor them."
Cross Reference Deuteronomy 5:16 "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hat commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."
My study bible says: Obeying our parents is our main task when we are young, but respect for them should continue even beyond their death. One way to honor parents is to provide for them in times of financial need or when they are ill and unable to care for themselves. Perhaps the best way to honor them is to pass on their godly values to our children. Honoring involves all that sons and daughters do with their lives--the way they work and talk, the values they hold, and the morals they practice. What are you doing to honor your parents? Are you living in a way that brings honor to them?"
This can be a difficult subject or an easy subject. In today's time, there is so much that goes on in a child's life whether it be a broken home, abuse, disabilities, or just nobody that cares and gives them their time. I pray for these children because there is hope. God will place someone in their life to help them to ultimately seek God as their one true Father. I on the other hand need to check up on myself in honoring my parents. I like it when my mom says that she is proud of me. I really feel like I am doing something right. I want to please her and I want to please my dad. My ultimate goal is to please God my Father who has been with me before I was born or thought of. I pray I would devote my time to honoring His wishes and passing on His love and values to all those I come in contact with.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Why is the Sabbath so important?
The Ten Commandments are such solid written laws that they even apply today. I want to take time on each one of them separately and will do that through different post. The first one I want to talk about is the Sabbath and why it is so important. God did not make the Sabbath day for Him, He made it for us (for man).
After God had worked so hard and formed "Creation" everything we see around us, He rested, blessed that day and hallowed it. Hallowed means holy or sacred. The Sabbath day is a sacred day that is set aside for man to rest and to worship. We rest because of our busy week. We are tired and need to be energized for the next week ahead. We worship because we need to demonstrate the importance of having God in our lives and refreshing our spirits.
I want to share what my study bible says in Mark about these verses, because it is so well put and to the point.
"Jesus used the example of David to point out how ridiculous the Pharisees' accusations were. God created the Sabbath for our benefit, not his own. God derives no benefit from having us rest on the Sabbath, but we are restored both physically and spiritually when we take time to rest and focus on God. For the Pharisees, David and Jesus understood that the intent of God's Law is to promote love for God and others. When we apply a law to other people, we should make sure we understand its purpose and intent so we don't make harmful or inappropriate judgments."
Another good point the bible makes about the sabbath day is in Mark 2:23-24 "And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?"
The Sabbath is also a day to do good. Yes, God set this day aside for rest and worship, but he did not mean that concern for rest should keep us from lifting a finger to help others. We should not allow the Sabbath day to become a time of selfish indulgence.
How convicting to know that I have mistakenly taken my Sabbath day for granted. After worship, I should be knocking on doors to help out. I should be searching to be a soldier for God's army! I should be doing even more on my sabbath day for God than I do any other day of the week, because this time is unhurried and meant to draw close to Him. I would be even closer if only I would listen to what he would have me do.
After God had worked so hard and formed "Creation" everything we see around us, He rested, blessed that day and hallowed it. Hallowed means holy or sacred. The Sabbath day is a sacred day that is set aside for man to rest and to worship. We rest because of our busy week. We are tired and need to be energized for the next week ahead. We worship because we need to demonstrate the importance of having God in our lives and refreshing our spirits.
Mark 2: 25-28 "And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he , and they that were with him? (26) How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? (27) And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: (28) Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."
I want to share what my study bible says in Mark about these verses, because it is so well put and to the point.
"Jesus used the example of David to point out how ridiculous the Pharisees' accusations were. God created the Sabbath for our benefit, not his own. God derives no benefit from having us rest on the Sabbath, but we are restored both physically and spiritually when we take time to rest and focus on God. For the Pharisees, David and Jesus understood that the intent of God's Law is to promote love for God and others. When we apply a law to other people, we should make sure we understand its purpose and intent so we don't make harmful or inappropriate judgments."
Another good point the bible makes about the sabbath day is in Mark 2:23-24 "And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?"
The Sabbath is also a day to do good. Yes, God set this day aside for rest and worship, but he did not mean that concern for rest should keep us from lifting a finger to help others. We should not allow the Sabbath day to become a time of selfish indulgence.
How convicting to know that I have mistakenly taken my Sabbath day for granted. After worship, I should be knocking on doors to help out. I should be searching to be a soldier for God's army! I should be doing even more on my sabbath day for God than I do any other day of the week, because this time is unhurried and meant to draw close to Him. I would be even closer if only I would listen to what he would have me do.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
How to reduce stress!
When the people were led out of Egypt and had to go through the wilderness, they complained. The wilderness was a vast space of sand and stone and there wasn't much to eat or drink. God promised to provide for them and meet their needs, but only after testing their obedience. This caused stress among the Israelites and led to complaining because they wanted it to be easier than it was. They did not focus on God because they were looking for a quick escape.
To reduce our stress, we should always have a clear focus on God's expectations of us and learn to trust in Him for our every need. Yes, there are times when it gets down right rough on earth and that is the ultimate time when God wants you to turn to Him. Imagine a life that was stress free because you know that God is handling every matter in your life. That is a huge burden lifted knowing that everything is going to be ok because God loves us so much that he takes care of our every need. Stress leads to many problems, emotionally and physically. Stress also causes us to worry which is another sin. We need only to trust God in EVERYTHING and He will take care of it the best way that He sees fit. He will make sure it is the best thing for us because we can not see what the consequences would be if we handled it. So, any problem you have, turn it over to God. You will feel good because you know it will be handled in the best way possible for you and you can REDUCE YOUR STRESS!!!
To reduce our stress, we should always have a clear focus on God's expectations of us and learn to trust in Him for our every need. Yes, there are times when it gets down right rough on earth and that is the ultimate time when God wants you to turn to Him. Imagine a life that was stress free because you know that God is handling every matter in your life. That is a huge burden lifted knowing that everything is going to be ok because God loves us so much that he takes care of our every need. Stress leads to many problems, emotionally and physically. Stress also causes us to worry which is another sin. We need only to trust God in EVERYTHING and He will take care of it the best way that He sees fit. He will make sure it is the best thing for us because we can not see what the consequences would be if we handled it. So, any problem you have, turn it over to God. You will feel good because you know it will be handled in the best way possible for you and you can REDUCE YOUR STRESS!!!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Faith is an Action!
Exodus Chapter 12 talks about "The Passover" in which the Hebrew people slayed a spotless lamb to cover their door frames in order for God to pass over their house and protect their first born from dying. In order for the first born to be spared it was important for an innocent life to be slain in their place. It is different today, because Jesus, the Lamb of God, bled and died for our sin and we do not need any other sacrifice. The Hebrews were to eat the "Feast of the Passover" which included roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. They ate the feast in their traveling clothes because God told them to always be ready to leave because He was going to lead them out of Egypt. Their preparation was an act of Faith!
I wonder if I am preparing daily for God's blessings? I am sure that spending time with Him is a mighty plus, but I think He wants more from us. I truly believe he wants us to seek Him and ask Him of all things and prepare for those things to happen in our lives. If we are prepared for the blessings that God is going to give us, we can rest assured that He is setting everything in motion for it to happen. My mother once said, "God helps those who help themselves." I see truth in this, because if we prepare ourselves for God's gifts, He will truly bless us and multiply our fruits because we have FAITH in Him. We are acting out our faith by doing what God says to get ready for even though we may not know when it will happen and how long it will take.
I pray that my communication with God is so profound and my walk with Him so close that I can understand what I should prepare for because I see a glimpse of a treasure I am going to have. I want to give you an example of this preparation and acting on faith. My husband and I wanted a child, but we were not sure we could have one because of my heart condition since birth. We went together to meet with my cardiologist where we discussed in full detail and length about what my body would go through and all the pros and cons of it all. It was very important that I prepare my body for pregnancy before it ever occurred. I did so by eating healthy, taking vitamins, and exercising for six months before even trying to get pregnant. I also prayed a lot about my health, the baby's health, and our life after pregnancy was over. With much prayer and preparation, God blessed us with a beautiful, healthy baby boy who in no way was born with a heart condition or any other complications. I truly believe it was because of an ACT OF FAITH that God blessed us and continues to do this daily even though sometimes we may not always recognize it.
I wonder if I am preparing daily for God's blessings? I am sure that spending time with Him is a mighty plus, but I think He wants more from us. I truly believe he wants us to seek Him and ask Him of all things and prepare for those things to happen in our lives. If we are prepared for the blessings that God is going to give us, we can rest assured that He is setting everything in motion for it to happen. My mother once said, "God helps those who help themselves." I see truth in this, because if we prepare ourselves for God's gifts, He will truly bless us and multiply our fruits because we have FAITH in Him. We are acting out our faith by doing what God says to get ready for even though we may not know when it will happen and how long it will take.
I pray that my communication with God is so profound and my walk with Him so close that I can understand what I should prepare for because I see a glimpse of a treasure I am going to have. I want to give you an example of this preparation and acting on faith. My husband and I wanted a child, but we were not sure we could have one because of my heart condition since birth. We went together to meet with my cardiologist where we discussed in full detail and length about what my body would go through and all the pros and cons of it all. It was very important that I prepare my body for pregnancy before it ever occurred. I did so by eating healthy, taking vitamins, and exercising for six months before even trying to get pregnant. I also prayed a lot about my health, the baby's health, and our life after pregnancy was over. With much prayer and preparation, God blessed us with a beautiful, healthy baby boy who in no way was born with a heart condition or any other complications. I truly believe it was because of an ACT OF FAITH that God blessed us and continues to do this daily even though sometimes we may not always recognize it.
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