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Don’t walk or run away…..

July 21, 2008

Our lesson this week in Bible study had a very interesting paragraph that is very true.  It’s based on Malachi 3:6a,  “ 6 “I the LORD do not change.”   

He does not change, so what happens when He feels distant? 

“If God feels distant, stop walking away.   

 

Malachi reminds his audience that God has not changed. It’s not as if His commands or His character are a moving target. Slowly, over time however, the Israelites have wandered off until God finally says enough is enough! God desires that they stop wandering and start returning. This may appear to be simple but in fact it is usually the opposite of what we do.  When we don’t feel close to God, we often stop reading our Bible, or stop praying, or stop going to church, or stop worshipping. It’s no wonder He feels so distant! Returning to God may not feel natural, but it’s certainly necessary.”Returning to God may not feel natural, but it’s certainly necessary.

Returning to God may not feel natural, but it’s certainly necessary.

Returning to God may not feel natural, but it’s certainly necessary.

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

What are your thoughts?

 

 

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“Set Me Free”

July 15, 2008

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Psalm 139

July 11, 2008
Can you take a few minutes to pray this scripture?  Speak this passage slowly….allow Father God to speak to you…examine where you are…the last sentence uses the word “everlasting.” 

The “way of everlasting” is where Father God is, it’s where Jesus is, it’s where the Holy Spirit is, it’s where emotional and physical healing resides, it’s where peace that passes all understanding is, it’s where calmness, boldness, joy, abundance and assurance resides…..

Psalm 139

1 O LORD, you have searched me
       and you know me.

 2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
       you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
       you are familiar with all my ways.

 4 Before a word is on my tongue
       you know it completely, O LORD.

 5 You hem me in—behind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon me.

 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
       too lofty for me to attain.

 7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
       Where can I flee from your presence?

 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
       if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
       if I settle on the far side of the sea,

 10 even there your hand will guide me,
       your right hand will hold me fast.

 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
       and the light become night around me,”

 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
       the night will shine like the day,
       for darkness is as light to you.

 13 For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.

 15 My frame was not hidden from you
       when I was made in the secret place.
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

 16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
       All the days ordained for me
       were written in your book
       before one of them came to be.

 17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!
       How vast is the sum of them!

 18 Were I to count them,
       they would outnumber the grains of sand.
       When I awake,
       I am still with you.

 19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
       Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

 20 They speak of you with evil intent;
       your adversaries misuse your name.

 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
       and abhor those who rise up against you?

 22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
       I count them my enemies.

 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
       test me and know my anxious thoughts.

 24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
       and lead me in the way everlasting.”

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Devotion

July 9, 2008

I heard a phenomenal devotion tonight and I want to share some of it with you.

Read this scripture from Acts 2:42-47

“42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Can you imagine people accepting Christ and joining our churches on a daily basis? 

That’s our goal and that’s what we dream about, but this scripture gives us 4 keys that made this happen..

1. Devotion to the Apostles:  The apostles taught the life of Jesus, the people were devoted.

2. Fellowship: the people created relationships that created a magnetic force of love

3. Breaking of Bread: Devoting themselves to communion with Father God.

4. Prayer:

Acts 2:42 makes Acts 2:47 happen!!!

What do you think about this quote?

“We don’t have to, we are free to…”

“We don’t have to love, we are free to love.”

“We don’t have to forgive, we are free to forgive.”

“We don’e have to ______. we are free to ________”

Fill in the blanks with other words:  pray, minister, sow seeds, etc.

John 8:36 says “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Jesus sets us free!!!  Allow Him to set you free!!

I was blessed tonight and I hope this message blesses you.

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We must go!

June 30, 2008

This is my first post and my first quiet time since returning from our annual M-Fuge youth camp.  I watched in awe and excitement as the Holy Spirit convicted souls of our youth this week.  Jesus became real to several of our kids this week.  They are now new creations in Christ, covered by the blood of Jesus, forgiven of their sins and heaven bound!!

Many things stood out as we worshipped and listed to the camp pastor last week. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 hit me for the very first time.  I have quoted it everyday since hearing it.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” NIV

This sacrifice by our Savior, Jesus, gives us the freedom to go out and be intentional.  We are able to share the burden-lifting, peace-giving love of Christ by our daily actions.

Our smiles, our encouragement, our hugs and our desire to help people.

When was the last time you told someone (brother, sister, children, grandchildren, parents, pastor, etc) that you were “proud of them?”

Try to encourage someone today and watch their “eyes light up!”

I heard a new last week that keeps ringing in my head…it’s titled “We Must Go.”  

Pay special attention to the plea, “keep us from just singing.”

Have a great day and be intentional.  Make a difference for someone today!!!!!!

 

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Home again…

June 28, 2008

I am home from M-Fuge…I will have some new and exciting info to share this week..hang on!!!

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We are home…

June 21, 2008

Thank you for your prayers.  We returned home at 1am and got to sleep in this morning.  These are the last of the vacation pictures.  God Bless

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Clearwater, Day 4

June 20, 2008

Here are the last of the pictures that I will get to upload before we leave Clearwater.  Please pray for us as we travel tomorrow night.  We will be flying from Tampa to Nashville at 9:30pm and then driving home.  

God Bless!!!

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Clearwater, Day 3

June 19, 2008

Day 3 was another great day at Clearwater.   We ended the day attending the Florida Healing Outpouring Revival in Lakeland Florida.   I have been watching this 75+ day revival on GodTV for the last couple of months.  Many are skeptical and even opposed to this charismatic ministry.  However, after attending, the presence of Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are undeniable.

There was a great sense of expectation in the air prior to the service.  The worship leader started the service at 6pm and worship continued for over an hour and a half.  This service can be summed up by two words…..intense worship!!!!  At one point, there was a peaceful humming across the entire room.   There were people from many nations attending this service; England, Austria, Poland, Romania, Argentina, Austrailia, Israel, and many, many more.   During the moments of this peaceful humming, I leaned over to Jenny and said, “This is what heaven will sound like.”  

Psalm 117:1-2 says “1-2 Praise God, everybody! Applaud God, all people!   His love has taken over our lives;  God’s faithful ways are eternal.  Hallelujah! “

The experience of all nations worshiping the ONE TRUE CREATOR was intense!!!!!!!

God Bless!!!

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Clearwater, Day 2

June 18, 2008

Here are the pics from day 2.  We are uploading all of our pictures to my blog in case something happens to our PC while we are on our trip.   God Bless!!!