poem...A Gentle Whisper

The news she got today, how does she make sense of whats happening, trying to hold it together, when she feels like shes falling apart.she falls to her knees, unsure of what to say, overwhelmed and afraid, she just calls out his name...Jesus im falling apart, not sure where to start,  to pick up the pieces and begin again.Another loss, more tears, can you relate to her fears? You know, you've gone through it too, whether a job loss, health that's failing or a broken family torn in two.You feel like none wants to listen.

  On her knees, in the silence , sitting there, holding onto what little thread of hope she thinks there is.Calm my spirit Lord, hear my pleas, hold me together before i fall apart.. then she feels his hand on her spirit saying my child i know, i have not left you alone.id never leave you when you need me most, i wont just hold you together, ill hold you still and fill you with my peace, peace like the calmness, peace that passes all your human understanding.He didn't come in a loud voice,no miraculous miracle right away, but all the same he came to me that day and spoke in a gentle whisper. a gentle whisper, a still small voice, and when we feel like were running on empty, he fills up with himself!

Lord You are my Portion, My All in All!

  Lord You are my portion.Read that again and let those  words soak into your spirit.Psalm 16:5 says this
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places indeed, i have a beautiful inheritance.What comfort in the scriptures we find.We can always rest assured that when life's struggles happen we can turn to The scriptures to find the answers, the  wisdom they hold.
   When you feel like God has  forgotten you, or does not care, remember that you are His beloved and he cares for his children, so much he desires to bless us, to have us take part in whats in store for thsoe who love him.This life is a vapor, fragile gift that can be gone tomorrow.But what is promised us, what is coming, is not something we have to work towards, or can loose, its ours because we are his children, and He wants whats best for his child.. you!
   As i reread Psalm 16;5 i was drawn to the word MY. how its used in this scripture text.Our part in what He provides.The Lord is all i need, all i desire.He alone is the Only one who can fill us up completely.The way the scripture text is, makes it very personable.Yes there are different meanings for the word portion found in scripture.
      As His beloved Children we have that assurance of our reward, for our faithfulness,our secure place with him in Eternal glory forever and always!Our Inheritance. one that cannot be taken.So try putting your name in these scriptures, make them personal, connect with what the  write is saying and know that all scripture that is written is God breathed, so its from his deep and genuine love for us!

  

Are You A Servant?

Good evening my readers. I hope all are doing well on this very hot and humid summer evening .I’m glad to be back and in the swing of blogging im hoping to get back to regular weekly entries so you all may be encouraged by what the Lord has placed on my heart to share with you all tonight.

     As Christ followers I think its very important to  constantly be evaluating our spiritual walk and seeing where we need to improve and asking the Holy spirit to do work in our minds and hearts, because it is our responsibility to become more and more like Christ as we grow and mature as Christians. As I was pondering what this entry was going to be about, I felt the Lord speak to my heart and after much prayer and time in God word I decided to  reflect on what true servant hood is , and why its important that  we all get involved in someway serving our church family.

     Are you sitting on the sidelines? Each week you find yourself sitting in the pew as you listen to the sermon being preached, you find yourself thinking  what a great sermon spoken by the pastor today, I t really hit home and touched my heart. Week after week you do this. yet as you go back into your own little world the words that seemed to pull at your heartstrings seem to fall to the wayside. You look at your busy, crammed schedule and you think to yourself I can’t possibly make time for community group, where true fellowship starts, a place where your spiritual maturity will cultivate growth. I already have so many responsibilities which are all priorities, how can I find the time?

      The following week after the service you overhear a woman saying  the children’s ministry needs more teachers, you love children, but you find another excuse to not help out. A few weeks pass and while having a conversation with someone you find out that the person who was greeting has moved onto another ministry and they are looking for someone to fill this role. Yet again you just cant find the time. At the woman’s get together after church you hear that so and so is in the hospital and could use a visitor and maybe a few meals for their family, but you think I have my own family to think about. You plead your case to the pastor and to God!

   I go to church every week without fail, I read the scriptures every night before I close my eyes, I believe in what the scriptures say, isn’t that enough? We are created in Gods image. We are supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to be the light, to bear one another’s burdens. Were not just supposed to fill a pew on Sunday mornings ,and the monthly fun woman’s or men’s gatherings. God requires much more from us. Each one of us has talents and as you mature in your spiritual walk you learn what your spiritual gifts are as well

  

   We are all part of the body of Christ and the body cant function without all its parts. Jesus  came to serve, He the king of kings came as a servant to serve whomever needed his touch, we as Christians need to follow this example .When you think of Jesus washing his  disciples feet, that’s servant hood. We can’t just be Christ

Followers by name only, but be willing to do what needs to be done, in any way we can help Serving one another, your church family. Are you sitting on the sidelines?

 My prayer is for you to ask God to reveal to you, where you are holding back from being a servant? You play a role, being a Christian is not just a title, but it’s a way we live out our lives, not by just the words we speak or believe, but following his example in His footsteps. May Jesus do the work in your heart and may he  Grow you farther than you ever thought you could !As you step out of the pew, not into the limelight, but into the light of what true Servant hood is!

Good evening my readers. I hope all are doing well on this very hot and humid summer evening .I’m glad to be back and in the swing of blogging im hoping to get back to regular weekly entries so you all may be encouraged by what the Lord has placed on my heart to share with you all tonight.

     As Christ followers I think its very important to  constantly be evaluating our spiritual walk and seeing where we need to improve and asking the Holy spirit to do work in our minds and hearts, because it is our responsibility to become more and more like Christ as we grow and mature as Christians. As I was pondering what this entry was going to be about, I felt the Lord speak to my heart and after much prayer and time in God word I decided to  reflect on what true servant hood is , and why its important that  we all get involved in someway serving our church family.

     Are you sitting on the sidelines? Each week you find yourself sitting in the pew as you listen to the sermon being preached, you find yourself thinking  what a great sermon spoken by the pastor today, I t really hit home and touched my heart. Week after week you do this. yet as you go back into your own little world the words that seemed to pull at your heartstrings seem to fall to the wayside. You look at your busy, crammed schedule and you think to yourself I can’t possibly make time for community group, where true fellowship starts, a place where your spiritual maturity will cultivate growth. I already have so many responsibilities which are all priorities, how can I find the time?

      The following week after the service you overhear a woman saying  the children’s ministry needs more teachers, you love children, but you find another excuse to not help out. A few weeks pass and while having a conversation with someone you find out that the person who was greeting has moved onto another ministry and they are looking for someone to fill this role. Yet again you just cant find the time. At the woman’s get together after church you hear that so and so is in the hospital and could use a visitor and maybe a few meals for their family, but you think I have my own family to think about. You plead your case to the pastor and to God!

   I go to church every week without fail, I read the scriptures every night before I close my eyes, I believe in what the scriptures say, isn’t that enough? We are created in Gods image. We are supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to be the light, to bear one another’s burdens. Were not just supposed to fill a pew on Sunday mornings ,and the monthly fun woman’s or men’s gatherings. God requires much more from us. Each one of us has talents and as you mature in your spiritual walk you learn what your spiritual gifts are as well

  

   We are all part of the body of Christ and the body cant function without all its parts. Jesus  came to serve, He the king of kings came as a servant to serve whomever needed his touch, we as Christians need to follow this example .When you think of Jesus washing his  disciples feet, that’s servant hood. We can’t just be Christ

Followers by name only, but be willing to do what needs to be done, in any way we can help Serving one another, your church family. Are you sitting on the sidelines?

 My prayer is for you to ask God to reveal to you, where you are holding back from being a servant? You play a role, being a Christian is not just a title, but it’s a way we live out our lives, not by just the words we speak or believe, but following his example in His footsteps. May Jesus do the work in your heart and may he  Grow you farther than you ever thought you could !As you step out of the pew, not into the limelight, but into the light of what true Servant hood is!

Gods Peace in the Storm~

    Beauty for ashes, after the storm passes the Rainbow appears across the sky for our eyes to gaze upon Jesus the artist the creator of all did that just because he loves us so. Like a beautiful fragrance, He wraps us up in his loving embrace. He is gentle like the gentle shepherd who tends to his flock with such tender loving care.

    His strength is perfect, even when our strength is no more and we feel like we have reached our limit. His strength abounds, his mercies are new every morning. His love keeps abundantly overflowing. He knows all our heartaches, and sees every tear we cry in secret. Every believer on their knees, every soul searching for something to fill their void, He sees, He knows all.

   We know there are times when tragedy comes roaring in like a lion ready to devour us .Our eyes look to the heavens. We cling to his promises they cannot be shaken! Like the storm that comes in over the ocean, sometimes we see it over the horizon and other times it sweeps over us like tidal wave and takes our breath away.

  We see our brothers and sisters in Christ face pain and trials and our hearts break for them. We bear their burdens with them, as the scriptures instruct us to! Life is like a vapor, like the wind, it’s here we feel it and then it’s gone. Like the grass here today and withers away tomorrow. Unlike the world we live in, WE have that hope that eternal hope we cling to that this world and all its heartaches cannot take away from us.

  Jesus is close to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in Spirit Psalm 34:18 The Lord is always there, but are you open to his work in your life when life’s troubles try to pull you under, distract us, tempt us, do you have Gods word hidden in your heart, to recall in times of doubts and struggles? Lay down your burdens at the foot of the cross, pour out your heart to Jesus, the only one who can carry you until you reach the other side.

 When we question Gods providence, He always comes through in some way, though not always how we think things should unfold, but just like any Father He knows better than we do. Many times the weight of this evil world tries to crush us and tests our faith. We all at times try to fill voids that we do not feel Jesus can fill. Jesus is our everything, He needs to be the center of our lives, and nothing fills the empty voids we have as CHRIST can!

  Ask the Lord for a deeper understanding of his Word! Ask him for peace that passes all understanding!  Ask him for a deeper revelation of His presence in your life and He will pour it out on you! He is The God of all comfort, Jehovah  Jira the Great Provider! He is the friend that is closer than a brother is! When we feel scared, when were questioning our purpose, when we feel crushed beneath trails, we need to turn to the Peace GIVER! The Life CHANGER!  Life SUSTAINER! Let Jesus be our first Responder!

 When were on our knees that is where our strength abounds! His strength is made perfect in our weakness! No matter how dark your night is the Lord of the brokenhearted will shine light into the dark and will bring beauty from ashes from our lives!

Do Our Lives of Christ Live a Life of Love?

A few days ago while out running  errands, a young mother hurried past me, she had two little ones , one in her arms the other trailing behind her a bit. My heart went out to her as I wondered to myself does she know the Lord. Has someone shared with her the Loving Grace and life changing, life giving words to give her a hope and a future. Not knowing her background, my heart still broke for her, I felt Gods love fill me for this woman!

  What would this world look like, if we as Christ followers truly lived out the words of Jesus daily? Yesterday while writing up this, the lyrics to an old hymn came to me and I kept singing them repeatedly over in my head. The song is by Peter Scholtes:” They Will Know We Are Christians by Our love”

The lyrics go like this: We are one on the spirit; we are one in the Lord. We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord and we pray one day our unity will one day be restored and they will know e are Christians by our love  by our love yes they will know we are Christians by our love.

  Though a old hymn, the words still ring true and speak, so many divisions among Christians fighting over the littlest things, divisions among our Christian brothers and sisters who are suppose to be our family in Christ. If we can’t get along with one another, how are we going to show Christ love to the none believer? What message are we sending? If one who is searching looks at us, sees the discord and lack of unity, and thinks, there is no real difference there with these people vs the ones I interact with daily in my own life, which is what the one searching is thinking!

   If we are living in this world, but not of this world, but to be set apart like the city on the hill, be the light that shines in the darkest of nights! We are commanded to in the scriptures Matthew 28;16-20  tells us to go out to all the world, and make disciples. Nevertheless, to do that with a Christlike   way about us means to first go out and show love to the we see as difficult to get along with, love them anyway, go out of our way to see the hurting, the needs of others, be willing to listen to their story and sit down and give them your time.

 We want our family and loved ones to see the light, to experience all the Great things God has in store for them, and have them experience it for themselves. We want them to have the same hope we have.  Why  so many turned off to the love of God? Why do so many turn their backs to us when we share the gospel? Could it be the ways were going about what god commands of us? We are on a mission, but its so much more than that, it is not for our gain, our pat on the back! Life is difficult there is no denying that, but having Jesus to hold us together gives us the strength to face our trails with the joy of the Lord. It’s so much harder without Christ!

 I know for myself, though I have been a Christian since a very young age, if it had not been for Jesus and his power in my life, I might be dead, He gave me that hope! He gave me a purpose, first to love and serve Him. However, use my past hurts for my way to minister to the lost, hurting people God brings across my paths!

  Think of love in action and these different situations. How many times have you been at church and seen, someone who has visited a couple of times, but because  its not their first time  and your busy doing responsibilities, you don’t get a chance to even say hello, or your wrapped up in a conversation with a close friend. you just don’t take a moment to say hello, you think someone else will do it what message are we sending  them? We pray that we all have the attitude of Christ, that all who walk through the doors will experience his love through the kindness we show.  We do not carry through, for whatever reason. What if that same person is a non-believer, searching and comes through the door the very first time, and we do not make that effort to seek them out and introduce ourselves, what if we were that persons only glimpse of Jesus until that moment, and then they walk out and they die tomorrow. God knows their heart.

   WE failed as Christians because we need to seize every opportunity that God places in front of us! We all fall short,  I have many times and I’m a work in progress like you all! What if that person turns away from God because the hurt they experienced, what then..Well we will answer to Jesus on Judgment day when we stand before His throne! What about the person at work, who you have become friends with in work, they know you are a Christian, you do not agree with their lifestyle, whatever it may be, but instead of loving them as Christ loves them. You  put on your holier than though attitude and climb up into the judgment seat, who are you to judge?  What Love will they know, by harsh words and throwing scriptures at them? They will not! No sin is greater than another is!

   That reminds me  of a quote by: Mother Teresa  and it says”  words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness” wow that’s so true, if those we are trying to reach are already in darkness and we try to approach them with a attitude of hate   because the way they live or because we feel were better than them, then  we need to sit back and examine our hearts.  Think about the 1 Corinthians 13 and what Love is which is the sacrifice of self?

  When we come in contact with others and trying to reach them, share your story, its away they can relate and when you listen, they will see you care enough to share in their life and their struggles! We need to step down and let Christ speak through us and for us! Be transparent! Knowing the scriptures and knowledge of them is important, but its not THE MOST important, the most important is loving God and loving others! So we don’t need to shove knowledge to people when we’re witnessing to them, as the relationship grows and they start asking questions, that’s when we start lovingly sharing a few scriptures with them. To love like Christ looks a lot different from what a lot of times we portray! Jesus sat with the prostitute and the tax collectors. I will close with this quote~”To love someone means to see him as God intended him!” by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Gods Deep Love for His Children~

    We love serving God!We love worshiping him, and expressing our love and gratitude to Him!But so many times, we find ourselves forgetting how loved WE  are by our Heavenly Father and creator!Sometimes its hard to see His love pour out on us, because were so afraid that He cant see beyond our mistakes.Beyond our imperfections!No one on this Earth loves you the way Jesus does!
    No one wants the very best for us as much as He does, as much as our parents love us and our spouses love us, it doesn't even come close to the profound deep love He has for his children!Its hard to even fathom at times, that we never deserved his forgiveness, his sacrifice, his mercy, but He gave it all for us so willingly!He knows the very number of hairs on our heads!He knows each tear we cry, when no one is around to hear us!He knows every prayer that goes up!No one cares more about your dreams and your hopes than He does!noone fights your battles like he does for us!He sees the stains on our hearts, he sees our past and he wipes the slate clean, so in HIS eyes we are blameless   and white as snow.
     His love for his children is as deep as the oceans, as high as the universe expands and  as deep as the valleys!HE is the one who holds us together, calms our spirits when we feel like our world is shaking.He equips us for every good work!He wants to do a mighty work in and through each of us, if we are willing to head the call and surrender to his voice!He wants to serve us, He wants to teach us, and help us grow into the men and woman He knows we are capable of being!
     Its so easy to let what man thinks of us overshadow what God thinks of us and what God thinks is how we should see ourselves!God sees his masterpiece, created in His image.So  he says "Child my precious Child my love does not change with the wind, it does not get drowned out by the rains that fall in our lives!He sis the same yesterday, today and forever! and his Profound love for his children does not waver with time!When  the devil tries to feed you lies, remember that, you are chosen, you are bought with a price and nothing, and none can rip you from the firm grasp of your Father and Lord!