Page 2

Total news: 151
Last news: 6 hours 37 minutes ago

Am I trusting?

Am I reverent?

Am I loyal?

Am I loving?

Am I submissive?

Am I eager?

Am I zealous?

What is my hearts attitude toward God?

At the end of last summer, it was time to think of new shoes for work.

Only one year before, I was in the very same store, purchasing a pair of brown shoes. They proved to be great shoes, and I found myself wearing them almost every day. After about 9 months, the heals were so worn down that they began to throw my feet off balance. I had to make the decision---I threw them away.

So, here I was in the store and ----there they were! The very same shoes! Even though they were available, my budget was not in a position to withstand such a purchase. Sadly, I did not get them. That was about 8 months ago....

Last evening, I remembered my favorite shoes once again. I recalled to my husband how I had seen the shoes but hadnt bought them. Oh, well.

This morning, I didnt have to go to work. It was a sunny Saturday. I decided to go to some garage sales.

At the very first home I visited, I walked up to a table laden with items for sale. There, in front of me were two boxes, each holding a a pair of shoes.

New shoes.

In their original boxes.

With the expensive price stickers from the store still on them.

On sale for FIVE DOLLARS each.

A brown pair AND a black pair.

In my size.

THE VERY SAME SHOES I WANTED!

Not one pair, but two!!

I was smiling big as I bent over to try them on. I knew they were for me. From God. A gift.

I explained the significance of what was taking place to the woman hosting the sale. She replied, "God is good."

Indeed, He is!

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:19,20

I heard someone praying yesterday.

Although I cannot remember the exact words that were spoken, I remember the sentiment well.

He was rejoicing in the fact that God had allowed him to live long enough to see his granddaughter accept Gods forgiveness and become a Christian.

Not having the words to say to fully express to God all that he was feeling, he simply asked Him to reach down into his heart and search for the gratitude that was within it.

Id not thought of this before---wanting so to tell God the deep emotions that flood our hearts, and in failing at the attempt to find adequate verbage---asking Him to communicate with us on a level only He could accomplish.

A translation of communication from our spirit to God.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  ----Colossians 3:16

This is an important week to remember.

A friend shared this idea with a group that I attend weekly.

She explained how today was Palm Sunday and next week would be Easter; however, the events of this week that took place when Jesus was on the earth need to be remembered and pondered.

How many days before He would eat with His disciples for the last time?

How many days before He was to be crucified for our sins?

It is an important week to remember.

He died.

He rose again.

He offers us new life.

New life in Him.

What does it mean to sing praises to God?

What does it mean to praise Him among the nations?

What about the time you shared what God was doing in your life to your spouses parents?

What about the time you prayed with your neighbor who was in the hospital and you told him that he could trust God?

What about all the times you sang "Jesus Love Me" to your children when they were little?

What about the time you washed cars to raise money to send Bibles to an underpriviledged country?

Are your actions singing praise to God?

Are your words praising Him?

Testimonies of word and action surely are a form of praise.

God has done great and marvelous things for me and for you.

Therefore, we should praise Him.

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Youve heard of them, havent you?

Remarkable works of construction.

Incredible.

Each a wonder on its own.

As I was reading the Bible this evening, this scripture stood out to me:

Show the wonder of your great love,

You who save by your right hand

those who take refuge in you from their foes.

Psalm 17:7

When we experience Gods great love, is it not remarkable? Incredible? A wonder?

Oh, the many ways He saves us, moment by moment, day after day.

What refuge He provides, protecting our very thoughts, calming our deepest fears.

The wonder of His great love.

Love for me.

Love for you.

But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of Jesus, his Son,

purifies us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin,

we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

and will forgive us

our sins and purify us

from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:7-9

 Then he said to them all:

"If anyone would come after me,

he must deny himself and take up

his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wants to save his life

will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world,

and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words,

the Son of Man will be ashamed of him

when he comes in his glory and in the glory

of the Father and of the holy angels."

 Luke 9:23-26

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
       and righteousness looks down from heaven.

  The LORD will indeed give what is good,
       and our land will yield its harvest.

  Righteousness goes before him
       and prepares the way for his steps.

Psalm 85:11-13

It was early morning---only about an hour and a half after sunrise. I hadnt been at work long. As my door opened, my visitor walked in with a Luna Moth they had found outside. It was very colorful and quite large with a wingspan of at least three inches.

Some may view moths as beautiful creatures, displaying a myriad of designs and hues. Others may view them as serious pests, as their caterpillars eat plants and clothing.

In Luke, chapter 12, we are reminded that there is a treasure in heaven for us that cannot be exhausted; no theif can take it away---moths cannot destroy it.  This treasure is our eternal life, offered as a gift from God, paid for with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to redeem us.

Do you have this treasure today?

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys."    ---Luke 12:32,33

 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

Mark 16:1-3

It was the third hour when they crucified him.

The written notice of the charge against him read:

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

They crucified two robbers with him,

one on his right and one on his left.

Mark 15:25-27

Does God love with a pure and holy love?

His love will last forever.

Will God break a promise He has made?

His promises last forever.

Does God know your name?

He will know it forever.

Will God grant you forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son?

His forgiveness is....

FOREVER!

I hadnt planned to go.

That wasnt Gods plan, however.

Coming home from the grocery store, I made a quick, spontaneous decision. With one simple turn, I was headed toward the cemetery. It was nearing sundown and the air was cooling and gentle.

I drove to the area of our sons grave and looked briefly at the flowers there. Feeling the familiar sense of loss and grief, I talked to God.

As I maneuvered my vehicle through the road leading out to the highway, I could see a woman at a nearby grave.

I pulled over and got out of the car.

"Did you lose someone recently?" I asked.

"Not recently,"  came the reply.  "Four years ago."

"Same with me," I said. "Four years and four months."

Those words began a dialogue of at least a half an hour or more. Sharing our individual stories of love and grief, faith in God and eternal life created an instant bridge of understanding.

As we talked, she shared that she rarely visited the cemetery during the week. Today was different.

I hadnt planned to come, either---we both felt that we were somehow meant to talk.

My personal belief is that God intended us to have that encounter---to encourage one another in the Lord.

As I began to drive away, my heart was filled with joy and praise.

God knows our deepest hurts and He never, ever, leaves us alone...

No longer will violence be heard in your land,
       nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
       but you will call your walls Salvation
       and your gates Praise.

  The sun will no more be your light by day,
       nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
       for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
       and your God will be your glory.

  Your sun will never set again,
       and your moon will wane no more;
       the LORD will be your everlasting light,
       and your days of sorrow will end.

Isaiah 60:18-20

Yesterday, my family and I attended a lakeside Easter service held at sunrise.

As we were all singing "In Christ Alone," the first blazing light appeared out of the glowing blanket of orange that hugged the horizon. Piercing the sky, its blinding point of light burst forth. The lyrics to our praise coupled with the display of Gods magnificent power sent a glorious message to my heart----

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sins curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

(Keith Getty/Stuart Townsend)

The speaker at our gathering related this thought: "You came here in the dark, but you will be leaving in the light."

We are truly bought with the precious blood of Christ.

May we live our lives with the realization of His great love for us as we continue in the light.

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.----I Thessalonians 4:14

The sky was clear. The sun had set, leaving only a glow on the horizon.

With the cool evening air surrounding us, we waited for the tour to begin.

It was an outdoor theatre presentation called, "Walk the Path of Passion."  We were lead to the first area to see Jesus ride triumphantly on a donkey as those who heralded Him placed palm fronds on the ground. At another staging, we saw the money changers in the temple, followed by a scene from the last supper. As Jesus words were heard, I looked above the backdrop to see a rising star that had appeared. Was it a gentle reminder of His mighty power as I watched a represention of His last hours?

Next, the garden---then the trial; finally, the crucifixion. Those acting in the vignettes were bringing the suffering of Jesus to us in a unique, real-life setting.

It was not to end there.

We were led to the tomb where He had been laid. Fog billowed from the entrance as bright light penetrated the darkness. We listened as we were told the Good News that Jesus had risen from the dead!

Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for our sins---all the things we have done or said that displeased God; all the things He wanted us to do or say that we didnt. In believing that He is the Son of God and asking for forgiveness, we are spared a destiny of eternal separation from Him and granted the gift of life forever in His presence.

If you have never asked for this forgiveness, dont delay. Why not talk to God--Hes listening for your voice....

and He loves YOU.

I saw a movie today. It was very touching and it left me thinking of it for quite some time afterward.

It was the story of man who had no knowledge of who God really was and why Jesus had come to live among men. Like so many, he held attending church in low regard.

Near the beginning of the film, he visits a cemetery and stands at the grave of his beloved grandmother. Stricken and sad, he walks away silently. With no knowledge of the afterlife, he felt that she was gone from him forever.

Through a series of events laden with conflict, the lonely and misled man comes to understand that God had sent Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of mankind---and this included him. He learns from others that his grandmother had been a Christian, giving him insight into the last words she had spoken to him.

Toward the end of the story, the audience is allowed to see the man again at his grandmothers grave. This time his countenance is changed. He brings a single white flower and places it in front of the stone.

With a renewed heart and the promise of eternal life, he speaks four  words in a gentle, calming tone before he turns to go:

"Ill see you later."

What a beautiful expression of trust, faith and hope.

In the Gospel of John, chapter 11, we read,

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

 Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"  ---John 11:23-26

What about you?

Do you believe?

At first, I thought the flower was made of plastic; it seemed too perfect, perhaps.

With further examination, I discovered that it was quite real---a living plant. A vibrant, lavender orchid drawing sustenance from the soil surrounding it in a pot.

How beautiful it was-- and delicate, as well.

Its very existance praised God, for He created it.

With all that it had it gave forth praise.

The Psalmist speaks of praising God, exalting Him and extoling His Name.

With all that we have been given, do we, as His children, praise Him?

I will exalt you, my God the King;
       I will praise your name for ever and ever.

  Every day I will praise you
       and extol your name for ever and ever.

 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
       his greatness no one can fathom.

Psalm 145:1-3