Be Quiet

Psalm 46:10 Be Still and know that I am God.

Does life seem to get so frenetic you can't hear yourself think? You are rushing to work, rushing to get the kids to and from school, football practice, gymnastics, sleep overs, got to get dinner cooked, bills paid, ARRGGHH!

Stop. be still. spend some time getting to know God. God longs to be in a relationship with you. Just like your marriage wouldn't work if you and your spouse never spoke, never discussed the day, you and God need time alone together.

Isiah 18:4 This is what the LORD says to me: "I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."

Even God takes time to be quiet, we need it even more.

Priorities

Haggai 1:4 Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while my house remains a ruin?

God was asking the Israelites why they had nice houses yet the House of God was not rebuilt.  They had put their priorities backwards. I think we often do the same. The Bible is full of instruction on what we should do with out love, our time and our money, yet we don't obey. We put our own desires first, but when we do this, we cut ourselves off from untold blessings.

God tells us in Haggai 2:8 "The silver is mine and the gold is mine", declares the Lord Allmightly.
so if it is His anyway, why are we so reluctant to give Him back our tithe and offering or when we do, it is out of obligation rather than love?

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

So why don't we give God more of our thoughts, our time and our money? 

Actions speak louder than words

I had a friend on Facebook, we will call her Joan. Maria posts lots of Bible verses and Christian songs as her status. Joan tells everyone she is a Christian and loves "Daddy" her name for God while she visits her few friends and publicly posts on their walls what they should and should not be doing as Christians. Joan brags to anyone who will listen how many friends she loses because of her "Jesus talk".

After months of deleting ribald jokes, curse words and dirty jokes and telling Joan I didn't talk that way, I finally asked her privately via inbox  to please not post such things on my wall. After saying she understood and was just being "onery"  then Joan promptly deleted me from her friends list.I was surprised to say the least. My good Christian friend got upset with me because i didn't want to hear her cursing and dirty jokes?

I can't judge whether Joan is a Christian or how close she is to God, that isn't my place. I tell this true story to demonstrate what Jesus meant when he said " by their fruits you shall know them" Matthew 7:16. If you have to keep telling people you are a Christian so they know you are one instead of showing people you are one by the way you act, you are in direct opposition of what Jesus said.

Put another way James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. If we are doers of the word, we are doing more than merely hearing the word or saying we hear the word.. wouldn't you say? 

I will be praying for Joan, I don't have to have her on my Facebook friends list in order to do that, but I will also be praying that my speech and actions reflect Jesus in everything. 

1 John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

go forth into the world and show by your actions you follow Christ

Trusting in God - update

I was laid off from my job at the end of September, when the company suffered 
from the economic downturn. 
When it came time to pay my bills out of that final paycheck I prayed a quick 
prayer " Dear Lord, I am afraid, but I am going to continue paying my tithe to 
you. I am going to trust you to take care of my finances. Thank you Amen. 
 
Two months later, when paying bills out of un-employement income, I noticed I 
still had the same amount in my checking account that I had on the day I 
deposited my final paycheck. I frantically went back over my checkbook and bank 
account and could find no errors. Frustrated I took a break and went to my Bible 
and to pray. 
 
 My devotions that day was 1 Kings 17:10-16. The story of the widow who gave her 
last bit of oil and flour to feed Gods servant Elijah. The widow was in 
obedience to God and God fed her and her son and Elijah and God provided enough 
oil and flour until the famine was over. 
 
I have to tell you, rarely do I feel God speaks to me so directly, but with 
tears running down my face I praised and thanked God for his mercy and for 
keeping my flour and oil full until my personal famine was over. 
 
 For  seven and a half months, my God kept my flour and oil from running out. I 
have not paid one bill late and I promise, that little unemployment payment, 
while welcome, does not cover my bills, groceries, gas, etc!. Isn't God Great!? 
 
After this lesson in trust, a still small voice kept coming to me.. you need to 
increase your tithe to 15%. "What Lord? no way! you must be joking! I am only 
feeding myself because You are helping me!"... "oh, yeah, there is that trust 
and faith thing and I suppose out of unemployment, 15% really isn't all that 
much, and it is your money after all. Ok Lord.. whatever you say, whatever you 
want me to do I will do". 
 
Then what happens? My pastor gets up in church and announces we need to make 
some improvements to the church and not only that, it is A Beautiful Thing! 
 
But smug in my giving, I was confident this doesn't mean me. Maybe I would throw 
some loose change that direction or once I was employed I might contribute, but 
remember? I am unemployed! but no.. God doesn't always let us get away with that 
kind of thinking does He? That still small voice kept speaking in my heart.. you 
can give and this is what I want you to give every month to make the church 
building A Beautiful Thing.. Trust in me. It is My money I allow you to have, 
and you spend that much in extras every month anyway. " ok Lord, whatever you 
say <sigh>" 
 
Then at the Beautiful Thing banquet, while the Pastor was speaking, a rather 
large dollar figure ( large to me) popped into my head. Inwardly I chuckled, " 
Yeah Lord, if you will help me get a job, I could give that kind of money to the 
campaign. God immediately smacked me on back of the head and asked me " are you 
really trying to make deals with me? where do you think your money comes from? 
Haven't I been faithful to you? 
 
" oops " uh No Lord, I was just joking.." but that figure wouldn't go away. I 
couldn't sleep. I kept waking up finding I was talking to God in my sleep. I 
begged, I pleaded. i asked Lord, Please seriously, you don't mean for me to give 
so much do you? I may need that money, after all, I can't seem to find a job 
and... maybe it is me and you don't really mean for me to give so much" ( you 
would think I would learn by now wouldn't you? )" Lord, how about I go to sleep 
and if I remember all this in the morning, I will write the check." 
 
Bright and way earlier than I wanted to be up after little sleep, before my feet 
hit the carpet, that same dollar figure popped into my head.. so I bowed my head 
and said " ok Lord, I give in. I know you want me to give that amount to the 
Church. 
When i paid my bills that afternoon, for the first time I had to dip into my 
savings account. I was flabbergasted! "What! God! you let me down! you have kept 
me financially safe for 7.5 months and now you are forgetting me after you ask 
for so much money?!"  and i have to say I am ashamed. God in no way let me down. 
I had two interviews for the following week.. this week. 
 
The recruiter called me the same day I interviewed and told me " You really 
wowed them Sheila, both the owner and the supervisor emailed me to tell me you 
were hands down the one they want to hire." I haven't been told when to report 
to work, as they are doing the background checks but I suspect I will be back in 
the ranks of the employed by Monday. 
 
This isn't the job with the fancy title that i had before or that I envisioned 
for myself, but I think/hope i have learned my lesson about trusting in Him and 
having faith He has a plan for me and it is way better than anything I could do 
on my own, all I have to do is trust and obey. 
 
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who 
love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 
 
I thank God for Pastor Tom and for Hillcrest Baptist, you are right, she is 
a Beautiful Thing 
 
 

Need Strength do do it all?

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
We all feel like we just can't do any more. Like if one more person asks for one more thing, you will explode. don't we? I am pretty sure it isn't just me.
Thank goodness Jesus promises to help us make it through. He may ask a lot but He gives us the strength to do it all.


Dear Lord, I am taking you up on your promise today. please give me the strength to do all i still need to do today. I am grateful I do not need to struggle through on my own. Help me to rely on you.
Thank you, In Jesus Name I pray this

Love

Coming from the home-life I did, i didn't learn what love really is. As an adult, it took me years to believe that another human being truly loved me and didn't just want to use me or just felt sorry for me.

I knew Jesus loved me enough to die for me, but I really thought he was the only one. this caused a life time of failed relationships. Quite frankly, i became what i feared, someone who wasn't suspicious, acerbic and not often loveable.

One day while reading my Bible and talking with Jesus, I realized that  I needed to learn to love others first. I began to pray that God would teach me to love as Jesus loved us. Every day I prayed for a Revolution of Love and Kindness in me that revolved around Jesus.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? with the Holy spirit in my heart, and Jesus showing me how to love others, I could see my reactions to people and situations changing. and I realized i was greatly loved by others in my life. by my long time freind Lyn who shared her family , Mother, grandmother, children and husband with me as though I was truly her sister. to her mother Barbara who has for years introduced me as her chosen child. To Tanner and Trevor who hug me and tell me they love me when i visit. and especially 12 yr old Tanner who posts on my facebook. " I love you shortstack" . ( Tanner is at least 3 inches taller than I am and he loves that :) )

Once I started looking for the love in my life and began loving other people instead of looking for the slights, I found that I was loved all along. I have been blessed with so many freinds. To Trey who calls me every month just to check on me and Deborah and Nicki who enjoy my company .. the list goes on and on.

The Bible teaches us we are to love in actions and truth, not just by word.
1 John 3:16 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
when i was looking for people to dislike me, i wasn't loving in action or in truth, but i sure was good at throwing that L word around

1 Corinthians 13:7, 8a It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  ⁸ Love never fails.
 Are you protecting, and persevering with your love?  is your love hopeful for the other person unfailing?

Psalm 40:10 I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.
and true love shares, it shares the love and the good news of God. are you sharing?

Dear Lord, thank you so much for showing me your great love and for the love you have given me in my life. Please help there to be a revolution of Love and Kindness in me revolving around Jesus.
The more i love others, the more love I will have in my own life. In Jesus name I pray

Magic Gumball Machine

The teen came home from school, passed by his father on his way to the refrigerator. " Hi son, how was school?" the son doesn't bother to acknowledge his father as he gets his favorite cola out of the fridge and reaches for a package of cookies out of the cupboard. Slamming into his room, the boy sees a note from his dad on the pillow, he tosses it into a drawer to read later. In the drawer is a stack of unread love notes from his father. This behavior goes on for days, weeks, months. The son acts as though he is ashamed to be a child of his loving father. He spends no time with him, never speaks to him, all the while his father waits patiently for his son to notice him or the roof over his head, the clothes on his back, the education, the food everything the father has provided out of love for the boy.

One day the boy comes into the living room. "Hey Dad, by the way, I want to borrow the car this weekend.  Just gas it up for me and put the keys on the kitchen table".

If this were you and your son treated you this way, what would you do? Would you just hand over the car keys? After all, this is your child and he asked for them. He is a good kid, goes to school, doesn't hurt other people, all he does is ignore his dad, shouldn't he get anything and everything he asks for? why or why not?

This is how many of us treat our Heavenly Father. We don't talk to Him unless we want something, we don't read His love letter to us, we just can't be bothered to spend time with Him, but we sure do expect Him to answer our requests how we want them when we want them don't we?

Sometimes we act as though we think God is a Magic Gumball Machine. We expect if we put a penny  in the machine, a miraculous answer to our prayer should come back in return. Gods Word tells us there are requirements for successful prayer.

We are to come to God with a humble heart
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land

We are to Believe  He will answer
 Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

We are to Obey Him
1 John 3:22
And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him.

We ask what is in His will

1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

Think about these verses the next time you go to God to ask for something. Would you answer if you were God? Are you in obedience with a humble heart? If He isn't answering, maybe the answer is no or maybe it is not His will.

Our Father in heaven,
Holy is your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen.

Jesus Love Me This I know

 Are you feeling alone, or do you feel no one cares? Have you spent time with your friend Jesus lately?

John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Your friend Jesus wants to spend time with you. He delights in you. Have you talked with him today? Or read His love letter to you, the Bible?

Romans 8:38,39  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


The only thing that can make us feel alone, or separated from God, is us. If your child or best friend never called you, never talked to you or never wanted to spend time with you, you would feel a rift in the relationship wouldn't you? What greater love than this? Jesus died for us. How about spending time with Him every day, He loves you so.


Dear Jesus, I am so sorry I don't spend more time with you. I miss you when I allow my life to get too busy and don't take the time to be with you. Thank you for loving me anyway. Thank you for being my friend

Working for the Lord

Colossians 3:23,24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

We have all had a job we didn't really like haven't we? Even a job we really love isn't always fun. It is so easy to complain and whine about your boss, your job, the commute, the hours, etc. but if we wake up every morning and think of our job as working for our Lord, we would go to work with a glad heart wouldn't we?

Do you think we would do a better job if we thought how we were working for Jesus?
I think if we start each day with prayer and Gods Word, it might be easier to remember, but even if you wait to read your bible til the end of the day.. ;ets remember we are going out to do Gods work today and every day.

Dear Lord, please help me to remember I am working for you today and that I am doing it for your glory, not for men. Help my life to reflect you in the workplace even when the job is difficult or not enjoyable and give me the wisdom i will need to do it well.. Thank you for the job you have given me. In Jesus name I pray... Amen

Trusting Jesus

John 4:43-53 we read that a Royal Official had heard of Jesus and came to Him to ask Jesus to come with him to heal his dying son. Jesus replied⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
The man asked again  " Sir, come down before my child dies" I sense a hint of desperation in that fathers plea, don't you? he really wanted Jesus to come with him now and touch his son.  ⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”  Jesus was asking the man to trust in Him. Jesus didn't need to physically go and look at or touch the son. Jesus just wanted the man to believe.

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

How many times do we ask for a sign, and yet when we get one we still do not believe? We keep asking and we keep searching, but we don't always just trust do we?

What  is it that is keeping you from trusting Jesus? Sin? Trusting in yourself? If we just let go and let God.. He will bless you in ways unimaginable. Jesus keeps His promises.

When I start to fret and stress, I imagine that I am putting that concern or worry in a box and I shut the lid and lock it.  Then I mentally hand it over to Jesus to handle for me with a prayer of forgiveness for taking the box from Him. Sometimes I give that box to him several times a day.. and He always accepts it back and handles the problem way better than I ever could when I allow Him to.

Dear Lord, please help me as I face each days trials, to put my trust in you. Help me to take my hand off the tiller and let you pilot the ship that is my life. I claim your promise to supply all my need and I know that your grace is sufficient for me. thank you Lord for answered prayer and for all you do for me that i do not even notice. Forgive me for not trusting in you as I should. In Jesus name.. Amen

Last night we learned that Osama bin Laden was killed. With the help of our allies in Pakistan, an American soldier was able to shoot Osama in the head. There is such joy and jubilation in America

Proverbs 24:17, 18
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away.

While I am a proud American and proud of our military, I am sad that this man, this son, father, husband and brother will now never have the chance to turn to Jesus.

Did Osama deserve to die? without a doubt. But can we have some compassion for his lost soul? for his family?  
Matthew 5:44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!   
 If we had been praying for Osama bin Laden, might he had come to Salvation? Or might we perhaps be just a little less jubilent over his dying without Jesus ? I wonder what would have happened if every man, woman and child in the USA had been praying for Osama bin Laden. would it have made a difference? I think it would have, but now we will never know.


Dear God, please help us to know the right response when our enemy falls. Help us not to rejoice but remind us to pray for our enemies.  In Jesus name. amen

See you in chruch

How was church today? you did attend didn't you?

Some people say they don't like "Organized Religion" hmm.. you prefer disorganized religion? God is not the author of confusion. 1 Corinthians 14:33  Organized religion is not really the pint. It is about discovering God. Worshiping Him and being in obedience to Him. What would disorganized religion be like anyway? "Hey anything goes? If it feels good do it". I don't think God would approve, do you?

or how about the old stand by " I can watch church on TV. ok, I do that when i have the Flu. There are some really great church services on TV. I especially enjoy John Hagee Ministries. If you are attending tv ( or internet) church how are you in fellowship with other Christians though? 1John 1:7a Keeping ourselves in love and harmony with other believers keeps us humble before God.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries" Hebrews 10:23-27

Pretty powerful and straightforward hm? To be in obedience to God, we are not to forsake or avoid meeting together.

" I don't have to be in a building, I can worship God in Nature" . True.. if you know of a church that is meeting in the woods, in a home, in a empty storefront, there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with attending services with that church.. it isn't the building, it is the worshiping together. Is this what you are doing? meeting other Christians for worship? That is fabulous.


Church is a great place to meet other Christians, to find a place of service to God and to worship and learn more about our saviour.

"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven" Matt. 18:19

See you in Church :)