Nothing but the TRUTH

I asked God, "How can I bless Your Heart today?"

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In my spirit I heard Him say - "Praise Me."

Today, I'm reading about "Hardening of a Heart"...

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Spiritual hardening begins with self-sufficiency, security in one's self, and self-satisfaction. The real danger is that at some point, repeated resistance to God will yield an actual inability to respond, which the Bible describes as a hardened heart. Insensitivity indicates advanced hardening.

"To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge, But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them." Matthew 13:12

~ Refusing to listen causes hardening of heart. When people reject Jesus, their hardness of heart drives away any understanding they may have.

He is Risen!!

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When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, "Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died."

The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.

[Shorter ending of Mark]

Then they briefly reported all this to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.

[Longer ending of Mark]

After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn't believe her.

Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.

And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: they will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed."

When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs. Mark 16: 5-20

Last night I turned to this Psalm...

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the words David cried are identical to the way I was feeling last night. With nobody to comfort me in my time of need... God came through AGAIN (for the gazillionth time!)

David cried out until he was physically exhausted, with a parched throat and eyes swollen from weeping... boy, does that sound familiar! Yet he still trusted God to save him. When we are absolutely devastated by tragedy, we need not collapse or despair because we can turn to our Father for help. Yeah, the tears most probably will come, but we have to believe we won't be crying in vain.

Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
I can't find a foothold.
I am in deep water,
and the floods overwhelm me.

I am exhausted from crying for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
waiting for my God to help me. Psalm 69: 1-3

But I keep praying to you,
Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor.
In your unfailing love,
O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation.
Rescue me from the mud; don't let me sink any deeper!

Don't let the floods overwhelm me,
or the deep waters swallow me,
or the pit of death devour me.

Answer my prayers, o Lord,
for your unfailing love is wonderful.
Take care of me,
for your mercy is so plentiful.
Don't hide from your servant;
answer me quickly, for I am in deep trouble!
Come and redeem me;
free me from my enemies. Psalm 69: 13-18

I want to remind you...

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of God's protection in the midst of danger. He doesn't promise us a world free from dangers, but He does promise His help whenever we face danger. I know someone needs to be reminded of this today ...

Those who live in the secret place of the Most High, will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.

If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you; (not ever affect you)
no plague will come near your home.
For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
The will hold you up with their hands
so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.
You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation." Psalm 91

Look again at that last verse... "I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation." Hallelujah! He sent us Christ, our Savior! Your faith, in God as your protector, will carry you through the ups and downs of life. But here's the condition... "Those who live in the secret place of the Most High, will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." In other words, we will be kept safe only when we give our daily devotion to Him! Even as many bad things happen all around us, we can take comfort God watches over us in times of great fear and overwhelming stress.

If This Isn't Comfort...

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then I don't know what comfort is!

"If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not leave you as orphans--I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you will also live.

When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them." John 14: 15-21

How awesome! What a miracle! We are NEVER ALONE. When Jesus said, "I will come to you," He meant it. What a gift!

What About You?

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"What About You?" is a post of mine that is featured today on Kent Robson's blog, eSentialz jazzed 4 Life. I am one of the Contributing Writers for eSentialz, and the theme for March is "struggle." This piece is a small window into one of my struggles. I hope to see you over there, and I hope you have a great day!

God Forgives the Repentant...

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God says, "Rebuild the road!
Clear away the rocks and stones
so my people can return from captivity."
The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,
the Holy One, says this:
"I live in the high and holy place
with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.
I restore the crushed spirit of the humble
and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

I will comfort those who mourn,
bringing words of praise to their lips.
May they have abundant peace, both near and far,"
says the Lord, who heals them.

"But those who still reject me are like the restless sea,
which is never still
but continually churns up mud and dirt.
There is no peace for the wicked,"
says my God. Isaiah 57: 14-15, 19-21

I was planning on writing something different... something I thought was good. But again my God broke through my agenda, and as I was reading that God said He would comfort those who mourn and bring praise to their lips... I got teary eyed, and I immediately saw this is exactly what happened to me!! God did exactly what He said He would do!! Friends, that was a God encounter... an encounter with the complete truth of His Word!! It's a Living Word! I am in awe. How great is our God?

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Have I recently told you (my readers) how much I love and appreciate you? I don't think I have, but I do... love and appreciate you! Have a great weekend!

Also, Michael and I are moving. The move in day is April 9th. A good thing about moving is you get to go through things and get rid of a lot of junk (or things cluttering your life - and we, have a lot of it!). So things may or may not be slower than usual here in Blogland:)

I'm looking at the Verse of the Day...

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“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.” (Job 23:10-11)

Amen !Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen !Amen!

Earlier in Chapter 22 of Job, Eliphaz (one of Jobs so-called buddies) had tried to condemn Job by identifying some secret sin that he may have committed. But this verse declares Job's confidence in his integrity and in God's justice.

Even today, there are some self-righteous people who really and truly think adversity and suffering is a result of God "picking on people" by punishing them for their sins. I'll go as far as saying I've even heard people (Christians, actually) quickly dismiss the possibility of any suffering or adversity ever coming from God... claiming "God is a good God, He would never ordain anything as bad as a disease or anything that would make one suffer." Bad things always seemed to get blamed on the devil!

God is good, no doubt about that, but we live in a fallen world where things are far from perfect. Every spiritual giant we read about in the Bible has been through some sort of adversity. Bottom line is... adversity is God's training ground! Read the Bible! Most see the blessing, but tend to glaze over the tears and fears. They see the glory, but don't know the story... and there's always a story!

I'll get off my soapbox now:)

I know I fall short sometimes...

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but spending time with our Lord should be our first priority. I had lunch with one of my dearest friends yesterday who said something that really makes me stop and think of making sure I stop and smell the roses! She told me (and I'm paraphrasing), "Most of the time we are busy with our 'to-do' list, but as Christians we really should be tackling our 'to grow' list." Wow! How true...

My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming." Psalm 27: 8

We often run to God in our times of adversity. But David sought God's guiding presence every day. When troubles came his way, he was already in God's presence. He was prepared to handle ANY test. To be in His presence everyday is the key! Believers can call to God for help at any time, how shortsighted to call on God only when troubles come ~ How Our Father must feel! Many of our problems could be avoided or handled far more easily by seeking God's help and direction beforehand. Amen?

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I love reading about David...

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and how he trusted God. I happened to come across this scripture in a daily devotion...

But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats, he said. "When a lion or bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from it's mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death." 1 Samuel 17: 34-35

I think this is definitely a source of inspiration, especially when we're blind sighted to something that initially looks like trouble. When the lion or bear comes to destroy his flock, it was actually a great opportunity for David to develop into the warrior, and man after God's heart. Our human minds tend see that as horrible, but it was actually God's opportunity in disquise.

Think of preparation. David killed bears and Lions, AND THEN killed Goliath! If he had failed he probably wouldn't have become God's chosen king! Friend, when a "lion" or a "bear" comes into your life, try to look past the ugliness and the fierceness. It's H-A-R-D, but can be done. I would never tell you to 'do what I say' and not 'do what I do.' It's not impossible; let the Lord open your eyes to see Him in it. Every difficulty that comes our way, if we receive it correctly, is God's opportunity.

Happy Valentine's Day!! Don't eat too much chocolate!

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For God so loVed the world,
That He GAve
His on Ly
BegottEn
SoN
That whosoever
Believeth In Him
Should Not perish,
But have Everlasting life."
John 3:16

I Don't Know About You...

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but this scripture really spoke to me, considering a new chapter is opening up in my life. A new season... I am moving across town to a new apartment where everything is on the first floor, which is going to be much easier not having to climb stairs! We live in a very beautiful loft apartment with stairs coming up into the apartment, and then stairs leading upstairs in the loft where our bedroom used to be (13 steps in each flight! We moved our bedroom to the cramped bedroom we have on our first level to make it easier for me, and my husband now has his Photography Studio upstairs in the loft. When we first moved here 8 years ago, I was much healthier but over that time my disease has progressed). Those stairs are a major barrier for me. I can do stairs but it's a huge challenge, and by the time I reach the top, I'm extremely exhausted! I absolutely hate doing laundry, because our washer and dryer are upstairs, so I wait until I run out of clothes!

Anyway our new apartment is beautiful too, everything is on one floor- Hallelujah! It's definitely a new season for me, and I will be able to use my scooter or a manual wheelchair in the new apartment, but to be honest with you... I am struggling with that. I know it will help me get around better. I don't know... I'm still struggling! So this scripture spoke to me about the situation I'm in at this moment in time...

"The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall." Joshua 3: 13

"So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river's edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.

Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord's Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground." Joshua 3: 13-17

In order to cross, the priests had to step into the water. What if these priests had been afraid to take that fist step? Often God provides no solution to our problems until we trust Him and move ahead with what we know we should do. I told you about my river, my obstacle (wheelchair) in my life right now. I need to take that first step. How about you? What's the obstacle in your way?

My move is set for April 9th

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Sin Always Leads...

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to more sin!

"This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death." John 11: 47, 48, 53

"When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus has raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus." John 12: 9-11

The leading priests' blindness and hardness of heart caused them to sink ever deeper into sin, not to mention... that green-eyed monster - envy and jealousy set everything into motion. They rejected the Messiah and planned to kill him, and then plotted to murder Lazarus as well. One sin leads to another. It's like a domino effect. From the Jewish Leaders point of view, they could accuse Jesus of blasphemy, but Lazarus had nothing to do with that. They wanted him dead just because he was a living witness to Jesus' power. This is a warning to us to avoid sin. Sin leads to more sin, a downward spiral that can only be stopped by repentance and the power of the Holy Spirit.

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When you turn to Christ...

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you begin to see Him differently! The blind man Jesus had just healed was being questioned by the Pharisees...

Then they cursed him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don't even know where this man comes from."

"Why, that's very strange!" the man replied. "He healed my eyes, and yet you don't know where he comes from? We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn't have done it."

"You were born a total sinner!" they answered. "Are you trying to teach us?" And they threw him out of the synagogue.

This man's new faith was severely tested by some of the authorities. He was cursed and evicted from the synagogue. Persecution may come when you follow Jesus. You may lose friends; you may even lose your life. But no one can ever take away the eternal life Jesus gives you.

When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" The man answered, "Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him." "You have seen him," Jesus said, "and he is speaking to you!" "Yes, Lord, I believe!" the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

Then Jesus told him, "I entered this world to render judgment--to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind." Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, "Are you saying we're blind?"

"If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty,was" Jesus replied. "But you remain guilty because you claim you can see." John 9: 28-41

This man gained not only physical sight but also spiritual sight.

The Pharisees were shocked that Jesus thought they were spiritually blind. Jesus countered by saying that it was only blindness (stubbornness and stupidity) that could excuse their behavior. To those who remained open and recognized how sin had truly blinded them from knowing the truth, he gave spiritual understanding and insight. But he rejected those who had become complacent, self-satisfied, and blind.

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"I Am the Bread of Life"

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Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For no one can come to me unless the Father draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.'' John 6: 35, 37, 44

"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever, and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh." John 6: 47-51

So Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. I Live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven." John 6: 53-57

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Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

2010-01-29T12:42:00.013-05:00

I realize I haven't posted here in over two months. God has opened the door very wide for a new ministry, "Christians with Disabilities." Much time and effort has gone into the startup of that. However, today something struck me when I was reading the gospel of John. Let's look at when Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand...

"Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them!"

Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. "There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?"

"Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes (The men alone numbered 5,000). Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, "Now gather the leftovers so that none is wasted." So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves." John6: 5-13

The disciples Are contrasted with the young boy who gave what he had. They certainly had more resources than the boy, but they knew they didn't have enough, so they didn't give anything at all. The boy gave what little he had, and it made all the difference. If we offer nothing to God, He will have nothing to use. But He can take what we have and turn it into something great!

There's a H-U-G-E lesson in these leftovers. God always give in abundance! He takes whatever we can offer in time, ability, or resources... And multiplies its effectiveness beyond our wildest expectations!! If we take the first step in making yourself available to God, He will show you how greatly you can be used to advance the Kingdom of God!!!

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Today My Heart Navigates to Psalm 34...

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Last night I was visiting a friend’s blog, and she wrote about this Psalm. It’s so comforting to know, to really know that God pays attention to those who call on Him. It doesn’t matter to me if God offers escape from trouble or helps in time of trouble, I’m certain that He always hears and acts on behalf of those who love and count on Him—sometimes in unexpected ways…

“I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong Lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34: 1-10)

“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;
he will erase their memory from the earth.
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;
not one of them is broken! (This is a prophecy about Christ when He was crucified. Although it was the Roman custom to break the legs of the victim to speed death, not one of Jesus’ bones was broken(John 19; 32-37).

Calamity will surely overtake the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
But the Lord will redeem those who serve him.
No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34: 15-22)

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Here Are Some Comforting Words from the book of Isaiah...

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"At just the right time, I will respond to you.

For the Lord in his mercy will lead them; he will lead them besides cool waters.

For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering.

Yet Jerusalem says, "The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us."

Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?

But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!

See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.

Those who trust in me will never be put to shame." Isaiah 49: 8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 23

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Don't Know If You've Seen This.....

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Put your birth date in and see your verse.

My verse is 1 Samuel 12:22 NIV...
"For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own."

I haven't seen this before. Did you know that the Bible has a special verse for everyone's birthday? Look up your verse now...

Go HERE and enter your birthdate and tell me what your verse is

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My Heart Almost Lept Out of My Chest...

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when I came across this song on a friend's blog. I remember so clearly when this movie (The Prince of Egypt) first came out, and how I would be driving home from work blasting this song on the radio. That was almost ten years ago - when I was still pretty healthy - and mind you, I was not saved; had no idea I could have an actual relationship with God. It makes me think... Did God know I would be crying when I heard this song again tonight? Of course He did! This song is what I so desperately needed to hear tonight. It Always, always amazes me that God knows.

“Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” Matthew 8:13 Hope is hard to kill. Miracles happen when we believe.

I'd Like to Share a Little Nugget of Truth...

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God gave me this morning. Well I won't go into details, but another pity party was starting to well up inside of me. Actually, it has been growing since yesterday. I was having a pity-party (for the umpteenth time because of my physical limitations).

Anyway, one of the first things I did, after getting coffee of course, was pick up my Streams in the Desert devotional. It's as if God was speaking just for my benefit. The scripture accompanying the devotion was about Joseph (Oh how I can relate to Joseph!)...

"Joseph's master took him and put him in prison...But...the Lord was with him...and gave him success in whatever he did." Genesis 39: 20-21, 23

Lord Jesus, when the prison door closes behind me, keep me trusting in you with complete and overflowing joy. Give Your work through me great success, and even in prison make me "free indeed" (John 8:36)

And here's a poem that was in the devotion for today, October 12...

A little bird I am
Shut from the fields of air,
And in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there;
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleases thee.

My cage confines me round,
Freely I cannot fly,
But though my wings are closely bound,
My soul is at liberty;
For prison walls cannot control
The flight or freedom of the soul.

Wasn't that beautiful? I just surrendered it all to God. He is the key to my life, and I run to Him every hour of every day.

I Have a Big Decision to Make...

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…this decision is weighing very heavily on me…it will greatly affect things. The first thing I did was pray......God is silent. This is where I need to take Him at His Word. God promises me that He will guide me. Even if I 'm not hearing Him give direction, I must trust His Word and just know that whatever I decide…He has gone before me. The answer will become apparent sooner or later. But of course, I want sooner. Anyway, I was led to read Ecclesiastes chapter 6. Sometime earlier I had highlighted verse 10, so this time my eyes first fell upon this verse. It says,

“Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.”

Could this be a confirmation? Is this God reaffirming His guidance to me? I think it is. My Bible Commentary says that God knows and directs everything that happens, and He is in complete control over our lives, even though at times it may not seem that way. So if you’re reading this, please pray for God’s will to be done. Thanks.

"Abraham believed...

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in the God who brings the dead back to life and creates new things out of nothing." Romans 4: 17 That's huge! How amazing! He can bring back the dead and create new things out of nothing! We serve such an awesome God! Well, I just logged on...because I felt the need to praise God with you. Are you ready to sing to our Father?

Because of Who You are, I give You glory
Because of Who You are, I give You praise
Because of Who You are, I will lift my voice and say... Lord I worship You because of Who You are...Lord I worship You because of who you are

Because of Who You are, I give You glory
Because of Who You are, I give You praise
Because of Who You are, I will lift my voice and say... Lord I worship You because of Who You are...Lord I worship You because of who you are

Because of Who You are, I give You glory
Because of Who You are, I give You praise
Because of Who You are, I will lift my voice and say... Lord I worship You because of Who You are...Lord I worship You because of who you are

Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider
Jehovah Nissi, Lord you reign in Victory
Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace… and I worship You because of Who You are...

Because of Who You are, I give You glory
Because of Who You are, I give You praise
Because of Who You are, I will lift my voice and say... Lord I worship You because of Who You are...Lord I worship You because of who you are

Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider
Jehovah Nissi, Lord you reign in Victory
Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace… and I worship You because of Who You are...

Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider
Jehovah Nissi, Lord you reign in Victory
Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace …and I worship You because of Who You are...

Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider
Jehovah Nissi, Lord you reign in Victory
Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace …and I worship You because of Who You are...

Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider
Jehovah Nissi, Lord you reign in Victory
Jehovah Shalom, my Prince of Peace …and I worship You because of Who You are...

Because of Who You are, I give You glory
Because of Who You are, I give You praise
Because of Who You are, I will lift my voice and say... Lord I worship You because of Who You are...Lord I worship You because of who you are

Because of Who You are, I give You glory
Because of Who You are, I give You praise
Because of Who You are, I will lift my voice and say... Lord I worship You because of Who You are...Lord I worship You because of who you are...Lord I worship You because of who you are...

It's Saturday...

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...and I just wrote a post for a friend's blog. I think it is awesome and written from the bottom of my heart. I believe it was an inspiration of God. I'll be sure to post it after it has been published, but I thought it would be great to write down the scriptures which helped me write it. I absolutely love the book of Isaiah, it's filled with so much inspiration and encouragement! Well... the entire Bible is!

This is what the Lord says:

"I will go before you, Cyrus (substitute Lori) and level the mountains.
I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness-secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

And why have I called you for this work? Why did I call you by name when you did not know me?
It is for the sake of Jacob my servant , Israel my chosen one.
I am the Lord; there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle, though you don't even know me.
so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I create the light and make the darkness.
I send good times and bad times.
I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.

"Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness.
Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together.
I, the Lord, created them.

"What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!"
Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can you be?'
How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father, 'Why was I born?'
or if it said to its mother, 'Why did you make me this way?'

This is what the Lord says- the Holy One of Israel and your Creator:
"Do you question what I do for my children? Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?
I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it.
With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command.
I will raise up Cyrus (Lori) to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I will guide his (her) actions."
Isaiah 45: 2-13

My Dear Friend, Alicia, Gave Me These Words...

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They are from the Book of Isaiah. So much insight in these few verses, and I'll share them here...

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God."
4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain

5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

6 A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"

10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:1-11

Here's what my Bible Commentary says...The seeds of comfort may take root in the soil of adversity. When your life seems to be falling apart, ask God to comfort you. You may not escape adversity, but you will find God's comfort as you face it. Sometimes, however, the only comfort we have is in the knowledge that someday we will be with God. Appreciate the comfort and encouragement found in His Word, His presence, and His people.

Preparing a straight highway means removing obstacles and rolling out the red carpet for the coming of the Lord. The wasteland is a picture of life's trials and sufferings. We are not immune to these, but our faith need not be hindered by them. Isaiah told people to prepare to see God work. John the Baptist used these words as he challenged the people to prepare for the coming Messiah.

Thanks Alicia!

"But as for me,

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I know that my Redeemer lives,

and he will stand upon the earth at last.
And after my body has decayed,
yet in my body I will see God!

I will see him for myself.

Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
I am overwhelmed at the thought!" Job 19; 25-27

I am so thankful to God for working small miracles in my life! I asked Him what I should write on this blog today. I went to my PERSEVERE blog and immediately clicked on, watched, and listened to "My Reedemer Lives" by Nicole C. Mullen. After hearing those words, I knew what I needed to post:)

"In your strength I can crush an army;

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with my God I can scale any wall.
He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.
You have armed me with strength for the battle. Psalm 18: 29, 34, 39

I know you are holding me up. I know it's only by Your strength and love! Hallelujah!!

Hannah's Prayer of Praise...

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I love this! I have it taped to the vanity sink in the bathroom. This way, I can read it everyday! God answered Hannah's prayer for a son. What are you asking Him for? By praising God for all good gifts, we acknowledge His ultimate control over all the affairs of life...

"My heart rejoices in the Lord!The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

"Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don't speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
he will judge your actions.
The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
and the woman with many children wastes away.
The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.

He lifts the poor from the dust.

and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord's;
and he has set the world in order.
"He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one." 1 Samuel 2: 1-10

I was just sitting here minding my own business...

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when I heard the Spirit of God tell my spirit that I need to publish these words...

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend [or overcome] it." John 1: 1-5

Wrap your heads around this! John affirms three vital truths about the Word [Christ]: He existed in the beginning; He was with God; and in His divine nature He was indeed God.

"Life" and "light" are favorite terms used frequently by John throughout this book. Here he shows that Christ came to give us life and open our eyes to the light of salvation, which conquers the darkness of this world.

Here are lyrics from the song, "Lord I Lift Your Name On High"...

Lord, I lift your name on high
Lord, I love to sing Your praises

I'm so glad You're in my life. I'm so glad You came to save us

You came from Heaven to earth to show the way
From the earth to the cross - my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your Name on high

Today on my other blog, PERSEVERE...

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I posted about how self-control is similar to ancient city walls (you can read it Here- it's towards the end of the post). Anyway, in 2 Chronicles 32: 5-8 tells of strengthening and rebuilding city walls...

"Then Hezekiah worked hard at repairing all the broken sections of the wall, erecting towers, and constructing a second wall outside the first. He also reinforced the supporting terraces in the City of David and manufactured large numbers of weapons and shields. He appointed military officers over the people ad assembled them before him in the square at the city gate. Then Hezekiah encouraged them by saying: "Be strong and courageous! Don't be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army,for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are merely men.We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!Hezekiah's words greatly encouraged the people.

This is what my Bible Commentary says: Hezekiah could see with eyes of faith. The number of his opponents meant nothing as long as he was on the Lord's side. Victory is "not by force nor by strength, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies (Zechariah 4: 6).

I'm sitting here with one of my kitties on my lap...

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And I'm reminded of a stance from the song "Shout to the Lord"... it's I sing for joy at the work of your hands, forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand. Also I think of Everything that has breath, praise the Lord! So I felt led to the Psalms. Let me share Psalm 63 with you. My Bible tell me this is a proclamation of a desire for God's presence, provision, and protection. No matter where we are, our desire should be for Him. Because only He satisfies fully...

"O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.

I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!

I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night;
because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.

But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
They will go down into the depths of the earth.
They will die by the sword
and become the food of jackals.

But the king will rejoice in God.
All who trust in him will praise him,
while liars will be silenced."

It really makes me crazy...

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When I hear Christians, even pastors say that its never God's will for any tragedy, illness/disease, accidents, or anything bad to happen...it makes me crazy! God's Word tells me nothing that is not part of God's will is allowed to come into the life of someone who trusts and obeys Him. Look at the below post and see some scripture verses from Job. Look at this scripture...

"You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." John 19: 11

Just think of what Christ said even as He was betrayed..."Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"

It's really amazing that even with all of the attacks Satan throws our way are not only powerless to harm us, but are transformed into blessings along the way. Sometimes the greatest gifts are wrapped in ugly packages! Be blessed!

It seems I've read this Psalm at a great time...

2009-08-09T22:22:00.003-04:00

A verse from Psalm 84 was in my devotional today. What wonderful, comforting words! My Bible tells me this Psalm was written by the sons of Korah, who were temple assistants. God's living presence is our greatest joy. His radiant presence helps us grow in strength, grace, and joy. I'll share some verses with you...

What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. v.5

When they walk through the Valley of Weeping(or the Valley of Baca) it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessings collect after the rains! v.6

I'm sitting here thinking of Job...

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The book of Job reveals how God speaks to us, and gives us some reasons for suffering. Let me share them...God speaks again and again though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong;he keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death.

Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds, with ceaseless aching in their bones. They lose their appetite for even the most delicious food. Their flesh wastes away, and their bones stick out. They are at death's door; the angels of death wait for them." Job 33: 14-19, 22

"Yes, God does these things again and again for people. He rescues them from the grave so they may enjoy the light of life." 33: 29-30

So God speaks (1) through dreams...and (2) through pain. I heard a great teaching by John Piper on the book of Job. If you want to hear it, the link is Desiring God

"All of my life...

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...in every season...You are still God...I have a reason to sing...I have a reason to worship."

This song has been playing on and on throughout my head for the past few days, and last night the Holy Spirit laid Psalm 45 upon my heart...

Beautiful words stir my heart. I will recite a lovely poem about the king, for my tongue is the pen of a skillful poet (or for us writers, the NKJV says "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer").
You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever.
Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so glorious, so majestic!
In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies hearts ("For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires" Hebrews 4:12). The nations fall at your feet.

My Bible says this is a poem to the king (possibly Solomon) on the occasion of his wedding. While this psalm was written for a historic occasion, it is also seen as a prophecy about Christ and His bride, the church, who will praise Him throughout all

Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.
You love justice and hate evil. Therefore God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than anyone else.
Myrrh, ales, and cassia perfume your robes. In ivory palaces the music of strings entertain you.
Kings' daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen. wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!

Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away.

For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your Lord.

The only way to explain it is awe...

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I'm simply awestruck at what Christ did for us. Again from book of Jeremiah...

"For this is what the Lord says; David will have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel forever. And there will always be Levitical priests to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings and sacrifices to me.

Then this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: "This is what the Lord says: If you can break my covenant with the day and night so that one does not follow the other, only then will my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me. And as the stars of the sky cannot be counted and the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who minister before me (That's us, folks!).

You all know I have Muscular Dystrophy...

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...and it's pretty obvious. I have a symbol with Jesus' name on my car. So whenever people see that, the enemy never fails to say to me, "Look at you stumbling all around. You're suffering. So where is your Jesus?"

This is what I read in Jeremiah, and just like the Casting Crown's Song goes, "The Voice of Truth tells me a different story...the Voice of Truth says Do Not Be Afraid...the Voice of Truth says This is for My Glory...I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth."

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, "Have you noticed what people are saying?-'The Lord chose Israel and then abandoned them! They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation. But this is what the Lord says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky. I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David's descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them." Jeremiah 33: 23-26

I think a lot about the prophet Jeremiah...

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He is the author of Lamentations, where the previous scripture came from. My life resembles his. That's my comfort. Listen to this...

"Lord, you know what's happening to me. Please step in and help me. Punish my persecutors (My persecutor is this Muscular Dystrophy)! Please give me time; don't let me die young.
It's for your sake that I am suffering. When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven's Armies.
I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me I was filled with indignation at their sins.
Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook, like a spring that has gone dry."

This is how the Lord responds:

"If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me.
If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman.
You must influence them; do not let them influence you!
They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze.
They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands." Jeremiah 15: 15-21

I have this scripture hanging on my fridge and taped in my Bible...

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I meditate on this often. It's a good scripture to meditate on, especially if you have a Chronic Illness...

"I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies are new every day. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance, therefore, I will hope in Him!" The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek Him. For the Lord does not abandon anyone forever. Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion according to the greatness of His unfailing love. For He does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow." Lamentations 3: 20-25, 31-33

Table of Contents...

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Table of Contents...

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