"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"
Isaiah 6;8
I hear this verse so many times, but lately when I have read it or happened to turn to it and ponder upon it, it has meant something more to me and to my home.
I feel a stirring within and I can't put my finger on what it is, but I know that God is preparing His people to go and are we ready to?
I feel so unequipped, so uneducated, so useless, so small at times. I feel that my words could not mean anything to anyone but myself or the ones that are closest to me.
Yet, God simply ask "Whom shall I send? And WHO will go for us?"
He will equip us if we say, "Here I am, Send me."
This is simply a small note from my heart telling you that God is calling me and my family into a time and a place that we don't even know yet, and one day I pray that you will experience that coming through with us.
We have to say, "Here I am Lord. Unequipped, but ready to serve You...the One who has called us. Whatever your will is, let it be in our lives."
I wish I could share more, but I can't right now....Not because I don't want to, but because I don't know right now, I don't have the words to even express how I am truly feeling on the inside.
Just pray with me that we are willing and can say, "Send us" when the time comes and He looks for one to send.
Be blessed in your prayers and in your worship as you seek God.
Jennifer
Monday, May 31, 2010
God's Presence...................
I have met a new friend at church. She has seen the pain and the hurt I have held in my heart these last few weeks. Even though she doesn't know any details the pain is written all over my face.
Do you ever people watch? I do and I love doing so. Next time notice people's faces, see if you can tell anything about them from their face. Are they sad? Happy? Mad? Do you see Jesus in their face? What does your face say about you?
The interesting thing about my new friend is that I have never seen her before and I have attended church there for several years. I am a creature of habit. I sit in the same spot every Sunday. I know I am a little strange but I do feel like it is my spot. But I don't mind if it is down a few seats, I just really prefer to be on the same pew. Anyhow a couple of months ago this beautiful women with the prettiest smile was sitting on the pew I sit on. I introduced myself and continued to see her for the next few weeks. Now I know that this was divine intervention on my Father's part. She has become a very special person to me. Now when I run into church trying to get to my seat, I look for her to make sure she is there. I can't explain it although we don't get to talk a lot; there is something that calms me when she is near. So last Sunday she brought me a book she wanted me to look at. Now if you know me one of my biggest problems that I have is books. I find somethings so special about Christian Books that I have a christian bookstore in my house.lol My husband has put his foot down and said STOP!!!LOL He has reminded me that when you can't even get into our bed at night for stepping over the mountains of books that I have a problem. So when she wanted me to look at this book and wanted me to order one my first reaction was oh no I can't. But with my gracious smile I said I would look at it. Well divine intervention again. God knew I would not order the book so my new friend said take it and bring it back later. I thought I can't take her book it means so much to her. I know how I feel about my books and they are like treasures of gold. She kept on encouraging me to take it and finally I did. Then I thought to myself when? When Father am I going to have time to look at it? I already have so much on my plate with teaching bible studies; working as a critical care nurse; teenagers who have gone wild, and a house to run not to mention the millions of daily devotions that I have placed all over my house that I haven't even had the time to read. Well guess what I looked at it this morning and I couldn't put it down. It is the kind of devotional that speaks to my heart. It is DEEP!!! I was so impressed by this book that I wanted to share one of the devotion's with you. And yes this will be ordered and added to my beautiful collection. It has turned out to be a true treasure. So thank you Father for my new special friend and her gift that I will treasure.
This is taken from the book ; Jesus Calling....by Sarah Young
Let me anoint you with My Presence. I am King of Kings and Lord of lords, dwelling in unapproachable Light. When you draw near to Me, I respond by coming closer to you. As my Presence envelops you, you may feel overwhelmed by My Power and Glory. This is a form of worship: sensing your smallness in comparison to My Greatness.
Man has tended to make himself the measure of all things. But man's measure is too tiny to comprehend My majestic vastness. That is why most people do not see Me at all, even though they live and move and have their being in Me.
Enjoy the radiant beauty of My Presence. Declare My glorious Being to the world!
Look up these verses and meditate on them today:
1 Timothy 6: 15-16; which God will bring about in his own time - God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, 16; who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
James 4: 8; Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
How can you come near to God? James gives us five ways: 1; submit to God, yield to His authority and will. Commit your life to Him and His control and be willing to follow him.
2; Resist the devil, (4:7). Don't allow Satan to entice and temp you. 3; wash your hands and purify your hearts. (that is lead a pure life) (4:8). Be cleansed from sin, replacing your desire to sin with your desire to experience God's purity. 4; Grieve and mourn and wail in sincere sorrow for your sins (4:9). Don't be afraid to express deep heartfelt sorrow for what you have done. 5; Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).
Acts 17:28; "For in Him we live and move and have our being." As some of your own poets have said, "We are His offspring."
God is not trapped in His Creation. He is transcendent. God is the Creator, not the Creation. This means that God is Sovereign and in control, while at the same time he is close and personal. Let the Creator of the universe rule your life.
Psalm 145: 3-6; Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. 4; One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. 5; They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6; They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
The next time you see someone and you notice pain or saddness their face; pray and ask God how you could be a blessing to that person if possible. You never know how you might brighten someone's day.
All verses and explanations taken from NIV Bible.
Happy Memorial Day,
Special Thank you to those who have lost their life and who are risking their lives to keep us safe... May God Bless you and keep you tucked under the wings of protection. May God Bless America!!!!!!
love,
Robbie
Do you ever people watch? I do and I love doing so. Next time notice people's faces, see if you can tell anything about them from their face. Are they sad? Happy? Mad? Do you see Jesus in their face? What does your face say about you?
The interesting thing about my new friend is that I have never seen her before and I have attended church there for several years. I am a creature of habit. I sit in the same spot every Sunday. I know I am a little strange but I do feel like it is my spot. But I don't mind if it is down a few seats, I just really prefer to be on the same pew. Anyhow a couple of months ago this beautiful women with the prettiest smile was sitting on the pew I sit on. I introduced myself and continued to see her for the next few weeks. Now I know that this was divine intervention on my Father's part. She has become a very special person to me. Now when I run into church trying to get to my seat, I look for her to make sure she is there. I can't explain it although we don't get to talk a lot; there is something that calms me when she is near. So last Sunday she brought me a book she wanted me to look at. Now if you know me one of my biggest problems that I have is books. I find somethings so special about Christian Books that I have a christian bookstore in my house.lol My husband has put his foot down and said STOP!!!LOL He has reminded me that when you can't even get into our bed at night for stepping over the mountains of books that I have a problem. So when she wanted me to look at this book and wanted me to order one my first reaction was oh no I can't. But with my gracious smile I said I would look at it. Well divine intervention again. God knew I would not order the book so my new friend said take it and bring it back later. I thought I can't take her book it means so much to her. I know how I feel about my books and they are like treasures of gold. She kept on encouraging me to take it and finally I did. Then I thought to myself when? When Father am I going to have time to look at it? I already have so much on my plate with teaching bible studies; working as a critical care nurse; teenagers who have gone wild, and a house to run not to mention the millions of daily devotions that I have placed all over my house that I haven't even had the time to read. Well guess what I looked at it this morning and I couldn't put it down. It is the kind of devotional that speaks to my heart. It is DEEP!!! I was so impressed by this book that I wanted to share one of the devotion's with you. And yes this will be ordered and added to my beautiful collection. It has turned out to be a true treasure. So thank you Father for my new special friend and her gift that I will treasure.
This is taken from the book ; Jesus Calling....by Sarah Young
Let me anoint you with My Presence. I am King of Kings and Lord of lords, dwelling in unapproachable Light. When you draw near to Me, I respond by coming closer to you. As my Presence envelops you, you may feel overwhelmed by My Power and Glory. This is a form of worship: sensing your smallness in comparison to My Greatness.
Man has tended to make himself the measure of all things. But man's measure is too tiny to comprehend My majestic vastness. That is why most people do not see Me at all, even though they live and move and have their being in Me.
Enjoy the radiant beauty of My Presence. Declare My glorious Being to the world!
Look up these verses and meditate on them today:
1 Timothy 6: 15-16; which God will bring about in his own time - God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, 16; who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
James 4: 8; Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
How can you come near to God? James gives us five ways: 1; submit to God, yield to His authority and will. Commit your life to Him and His control and be willing to follow him.
2; Resist the devil, (4:7). Don't allow Satan to entice and temp you. 3; wash your hands and purify your hearts. (that is lead a pure life) (4:8). Be cleansed from sin, replacing your desire to sin with your desire to experience God's purity. 4; Grieve and mourn and wail in sincere sorrow for your sins (4:9). Don't be afraid to express deep heartfelt sorrow for what you have done. 5; Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).
Acts 17:28; "For in Him we live and move and have our being." As some of your own poets have said, "We are His offspring."
God is not trapped in His Creation. He is transcendent. God is the Creator, not the Creation. This means that God is Sovereign and in control, while at the same time he is close and personal. Let the Creator of the universe rule your life.
Psalm 145: 3-6; Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. 4; One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. 5; They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6; They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
The next time you see someone and you notice pain or saddness their face; pray and ask God how you could be a blessing to that person if possible. You never know how you might brighten someone's day.
All verses and explanations taken from NIV Bible.
Happy Memorial Day,
Special Thank you to those who have lost their life and who are risking their lives to keep us safe... May God Bless you and keep you tucked under the wings of protection. May God Bless America!!!!!!
love,
Robbie
Saturday, May 29, 2010
After the rain comes the sunshine..............
Jesus has warned us that "In the world we will have tribulation." Notice he didn't say (IF) He said (WILL HAVE). "But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
God showed me yesterday that when I come to him lately my heart has been hardened.
LIFE is good about breaking us down and wrecking havoc in our lives. Praise God I have decided to give up control to Him. I have shared with you lately how I have been living my life with my own agenda and plan. Isn't it refreshing to know that God is working through all of our circumstances even when it involves pain and defeat. He filters every part of our lives.
The only thing that should matter to us is when we come face to face with despair and we are at the end of our rope, we have to hang on to what we know about God. A personal knowledge of God. "Be still and Know that He is God."
Today we are going to look in the bible at 1 Samuel 30.....
Faced with the death of losing all of their families, David's soldiers started turning against him and were talking about stoning him to death! Wow talk about feeling like God was not around. This is a lot more serious than a purse being stolen!! lol This was an anointed man of God. Look at 1 Samuel 30:4; So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. They allowed their feelings to lead them. Their grief was overwhelming so they were looking for someone to blame and hurt like they had been hurt. Look at verse 6; David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. BUT DAVID FOUND STRENGTH IN THE LORD HIS GOD........ Where did David find his strength??? Man or God?? GOD!!!! Basically they had come to the end of their rope, they were swallowed up in their own grief and despair. Instead of looking to God they looked for someone to blame.
But David was different, He learned to stand alone and depend on God. David stood there with his life hanging in the balance and he found his strength in the Lord his God!!
When we children of God go through discouragement and feel like we are failures who are we going to look to? God could be in the middle of our tragedy. God had incredible blessings ahead for David, but God wanted David to cast his trust completely to Him. Think about it. God also has incredible blessings for us. But first we have to put our trust in God's hands. We need to pray about every decision we make.
This was truly a situation that no human hands could fix. What a victory for David to rejoice in God's faithfulness even when he couldn't feel him or see him. It even seemed that God had abandoned him. But he didn't. Look at verse 8; and David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them, He answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue." David did not place his trust in man, he consulted the most high God. And David recovered all!!!
When discouragement sets in and you feel useless, like a failure, abandoned by God and rejected by those who you thought cared. Don't trust those feelings. Stand firm on what you know. Cast your problems to the hands of the Almighty. Find your strength in the Lord your God.
Thank you Father that victory is yours. Thank you for showing us today Father that we find our strength in you and not in human hands. When facing our own battles Father help us not to look to place blame but to look to you for our solution. Help us not to trust our feelings and emotions but to stand on what we know and that is the Word. Your word tells us Father that you will never leave us nor forsake us! Write that on the tablets of our hearts forever. We praise you , in Jesus' name. Amen.
Working on putting my trust in God,
Robbie
God showed me yesterday that when I come to him lately my heart has been hardened.
LIFE is good about breaking us down and wrecking havoc in our lives. Praise God I have decided to give up control to Him. I have shared with you lately how I have been living my life with my own agenda and plan. Isn't it refreshing to know that God is working through all of our circumstances even when it involves pain and defeat. He filters every part of our lives.
The only thing that should matter to us is when we come face to face with despair and we are at the end of our rope, we have to hang on to what we know about God. A personal knowledge of God. "Be still and Know that He is God."
Today we are going to look in the bible at 1 Samuel 30.....
Faced with the death of losing all of their families, David's soldiers started turning against him and were talking about stoning him to death! Wow talk about feeling like God was not around. This is a lot more serious than a purse being stolen!! lol This was an anointed man of God. Look at 1 Samuel 30:4; So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. They allowed their feelings to lead them. Their grief was overwhelming so they were looking for someone to blame and hurt like they had been hurt. Look at verse 6; David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. BUT DAVID FOUND STRENGTH IN THE LORD HIS GOD........ Where did David find his strength??? Man or God?? GOD!!!! Basically they had come to the end of their rope, they were swallowed up in their own grief and despair. Instead of looking to God they looked for someone to blame.
But David was different, He learned to stand alone and depend on God. David stood there with his life hanging in the balance and he found his strength in the Lord his God!!
When we children of God go through discouragement and feel like we are failures who are we going to look to? God could be in the middle of our tragedy. God had incredible blessings ahead for David, but God wanted David to cast his trust completely to Him. Think about it. God also has incredible blessings for us. But first we have to put our trust in God's hands. We need to pray about every decision we make.
This was truly a situation that no human hands could fix. What a victory for David to rejoice in God's faithfulness even when he couldn't feel him or see him. It even seemed that God had abandoned him. But he didn't. Look at verse 8; and David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them, He answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue." David did not place his trust in man, he consulted the most high God. And David recovered all!!!
When discouragement sets in and you feel useless, like a failure, abandoned by God and rejected by those who you thought cared. Don't trust those feelings. Stand firm on what you know. Cast your problems to the hands of the Almighty. Find your strength in the Lord your God.
Thank you Father that victory is yours. Thank you for showing us today Father that we find our strength in you and not in human hands. When facing our own battles Father help us not to look to place blame but to look to you for our solution. Help us not to trust our feelings and emotions but to stand on what we know and that is the Word. Your word tells us Father that you will never leave us nor forsake us! Write that on the tablets of our hearts forever. We praise you , in Jesus' name. Amen.
Working on putting my trust in God,
Robbie
Friday, May 28, 2010
Waiting for God................
Father, I come to you today BROKEN. I am tired. I can't do this anymore. I accept all the turmoil I have been through this last month as an opportunity to sit at your feet and depend on you. I have asked you before to burn off the impurities until you see your reflection in me. I had no idea it would hurt this much. But Lord I beg you don't stop!! Just do it. Burn it off. I am so sorry for allowing my flesh to win. I pray with all my heart for your forgiveness. Change me Lord, show me your ways. Burn off everything in me that is not of you. I am going to accept what you have for me and stop fighting you. I am sorry. I have felt you pulling at me while the battle is taking place inside of me. (Inner man vs. Outer man.) The struggle has been between the flesh and the Holy Spirit. It has been a raging war these last few weeks.
Thank you for loving us enough to burn off the impurities. Father strengthen us. I pray a blessing for whoever is reading this. I pray that this post helps just one person not to make the same mistakes I have made. We praise your precious name. Amen.
I felt I had to start out with a prayer before I could even speak about how deep the pit is I have been in this last month. I can't remember a time when it has been this bad. I truly have not received a break from LIFE lately. And I blew it while allowing my feelings to lead me. I have depended on myself and others to get me through it instead of God. I have felt like such a failure as a mother and a wife. I have struggled with the guilt and self-condemnation of my own failures. God has shown me that He is more concerned with why I am doing what I am doing rather than what I am doing. So why am I staying in the pit??? I am free!! I don't have to stay in the pit!! And neither to you. When Jesus died on the cross He set us free. We are no longer slaves to sin.
I went tuesday with a good friend fabric shopping. The last placed we stopped I knew we were going to be dealing with large rolls of fabric and decided to leave my purse in the car. I stuffed my purse as far as I could under the seat. My friends car had tinted windows with an alarm. I also left my I-phone in my purse in the car.
We shopped for around thirty to forty mininutes. While walking out to the car I could see glass everywhere and when we arrived to the car, we realized that her window was completely shattered and yes my purse was gone including everything in it.
I think this was the icing on the cake. It pushed me over the edge into the biggest darkest pit I have ever been in. This last month of everything that I had been through came crashing down on top of me in that dark deep familiar pit. I felt buried alive.
For two days I have walked around numb. At times feeling nothing. What a scary place to be.
So why is it so hard for me or for you to climb out of a pit of self pity? Why are my eyes focused on me and my circumstances? We are living in a time when it is all about us. (ME ME ME...)
God is still God. God still loves me no matter how much I fall into that old familiar pit. His love for you and for me is not affected by how we act and what we do!!! If He was affected, I would have been a goner a long time ago..lol Doesn't that make you want to shout Praise God!!!!!
I have not trusted and I have not waited. Look at this beautiful verse: PSALMS 46;10, BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD....... Be still? Do we even know how to be still? Maybe God is stripping me of everything that distracks me from him. Not having a phone right now has allowed me some solutide time alone with God. In the car all I have is my thoughts in prayer with him. This could be a time when He is doing some of his best work in me or in you when we are in the pit of darkness.
LIFE can cause us to quickly lose our priorities. LIFE can cause us to disconnect from God himself and our purpose he has for us. The busier life gets the less time we have for our Father. I think I have simply become to busy being spiritual. I am so busy trying to be perfect. The perfect bible teacher. The perfect prayer warrior. The perfect student of God's word. But when all my stuff got stolen, I felt like I had lost my identity, I felt violated, because so much of me was in that purse. I know that may seem so trival to some but I was one of those women who carried everything in my purse. It was all about me. At times it was even a security blanket to me. I know I know WEIRD!! Sometimes we place such an importance on items. They become many idols to us. Ex. I-Phone!!!!!
God has shown me that the minute hard times come, I immediately start bargaining for God to rescue me. I even get angry at God for not making the person who violated me to evaporate when he touched my purse or explode or something. After all I work for the KING!!!! I wanted revenge!! Instant revenge. I felt like Jona!!!
I always thought I could handle being pounded by life. How wrong I was!! I came out of that pit on Tuesday swinging and scratching and clawing my way out like a rabid animal. I can't imagine what my friend thought who sees me preach and teach the word of God. She must of thought wow if that's one of God's spiritual leaders in the church, boy we are in trouble!!! I was ugly and wanted to just roll around in that ugly for a while. I felt I had earned it and I wasn't going to give it up easily. Trust me that flesh is strong>>>>>>
I have used up everything I had in me. It is gone. Maybe, just maybe for the first time in my life I am right where I am supposed to be. This could be part of the purification process by God himself. Remember that nothing is getting past Him when it deals with his children that He doesn't OK first. So the next time you find yourself in a deep dark pit. Don't fight it. Sometimes God will rescue us quickly other times He has something else for us to learn. He is at work in our lives. Don't make my mistake and depend on yourself and others. Don't use God as a last resort. You can't make demands on him. You have to come to him broken and DESPERATE. He is sufficient. Admit that you are helpless and in need of a savior. Praise him and let him be your strength when you are weak.
Learning to enjoy my solitude,
Robbie
Thank you for loving us enough to burn off the impurities. Father strengthen us. I pray a blessing for whoever is reading this. I pray that this post helps just one person not to make the same mistakes I have made. We praise your precious name. Amen.
I felt I had to start out with a prayer before I could even speak about how deep the pit is I have been in this last month. I can't remember a time when it has been this bad. I truly have not received a break from LIFE lately. And I blew it while allowing my feelings to lead me. I have depended on myself and others to get me through it instead of God. I have felt like such a failure as a mother and a wife. I have struggled with the guilt and self-condemnation of my own failures. God has shown me that He is more concerned with why I am doing what I am doing rather than what I am doing. So why am I staying in the pit??? I am free!! I don't have to stay in the pit!! And neither to you. When Jesus died on the cross He set us free. We are no longer slaves to sin.
I went tuesday with a good friend fabric shopping. The last placed we stopped I knew we were going to be dealing with large rolls of fabric and decided to leave my purse in the car. I stuffed my purse as far as I could under the seat. My friends car had tinted windows with an alarm. I also left my I-phone in my purse in the car.
We shopped for around thirty to forty mininutes. While walking out to the car I could see glass everywhere and when we arrived to the car, we realized that her window was completely shattered and yes my purse was gone including everything in it.
I think this was the icing on the cake. It pushed me over the edge into the biggest darkest pit I have ever been in. This last month of everything that I had been through came crashing down on top of me in that dark deep familiar pit. I felt buried alive.
For two days I have walked around numb. At times feeling nothing. What a scary place to be.
So why is it so hard for me or for you to climb out of a pit of self pity? Why are my eyes focused on me and my circumstances? We are living in a time when it is all about us. (ME ME ME...)
God is still God. God still loves me no matter how much I fall into that old familiar pit. His love for you and for me is not affected by how we act and what we do!!! If He was affected, I would have been a goner a long time ago..lol Doesn't that make you want to shout Praise God!!!!!
I have not trusted and I have not waited. Look at this beautiful verse: PSALMS 46;10, BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD....... Be still? Do we even know how to be still? Maybe God is stripping me of everything that distracks me from him. Not having a phone right now has allowed me some solutide time alone with God. In the car all I have is my thoughts in prayer with him. This could be a time when He is doing some of his best work in me or in you when we are in the pit of darkness.
LIFE can cause us to quickly lose our priorities. LIFE can cause us to disconnect from God himself and our purpose he has for us. The busier life gets the less time we have for our Father. I think I have simply become to busy being spiritual. I am so busy trying to be perfect. The perfect bible teacher. The perfect prayer warrior. The perfect student of God's word. But when all my stuff got stolen, I felt like I had lost my identity, I felt violated, because so much of me was in that purse. I know that may seem so trival to some but I was one of those women who carried everything in my purse. It was all about me. At times it was even a security blanket to me. I know I know WEIRD!! Sometimes we place such an importance on items. They become many idols to us. Ex. I-Phone!!!!!
God has shown me that the minute hard times come, I immediately start bargaining for God to rescue me. I even get angry at God for not making the person who violated me to evaporate when he touched my purse or explode or something. After all I work for the KING!!!! I wanted revenge!! Instant revenge. I felt like Jona!!!
I always thought I could handle being pounded by life. How wrong I was!! I came out of that pit on Tuesday swinging and scratching and clawing my way out like a rabid animal. I can't imagine what my friend thought who sees me preach and teach the word of God. She must of thought wow if that's one of God's spiritual leaders in the church, boy we are in trouble!!! I was ugly and wanted to just roll around in that ugly for a while. I felt I had earned it and I wasn't going to give it up easily. Trust me that flesh is strong>>>>>>
I have used up everything I had in me. It is gone. Maybe, just maybe for the first time in my life I am right where I am supposed to be. This could be part of the purification process by God himself. Remember that nothing is getting past Him when it deals with his children that He doesn't OK first. So the next time you find yourself in a deep dark pit. Don't fight it. Sometimes God will rescue us quickly other times He has something else for us to learn. He is at work in our lives. Don't make my mistake and depend on yourself and others. Don't use God as a last resort. You can't make demands on him. You have to come to him broken and DESPERATE. He is sufficient. Admit that you are helpless and in need of a savior. Praise him and let him be your strength when you are weak.
Learning to enjoy my solitude,
Robbie
Thursday, May 27, 2010
"Love your neighbors as yourself"
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
We hear these commands and rules all of the time, usually because we are doing the opposite of that at the time.
How many of us are so inlove with ourselves that we overlook our neighbor?
Think about this: you are at the grocery store and you are in a hurry. You pull into the parking lot and see the perfect space right up close to the door, but as you round the corner this older woman jerks her car in and gets the space. What do we do? Do we say, "God bless her Lord. I'm glad she could get that space up close to the door since she is elderly and it is probably hard for her to walk a far distance."???? Or do we mumble under our breath or maybe even yell out at her in the car? How do we respond in situations like this?
Because how we respond to everyday situations just like this one are evidence of the characteristics of God that is alive within us.
We are to go out of our way to help others. We are to take food over to the family where the husband just lost his job. We are to pick up the kids that are walking to school all of the time because the mother just had surgery on her leg and can't get out to take them right now. We are to love them like we love our family, better yet...like we love ourselves.
Do we honestly hurt when we hear that a friend is having some medical problems? Do we truly care that our friend is upset about a family member going in the wrong direction? Does it effect us as if it were us? It should.
We are to be imitators of Christ and Christ does hurt when we hurt. He does cry when we cry. He does laugh when we laugh. If we are imitating Him, then we should care as He does.
No it is not easy. We live in a very busy world and have very busy lifestyles, but we need to show Christ' love to the world...and one way to do that is by "loving our neighbors as we do ourselves".
Get it in your head today to be "friendlier" to others, to be more considerate of the gentlemen at the grocery store or the woman at the mall with 5 children or the next door neighbor walking their dog.
Look around and find opportunities to share and put others before yourself.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
We hear these commands and rules all of the time, usually because we are doing the opposite of that at the time.
How many of us are so inlove with ourselves that we overlook our neighbor?
Think about this: you are at the grocery store and you are in a hurry. You pull into the parking lot and see the perfect space right up close to the door, but as you round the corner this older woman jerks her car in and gets the space. What do we do? Do we say, "God bless her Lord. I'm glad she could get that space up close to the door since she is elderly and it is probably hard for her to walk a far distance."???? Or do we mumble under our breath or maybe even yell out at her in the car? How do we respond in situations like this?
Because how we respond to everyday situations just like this one are evidence of the characteristics of God that is alive within us.
We are to go out of our way to help others. We are to take food over to the family where the husband just lost his job. We are to pick up the kids that are walking to school all of the time because the mother just had surgery on her leg and can't get out to take them right now. We are to love them like we love our family, better yet...like we love ourselves.
Do we honestly hurt when we hear that a friend is having some medical problems? Do we truly care that our friend is upset about a family member going in the wrong direction? Does it effect us as if it were us? It should.
We are to be imitators of Christ and Christ does hurt when we hurt. He does cry when we cry. He does laugh when we laugh. If we are imitating Him, then we should care as He does.
No it is not easy. We live in a very busy world and have very busy lifestyles, but we need to show Christ' love to the world...and one way to do that is by "loving our neighbors as we do ourselves".
Get it in your head today to be "friendlier" to others, to be more considerate of the gentlemen at the grocery store or the woman at the mall with 5 children or the next door neighbor walking their dog.
Look around and find opportunities to share and put others before yourself.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sometimes it sprinkles outside and we still are able to get out there and get our errands ran or mess around in the yard because it kinda feels good to have the raindrops hit our head every now and then. We are able to continue on with what we have planned when it's just sprinkling outside.
Then there are times when it is raining pretty hard and we look at it and decide to still run to the mall and take our biggest umbrella to shield us from the rain. There is no chance of running around without some type of shield from the rain that is coming down in these circumstances.
And then there is the full fledged storm where the rain is so bad that you can barely see in front of your own face, the trees are swaying in the back yard, and the thunder and lightning are constant. You decide to definitely stay inside, curl up on the couch, and watch your favorite show or read your favorite book until the storm is over. Everything is called off when it is storming. You can't even bake a cake when it is storming outside.
Well, sometimes we need to get off of the couch, turn off the TV, grab our best rain coat, put on our boots and walk out in the storm ready to see the rainbow that follows.
With every shower there is more growth in the ground. With every raindrop there is a flower that shouts "thank you".
We often run from the storms that sometimes we should get out and play in. Remember when we were kids and we begged our parents to go outside and play in the rain? Well, maybe as adults it is time to get out in the storm and play some. The storms will always come. Some are worse than others. Some have thunder and lightning and we have to be a little more cautious when we go out in them, but if it is just a bad rain storm, then mount up with your best rain suit (the armor of God) and get out there ready to get drinched in the rain but more ready to see the growth to follow after the storm.
The rainbow is here as a promise that God will never flood the earth again. There may come storms that knock us down as we continue to try and walk, but we will never be flooded to the point where we can't get back up and dredge through the water to dry land.
Growth comes from the rain. It may not be easy to walk through it. It may mean you have to look ridiculous as you "suit up" with the rain coat, umbrella, waterboots, etc. But if we are willing to stand through the rain, holding onto God's promise of no flood, and represent Him as we get a little rain on our hat, there will come sunshine and growth from it. A flower will come out of the soil that was just watered and maybe even some fruit will fall from the tree.
Don't be afraid of the storms even when they knock us down a bit. We may have to crawl through the storms sometimes because sometimes that is the only way to get through them.
Today it may be sunny, but we never know when the rain is going to come. Be strong in the storms that come in life. Put on your raingear and stand in the storm...the growth that comes from it will be beautiful.
Then there are times when it is raining pretty hard and we look at it and decide to still run to the mall and take our biggest umbrella to shield us from the rain. There is no chance of running around without some type of shield from the rain that is coming down in these circumstances.
And then there is the full fledged storm where the rain is so bad that you can barely see in front of your own face, the trees are swaying in the back yard, and the thunder and lightning are constant. You decide to definitely stay inside, curl up on the couch, and watch your favorite show or read your favorite book until the storm is over. Everything is called off when it is storming. You can't even bake a cake when it is storming outside.
Well, sometimes we need to get off of the couch, turn off the TV, grab our best rain coat, put on our boots and walk out in the storm ready to see the rainbow that follows.
With every shower there is more growth in the ground. With every raindrop there is a flower that shouts "thank you".
We often run from the storms that sometimes we should get out and play in. Remember when we were kids and we begged our parents to go outside and play in the rain? Well, maybe as adults it is time to get out in the storm and play some. The storms will always come. Some are worse than others. Some have thunder and lightning and we have to be a little more cautious when we go out in them, but if it is just a bad rain storm, then mount up with your best rain suit (the armor of God) and get out there ready to get drinched in the rain but more ready to see the growth to follow after the storm.
The rainbow is here as a promise that God will never flood the earth again. There may come storms that knock us down as we continue to try and walk, but we will never be flooded to the point where we can't get back up and dredge through the water to dry land.
Growth comes from the rain. It may not be easy to walk through it. It may mean you have to look ridiculous as you "suit up" with the rain coat, umbrella, waterboots, etc. But if we are willing to stand through the rain, holding onto God's promise of no flood, and represent Him as we get a little rain on our hat, there will come sunshine and growth from it. A flower will come out of the soil that was just watered and maybe even some fruit will fall from the tree.
Don't be afraid of the storms even when they knock us down a bit. We may have to crawl through the storms sometimes because sometimes that is the only way to get through them.
Today it may be sunny, but we never know when the rain is going to come. Be strong in the storms that come in life. Put on your raingear and stand in the storm...the growth that comes from it will be beautiful.
Monday, May 24, 2010
God will never leave us nor forsake us!!!!!!
My pastor is doing a series on the book of Hebrews. For three weeks now he has been on Hebrew 12:1-2. I started ANOTHER journal, I am the worlds worst at finishing what I start. I am using it especially to write down what I am learning during this "series". But three weeks on two verses, come on. I want to learn more. Ha Ha. How little I really know or remember when it comes down to it. One may read the same verse every day, but get something alittle different out of it every time. Today I was amazed at what I read in the scriptures, and heard from our pastor. Hebrews 11- is basically the chapter about Faith, and Hebrews 12:1 tells us that WE are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, let us run with perseverance and keep our eyes on Jesus. Sitting in church I began to imagine "keeping my eyes on Jesus". Think about it..... close your eyes and look hard... I can image Jesus sitting at the right hand of our Father. I began to tear up thinking of all the times Jesus has said to our heavenly father.. Father, Amy really needs to feel your presence today, she is struggling.... again...... It is then at that moment I feel the Holy Spirit moving in me- to give me "just what I need" no more and no less. Also with Hebrews 12, Jesus talks about a cloud of witnesses. These witnesses are those that have experienced trials and struggle with problems, just like us. Others before us have "ran the same race". What they have and what we need to pray for more of every day is "FAITH". Life is hard. We must never lose sight of the "Big Picture". My wonderful bible, a gift from a very dear friend, explains that, Suffering is the training ground for Christian maturity. It develops our patience and makes our final victory sweet. WOW- the final victory- the "BIG PICTURE". I cant wait- I feel it is closer than we think. So... Please keep your eyes on Jesus. Everything happens for the good of his kingdom.
Let others see Jesus in you!!!!!
Amy
Let others see Jesus in you!!!!!
Amy
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