Cemetaries in Jerusalem......

As I look from above down at the cemetery and wonder? Wonder if there is such a thing as eternity????..........Did they run this race as fast and as hard as us the 21st century............If there is such a thing as eternity then isn't it enough to know that time will never run out for "Christians"?........God's word promises us "Life for Eternity".........but when the night is still and you face your fears.....fears of the unknown....the fear that I have wrestled with more times than I care to remember......fear that has enveloped me the night my daughter didn't come home....fear that brought me to my knees and weeping in Israel....the mind games that Satan can play with us over and over again wrecks havoc in our lives....but yet....we "CHRISTIANS," have been promised life everlasting.......

I stare at the cemetery for a long while and think about my life slipping away.........knowing that I can spend it anyway I want.....but we can never store it......and always longing for an extension!!!!!

Time is the one thing in life that is not flexible.......What have I invested my time too?

If I am invested in something then I committed or devoted morally to it.........So am I invested in following Jesus just on Sunday worship? Or have I picked up my cross and followed Jesus? It has to be" EVERYDAY WORSHIP,"  not just" SUNDAY WORSHIP".........

Like the sunset over the "City of God," our Life is everlasting.......God is Faithful........Pain is part of the package.........suffering produces patience.......Who am I?????  BROKEN? Yes............God will teach us who He is through our trials.......When the world starts to crumble all around...(notice I said WHEN not IF) We will remain standing.......the burning off the waste.....when the fire is turned up and the waste that makes us impure....is reduced and removed........the flesh that is killing us...in all we do.......is removed.....

When the misery starts and  loss is unbearable.....remember it is God himself who leads us down that walk even if it is to a funeral of a loved one............He is right there with His children "CATCHING ALL THEIR TEARS"..........

Psalm 56:8 (ESV):    You have kept count of my tossing; put my tears in your bottle.
 Are they not in your book?

All I can think of is that story in Luke 7: 36-50..............................

And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸and standing behind him at his feet, WEEPING, she began to wet his feet with her TEARS and^(C) wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

She poured it out......poured out her love.........poured out her heart...........she poured out her heart like dirty water........poured out her everything.....and God saw it and collected her tears and gave her eternity......a life everlasting.........

the pharisees gave him no water for his feet....but she wet his feet with her tears......and she wiped them with her hair......she loved much......one who had so little loved much......one whose sins were many loved much......and was forgiven.....forgiven and given a life that lasts for eternity............ 

     God does know all our wanderings and sorrows and all our tears, and stores them up somewhere
and this same God who can't help himself with perplexing His kingdom forward is inviting us to become one with him.....
pouring it out,
like dirty water.....
Robbie

More Masada.......Pics.........

The soldiers before they are sworn into the armed forces have to march up and down the mountains of Masada... and with blood, sweat and tears dripping from them they are handed a gun in one hand and a bible in the other and are told;  "you can't defend your country until you know where you came from...."

Amy and TJ (one of the guys from our group that was only around 20 years old who was an amazing Warrior for God)............such a blessing to our group.....

Our group on Masada..............

The Dead Sea below Masada........

Just breath taking.........

Still saying over and over in my head......"Greater is He who is in me than he who is in this world."

I am a child of God..........You are a child of God.......We are saved by His precious Grace.........through faith.......Why is that SO hard for us to get that in this crazy life? Being a Christian is hard...........It is a fight everyday of our life........We have to fight the good fight with Faith........

Ask your-self this question today.........Are you living one-way during the week and living a different way on Sunday in church? We still have a sense of selfishness.....we are serving two Gods.....and that cannot be.......we are basically living a lie.............Why are we so adjusted to this world that we have lowered our morals and standards to just simply fit in?

Luke 21:

Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

How long has it been since you gave away something instead of getting something?

How long has it been since you had joy in your steps instead of mourning?

How long has it been since you had a song in your heart for Jesus?

How long has it been since you ministered to someone else?

HOW LONG?????

Your current situation has nothing to do with you standing with Jesus!!!!!!!

He is perplexing His Kingdom forward with or without us..........

Those who tarry.....will win in the end...those who fight the good fight will remain standing in the end....

look at some of the promises made to the 7 churches in Revelation 2 and 3.( This is only a few verses please read all of Revelations 2 and 3 when you have time.)

Revelation 2:        7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
At the end of each address to the seven churches you will see that He said to them; "HE THAT OVERCOMES."
We have to be over comers! We are being enticed by the devil to live loose lives! We are being taught by this world that we can live any way we want too and still know Jesus! That we can live immorally and go to heaven.....This can not be! God has given us "FREE CHOICE." You can't go to heaven no matter how much you can quote scripture and no matter how much you read your bible if you are living immoral lives....
praying to be enlightened by God today,
Robbie

Weekends.......

Weekends......are for family......may all your journey's this weekend be together in God's Grace......may you feel together the unfathomaable abyss of the love of God to you...........

His Grace,

Robbie

"What is man that you are mindful of him?" (Ps. 8:4)

Alabaster Jar................

What aroma feels your home? Your life?

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume....
John 12:3.

As I studied this scripture today; I found myself being a bit sad that I don't feel this love for Jesus like Mary did! I want that. I want to give him everything!

(Pure Nard - was a fragrant oil prepared from the roots and stems of an aromatic herb from Northern India.) It was an expensive perfume, imported in sealed alabaster boxes or flasks which were opened only on special occasions.
A pint expressed her LOVE and THANKS to Jesus for himself and restoring Lazarus to life.
Back then Nard was used to anoint Kings.
This was such an expensive imported item that carried such valve that people even used it for investment purposes. Like we use Gold today.

This verse makes me think that Mary in some way wanted to let Jesus know how thankful she was for his Grace and Mercy that he had raised her brother to life even when she had doubt. And she wanted to show him how much she loved him.
Can you picture the scene:
Mary walks in carrying the most valved thing she owned her alabaster jar; its estimated valve was as much as a year's salary possibly equal to Mary's entire life savings. The perfume would only increase in valve the older it got. The room was full of honored guests, Lazarus, Simon, and Jesus' twelve disciples, plus other special guests which were all men. Martha would be the only other woman in the room. It would have took courage to walk into that room full of men who were very important and to walk over where Jesus was and to break open her alabaster jar; and to pour it over Jesus' feet. Meanwhile all the men must have stopped eating and watched. As she was pouring it over Jesus' feet can you just imagine her tears began to fall as she poured out her future, her hope, her financial security, her status in society, her reputation, her pride , her self. By breaking her most valved possession and pouring on to Jesus' feet she gave him her everything, holding nothing back and expecting nothing in return. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume..
The entire home and many others were blessed because of her sacrificial act of worship.
Ask yourself this week "WHAT IS YOUR MOST VALVED POSSESSION?" What is your alabaster jar?
Is it your children?
Is it your job?
Is it your desire for a career?
Is it your future?
Your reputation?
Would you be willing to break your alabaster jar and pour it out over Jesus' feet?
Does he mean that much to you?
Pour it out!! Pour it out!!
Pour out your pride and be the first to say your sorry.
Pour out your reputation and stand up for Christ.
Pour out your future and surrender your goals and dreams to Jesus.
Ask yourself this week; What fragrance is your home full of ?

Oh Father thank you for showing me today that the aroma in my house is one of selfishness. Thank you for showing me that I can fill my home with the fragrance of love for you God. Help us Father to break our alabaster jar and pour it over your feet. Help us to let go and surrender to you Father; our future , our dreams, and our reputations. We are willing Father. Help us. We praise you in your precious name Jesus. Amen...

Trying to break my alabaster jar,

Robbie

Are you content? Or do you always want more?

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you felt as if you couldn't stand it?  As a kid, it could be a toy that you want badly. As an adult it could be a bigger house, promotion at work, just more "stuff" in general. Many people, including me, just are not happy unless they get what they want. But most of the time when they do get what they want, they quickly find out it's not all that it's cracked up to be. This world is very dissatisfied with a lot of things and never content.
The bible talks about contentment and what true contentment is. For example, Paul talks about contentment with your job- About respecting your boss- whether they are a Christan or not. That we are to respect them because not doing so would be a bad example of a Christan and drag God's name in the mud. It is possible that the Christan worker might be the only Christan that the boss, or even coworkers, come in contact with. If you, being a Christan, are whiny and disrespectful what kind of example are you being. We are to be an example to others- all the time. Others should see Jesus in us. Even when we are around our Christan friends, don't let your guard down.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we can not take anything with us. But if we have food and clothes, we should be content. When people what to get rich- they fall into temptation and a trap- this trap is consumed with foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. The love of money is the root of evil. Truthfully money not the root of evil, it is a symbol of currency. It has not spirit, and there is nothing good or bad about it. It is the love of money that is the root of evil. We should not worry about spending a lot of money on our children, husbands, family but we should focus on our relationship with that child or family member. If you want true contentment then all you need is to be concerned with getting to know God more.
Amy

Pain and Suffering..

   It's Gracie again, my mother is working the next few days and asked me to blog for her.. and I told her I was happy to! I was at my youth group Sunday night and the subject was on pain and suffering. I was very touched by the lesson and that's what I'll be talking about in this post. One of the questions that was asked in my group was why would such a loving God allow people to suffer? I asked myself this over and over.. and I could not come up with a reasonable answer. Finally our leader shared her thoughts. Her opinion was every time we see or hear about people suffering that's another chance to show our faith, and show who "true Christians" really are.  There was a girl, Hope Stout who was diagnosed with cancer... She died when she was only 12 years old. She had gone to my church and from what I heard she was such a child of God, smiles and laughs. Well you ask yourself, why would such a loving, giving, mighty and powerful God let such a precious child suffer from cancer? This little girl and the foundation that she started while suffering from cancer has raised millions and millions of dollars for cancer research and other kids with cancer. It's like a rock thrown into a pond and the ripples keep expanding. She was that rock and the ripples are all of the benefits of God's whole plan. For his ways are not our ways.. God has his reasons for everything he does and no one will ever know those reasons.  

2 Corinthians 1:3-6 says.."Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer." Have you ever been through an experience of suffering? Pray to God everyday, and stay strong in your faith. Have joy even if you are suffering and God will eventually make peace. Rejoice to him.. Be still and know that he is God.

In His Love,

Gracie 

MASADA............PART TWO...................

This is a replica of "The Northern Palace," (King Herod's palace.)

This was another type of "Purity Bath," that were found throughout Israel...................

Mosaic Floors were seen throughout.......and sherd-studded walls that could have possibly been part of a room in a church that Monks who sought the solitude of Masada in the fifth century.........................................

When Amy was born she was pre-mature; so she fit perfectly in the doorways!!!lol

The doorways etc were so tiny; I imagine that people were much smaller back then.......

Wanted to share some of my notes that I took in church Sunday:

Daniel 7:21,25;

(21)I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

(25)And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
WEAR OUT THE SAINTS.............Do you ever feel that you can't take it anymore???? Satan is not only attacking us, He is enticing us.............diminishing us and reducing us.......We are supposed to be more than conquerors.........Satan is never going to come against you the way you think he will............Where you think you are the strongest is where you will be tested...........God's word teaches us that we have to be overcomers........hold out until the end.........no matter what comes our way.............God tells us through His word not to fear the things.........we are going to suffer.........we live in a fallen world..........
           We are living in trying times........there are false prophets all around us......the sad part is  they are teaching us that we can live lose lives by claiming to know Jesus and living in immortality at the same time.......Just like when the Israelites were worshipping Yahweh one minute and the next they were building a golden calf and worhipped it..........Our drive to do these things is 2nd in command to our eating..........It never goes away.........and meanwhile these false prophets are teaching us that we can be FREE......Free to live in sin and know Jesus at the same time................What will Jesus find when he returns in my heart????? In your heart????? A half-hearted Christian????? A luke-warm Christian????? Or a cold- Christian???? Satan is here to wear you and me out.............
     When we are physically worn out and tired; we start to question who we are and whose we are.........we even question if we are saved at times?????? When you have these feelings I want you to remember to say this aloud:  Greater is He that is in me than he who is in the World............either we will overcome these things.........or it will overcome us.........it can't be about what we feel......we have to stand on what we know.....and that my friends is the Word of God...........