Jesus is Faithful

I say it endlessly....prayerfully.......Who am I really?

But do I really want to know?

It always starts out so good with the praises to the king....it is then I enter into the lion's den....into this race called......life.....and just like that I fall.

What was it that made Peter.........deny the king?

Matthew 26:69-75

Peter Disowns Jesus

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

     Darkness can rise out of normal looking day...........so why is it me who is shocked when the hissing of the serpent grows so loud that a cold chill runs up my spine?.............. Could it be that he slid his way right beside me...........and baited me to take the fall?

     Where was my courage when the serpent snared me with his bait...........I bit it like I had never seen grace. Where was my courage to grab hold of the one who was the slaughtered lamb that covers my sins..........by His redeeming blood.  Where do I go from here? Me the one who tried to deny the King! Oh how I relate to Peter.....me with all my passion and no brains.....I want to walk on water.........to run to him to jump into his lap to hold on for dear life but who am I really?  Am I the woman with unclean lips who claims to know the king.......but coming toe to toe with Satan I almost swallowed my tongue.

     It was the shiny gold necklace that was hand carved for me in Israel.........it dangled from my neck as if to say see if you can read...........it was the Dr. the highest in the South-East....top surgeon.........top smarts..........top of the world you see............it was he who cornered the one who claims to know the King, and said:   "Is that Hebrew around your neck?"  My heart was beating faster because I could feel what was coming  next...........I knew He was from a different side of the world..........a different culture from me...........I quietly murmured.."yes," and his tongue whipped out hard and fast........"what does it say?"   I stood there fumbling for the words to come but nothing came.........my palms were sweating and my mind was racing 90 to nothing trying the hard to think of a lie, I didn't want conflict...........I wanted to blend in.........to be liked........respected!!! By what a man?  Was I actually looking for the praises of a man? But God is faithful.........even when we are not!
 Before I could form a lie on my tongue the words fell out of my mouth "Yahweh." (In our weakness He is strong)....."Your-way," he yelled back at me............I sat there in disbelief.............and mumbled it back quietly........"Yahweh."  "I am a Christian...........Yahweh is one of the names of God."
"Oh.............he says.........your one of those?" "One of those I said back?" He said; "Yes you are one of those......guilt ridden religions!"  I was in shock...........felt like I had just met Satan..........with my head hanging the low I said if that's what you want to call me then YES I am one of those.

     I ran out of the room feeling like I had just had several layers of my heart peeled back.... standing there bare and exposed............."where was my courage?"   Courage of knowing that I am engraved in the palm of my saviors hands.............it was then the sting of tears started to fall and I wanted to scream but like Peter I wept bitterly.
 God is spirit............He is the ever present God.  And He didn't even allow me to deny him!
Where was my faithfulness?  We are called to a higher calling?   Being faithful with the little that has been entrusted to me should come the easy...........He is faithful even when we are not.
     Is it just me with my rebellious self..............not thinking I have enough?  Enough Grace?  Enough love? Enough mercy?  Don't we have Jesus? Then Jesus is ENOUGH!!!!!!
     The one who calls you is faithful...................even when we can't find the words.........he speaks for us.................when we can't pray...............He prays for us..............when we are the tired........He says; "take my yoke, for my burden is easy and light."
Jesus is always enough.
     So I will BREATH.........breath in His grace over and over again until He fills me up with His presence. I will put one foot in front of the other and know that I am loved..........redeemed........saved.........adored.......bought...........treasured.........by the one who is the FAITHFUL!

all of grace,
Robbie
    
    

so thankful;
rain
the smell of clean hair
waxed eyebrows
a neighbors car alarm going off at 5am
new attitudes on life
no longer watching the news
prayer time
hunger for more of him
a God who is faithful even when I am not

Faith

I want Fall to come so badly that sometimes I think I can smell it.

Bike rides and drinking lemonade............trying to drink contentment in every season.

Ready for the leaves to fall like God's grace........ candles burning that smell like fall.

Longing for a real fire burning bright into the night.

As the world keeps turning people keep aching...............disaster after disaster keep coming.......it is me who sees the world in pain...........her contractions are growing stronger and closer together.

And it is the me who sometimes pleads with God that I don't want to do this anymore! I don't want to be this person anymore who works the hard to save and they die anyway. I don't want to stand by and watch a parent lose a child.......or a child a parent! I don't want to tell another person that his ways are not our ways......trust.

Maybe it's the me who doesn't really trust? Afraid to to trust what He will bring my way the next!

Me with my ugly sins.........all of my shortcomings.....it is then that I cry out to God;

"help me with any area of my unbelief..........pour me out so you can pour more of you in."

I murmur it queitly........."God is not a God of fear."

But do I really believe that?

.

The world keeps spinning,  and pain keeps coming........ and who am I the broken mama, friend, sister, wife.............choosing NOT to see the Holy all around and I wonder, " if I could just grab a hold.......of His cloak..........something tanglable........would I then be able to really SEE?

We could walk afraid you and I if we listen...........to the hissing of the enemies..........LIES...........he will tell us.... but only if we listen.

Instead listen to the holy one:

"Ye of so little Faith," the Saviour tells me!"   SEEK GOD........God is enough!

Some days people die, and loved ones are crushed....and some can't quit there addictions. Some want  take medicine that could save their lives. Some days the hurt of it all blinds my vision and I forget that every moment is a reason to praise the King! If only I could truly see.

Hardships were the many the other day in the ICU........including the loosing of loved ones from  devastating illnesses.  It was the 83 year old father that caught my attention!  The man who was the blind but claims he can see........because there is a God who is good!

He who sat:  listening as his son was dying.............he who cannot see looked at me as if he were starring a hole right through me, and simply says:  "God knows best," (with the tears that stung his face, "don't think this doesn't hurt me!")

Who is this God that his ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts:

He is one who wore the badge of humility. He who asked for the cup to be passed from him only if it was the Father's will. (Mark 14:35) Our Savior fully God, and human knows sorrow, and death....to the point that He sweated blood!

I whisper it again, "who is he?"

His bravery in face of  His own suffering

His humility of bearing it all to the end

His steadiness of purpose in keeping to His appointed task

His simplicity

His self-discipline

His serenity of spirit

His complete reliance upon Thee, His Father in Heaven

not my will Father but yours..........(can we follow His lead?) 

I saw a man who could follow Jesus' lead an 83 year old blind man.......... who wore Humility like a badge of courage.

The courage to go anywhere, to do anything........asking for this cup to be taken from him only if it was the Father's will. There was Faith......Trust.........and isn't that what the Father is looking for?

 Because he wore humility there was no fear...........pain yes but fear no.

Humility= Courage= Obedience

Are we the ones walking by Faith?...........Isn't that what will get God off His throne?

Good church activities are not the impressive...............What will move the King is simple..............."Child Like Faith!"

Remembering that every moment is Holy only if we choose to see.

Faith pleases God.....(Hebrews 11:6)............and Faith is the victory that overcomes all your hurts.

Walk by Faith and not by Sight! Nothing moves Him more. The invisible Christ will NOT fail you.

In spite of everything around you.................there is GOD!

all of grace,

Robbie

When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

Gifts that keep on coming:

unmade beds

unfinished sewing projects

crumbs on counter

art projects for the teens

garbage disposal broken again

bathroom sink clogged

clean clothes

cooler weather

movie night with teens

swinging on front porch

organizing life

long walks with dog

Friday night football games

late night talks with teens

grace

conviction

a chance to look into the eyes of Jesus

being a servant

seeing the hard moments as holy

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"Blessings" by Laura Story

Sometimes we need to be reminded.... That God is in control....
His WILL is for us to prosper, not fail..... His plan is not ours..... So get out of the pilot seat- and let the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Yahweh- take control!
Thank you Father for reminding me- through your word- or even through a song- that you love us- that you love me! And you want the best for us- not for this life, but for the life to come- when we are forever with our Father! One thing that we must remember- is that our blessings- our rewards may not come from this world, blessings that are given to us when we lay our crown at Jesus' feet. My reward will be when he calls MY NAME.... from the Lambs Book of Life.... WOW what a day that will be.
Enjoy this song- It brings tears to my eyes every time
Amy

Separate yourselves from this world

Amy said I should take a picture of a bug outside laying on its back with all it's feet moving that can't flip over...that would be me!!! These last few weeks, I have led a life of prayerlessness, if that is a word.... but " Praise God",(so I thought until I talked to Amy); that I had been studying His Word even if the reason was due to me being in school.

As I was complaining to Amy about everything going on in my world she said to me:

" I was running down the stairs at work today, trying to get some exercise, eating a snickers bar at the same time when I could hear someone coming down the stairs behind me as they were getting closer. When I could feel them on my heels I turned around with the candy bar in my mouth and said;" "this kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?" I still laugh when I think about that scene... She said to me " your studying scripture all the time but you can't pray?" That kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?"

Have you ever felt like you didn't want to pray? Or you couldn't pray?

It's a fact that we become what we desire!!! What we desire is in our heart. And what is in our hearts is what we worship! In other words whatever we set our hearts on is what will become our master. What is it that you are setting your heart on? What are you serving? We cannot serve two masters. These last few weeks I have been trying to serve two master's. I have had divided devotion! Look at this verse in LUKE 16:13; "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

I just had some rooms in my house painted. I have never had anything in my house painted before. The paint on the walls is from when we built the house. New paint made everything look dull and plain. So I starting looking for new things, MATERIAL things to put in my house. I became obsessed with trying to redecorate. It has become this demanding DESIRE that I haven't be able to satisfy...It has crowded my heart along with the busyness of my life and I have had no room for PRAYER..... I have been going through the motions but missing one of the most important parts; the relationship part. If I had saw this happening to one of my friends I would have warned them that they were "PLAYING WITH FIRE"...... that they were on dangerous ground....ground that is slipping away.

Faith is not NATURAL...... If we are not longing for His presence then we are not ready to receive Him each day.....We cannot be in two places at the same time!!!! We cannot have one foot on one side of the fence in the spiritual world and one foot in this world.... Abraham could not serve his God and stay in his home in UR. He had to leave his comfort of his own home and live in a place where he felt like an alien or a stranger. There was nothing familiar to him in this new place where God had sent him. But Abraham walked by FAITH not by SIGHT.... He had to make a CHOICE and so do we.

Our choices: We can choose to either be alienated from God because of our sin and disbelief or we can become like strangers and aliens of this world because we know "it is not our home..."

I have realized these past few hours that I have to CHOOSE the peace that God offers. PEACE is a state of mind.....Peace is not a change in my circumstances. We live in an evil world where believers are going to endure suffering!!! A change in our circumstances would only be temporary relief, or temporary happiness. This is your gold nugget for today: ( Christ not only preached PEACE, He purchased PEACE with His own body and blood).... God reassures us that when we receive that PEACE, we have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ!!!! Unshakable PEACE that can only come from God!!!

So today I took a long hard look at myself and I asked God; " Is there room in my heart for you to dwell ?" I challenge each of you reading this to ask God that same question. We must choose DAILY who and what we will serve. It is so easy to fall prey to the natural self-seeking world. It is so easy to want your house to be beautiful and to want nice things. Please don't misunderstand me, I do think God wants to bless us with the desires of our hearts, as long as it doesn't crowd our hearts, that would leave no room for Him.

The real issue is our hearts; when we love Him we will obey Him and serve only Him. That's when our hearts become FREE.... then God can make His home there. Then we become a blessings to others. I have made a different CHOICE today... I am setting my heart's desires on God. Even though I don't feel like praying or blogging or studying, I am going to push through this and do it. It is a CHOICE..... you might be saying all this sounds great but how?

JOHN 17:17; Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them Holy) by TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH.

SANCTIFY- means to separate!!!! HIS WORD WILL SEPARATE US FROM THIS WORLD.... It is FAITH in the WORD that separates us.... His word will separate us from worldly thinking, worldly desires, weariness, and restlessness....

working on saying yes to the PEACE that was purchased.

Robbie

(asking for your grace today........a quiet repost as we are working today in the ICU's)

Make a difference

I am a "drive through" mom....... I'm busy and this is easy........ A local radio station  New Life 91.9 has made a way to make a difference even - when you want to take the easy way out- You can shine for Jesus even in the fast food drive through line....

Watch the video below and see how easy it is to change a life and feed your family junk food at the same time-

Pay forward- you pay for the car behind you- give them a letter- make a difference

There are so many ways to touch another- try it today.

It feels better to give than receive-

Amy

Labor Day- an end to the beginning

Woe is me..............the one with unclean lips.

I see it............right up in the sky above the crowds.............the old rugged cross.

I smile when I see it........and I wonder as I look around into the crowds what in the world is wrong with me that is so right with everyone else?

Remembering this life can be full of messy grace indeed.

People are everywhere....... where are they headed????  Are they looking for something that makes them happy?

 I wonder why am I here in this place at this time for this Labor Day and what it might mean in a universe this big? 

I stand at the end of the street "people watching." Watching them all walking stopping to look at what interests them...........and I wonder WHY?   Why God did you stay up on that cross?Why for us?  Then it was this Sunday at church that my pastor said he found a treasure.

⁶ “I have revealed you^[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.(John 17:6)

²⁴ “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (John 17:24)

Do you see it?   Our Father and His Son are exchanging gifts!!!!! We are the gift to Jesus!!!

Jesus is our gift "SALVATION."

We can't earn it....................it is not temporary salvation............it is eternal salvation!

Doesn't that make you want to shout, "Glory?"

Some walk and some run.......what is it that we are running towards?

I want to run to a place in my life where I feel God is enough...........enough for my every need.

One of God's name is El Shaddai....meaning that He is the one who nourishes, supplies, and satisfies. He is all powerful..........the omnipotent god.........who has never-ending bounty for His people.............the people that God gave Him!

We are that people.

The name El shaddai..........is one that should remind us of God's unlimited supply of comfort, power, grace, and in fact anything that we need...................God is enough!

Instead running and walking we should be the bowing...........bowing our hearts in sheer reverence for the Almighty God...............the powerful one...........the everlasting one.

all is grace,

Robbie

the gifts keep coming:

God who listens to prayers

A pastor who cries the hard during church

the gift-salvation

for A God who speaks

Fall scents

cooler weather

the turtle cage that's clean

homemade soup stewing on  stove top

homemade bread

quiet mornings

teenagers fast asleep

swing on front porch

chipped toe-nail polish

clean sheets

windex

sewing projects

new bike

friend to laugh the hard with

forgiveness

Christmas gifts already bought

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Weekends are for stopping to smell the flowers

Let us spread the thoughts and desires of our hearts under His feet like garments, so that He may draw the whole of our being into Himself and place the whole of His in us.....(Eight-century martyr, Andrew of Crete)

Weekends are for strolling through the woods............stopping to smell the flowers.
And saying the only name that matters..............Jesus.
Stop, look and listen to the wind in the trees,  smell the hint of Fall that is in the air.
Only He can quiet our anxious spirits.
May all your weekend voyage be one of enjoying the only peace that the world cannot take away!


all of grace,
Robbie