I've Got Your Card

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.Galatians 1:10

In my many times being in coffee shops writing, I often can not help but hear others dialogue when little groups come in for meetings. After one recently, the group asked each other for their business cards. This little card sure seems to hold status. I know I have a card for my writing and often am able to give it out if necessary. 

It just struck me though that this tiny item can hold so much power or status like 'I've arrived'. Sort of gets your foot in the door in some places or makes you seem more professional. I wondered if Jesus had a business card what would it say?  Perhaps it would read "JESUS The Almighty, Healer, Teacher, Counselor, Willing Listener. Call on me." 

We do not need a business card to be accepted by Christ. He loves us with or without a card and with or without Earthly importance. Just run to Him. He is waiting for you. 

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for loving me and accepting me just like I am. I know you love me and I thank you I know I can run to you at any time. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Rock the Cradle and Rule the World

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13

There is a saying "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world". Bear with me male readers for a moment, but this is true. This most important job is often degraded as meaningless to the point mothers feel they have to stay in the professional world to gain self esteem and feel worthy. Well young mothers out there, your job is the most important!  You are raising future leaders of this world of ours. You have a window of opportunity to raise and teach them the things of the Lord as well. These little blessings will only be around a very short time. There are some grandmas who have been tasked with being "moms" and what a awesome responsibility they have as well.

Do not ever feel that you have to be out in the corporate world because you feel it looks so exciting compared to what you do at home with dirty diapers and potty training.  All those little things add up and impact this little human under your care. This is not to say that everything will turn out perfect as children have a free will too but what you do will impact them immensely in years to come. 

Remember Proverbs 22:6 says "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." That my friend is a promise you can believe in.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for the gift of children. Thank you for giving us what it takes to raise them up for you. We hold on to hope that they will always love and serve you. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Note: Do yourself a favor and go see an awesome family Christian comet which has been out since Mother's Day weekend. It is called 'Mom's Night Out'! http://momsnightoutmovie.com

Also two awesome ministries for moms to get involved in would be during the preschool years Mothers of Preschoolers found out www.mops.org and later for kindergarten and beyond is Moms in Prayer International formerly Moms in Touch with info found out www.momsinprayer.org. 

It Hurts So Bad!

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

There was a song in the sixties whose lyrics said "And you know that it hurts so bad to see you again"  and it was referring to a young couple who had broken up.  If you can remember back to high school days it did hurt when you broke up. It also hurts for children to be left out. It hurts when a spouse leaves. It hurts when a spouse dies. It hurts to lose a child. It hurts when you are excluded from your extended family. It hurts when you are a grandma being kept from your grandchildren. It hurts to be abused and abandoned. It hurts to be fired or laid off.  It hurts to be shunned. It hurts to be rejected. It hurts when you feel like a failure. There are many scenarios where a person can suffer excruciating emotional pain which at times they feel they can never escape from.

We all come from different backgrounds and have different stories. The one thing to remain is that God's love for you will never go away. He is there. He loves you. When you are deep in  pain you feel like your world is just falling apart and you can't possibly go on. The good news is it takes time but you can heal and even grow from whatever it is you have suffered. Our enemy Satan would love to use your pain to cripple you and keep you away from God. This is when you need Him more than ever. Cry out to Him my friend! He is listening and cares! 

PRAYER: Lord I need you oh I need you. Every hour I need you. Oh bless me now my savior, I come to you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click on link for wonderful song of praise and worship.

http://youtu.be/6_KXsMCJgBQ

Dead To Sin

By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:2

Bad sinful habits are often justified. The more you engage in them the more you begin to overlook the sin.  Say to yourself out loud,"I am dead to sin!" You are perhaps doing something you know deep down is not making God happy. It is dragging you away from Him and making you excuse or defend it. Maybe you feel trapped.

Habits are hard to break especially when you have convinced yourself you are doing nothing wrong. Ask yourself if what you are doing is drawing you closer to God and if it isn't maybe it's time to flee and run to God! If your choice or activity is keeping you from being close to God that is a warning flag right there. 

Satan is the master deceiver who will do all he can to keep you away from God, the Bible, church as it is through these you can discern good and evil. Don't let Him win. Run far, run fast, and seek God.

PRAYER: Lord you are good and there is none other as good as you. Your ways are perfect. Help me not stray from your path and to seek you always. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link and be blessed by a wonderful son of worship!

http://youtu.be/ipwEtvWL_3c

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Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you. I do not give to you like the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Aren't error messages on your computer frustrating? For those of us in the baby boomer generation we remember the error messages on our television sets back in the 60's would reading "Please Standby. The Trouble is Not In Your Set". Oh the joys of technology whether new or old. In cowboy days wagon wheels broke. Whatever time of life a person lived in I am certain there were frustrations that came in their time as well. We get to a point that our peace is disrupted by simple messages such as found in my title.

 How is a person to achieve peace in a chaotic non stop world? The answer is simple. Get away, take breaks, breathe, and do not squeeze God out of your daily existence. Many may call themselves a Christian but their minds are far from Him. How do expect to feel peaceful and close to God when you rarely spend time with Him? As a reminder, I just wanted to point out the enemy,Satan, tries to keep us overloaded and busy because then excuses are made why there is no time for God. He's just for Sunday, then for some nature will do just fine. After all He created it. What's your excuse?

Wherever you are today in your walk with God, if you are experience the frustrations of daily living take time daily to give Him time and see if things don't get better.

PRAYER: Oh Lord open my eyes to things in my life that are causing me frustration and lack of peace. Help me as I learn to re order my priorities daily making sure you are first not just in words but in my actions. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Vacation With A Purpose

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Most parts of the country are no doubt having school vacation right about now unless making up snow days.  The typical places to go on vacation seem to be the beach, Disney properties,a cruise, or an amusement park of some sort. Why not this year take a worthy educational vacation to a place your children will come away with more than mouse ears or a sunburn? I was so proud of my husband when he spoke at church on Memorial Day weekend about the suggestion of going to Washington DC and learning about history and freedom. There are many places where you can go to learn about the Biblical foundations of this great nation.

You can learn about the faith our Founding Fathers had and the scriptures seen throughout the various monuments in our Nation's Capitol. Venture to Arlington National Cemetery for a lesson on the cost of freedom.  God truly has been behind the great blessings this unique country has experienced. Evil forces are always at work to take freedoms away. We the people need to emerge from our protective complacent cocoons and take part in preserving freedom. This can be as simple as voting. With small children at home get them out to places to learn history. Here in my area we are blessed with Early Works Museum and Constitution Village, where I worked for a while a few years ago. Write letters to the editor. Stay informed. Freedom is only one generation from extinction. 

PRAYER: I thank you Lord for the blessing of freedom. I thank you for vacation time as well. Help me educate myself on how freedom is tied to the Bible. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

They Deserve This!

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.1 Corinthians 13:5

The verse given above refers to love. Many times when we are hurt we feel  like getting back at  the one who hurt us. Perhaps you refuse to truly forgive and forget, holding  grudges against a friend or family member. This type of treatment is painful and it is mean. 

It hurts when you are shunned or treated poorly by someone.  Harboring hurts and un forgiveness can build up a wall of resentment. This is exactly the kind of stuff Satan loves, discord and anger among brothers and sisters in Christ and family members. God's recipe for a successful relationship  should include the ingredients of honor, peace, forgiveness, sacrifice, and forgetting wrongs.

Try something if you will. If you can not forget something someone did to you ask God to help you. There is nothing gained by trying to throw up a wrong in someone else's face. Let the Holy Spirit convict. Your job is to pray, love, and forgive.

PRAYER: Lord I want to be a representative of your type of love. Give me your strength to resist making lists of wrongs. Help me to remember to pray for those who may have hurt me, as your word tells me to. In Jesus' name. Amen.