What Are You Displaying?

As I was praying this morning I was spending time confessing my failures, which is right to do but I began to get so discouraged because I feel as if I fail him so much but something happened while I was praying and my thoughts shifted after I had a thought that came to me, Why not think about who I AM and dwell on ME instead of talking so much about yourself!

 I began to pray differently, I began to think about who God is and his characteristics:

His forgiveness, if we confess our sin, he says he will forgive us so  I began to thank him for his forgiveness.
His mercy he shows me when I do mess up, and I thanked him for that mercy.
His love toward me when I am unlovable, and I thanked him for his love.
His grace toward me when I cannot find it within me to show grace to others.

I began to ponder who HE  is and how I can be like him so that others will want Him, because
He is so sweet and such a comfort!

You know I may not always display all of his characteristics but I really realized how important it is to try to walk in those characteristics.  The more time we spend looking at ourselves, we will lose sight of who He is and get rather discouraged.

We need to study HIM and spend some time dwelling on Him and Praising him for who He is and get our eyes off of us and embrace who He is and learn to represent who He is by allowing him to change us into his image!

When we go to work for an employer, we go out everyday representing that company, they require different standards that we show the customers.   Whether we ourselves hold those standards we take them on in the work place because of who we are representing, how much more should  we as Christians strive to display who Christ is on a daily basis because of who we are representing.

The very essence of who God is, is written in his words to help us know who HE is.  The fruit of the Spirit is an evidence of his indwelling in our lives, but unfortunately who we are is so contrary to who He is.

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,   23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.


The Bible says in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

 Who do people see when they watch our lives?  

The Evidence of His Spirit living in us or the Old Nature of who we are on our own?

Some things we must consider!

FRUIT OF HIS SPIRIT                           US IN OUR FLESH

Love                                                          Hate, Disdain

Joy                                                             Sadness, Depression, Misery

Peace                                                         War, Uproar, Disagreement

Longsuffering                                            Impatient

Gentleness                                                 Harshness, Hardness

Goodness                                                   Badness, Corruption

Faith                                                          Disbelief, Doubt, Uncertainty

Meekness                                                  Arrogance, Assertiveness

Temperance                                             Excessivness, Carelessness

How clean are we?

John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

According to the Word of God (KJV) we are clean through his word. I believe the more time you spend reading the Word of God the cleaner vessel you become for Him. I do believe that we as a person see things from reading and realize there are some things we need to change but I believe that God does some of it for us too.
We actively need to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only but we also need to realize that our heavenly Father has begun a good work in us and will perform it until the day we go to heaven.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

I am so thankful for the Word of God (KJV) and I think we as Americans tend to take it for granted. There are still countries out there that do not have a single page of the written word and there are places that have only a few pages of the Word and they are cherished and read and reread.
How much do we really cherish what God has so freely given us?

It is better to Obey than to Sacrifice

I am reminded of a story in the Bible when I think of this thought: It is better to obey than to sacrifice. In Samuel 15 Samuel came to tell Saul that God was going to annoint him King of Israel and Samuel told Saul to go and utterly destroy Amalek.
1 Samuel 15 verse 3
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Saul took his army and went and did part of what Samuel told him to do.
I Samuel 15:9
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

In Sauls mind I am sure he justified that if he saved the best of the sheep and the best of the other animals that God would be please with the animals he choose to keep for a sacrifice unto the Lord. Back then that is what they did for an atonement for their sins. But if you read in verse 3 again he was told to utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not.

Isn't that how we come to God in our walk sometimes? We justify in our minds what we think would be good when God told us clearly what he expects from us?
I know I personally have battled something recently in my life, everytime the preacher would preach I would think of this thing that God had clearly told me in my heart to get rid of it. Everytime he would preach about doing God's perfect will, or being totally surrendered, this thing would come to mind.
Now this thing that God has dealt with my heart about may not be a sin to anyone else but for my walk to be right with the Lord I needed to completely obey in the instance.
One of the reason this thing has been so hard for me to let go of is because I have been told by several people that what I was doing was such a blessing to them and that I have helped them so much so in my mind I would justify my letting this thing go by saying but God it is helping so many people. But infact I was falling into the trap that this verse speaks about.
John 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Is that how we want our children to obey us? Do we want them to reason in their minds what they think is best for their lives and choose what to obey and what not to obey? or do we want them to cave into peer pressure? No! We want complete obedience because we as parents see the whole picture and we know that what we say is for their own good or safety. Our heavenly Father sees the whole picture he knows what is for our own good and safety also.
I have finally surrendered this thing unto the Lord and walked away from it, It is very hard and I struggle with it everyday, but I know that ultimately with God's help and with his strength that ultimately the battle will be won.
When it is all said and done, We do not answer to man, we will give an account to the Savior on how we chose to obey in this life, I want to be found faithful and true to my Lord and as hard as it is sometimes, It is always better to obey than to sacrifice.

Bless the Lord!

Broken

I have recently been studying Mary Magdalene, she is a women that intrigues me, I guess having come out of a life of sin and feeling as if I were delivered from the clutches of Satan also I can relate to her.
I began to look up scripture about Mary Magdalene and just about every time she is recorded she is following Jesus or at his feet worshiping him or anointing him. She obviously loved him very much from the way she was so devoted to him.

In the years that I have studied the Bible I have come to realize that it is very easy for us to read the word of God and form our own opinions of why things are the way they are or why people do the things they do, but if we are not careful we begin to just take on our thoughts and not allow the Word of God to interpret for us. God allows us in his word scriptures that will show us his characteristics and how he properly responds to situations and how we should properly respond and as I was reading in John 11 this morning about the account of the only time that Mary did not come running to Jesus or was not recorded being the first one to him I began to think about why. I have heard it taught that she was bitter that her brother Lazarus had died but I saw it in a different light this morning.

In Luke 11 Martha ran out to meet Jesus when he was coming into town and it says that Mary sat still in the house.
Vs 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
Why did Mary sit still in the house? I wondered about this and began to ponder this. Has there ever been a time in your life in your life where you have lost something dear in your life? Have you ever felt as if God had let you down? You have spent all these years serving him and now when you need him the most he has aloud the thing you hold dear to go from you? I am not just talking about a death, I am talking about any trial in your life that you felt God just was not there?
I have lost some dear things in my life and wondered why God had allowed them to happen in my life. I know over this past few years having been taken out of the ministry and sat on the backside of the mountain, there were times I felt all these years we have served you and now we have to go through this, no income, no ministry, feeling like a fish out of water. My whole Christian walk has been to serve and to help people, and here I am sitting in the middle of no where with no one to lead to the Lord! I know that may not seem like a huge loss to some but it devastated me. I questioned God, I was a Martha and a Mary. I questioned like Martha and sat in the house away from God at times like Mary. I was broken before the Lord! I did not get bitter but I was so very broken, feeling as if the Lord just did not need me anymore or want to use me because of all the trouble I seem to get myself into with my big mouth.
As I was reading this morning I read over the part where Mary did finally come to the Lord after Martha went and told her that Jesus has called for her, which I do not see any place where he called for her. Sometimes others will help us and point us back to Christ.
Vs. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

The very first thing that Mary did when she saw the Lord was fall back down at his feet. It is so easy for us to get our eyes off of who Christ really is but the moment you get your eyes back on Him we will resume our position of worship.

I have heard it taught that Mary was bitter and that is why she did not come out at first, but think about this, remember back when I said it is easy to form our own opinions if we are not careful.
Think about the characteristics of Christ.
#1. He resisteth the proud.
#2. He giveth grace to the humble.

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.


God cannot lie and he cannot go away from his characteristics. He is God he cannot change.
So if Mary was bitter and angry toward God isn't that a sign of pride? So Christ would of had to resist her according to his word.

Mary was broken, maybe questioning and not understanding but not bitter and angry and I say that for this fact, In the next verses she fell at his feet and he was moved with compassion.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept.
She did not understand why he had not come, why he aloud her brother to die but she still brought herself to a humble position of worship and he showed her grace.

I know through my trial there were times where I did not run to the Lord and sat in the house if you will, but when I truly regained my focus and saw him for who he really is, I fell at his feet and regained my position of worship once again. We need to realize that the Lord is moved with our pain, he loves us and only wants what will bring Glory and Honor to the Father in our lives. We loose sight of the fact that we are bought with a price we are not our own anymore and what comes into our lives might not be for us but it ultimately is to bring Glory and Honor unto the Father. Everything Jesus did in his ministry was to bring Glory to the Father, even when it cost him the discomforts of life and ultimately his own life.

Our lives must be lived for that reason only if we truly want to be Christ's servant.

Are you serving self or serving Christ?
We are to die to self and live to HIM!

Life..........

Life has taken a whole new turn, after being a stay at home mom for 20 years or at least being with my children every day for twenty years I have now went out into the work force. I have been with my children, whether it was at a time when I was a stay at home mom or a Christian school teacher at the schools they attended, I was with them. I have always loved being a part of my children's lives. I just heard a lady say the other day, I have all my children grown and I am so happy I do, the teen years just about killed me! I thought to myself that is so sad! My favorite time with my children is their teen years, I love spending time with my youngens, they are funny, they make me laugh and they are not rebellious like most teenagers are today. I am so thankful the Lord has given me children that love the Lord and love their parents enough to submit to their authority.
If you have spent any time on my blog, you know that my husband is disabled and since we do not have insurance the Lord was merciful enough to me to give me a job that I love and that has the added benefits of insurance after 90 days.
I have often wondered why the Lord is so good to me, but he knows and guides our paths to the directions we need to go and I am so thankful I have a heavenly father that loves me enough to do that for me and my family.
I have such a peace in my heart that my children are left in the good hands of their father and he is overseeing the homeschooling endeavors. I stand amazed at how smoothly our home is running, dad has the children in subjection, he has them doing their daily chores and my house is in complete order. I do believe that it has everything to do with the scriptures that says: 1 Timothy 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
God intends for the father to have a huge part in training the children, anytime we do things God's way it all falls into place and becomes extremely peaceful.

While I was home over this past two years I felt as if I was withering up and dying spiritually and since I have started this job I feel a revival in my heart.
I see people that need the Lord and I desire to share Christ with all of them. I work with a lot of people that say they know the Lord but there are quite a few that still need HIM! I love to tell people about the Lord and I feel this is a great place to spread the love of Christ! Pray for me that the Lord will use me to point people to HIM!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Verdict is In

My poor man has had a rough two weeks. He went in to the hospital on Tuesday night March 9th with chest pains. The doctors ran every test you can imagine, then finally they did a heart cath on Thursday morning and we were able to leave the hospital thinking all was going to be ok, by Tuesday of the following week his arm (where they did a new proceedure heart cath) was in serious pain and turning red and holding heat so that night he went back to the hospital and they kept him from Tuesday til Sunday afternoon with a serious infection in his arm.
We are home now but in the midst of the storm he finally got news that everything had been approved and what we have been fighting for, well over 19 months was now coming to an end. Praise the Lord.
God is so good and I have pondered what this year and a half has brought to me in my life. It has been hard and at times I felt I was going to fall apart, but the thing I have learned about the Lord is that he has begun a good work in me.

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath BEGUN A GOOD WORK in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

God will never let his children be utterly cast down, he lovingly comforts you with his words and constantly draws you back to a right mind set. He has been so faithful to me even when I have not been so faithful to him.

God promised in his word that with that work that he began in me he will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. He never gives up on his children, the goodness of God leadeth a man to repentance.

During this year I have been stripped of all self righteousness, He has shown me that I had put a lot of stock in the things I was doing for him, almost a works mind set. I was trying to find favor in God's eyes and in the eyes of man by doing all of these (RIGHT) things. ......visitation, soul winning, teaching, bible reading, prayer life. Do not get me wrong these things are right to do, but if you are doing for the wrong reasons they are meriting you nothing in the eyes of God and the reward of man thinking you are spiritual is all the reward you will get.

These works do not make one spiritual, allowing God to work in you and through you makes one Spiritual.

In Galation 5 we see that Paul was telling the Galations that they had put themselves back under the law thinking it was going to merit them something, We tend to try to put on Spirituality ourselves. We think if we do all of these things then we will be spiritual, then you have a Christian that is frustrated, spinning their wheels, and feeling like they never measure up.

If you take an apple seed and lay it on a table, it will never grow. If you just put it in the ground, it may grow but be weak, if you put it in good soil chances of a good tree increase, But if you put it in good soil, water it, place fertilizer around it chances are soon your tree will be bearing fruit.

Not one thing you can do can make that tree bear fruit, it is natural process of a healthy tree.

We are trying to bear fruit ourselves on our tree, we are trying to produce something that is God's job. We cannot put on Spirituality, it is something that God does through us.

We must water the tree.

Ephesians 5:26

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the WASHING of water by the word,

Through watering the tree and making sure it has the nutrients it needs it will be a natural process. By reading God's word we are watering our soul and the natural process will bear fruit.

Having been put in a situation where all of these things I was doing were taken from me I had to take a good look at who I was and where I stood with God. In my thinking with all of those things making me right with him and now none of those I have to offer, I felt defeated and totally at a loss. I have come to realize with the comfort of my Saviour and his loving working in my life that he loves me and excepts me without all of my righteousness being presented at his feet, all of my righteousness is as filthy rags in his sight.
Now having gone through this trial, I can now offer these things out of a love for him and not wanting a love from him. He loves me already, I do not have to earn his love.

Galatians 3:3

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now MADE PERFECT by the flesh?

We are not made perfect by the things we do and that is not what merits us Spirtuality, it is Christ working in us.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

We are made perfect by the Spirit and yet we try to make ourselves perfect.
I have learned to stop and listen and try to be obedient to the Lord's leading.
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
I am so thankful for the Lord teaching me to follow him and to stop trying to establish my own righteousness. I am all for those things I mentioned earlier and I will continue to do those things in my walk with God but like I said earlier I can now do them out of a love for my Saviour and not trying to obtain a love from my Saviour.

I love the LORD because he first loved me.


Rebecca

Have you ever felt like trials are just to heavy?

We are down to just a couple of weeks left until the hearing and it just seems like things are just getting heavier. It seems like the tempter and the flesh is working overtime in my life.
First off I will just let you in on a new diminsion added to our trial. It has been raining for days and yesterday morning we got up and got ready for church as normal, off to church we went, had a great dinner for our pastors wife for her birthday after the morning services we came home intending on taking the normal Sunday afternoon nap. Seth went downstairs to get a change of clothes and from the bottom of the steps I heard "UH OH! THE BASEMENT IS FLOODED!" Well, thinking, Ok, a little water can be cleaned up and as I ascended the stairs, I was shocked to see approx 3 inches of water covering the whole basement floor. I could not believe my eyes.
I do thank God that it has been a little warmer than normal, in the 50's so the water wasn't blistering cold. I began to look around and did not realize how many boxes I had stacked on the floor of the basement. It made me sick to my stomach.
After working hard through the evening, we were able to get the water out of the basement by sucking it up with a shop vac.

In this picture you can see the mud that came in with all the water. These pictures do it no justice.




These are some of the boxes that were filled with stuff that is now either drying out or had to be pitched.Here are some of the tubs that were downstairs that have had to be brought up and gone through to make sure they did not gather water through any cracks on the bottom, I had two tubs that were cracked and things got wet inside the tubs.

More pictures of stuff that just had to be pitched, a lot of this stuff were things that I had saved from my children's school days or things that they had saved, reports they had written or special notes they had written to me or to others, you know those things that mothers save that really probably matter to no one else but to the mother.These are boxes of our books thankfully a lot of the boxes were just put up on shelves but I had about three boxes on the floor of our ministry books. They are now all spread out drying out.

This picture shows how deep the water was on the wall, I do not know why I didn't get pictures while the floor was standing in water, I guess it was more important to get the water out of the basement than to take the time to take pics.Now I posted all of these pictures to say this. I was reading in my devotions last night and this morning in James chapter 1 (which I was encouraged by a friend to do so) In James 1 it says,
Verse

²My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

³Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

⁴But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

⁵If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Now how can I count it all joy when falling into divers temptations?

You say how is this temptations? Have you ever been tempted to get upset with your situtation? or even angry? or short tempered? Well, that is the temptation, God says to count it all joy! I have not counted it all joy at times while going through these trials in my life. Then I read if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally. Have you ever just lost sight of everthing you have been taught and you loose sight of how you should react in situtations? or actually how to apply what you have learned to your life during a situation. God said if you lack wisdom during your divers temptations ask for wisdom. He said he would give it to you liberally.

Wisdom is The right use or exercise of knowledge, This is wisdom in act, effect, or practice

5. In Scripture theology, wisdom is true religion; godliness; piety; the knowledge and fear of God, and sincere and uniform obedience to his commands. This is the wisdom which is from above. Psa 90. Job 28.

It is the putting into practice that which you have learned. Putting feet to your knowledge, practicing what you preach if you will.

I have to say, I have used that verse for many different instances in my life, lack of wisdom in situations. (wisdom on a test, or wisdom on something I have read or even taught my students to claim that verse for their tests in school) but I have to say that I have never considered it for wrong attitudes in situtations. If you look at the context of the scripture he is telling us to ask for wisdom when we fall into divers temptations. When we are tempted to sin against him and we have seem to lost the smarts on how to do right, ask for wisdom, I honestly had never really considered the context of that verse. Ask him for the know how to practice what you preach.

It seems like when things begin to go wrong in our lives, when the trying of our faith is put to the test, the doubts come, the confusion comes, the wondering what is God doing in our lives? but God said if any of you lack wisdom during these times let him ask of God. When things get really rough then Satan or your flesh will tempt you to walk away from God and stop spending time with him, but God says ask me for wisdom to get through this and I will give it to you liberally.

The counting all joy thing is very hard for me at times but just like salvation, It takes faith just to trust the Lord and allow him to give the joy you need to sustain you vs ⁶But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering , remember he says in Nehemiah 8:10 ....for the JOY OF THE LORD IS your strength. You know it is all just stuff, and it is all going to burn up one day anyway, so why do we hold so tight to the things of this world? We need to be looking ahead to eternal stuff and not temperal stuff. We put so much stock in stuff bringing us joy and happiness, when stuff is not what brings real joy, leaning on the Lord and trusting him with your whole life, come what may and letting patience have its perfect work that is what brings true happiness and true joy.

God does not want us to be a double minded man, He wants us to be sure of him and to have faith in him and his ability to carry us through our storms.

⁶But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

⁷For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

⁸A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.

During the trails of life is when we can become a terribly double minded man if we are not careful and lean on him by faith, asking for wisdom and allowing the joy of the Lord to carry us through.

Letting go and letting God do what he wants in your life is hard at times, but he promises in that same chapter in verse ¹²Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Isn't it worth letting go of a few things here in this life and letting God take control so that one day you will be able to cast that crown of life at the feet of Jesus and thank him for allowing you to have the wisdom to make it through the trials of life with the joy and the faith that we needed.

Thank you my friend for pointing me to James. God and his marvelous comfort showed me exactly what I needed these last few days.

Listening to HIM in 2010!

First and foremost I want to Thank the Lord for this past year in my life. I have learned somethings about my Savior that I have known in my head but now I know in my heart.

Jesus is such a loving and compassionate friend to me. I do believe that we serve a God that hates sin, and does judge sin, I believe he is the God of correction and that when his child messes up that he will spank them, but I have learned that his correction is not always the type of correction that we know or use as parents here on this earth. (We should definitely be more like him with our children) You know the goodness of God bringeth a man to repentance.

Romans 2 : 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

I believe if he has to he will get rough, but I do know that he is a longsuffering God and a very loving God. To many times in my life I have been quick to pass judgement, I have been quick to respond to what I think God ought to do in a situation or how God ought to handle a situation, (because you know.....I have been saved for years and I know a little about God and who he is, so I think I know how he should handle things.) WOW! Have I been wrong! With all the many times I have messed up this past year, God has continually shown me his grace and his forgiveness. I have often had this mind set that God is up there just waiting for us to mess up so he can pull the hammer down on us, but I have learned that he is full of compassion, full of forgiveness, and full of love towards me. Oh, if I could be more like him.

This past year we have been totally at the mercy of our Lord. We have depended on him for our every need. We have been in his watchful care for this entire year. You say,,,We'll, yea, we all are!" Yes, I agree but so many times when we are working for a paycheck it is easy to think we can work things out for ourselves. We have the ability decide a few things on our own, for instance when that paycheck comes on Friday (because you know it is coming) you can kinda determine in your mind what you are going to pay and you can kinda plan ahead or budget if you will. It is easy to leave God out of that part of our lives, because we think we have the smarts to do so. Well, when you do not know when the next check is coming, it is hard to plan ahead, so you just have to lean on the Lord day by day (and check the mailbox). Which has been an awesome experience to see God supply your every need.

FOR EXAMPLE:
A couple of months ago we had a husband and wife family come through and visit our church, they are truck drivers and they travel the whole U.S. As most of you know me, I do not know a stranger and I enjoyed getting to know these Kindred Spirits. They were both so sweet and we just hit it off. The husband asked me that night if he could have our email so they could keep up on Mike's case and so they could pray for us. What a blessing! We started corresponding through email. I was thrilled to have people with a heart like them praying about Mike's case and about his health. It is nice to know people are really praying for you.
The week before Thanksgiving this blessed lady sent me an email asking me for my address and said she wanted to send me something. A week later while we were in Kansas she sent us a card with a $150.00 in it for a Thanksgiving feast but since the Lord had already supplied our feast in Kansas, I was thrilled to be able to pay our November car payment.
Last night after being out of town for the holidays our pastor's wife gave us another Christmas card from this precious couple. When we got home it had $100.00 check in it for Christmas.
WOW! Do you know why I say WOW? Cause Zac has to be in Bowling Greene this next week and we just paid the rest of the months bills and we were out of money and did not know where the gas money was going to come from to get him there for his ride back to college. Once again the Lord supplied the need just when we needed it.
God has shown us that he does not need to use people we know, he does not need to use the wealthy people of this world, he uses the way that brings him the most Glory.
We are closing this year out and can say that He has once again met our bills for the month of December and we had a great Christmas to boot! TO GOD BE THE GLORY GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!

As I enter into this new year, I want to be more like Christ, I want to be more understanding with people, I want to be more tolerable, I want to be full of love toward the lost world, I want people to see Jesus in me and most of all I want to allow my ear to be tuned toward my Father's voice so that when he wants to use me like he has used so many people over this past year that I too may be used to help meet someone else's need. Isn't that what our call is? How can God reach the lost or help someone in need, if he cannot use us?

Can you imagine if each of us were just sensitive to the Lord's voice?..............
"Hand them a tract."
"Tell them about me."
"Give them $20.00."
"Give that person a hug."
"Ask them to forgive you."

You may never know what need you may fulfill in someone's life by just listening for his voice.

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

Bless each and everyone of you for being a blessing to us this year and thank you so much for following me through this journey of learning about my Savior.

We are Forever His,

Rebecca

Our Christmas letter 2009

We have been Refined in 2009



Merry Christmas! December 2009


This past year in the life of the Estep’s


As most of you know Mike has had to file for disability and it has now been approx. 14 months since we have had any income. We would have to say that this year has been a hard year along with the most rewarding year of our lives.

God has proven himself to us in ways that we could have never imagined. (A red Sea if you will). Beginning in November of 2008 the Lord began to prove that he was going to take care of us. Each month that past He was faithful to provide our needs, whether through tax returns, the sale of our vehicle or just the kindness of a fellow brother or family member lending a hand. God has given us free wood both winters so far and has supplied every toiletry need that we have had….Now you think why would you put that in there? Have you ever gone without an income? Have you ever considered the thought of going without toilet paper? Well, just so you know, we didn’t have to. Praise the Lord! God has taught us to trust him with our every need.


Ending this year out and as we reflect back, We stand amazed at what God has done for us. He has not only supplied our every need but also on top of that he has given us an all expense paid trip to Gatlinburg for 3 days, an all expense paid trip to Kansas for Thanksgiving. (paid for by 7 or 8 young students) and several trips to Ohio to spend time with family.


Besides all of the material things that God has done for us, The thing that we appreciate the most that the Lord has done for us is that Sarah, Jordan and Seth have all grown so much in their walk with the Lord. Sarah and Seth have each began to play the guitar and base this year and the three of them sing together as a group now. They long to be at church to be involved in their ministry.


Corey and Zac have been attending Heartland Bible Baptist College and we thank God for their desire to pursue God’s will and direction in their lives. Each of the boys were able to travel all summer. Corey traveled with GloryBound (singing group from Heartland) and Zac traveled with the VBS team and was able to see over 100 children come to know the Lord. Praise the Lord.


God has taken us to the backside of a mountain in Southern Kentucky and put us out in the country in the cutest little house that we have ever lived in and has loved on us the whole year long. We thank God for the way he has revealed himself to us this year and the work he has done in each of our hearts.

Mike has the third phase of his disability coming up in Feb. 2010, We ask each of you to pray that it will be settled and we can rejoice that this phase of our life is over. Please pray that we will hold strong the faith, as we think about all the many miracles that God has done for us, our hearts still seem to reflect the same attitude at times as the Israelites did after the huge miracles that God did for them.


We pray that this past year has been as rewarding for you, as it has been for us.

Please visit Becky's blog link below for further information as to how the Lord has

taken care of us through this past year.



We are Forever His,


Mike, Becky,
Corey, Zac, Sarah, Seth and Jordan
It is me,
Mrs. E.
Come Visit my blog
http://thelifeofachristianfamily.blogspot.com/

Am I a Mary or a Martha?

This morning as I was reading my devotions in John Chapter 11, I really asked the Lord to speak to my heart as I read. I put myself into the story and began to think about the scene and how each of the people must have felt in the story, when I began to ponder how Mary and Martha must have felt when they called for Jesus to come and he didn't come and their brother died. I thought they must have felt like Jesus didn't care enough to come when they called.
I read in Vs 20 how that when Jesus finally did come that Mary sat still in the house. Vs 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
I read how when he did come Martha ran to Jesus and even spoke those words. Vs. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Each one responded differently when Jesus finally did come. Then I began to ponder my own actions when things do not go as I think they should. Do I run to the Lord and ask him why?, or do I just sit and ponder how things should have been?
Martha went to the Lord and spoke to him and told him that she knew if he hadst been there her brother would not have died, she also told him that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Even through all the adversity Martha was still claiming truth and in the next couple of verses Christ spoke more truth to her about him being her Savior. Oh when we get a good glimpse of who our Savior really is, it will help us to go on and also encourage others to go on.
I believe our lack of faith keeps us from running to the Lord. We get defeated and we think what is the use, the situtation is too big or to far gone. (Lazarus was dead for goodness sake!)
I thought as I read on when Martha ran back to the house, she told Mary that The Master is come and calleth for her. No where did I read that Jesus told Martha that he wanted to see Mary, but I believe Martha got some help by just hearing the Lord that she knew Mary needed to hear him too.
Maybe Mary felt like the Lord didn't care about her, maybe she felt angry that he didn't come when they called for him, maybe she had lost some of her faith in him since he didn't come when he called, I do not know why Mary stayed in the house and didn't run to Jesus like Martha did, but once Martha told Mary that Jesus calleth for her, Vs 29.. she arose quickly, and came unto him.
Sometimes we just need to be reminded that the Lord wants us to come to him.
In verse 32, as soon as Mary saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Maybe one of the reasons Mary did not come to Jesus is that she was ashamed at what was truly in her heart, but we see here that as soon as she came to him, her heart was revealed. Do we not go to the Lord, because we are ashamed? I think I have been guilty.

You know as I read about how Jesus responded to Mary, He didn't rebuke her for her feelings, He didn't condemn her, He had compassion on her situation, then He fixed it.
How many times do we carry our burdens without taking them to the one that can fix them. He is moved with compassion, he understands our situations of not understanding, and he wants to help us with those burdens.

Are you a Martha, that runs to Jesus even when you do not understand the situation, and claim scripture?
Are you a Mary that sits and ponders what could have been, or what should have been?

In the next Chapter verse 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
I believe that through this whole trial that we read about in Chapter 11, Mary learned something about her Savior that she didn't know before and we find that she had a greater love for him and worshiped him with her whole heart. SHE SEEN JESUS RAISE LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD! Is anything to hard for God? I believe through that trial it made her love him more because she knew more about who he is through her time of suffering.
Philippians 3:10
THAT I MAY KNOW HIM, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

I can relate to this whole story and as I read this chapter this morning my heart broke and the tears began to flow as I saw myself being a Mary. I have allowed at times my heart to question what the Lord is doing in our lives, I have at times walked away from him not wanting to go to him for the shame that I felt in my heart about how I have allowed my heart to be upset with this situation that we are in.
It has been 14 months since we have had NO INCOME! My husband has filed for disability and cannot work, He has the medical card which is much needed for all his medical needs and if I work he looses that, we have literally been backed into a corner to trust the Lord. I will say that our bills are paid enough to get us through each month without loosing everything, he has suppplied our every (NEED).
I do not understand why we have gone through all of this, but I do know one thing, I have learned more about my savior's love for me than I have ever known before.
He has shown me that he loves me and will take care of me and even hug me when I need hugs. This has been a hard year for us, and at times I am rather ashamed at how I have acted, but I would never change anything that I have gone through.
I have a greater appreciation for who God is, I have stronger faith in him and his promises than I ever have, My favorite verse has been put to the fire.
1:2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began.
I know more today that My God Cannot lie than I have ever known before.

When I see the compassion that the Lord had on Mary and Martha and was moved to tears, it made me know that the Lord feels that same way about me when he sees me struggling and hurting. I am so thankful for a God that cares and weeps for me and is moved with compassion.
So after much consideration I realize that I am often a Mary, but I desire so strongly to be a Martha.

Who are you?

The Neglected Vineyard

Our Pastor preached a message out of Song of Solomon chapter 1 verse 6 last night about our vineyard.

6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

What a truth he brought out in the message.
We all have vineyards that we tend to everyday. Whether it is the vineyard of our job, our children, our play time, whatever it may be, if you will see in that verse that she was not lazy and she was a keeper of others vineyards, but her own vineyard she had not kept.
It is so easy for us to tend to other vineyards and they may very well be good things, but if we are not careful we can neglect our own vineyard in our lives.
We must make it a priority in our lives to make sure we read our Bible and pray and make our walk with the Lord a top priority.
It is so easy to get busy that we quickly begin to listen to Satan's excuses that he will give us and before we know it our Bible reading has taken a back seat.
Show me a man that has fallen and I will show you an man that has stopped reading his Bible.

Let's try not to neglect our vineyard today.

Beginning to Understand

As I sit here and ponder what has been going on in our lives over the past 10 months, I stand amazed at what the Lord has done for us. I am beginning to understand why the Lord has taken us to this spot in our life.
Mike has been so sick for the past year and a half and has not had the insurance to have these issues worked out. It is just so expensive to go to the doctor but when we moved here to Kentucky, I went to sign my children up for the medical card and because we had no income, Mike and I qualified for the medical card, the lady just automatically gave it to us, as I have said before even our doctor asked how we had the medical card, He said "they do not give that to adults very often."
We know that God seen fit to give us that card.
Since we have had the card the doctor has made sure he has run every test possible on Mike. He has also run test on me and some issues have been revealed that I am working on getting resolved also.
I said all that to say this, God knows what he is doing in your life. Sometimes we can get so caught up in worrying what others think that we fail to stop and realize that we are bought with a price and that we belong to God and that he can do whatever, whenever he wants to in our lives. My life belongs to the Lord. If he wants to take us out of the ministry and set us on the backside of a mountain for a time and grow us, that is his choice.

One thing the Lord has taught me through this trial is all of my righteousness is as filthy rags in his sight. He has put me in a place where I am able to do very little for him but yet in his grace he has showered me with his goodness.
I have put so much stock in my works for the Lord and that I felt the more I worked for him, the more I obeyed him, the more I won souls for him, the more I, I, I, I, I,
then he would be obligated to bless me, but I have learned that even though all of those things are good, our motives need to be right. We are not to do those things to gain his favor, or to gain the favor of man, he wants us to do them because we love him. My motives have been so wrong for so long.
He has loved me so much through this trial, even when my heart was not right, even when my faith wasn't strong, even when I haven't won a soul for him, even though I have nothing to offer him. I am humbled that such a King like him would love someone like me.
I loved him, because he first loved me.......Is more true today in my life than ever before. We are not under the law of bondage, we are under the law of Grace.
Oh, the Lord wants us to serve him with our heart, not to be seen of men. Don't serve the Lord because you might get a spanking, serve him because you love him.

He has loved me like I was his only child.
When I say God has been good to me, I mean it with all my heart.
I love you Lord.

God has been so good to me.

I cannot believe the month of May is gone already. It was a rather busy month for us.
First, we had some friends that came from Kansas and spent a week with us, Miranda is from one of the families we had in our church in Goodland. She was able to take a Senior trip and raise money to go anywhere she wanted to go, and she choose to come and spend a week with Sarah my daughter, What an awesome priviledge, God really used them to help us through a hard time the week they came and God had it all planned months ago. What a sweet time of fellowship and laughter. They mean the world to me.

My boys did get to come home for a couple of weeks also. I just thank the Lord for the time of fellowship and refreshment he gave me in May, the trial we are going through has really weighed on us and the Lord knew we needed this month to just keep our minds off of our situation. I love the Lord for that.

Today, we are getting more company. Miranda and Paige (her sister) are coming again, Savannah (my adopted daughter, not really but we tell her she is..lol.) Justin and Steven ( two more of our adopted sons, not really but we tell them they are too.)
They are traveling out here for a wedding of one of their friends from college. We just happen to be close enough for the girls to stay with us.

God has been good to us. I thank God for my friends. Sometimes when you are going through hard times, you can get like Elijah and think we are all by ourselves, but then the Lord reminds us there are a whole lot of other people standing with you.
I thank God for the people he has brought our way. It reminds me that our work is never in vain. I just love the people he has allowed to walk through my life.

Letting the Potter have his way.

It is May 8th,2009 We still have not sold our car, We have had several lookers, but no takers. I tried to start a job selling websites and to date have not sold one thing. That is two weeks of being on the phone five days a week anywhere from 3-8 hours a day. It seems like no matter which way we turn to try to work things out ourselves, nothing comes from it.

BUT GOD HAD DIFFERENT PLANS
We were given $1800.00 last week to get our bills caught up to date. We got two cards in the mail the other day that had money in them. We had a special offering last Sunday.
Can you believe that? All of our bills are paid up to this month.

I have to say that this trial has brought somethings in my life to the surface that have not been very pleasing to deal with. Our trials are to teach us things about who we really are and who God really is. I have learned some really sweet things about my Lord, and some really not so sweet things about me.

So many times we look at other people (which is unwise) and we think they have it all together. We think they could never feel the way I do, they could never act the way I do, they could never on and on and on but I thank God that he gave us verses to help us with exactly that.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Our trials are common to man.

I have been praying about what the Lord would have me post on my update, Do I speak of how weak I have been? Do I tell how hard this trial has been? Do I speak of the desire to just crawl in a hole and die?
But my whole desire for this blog is to glorify my Lord. Talking of my weakness does nothing to shine the Glory of the Lord through this trial.
The biggest attack through this whole things is to forget the benefits that the Lord loads me with daily. It is so easy to get your eyes on the trial and forget the blessings. Let me list just a few.
Not one time have I ran out of Toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, makeup, laundry detergent, dish soap. I have not had one need that has not been fulfilled along with some of my desires. How do we have these things without any income? I do not know, but the money just seems to be there when the need arises.

Yesterday Mike and I were at Walmart and I looked at all the flowers for mother's day, they were everywhere I told Mike, I love crazy daisys and just the thought went through my mind, I sure like flowers. Well, the Lord heard that thought, walmart was throwing out a ton of flowers because the boxes got wet. Mike's aunt and uncle got a hold of them and brought me 9 bouguets of flowers. I have fresh flowers in vases all over my house for my company that is coming in from Kansas tonight.
When we first moved here I went and signed the children up for the medical card and because we have no income, Mike and I both qaualified too. Praise the Lord because Mike has really needed it since we have been here, even the doctor said....It is amazing that you have that medical card, they just do not give that to adults very often.

Mike had a flu last year and has said several times, I just have not felt the same since last year. Well this week Mike has gotten so sick, I took him to the doctor and he is thinking he has a viral infection that has been in his lungs since last year. If we didnt have the medical card, he would have never went to the doctor.
The doctor said since he has that card, he is going to really dig in and find out what his problem really is.

I could go on and on and on to the blessings that God has given us through this time. He loads us with benefits daily, It is up to us to stop and notice.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Discouragment is a tool that the devil uses to defeat God's children. If he can get us defeated he has won part of the battle. If I am a defeated Christian, Do others see my faith? Do others see God's grace in my life? No, all they see is me and my weakness to stand in God's power.
My life is not my own anymore,
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
My life belongs to the Lord, When I have the wrong attitude it does not Glorify my Father.
If there is anything I have learned through this trial is that my Father knows what I need more than I do and he knows what it will take to get some really yucky dross to the surface. It is not fun, but I know he has begun a work in me and that it is easier if I will just yield to his molding, rather than stiffen and reject his leading in my life.

Let the potter mold you into his image.

I am forever His,
Rebecca

I Must blog, where there is a will, there is a way!

This will be my toughest blog post ever, for one reason I am posting from my WII console since the computer is in the shop and two I am petitioning others prayer on our behalf. I was reading in Proverbs 1 this morning and as I read verse 3, I realized that through our seasons or trials if you will is where our trees will bring forth fruit, if you meditate day and night when that season comes you will flourish and produce fruit. The trials or seasons bring to surface what our hearts have meditated on. My request is this please pray my leaves flourish and not wither. This has been the hardest trial we as a family have ever had to endure, but my desire is to flourish for my Lord. My flesh is weak, but he is strong. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf.

Going into our 8th month.

April will mark the eighth month since my husband has resigned from his position of associate pastor. That was a very difficult decision to follow our Lord in but it has been a very blessed decision. We have not drawn any kind of income since September but yet the Lord has met our every need. I just need to go on record to say once again the Lord has paid our rent for this next month. Can I explain it? Can I tell you where everything has come from? I just want to give all the Glory to the Lord.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down FROM THE FATHER of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Rebates have come in the mail from August 08, money just seems to stick around a lot longer and it seems to go further. I heard recently that the electric company has overcharged its
customers this winter and that every customer will be receiving a $500.00 check for over payment. That sounds like the Lord to me, he gave me a savings account over this winter and just when I need it the most, he is going to send it back to me. That has to be God, how many times do you hear an electric company admitting they have overcharged?
The Lord seems to be stretching our money out. I stand amazed at what the Lord has done for us over these past 8 months, it truly is a miracle. Not one ounce of income as far as a weekly pay for me or my husband but yet the Lord has met our every need. I say all of this just too once again say that God cannot lie, His word is true and he will take care of his children if you will just die to self and trust him. At times through the last eight months we have sit and tried to figure ways to make money, ways to figure things out ourselves, but each time the Lord just backed us into a corner and said let go and trust me and each time he has come through.

Please continue to pray as Mike has more testing going coming up and as we continue pursue the direction that God has set before us.
You know when you are living for the Lord, you may not always understand the trial you are going through, but I do know that you can trust the one who is leading you through that trial. It is a good thing to trust the Lord with your life. In the day and age we live in today, with all the unstableness in our economy people need to see us as Christians trusting Him and leaning on his promises. It is easy to say you trust the Lord in the good times, but when it gets tight and hard it then becomes easy preaching, hard living.
There are people out there ringing their hands not knowing what tomorrow holds for their lives trying to figure out what they are going to do to make it through these hard times and they have no hope, no peace, and no comfort. If I can be a light of hope in this old dark world, I want to shine as bright as I can for him. We as Christians have a perfect opportunity to be a huge witness for our Savior, as we enter into these hard times, stand strong and show forth your peace and your contentment and rest in the arms of the Lord so that others can see there is a resting place they can come to also. Without Faith it is impossible to please our Savior.

Hebrews 11:6 But WITHOUT FAITH [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We must have faith in him and his promises. REMEMBER, HE CANNOT LIE!!!

Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that CANNOT LIE, promised before the world began;
Let go of the control you have on your life and just trust the leading hand of the Lord in your life. It is the best life to live.

God Bless and thanks for stopping by.
Rebecca

My poll

I have had my poll listed for over a month, everyone that has taken my poll has so far been a Christian, but today someone posted that they were searching. Oh Christians please pray that my page will have planted the seed that will grow and help this person come to know the Lord.
To that person that is searching, Please know I am praying that God will truly open your eyes to the Truths of His word. Ye must be born again.

I am honored and excited you have visited my blog,
Rebecca

I must share my heart and I would love your thoughts

Over the last couple of months three out of five of my children have come to the realization that they have not really been saved. I have been following a friend’s blog http://cozaddalechronicles.blogspot.com/ and have been doing a lot of pondering about why children go wrong when they are of the age that they make their own choices. With these recent events in the lives of my children, it has raised more questions in my mind to what we are doing wrong as parents raising children in our Christian homes.

My son that is attending Bible college called me on Monday and I was able to help him come to the realization that he has been going about to establish his own righteousness. Romans 10:3
He has been taught to be a good boy, As we raise our children and we train our children we teach them how to become good little boys and good little girls to the spot that they begin to trust in all of their righteousness to merit them something in the eyes of God. I have seen my children struggle with doubt over the years; maybe it comes from my fear of them really not being saved, since I was 25 before I truly had it settled in my own life. I am not a parent that reassures their children they are ok because they made a profession at age 4.
I heard my present pastor preach many years ago and he said something I never forgot, "You cannot muddy up deep waters." I am so thankful that I have questioned my children over the years. I am so glad when I saw struggles in their lives I went straight for the salvation issue. I often tried to muddy up their waters, so that they were sure their waters were deep.
I have seen a true change in the lives of my children once they truly have it settled in their lives.
I believe there will be genuine fruit in the life of a child that is truly born again. I mean inward fruit, not just the conforming fruit that we as Christian parents are so good at teaching our children to have.
Maybe I have been wrong in casting doubt in their lives, but I would rather cast doubt and have them sure than to give them a false sense of assurance and they die without Christ thinking they are ok.
I know in my own experience the very thing that kept me lost for so long is that I really didn't think I was that bad of a person and that is exactly what my son said to me on Monday.
Until we see ourselves as Christ sees us.
Romans 3:23 For all have SINNED, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have SINNED:

Satan whispers in our ear, you haven’t committed murder, or you haven't done anything terrible, you’re a good little boy or a good little girl. Then when they get to the age they are able to make their own choices, their true nature rears its ugly head. We as parents need to deal with their true nature, that inward man before they get to that age that they are able to make their own choices.
I am so thankful that it is not anything we can do to merit us anything in the eyes of God, but it is everything he has done for us. Even the very thought that If I just trust that I have done what God's word says.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever SHALL CALL upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I cannot count how many times I have heard people say, I have done what God's word says and that is enough, is it? Are you trusting in what you have done? Established your own righteousness? It is about trusting God's word, but it is also coming to the end of yourself and not trusting in one thing you can do but fall into the hands of a merciful loving God.

It is nothing you deserve and you cannot pray enough, you cannot read your bible enough, you cannot go to church enough, you cannot dress right enough, you must believe with your heart that there is a true need for the repentance of the sin that seperates you from a Holy God.

I would love to have you post your salvation testimony.

The poll that I have taken shows that I am reaching all Born Again Christians, So if you are born again than you must have a testimony. I would also ask that you would give me some of your experience in raising your children and how you have dwelt with their salvation.

I would love some interaction on my blog. If anything just let me know you have been here. Thank you to those who have posted.
Love in Christ,

Rebecca

A time of reflection on God's Promises.

As I sat down to pray this morning, my mind went back to a blog that I read yesterday by a young man, he provoked me to pray a prayer that only thanks the Lord and asks for nothing. Each morning as I pray, I take the time to write a letter to the Lord as it helps me to stay focused on what I am praying about, after I am done writing my letter, I usually rip it into tiny shreds so that others do not see my inner most thoughts and my battles in the flesh, as I do get totally honest with the Lord in my letters. This morning I wanted to do something different and share my time of prayer with each of you. I pray that this prayer will point you to the promises that God has given us and that maybe if we spent more time reflecting on his promises we would have less defeat in this world we live in today. We as Christians have something that money cannot buy; we have God's words to lean on when times are tough all around us.

Good morning Lord Jesus My Savior, God my father and Holy Spirit my comforter,

I want to take this time today to thank you for all the promises you have given me and to thank you for being so good to me. I am so thankful that you promise that you will never leave me nor forsake me. I am thankful that you loved me, even while I was yet a sinner, you died for me.

I am thankful for your Word. Christ, you were the Word and you came and dwelt among us, and your own received you not, thus the door to the Gentiles opened and allowed salvation to me and today I sit in heavenly places. I am thankful for the Word that rightly divides my thoughts and the intents of my heart. It allows me to look into it and to allow me to behold my natural face and decide if I am gong to become a doer of your Word or just a hearer only. I am thankful that thy Word is truth and that you cannot lie to me. I desire to hide thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee. I am thankful that God is my refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble. I am thankful that you cannot change; you are the same yesterday, today and forever.

I am thankful that you have given the comfort of the Holy Spirit. I am thankful for the peace that passeth all understanding and it keeps my mind through Christ Jesus. I am thankful that when I am weak, you are strong, I am thankful for your grace and that it is sufficient for whatever trial I am going through. I am so thankful for my eternal salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. I am thankful that I am sealed unto the day of redemption and that I do not have to keep myself that you completed salvation on the cross of Calvary. I am so thankful that when I was blind and without Christ, you drew me to you. Day and night you drew me with the Spirit of God. You never gave up on me. I am thankful you opened my blinded eyes.

I am thankful that I do not have to trust in the riches of this world as I know they will all pass away, but that my riches are laid up in heaven where moth and rust cannot corrupt. I am thankful for the comfort to know that I do not have to worry about my needs, as the cattle on a thousand hills are yours and you said you would supply all my need. I am thankful that your word says that I can call unto you and that you will answer me and show me great and mighty things. I am thankful you said to ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto me. I am thankful that you do want me to ask you for things, but that you also want me to be thankful for all things. I am thankful that you tell me in your word to rejoice and again I say rejoice. I am thankful for the joy of my salvation.

I am so thankful for my family and the desire you have put in their heart to serve you, I am thankful that you opened my eyes to the promise that except you build my house, my labor is in vain, I am thankful you taught me to trust in you putting in their hearts instead of my own abilities. I am so thankful that I know that I cannot walk this walk unless you give me the ability to do so. I am thankful that you give me a job that I cannot do, then you do it for me, then you reward me as if I did it myself.

I thank you Lord that you said that if I confess my sin that you are faithful and just to forgive me. I am thankful that you said For whosoever called upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. I am so thankful you saved me May 7, 1992, when I took a hold of that promise and believed it with my heart and not my head.

I thank you Lord for the call, many are called but few are chosen, I am thankful that you didn’t choose the mighty, nor the noble, but that you chose the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and that you have chosen the weak things of this world. All I have ever wanted to do is to be used by you and I thank you for using such a servant as I. Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name.

I am so thankful that I do not have to live in this world that we live in today all by myself, that I have your promises that I can trust with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding.
Thank you Lord.

Amen

I Needed to Add A New Post, Search Me, O God......

I felt the need to add a new post just so that my post about myself would be removed from the first post on my blog. I feel a little anxious about posting so much about myself, as I do not want to come across as if I am bringing glory to myself. The whole idea of my blog was to bring Glory and Honor unto My Savior.
I have been pondering and really reviewing my motives in all things that are a part of my life. I want my life to point to my Savior, I want to stand before my Lord and hear him say one day, well done my child. So this is why I am asking myself these questions.
Why do I blog?
Why do I spend so much time reading others blogs?
Why do I need to blog to other Christians?
Is this going to merit me anything for all eternity?
Why do I do what I am doing? Does it line up with scripture?
Is it pointing others to Christ?
Is this really what the Lord wants me to do?
I have come to notice that there are a lot of Christians that spend a lot of time blogging. It is a wonderful tool to post your research and to post what is going on in our lives and a great way to allow family to keep up on what the Lord is doing in our lives. But what is my duty as a born again Christian?
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Matthew 28:19 GO YE therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

I desire to reach others with the gospel, I desire to see souls saved. The reason for the poll was to see who I was reaching with my blog, which seems so far that I am reaching born again Christians. I do have a deep down desire to teach others and that is part of the great commission. I ask you to pray with me as you visit my blog and ask the Lord to give me clear direction on what his will is for my life. As I spend my time researching and digging into God's word on why I am doing what I am doing, I will try to update and share with you what the Lord shows me. I do believe that we should keep a constant check on our motives.

Psalms 139:23 SEARCH ME, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

This is a hard prayer for me to pray, I know that when I do so, God is faithful to give me a very good glimpse of who I am and what my motives are. Sometimes, it is not fun to see yourself like God sees you, but I know the only way I can truly please my Lord is to allow him to shine his heavenly light into the deep dark secret parts of my heart and allow him to show me what he sees.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I would love to get some interaction on my posts, Please if you have something the Lord has shown you, feel free to leave your thoughts.