Are You Giving your All... or Are You Giving at All?

This is a great topic to start off with, seeing as my last post was March 2018. I could give excuses and reasons why I have not been on here, and there have been many times where I started to come on to post, and I didn't... Am I giving my all, or am I giving at all? On this blog, clearly not... in life, I would hope I am giving a lot, but yes again, clearly not all... which isn't enough. God has challenged me to share and encourage others in the truth of His Word, so I will be more frequent in these postings (I hope)!

I have also been challenged these past couple weeks listening to sermons and messages that God was speaking to me and through me. I am a teacher through and through... but this also means I am a learner too! As of March 2018, I have enrolled in a Bible College and I am working towards an Associates Degree, and then a Bachelor of Theology. I have started putting the #lifelonglearner on posts I have made. I enjoy the Word and learning more about the truths found within it. I have been a "Christian" or Christ-follower for 4 decades... that is so crazy (in a good way) to me! But each time I read, or hear, or teach a Bible truth or account, God reveals Himself to me in a whole new way! I know for NEW BELIEVERS hearing the truth of God and the miracles found in His Word and the reality of salvation and Holy Spirit, etc is exciting, scary and motivating all in one. The fire and zeal of a New Believer are unbelievable and seemingly unquenchable. We as believers (especially those 20+. 30+, 40+ or even 50+ years) can become complacent or comfortable. We have gifts inside of us that are still unopened, or maybe the wrapping was taken off, but they are still unused. Some we may have opened at one time, and maybe even tested them out, or used them once or twice, but we have gifts inside of us that haven't been used to their fullest capacity. 

This week we were challenged by a Pastor who is the Youth Director of the PAOC (now I was a part of the PAOC for many years, and I came to experience the real God and Holy Spirit in a PAOC church and PAOC ministry events). Pastor Wayne Giroux spoke to the PAOC (& other denomination) Jr Youth, Sr Youth, Pastors, Leaders and Parents (& friends) at a Youth Rally. He spoke on "WHAT IF", and used the Bible account of the "Feeding of the 5000+". Now as I said above, I have been in the church and heard Bible accounts, and even taught Bible accounts many many times. Each time is somewhat similar but differs according to the speaker, the theme, the lesson, the audience/congregation/group being spoken to. The Feeding of the 5000 is an account of one of the miracles of Jesus, where Jesus doesn't just call down the answer from Heaven, but He uses His disciples. He has them do the "dirty work" and search and seek out what is needed, and then He blesses it, and God does the miracle through them and their obedience and their faith. When hearing the story for the first time, you could be like 'ya right, I am so sure that only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish could feed that many people. Ya sure, like everyone got a teeny piece of bread and fish'... but the Bible says "They all ate as much as they wanted..." (Mark 6:42 NLT) and another translation says "So they all ate and were filled." (NKJV). (and there were 12 baskets of leftovers for each of the disciples). So most people think this was a miracle about food. In Sunday School or Junior church, you get crackers and goldfish... or something along those lines and the teacher tells the story (as I have done so many times) and shares the truth of the miracle of being broken and given out. In some translations, it just says the disciples brought back 5 loaves and 2 fish. In other translations, it says that a little boy gave his lunch. So then you sometimes teach or hear about being prepared. That boy's Mama was a part of the miracle that day as well, as she sent her boy with lunch to help him through the day, and he gave his lunch and was blessed by the miracle as well through his obedience. BUT... in all my years of reading, hearing or teaching this Bible account, I have never heard the revelation of 'what about the others'. Pastor Wayne shared with us the reality that others were there WITH food... but they didn't give it to the disciples when they went around asking for it. After the miracle was performed (for lack of a better word), how many people looked into their satchels and saw the loaf or the fish or whatever food they had hiding in there and realized what just happened. How many of them thought, "What if"... "What if I gave all I had?" 

God is asking the same from us. What are we holding back from God? We all have unopened or unused gifts...  Pastor Wayne challenged the youth (and us as Leaders), WHAT IF... we stopped holding back from God? WHAT IF... we stopped worrying about what could go wrong and focused on what God could do right? Inside you may be the answer to cancer, or something not as huge, but if you keep it inside instead of giving it to the world, what good is it? What good is God's Word of truth if you don't open it or read it?

I am reminded of a song from my youth, "What if I Give All" by Ray Boltz... (don't mind the 1980 style video, read and listen to the lyrics). The video is about giving monetary items... but it is the same meaning. The account of the feeding of the 5000 is in the song too.  (This song opens in a new window, so you can listen and then return to read the rest.) 

While I was searching YOUTUBE for that song, I found another song that I have never heard before from Casting Crowns called "What If I Give Everything"... WOW! The words are amazing... may you be blessed as you listen to these 2 songs! Maybe you can sing along with the lyrics of this second song... "Why am I still standing here. Why am I still holding back from You? I hear You call me out into deeper waters, but I settle on the shallow end. Why am I still standing here?"

I am even singing these words with you, as I have unopened/unused/gently used talents and gifts inside as well (but I am ENDEAVOURING to use more this year). I am hopefully not in the shallow end, but definitely not as deep as I could go. Remove the fear, remove the doubt, stop listening to the lies of the enemy, stop listening to the dead giants around you, listen to the voice of the Father, and step into the deeper waters with Him. Just like the promise He made to Joshua, He makes the same one to YOU (to us)... "No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you." (Joshua 1:5 NLT)

Are YOU Giving Your ALL... or are YOU even giving AT ALL? Look in your pockets or your 'satchel'... what is there that you can GIVE? Make sure you are giving something... but most importantly make sure you have a relationship with this God that I am talking about. Make sure you experience Him for yourself. WHERE ARE YOU STANDING? You cannot get saved from just my salvation story. YOU have to know Him, feel Him, see Him, hear Him & experience Him for yourself. Are YOU swimming with me in SOMEWHAT DEEP water? Are YOU drowning? Are YOU standing in the shallow end... or are you just standing on the sand... or have you even made it to the "beach"? Take this time to STAND with God, wherever you are in your walk! He will help you go deeper. He will challenge you and take you to new heights and depths in Him. So as God also told Joshua, BE OF GOOD COURAGE! 

#BeBlessed2BeABlessing

An Everlasting Love...

"The Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."
Jeremiah 31:3

This was the 'daily verse' in one of our Bible programs which I read this AM before church, and when I first read it, I began to sing the song, I guess it's by Don Moen, but I have it on another CD. I think it's way back from Youth Group time in Dallas Texas at CFNI. WOW!  Here's a link to the old school song... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_uqZFnrJN4 - by Don Moen

Anyway, then I realized the first line which I never really hear when this verse is referred to. 'The Lord appeared to him from far away'. It got me thinking, God is NEVER far away from us, so the person to whom He is speaking to obviously took steps away from God. Which is important for us to remember... that even when we are NOT faithful, and walking with God, He still loves us with an everlasting love, and He remains faithful to us no matter what.

Sometimes I think of myself as unfaithful, because some days, I certainly don't feel like I deserve this everlasting & unconditional love of the Father. Some days I don't stop to read the Word, or listen for His voice, I do pray through the day, but wonder if He actually listens when we don't do our other parts to stay true to Him. I try to do my 'devotional' daily, but sometimes its just a quick view of words on a page, it doesn't sink in and I don't meditate on it. Other days, its refreshing and I can see God's hand at work in my life. I do know that He is faithful, and He will prove faithful in my life. Times where I feel like I have failed Him, He's just there with open arms reminding me of my worth in His kingdom.

I know that I have had a 'relationship' with him since I was very young and just began to speak and understand the Word of God (this is part of the reason I believe that I have such a strong passion for loving kiddos and teaching/training them in the ways of the Lord). From the young age of 3, I began to seek Him, because I heard of the faithfulness of God in the biblical accounts that my Mom, Pastor & Sunday School teachers shared. In my tweens & teens, I wasn't blessed to be a part of a strong youth group,  as we switched churches a lot. I did however join several youth activities, but they weren't really 'experiencing' the true God & His Holy Spirit as I read of in the Bible. When I was 19 & 20, we went back to our Pentecostal church (where I came to know Jesus) and I was basically 'too old' for youth group, but was welcomed in with open arms (as I am very youthful - LOL!) to the youth group at our church. After some AMAZING experiences with Holy Spirit, and a visit to 'Youth for the Nations' at the 'Christ For the Nations Institute' we finally experienced the true God for ourselves. WOW! I was then baptized by water & fire in the same year. What a difference between 'knowing of' (having biblical knowledge) and 'knowing' (having true relationship with) GOD. I'm thankful so much for the teachers who have been in my life since I was that young 3 yr old making the decision to serve JESUS.

Through the years He has certainly proved faithful, and led me through different paths where I have increased my FAITH in Him. I gained a TRUST in Him like no other. I can say that I made it through the many temptations in High School and come out with very few 'scars'. I had friends who were involved in many different things that a 'Christian' wouldn't, and I was the 'solid' one... I am thankful for the Lord's faithfulness in my life. In my college years, I gained more of an understanding of the calling to 'teach' when I graduated from Early Childhood Education. Although it's not a Christian view of things, I stood firm in my beliefs and my faith. However, there were things done in these years that I am not proud of, but I made it through those temptations & sins, and repented of those, because of my Faithful God! It's in desperate times like those, where you are single, and have no children, and hear the promises of God in your ear, where you try to do things on your own... like Abraham and Sarah when she chose to let Abraham sleep with Hagar to get a child. Now, I never did those things... LOL! But sometimes you think you should 'settle' with what is given, instead of pressing forward to the promises that God has for you. We try to do things in our own ways, in our own strength, and try to 'help' God of course, but really those things take us further from God's will.

God's everlasting love has proved faithful, and through that time of 'waiting', God was preparing me for the man of my dreams, and was preparing him for me. Excitedly I moved into a marriage (almost 10 years ago now -- WOW!) and now we are 'waiting' on Him again for the fulfillment of promises.

Because of my love for God, and wanting to prove him faithful to the next generations, I am excited to be a part of our Children's Ministry and Junior Youth programs (and still have a special spot in the hearts of our Sr Youth). It's possible to stay strong, and true and follow Jesus. Even in times when we seem to 'walk away' from Him, His faithfulness stands true, and His love is everlasting! Showing them that He can and will do what He says He will do is an important part of our walk. But even more so, we want others (LIKE YOU) to see that He is faithful. It doesn't depend on whether you believe in evolution, abortion, etc... it depends on your RELATIONSHIP with a God who is real, who has a SON who died for YOU and the sins  you did commit, are committing right now, and even the ones you haven't even committed yet. It also is a relationship with Holy Spirit, who is the person with us here on earth. He shows us and guides us into righteousness. He comforts us, disciplines us, rebukes us, corrects us and is there for us. We can LEAN ON HIM, and know that He will ALWAYS be there to catch us! Then Holy Spirit will lead you into the TRUTH on subjects such as evolution or abortion. (No matter what science or the medical field says or rules upon).

GOD does love us with an EVERLASTING love, He will incline to us, He will embrace us, He will prove FAITHFUL in all that He says! No matter how 'bad' you think you are, He has the best plans for you, we just need to accept them.

I apologize to my friends and family for not always shining the light, or diffusing the fragrance of God, or correcting in love, or being the example that I should be. I know I don't do a 'terrible' job, but we all can use some work. Thank You Lord for Your forgiveness and Your Holy Spirit that helps guide us into all TRUTH! :)

THANKS for 'listening' to me... may YOU be blessed beyond belief by the faithful everlasting love of the Father. Even those of YOU who have never experienced a true father's love like I have on earth with my Pops. Choose today to turn back to Him.

Remember, if you don't have this beautiful relationship with God -- Learn your A,B,C's...

ACCEPT, BELIEVE and CONFESS.

**If you have never prayed the 'salvation prayer' before or experienced the peace & EVERLASTING LOVE that is spoken of above, then here's your chance today. The only thing you are giving up is things that aren't going to last long anyway -- which if you don't give up, will only make your own life not last as long as it could (which is eternally). --- You've already made the first step known - admit to God that you are a sinner, because after all - all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") After that you need to believe that God is God, and that Jesus is His Son. He sent His Son to die for us, so that we as sinners didn't need to be condemned to death. (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, bu the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.") Then do as we did above, and Confess your sins to Him and ask for forgiveness -- and then confess aloud that JESUS IS LORD. (Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.") We need to daily ask for forgiveness, because we are human and we will always mess up in some way or another. God is willing and able to forgive us, and welcome YOU into His family. I don't like to write out a prayer to say word for word, as this important step is something that you need to tell God in your own words. Just tell Him what's in your heart - you're a sinner, you want to believe in Him but it may be hard, you want Him to forgive you of what you've done, and you want to choose life with Him through His Son Jesus. It's as simple as that. **

GOD BLESS YOU!

"Beyond Doubt"

DAY # 80 -- Phew, around the 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional in 80 days... and more to come!
VERSE: "Now if any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6 HCSB

If you've never had any doubts about your faith, or anything, then you might as well just skip over this devotional -- but somehow, I DOUBT IT! LOL!

Doubt - by definition;
–verb (used with object)

1. to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.
2. to distrust.
3. Archaic . to fear; be apprehensive about.
–verb (used without object)
4. to be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief.

God can and will take us beyond all our doubts and fears. We need not worry or doubt that God will do what He says He will do. Sometimes when we pray, we do look at circumstances more than the truth of the Word of God. We are uncertain, or consider the option to be questionable or unlikely, or we hesitate (if even for just a moment), and we find it hard to believe that a GREAT BIG God cares about little ol' me. Well He does. We just need to seek His presence, and spend time with Him, and having a more meaningful relationship with His Son Jesus, and be led by Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we feel that we are far away from God... but remember it's not God who moved, it's us. God was, God is, and God always will be! He promises many things to those who believe and are His followers and disciples.

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!!

"A Heart Aflame?"

DAY #66 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Whatever work you do, do you best, because you are going to the grave, where there is no working..." Ecclesiastes 9:10 NCV

...to be continued!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Faith and Wholeness"

DAY #58 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Now the just shall live by faith." Hebrews 10:38  NKJV

Just one simple act of pressing in to 'touch the hem' of Jesus' robe, was an act of faith that healed a woman of the pain and suffering that she had been struggling with for years. (See her story in Matthew 9:20-22) We can also be healed today, just by pressing in to God. With the faith and trust that God can and will do what He says He will do, and applying our faith -- living it out can change us for the good, and bring the miracle we have waited so long for. Keep praying, persevere, don't give up if you're not seeming to get an answer. Some BIG miracles take time, others can be answered right on the spot. Don't think God loves you any less if others are receiving their blessings right away. God still holds you in His hand, and Jesus is interceding for us all moment by moment. Having faith, applying it and living it out means having it all the time -- in good times and bad, in happy times and sad.

God can and will change your life for the good, but you have to give it over to Him. We need to come broken and He will miraculously transform our lives into who He has created us to be. Concentration camp survivor Corrie Ten Boom once said, 'Faith is an activity. It is something that has to be applied.' Our faith, like with the woman in Matthew 9, can make us whole. Do you want to be made whole? Step out in FAITH today. F.A.I.T.H. -- Forsaking All I Trust Him! Ask God to help you receive more faith if needed, He is here to help!

'Do you want to be made whole?' or 'Do you want to be made well?' -- "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, 'Do you want to be made well'?" John 5:6 NIV

Remember, if you don't have this beautiful relationship with God -- Learn your A,B,C's...

ACCEPT, BELIEVE and CONFESS.

**If you have never prayed the 'salvation prayer' before or experienced the peace that is spoken of above, then here's your chance today. The only thing you are giving up is things that aren't going to last long anyway -- which if you don't give up, will only make your own life not last as long as it could (which is eternally). --- You've already made the first step known - admit to God that you are a sinner, because after all - all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") After that you need to believe that God is God, and that Jesus is His Son. He sent His Son to die for us, so that we as sinners didn't need to be condemned to death. (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, bu the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.") Then do as we did above, and Confess your sins to Him and ask for forgiveness -- and then confess aloud that JESUS IS LORD. (Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.") We need to daily ask for forgiveness, because we are human and we will always mess up in some way or another. God is willing and able to forgive us, and welcome YOU into His family. I don't like to write out a prayer to say word for word, as this important step is something that you need to tell God in your own words. Just tell Him what's in your heart - you're a sinner, you want to believe in Him but it may be hard, you want Him to forgive you of what you've done, and you want to choose life with Him through His Son Jesus. It's as simple as that. **


I still think back to the quote from 'Faith Like Potatoes' too... when I think about miracles and impossibilities. "Condition for a miracle is difficulty; condition for a GREAT miracle is impossibility!" (~Faith Like Potatoes 'Angus Buchan')

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Beyond the Comfort Zone"

DAY #43 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Be not afraid, only believe." Mark 5:36 KJV

MSG - "Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, "Don't listen to them; just trust me."

"Jesus. If you are walking toward Him to the best of your ability, He will see you through life's unpredictable waters-- but you must risk launching the boat." ~ Patsy Clairmont

To be continued...

''Discipline Matters''

DAY #30 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: ''I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.'' 1 Corinthians 9:27 HCSB

NIV - ''No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.''
NKJV - ''But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.''

KJV - ''But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.''
NLT - ''I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.''
MSG - ''I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.'' (v. 26-27)
 
**Editor's Note: Reading different translations is always good. One thing about having the Bible online, you can do that quickly and easily. I usually use http://www.biblegateway.com for my Online Bible needs. A friend was just mentioning today that since their move, they have found a lot of Bibles. She/He didn't know they had that many. They were giving thanks that we live in a free country where we can read our Bible and not worry about being persecuted or killed because of it. Some people around the world cannot even have a Bible at their home, and these people had more than that. The BIBLE is a very important book, and should be treated that way. It is HISTORY... Historical NON-Fiction and it is the ONLY book that is alive. We are truly blessed to be able to get our hands on several different translations of the Word of God. Which one is right? Which one is the correct wording or understanding? Read in the translation that you desire, and seek the Lord to give you the true understanding and wisdom regarding His word. **
 
We need to discipline ourselves as diciples of Christ, so that our words, thoughts and deeds reflect the way we are sharing God's love and the truth of His Word with others. I love the Message Version "I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.'' We need to discipline ourselves for us #1, as we need to make sure that we are not missing out ourselves, yet we also need to do it as an example to those around us. We need to basically 'practice what we preach'. As this translation says, we need to 'stay alert and in top condition'. In the case of an athlete, they are alert and train to be in top condition when they compete in or play their sport. They can receive a lot of harmful injury if they didn't train properly before their sporting event. In the case of a team sport, they not only affect themselves, but they affect those others on the team with them. Same as Christianity, we are a 'body', and each of us plays a special part. If one person hurts, we all hurt.
 
To be disciplined, according to dictionary.com is;
–verb (used with object)
10. to train by instruction and exercise; drill.
11. to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.
12. to punish or penalize in order to train and control; correct; chastise.

We need to allow ourselves to be controlled by God, we are no longer subject to being controlled by men around us, or by ourselves. (We still do have the free-will to choose this, yet the Father is the one who created us, and knows us best.) We need to be obedient to what the Father has said in his Word (or to us directly or indirectly through the prophetic). We are also disciplined by the Father (definition #12 above) in order to train, control, correct or chastise us to becoming the M.E. (Maximum Effectiveness) that He has called us to be.

It is a learning process, and yes, you will mess up. I'm with you here... I am not preaching to the crowd, and ignoring what I say. I am in this struggle along with you. We need to discipline ourselves in reading His Word, meditating on it, praying at all times, trusting Him at all times, living in Faith and not by sight, humble ourselves, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with Him, etc... the Scriptures themselves tell us how we should behave, how we should act. I have just named some of them. By obedience and listening to God, we are benefitted... but by disobedience and going ahead on our own strength, we are going to suffer the consequences of our decisions.
God wants us to be disciplined, diligent and mature and wants us to seek Him first in all things. (''But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.''Matthew 6:33) If we have faith and diligently seek Him, He will reward us. It's a promise in His Word; ''But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'' Hebrews 11:6 NKJV


The responsiblity lays on our shoulders, yet the strength and power comes from Him, and we will be blessed for our disciplined life.

Remember (as in the picture above) Discipline is the bridge between your goals and your achievements!

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!

 

"Talk to the Father"

DAY #26 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "You do not have because you do not ask." James 4:2 HCSB

Talking to the Father... a very important and sometimes overlooked detail in our days. God doesn't just want to speak with us at mealtimes or at bedtime, He wants to be able to communicate with us all day long. When you are communicating with someone, it's usually a two-way conversation. Sometimes we feel that God should do all the talking. Why isn't He talking to me? When we are in trouble, one of the first things most of us do is call on God... or blame God. He wants us to share our hearts with Him, He knows our thoughts, our desires, but He wants to hear us ask Him for them. Sometimes as was shared in a previous devotional, the busyness of and the distractions in this crazy world around us get in the way of 'praying at all times'. (Romans 12:12 & 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

We too often try to rely on our own resources, knowledge and strength to get through our day... yet a simple call out to God can do so much more. With God NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, and we need the faith to believe that is true. God is the provider of all the grace, strength, love, patience, wisdom and more that we need throughout the day. All we need to do is 'A.S.K.' -- Ask, Seek & Knock! "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV) 

Faith in God opens so many doors of blessing that God has for us. There is an old song with the lyrics, 'Prayer is the key to Heaven, but Faith unlocks the door'. Are there unopened doors in your life right now? Would you like God to just open them for you? Well He cannot without you asking in faith for Him to do so. He is just waiting on our actions sometimes. Faith without works is dead afterall. (James 2:17 "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." and James 2:26 "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.")


... so as you go through your day, speak to the Father, and ASK for the things that you need. Even little things are important to God. Speak blessing and healing over people's life that you pass by and don't forget to thank Him for His many blessings in your life. It's amazing what a little 'faith can do'.

Check out this song by Kutless, 'That's what Faith Can Do'...


...and the lyrics, as they are powerful... yet not as powerful as God Himself!

Everybody falls sometimes

You gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think its more than you can take
But youre stronger, stronger than you know


And dont you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining


Ive seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesnt ever end
Even when the sky is falling
Ive seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
Thats what faith can do

It doesnt matter what youve heard
Impossible is not a word
Its just a reason for someone not to try
Everybodys scared to death
You may decide to take that step
Out on the water
But itll be all right


Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
Overcome the odds
When you dont have a chance
(Thats what faith can do)
When the world says you cant
It will tell you that it can


(Repeat Chorus)


BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"He Persevered and so Must We"

DAY #18 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited." Proverbs 24:10 HCSB

WOW! What an eye-opener... doing nothing limits your strength... I had to read this verse in other translations and in the context of the chapter to really understand this verse. I really like it in the MESSAGE version... whoa! "If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place."

NIV: "If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!"
KJV: "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."
NLT: "If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small."

Wow! Jesus Himself persevered under all the trials He had to face for us. He is the perfect example for us to follow. How well do we handle crisis', pressures, times of trouble or adversity? Technically our strength is small anyway, as it is His strength that sustains us. I do not want to be seen as one who 'faltered, fainted, or failed', yet I really don't want to be seen as one who 'did nothing'. I do not want to limit my strength or the Father's strength in me. What about YOU? Have you spent a lot of time 'faltering, fainting or failing'? Well get back up, and pray for added strength and a renewal from the Father! He wants us all to be a part of the impossible. He wants us to showcase His strength, to show Him off to the world. Nothing exciting can be done in our own strength anyway. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Sometimes however, we sit back and do nothing, and think God will do it if we just ask. All we need is faith after all. Well I was reading my 'card-making' magazine and in the back in the fun quotes section was a great quote (I used it as my facebook status this AM too) - "Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel." ~ Author Unknown. This statement is super true. We cannot just sit back and watch God be God and expect BIG miracles in our lives... we sometimes need to dig in and 'get a little dirty'. I still think back to the quote from 'Faith Like Potatoes' too... when I think about miracles and impossibilities. "Condition for a miracle is difficulty; condition for a GREAT miracle is impossibility!" (~Faith Like Potatoes 'Angus Buchan')

The verse above in the MESSAGE translation is still ringing in my ear... "If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place." There wasn't much to you in the first place? That's a hard hit... We need to persevere all the more in times of trouble and despair.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of 'PERSEVERANCE' is:
–noun

1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
2. Theology . continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

I would have to be led to say that perseverance itself is not a noun, yet is an ACTION verb. The 'steady persistance' sounds pretty active to me. So c'mon, get off your butt and get into action!! Persevere and Pray hard, and DO SOMETHING. Whether you fail the first time you try, or whether you get a great outcome, keep going! Try, try and try again. If you fall, get back up. If you falter, get your balance and keep going. If you faint, allow God to bring you back to your senses and strengthen you to KEEP GOING!

Just like yesterday's message (found here), if you are tired, weary, discouraged, disheartened or if you are one from today's message, that is faltering, fainting or failing... Look to God! Don't have that relationship with God... it's as simple as A,B,C to get on the right track! DO IT TODAY!

1. ADMIT you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") Tell God that you are not perfect, that you are struggling, that you are a sinner. ('Cause yep, we all are.) You also have to repent of that sin... be sorry for it, and TRY not to do it again. (But when you do, 'cause yep we all are tempted to, just repent again.)



2. BELIEVE in your heart that God is real, and that He sent His Son to die for YOU. (His Son now does live again, as He was raised from the dead by His Father) Sin is only punishable by death... Jesus has come to make a way. (Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.") Don't be afraid to ask God if He is real, He wants you to seek Him from your heart. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you, and guide you into the truth. We all know, but do not truly understand the full meaning of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life."


3. CONFESS your faith in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. ("If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Romans 10:9-10 NLT) Let God know that you want to change, you want Him to fill the voids or holes in your heart that you tried to fill yourself with things of the world. Some of you have tried drugs, alcohol, sex, work, etc to fill that void in your life... but it can only be filled by LOVE! The Love that the Father has for each one of us.


When God hears you pray this pray with your own words, from your own heart, He is blessed. The angels in Heaven rejoice when a sinner repents. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent... In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15: 7 & 10) When you pray this prayer, and allow God to move by the power of His Holy Spirit, you will NEVER BE THE SAME! (Let me know if you've prayed this prayer... for the first time or for the 101st time... just send me a comment, I won't post it if you don't want me too. I'd love to pray alongside you. Even if you just write your name. Thanks!)


Press in, and press on!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Faith That Works"

DAY #8 - "A Woman of Faith" Devotional
Verse: "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" Romans 1:17 NIV

Faith that works... something we all have access to, yet don't always use. I was actually thinking about this thought earlier this week. We all say that we have faith, we know that God can do what He says He will do, yet when we walk through life, or trials, or even just down a dark street alone our faith is tested. We face a 'trial' of some kind and immediately say 'God help me', as if He is not already there helping us or protecting us. We shouldn't even be walking in the minute amount of fear that makes us have to pray for protection or help in times of trouble. Sometimes there isn't even trouble brewing, you might just be walking down a street at night alone (well technically not alone) thinking of the things that may happen, as this world is not as clean and safe as it once was. This infact was me, during a walk this week... I don't mind walking alone, yet in the back of my head are all the stories of deaths, rapes, stealings, molestations, kidnappings, etc that happen in our neighbourhood alone. But also in my head and heart are the promises that ring true in the Bible. God has commanded his angels to protect me in all that I do, that I may not trip or even stumble on a stone. (Psalm 91:11-13 NIV says, "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.") He also says, 'no weapon formed against me shall prosper'. ("no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me..." Isaiah 54:17) -- these are the TRUTHS that I (and YOU) should be holding on to (and yes there are many more promises in His Word). I should just be thanking God for fulfilling His promises in my life, and walking through the 'storms' into victory. Why do we let even a minute or small amount of doubt to step in? We need to live by faith and not by sight! Because there are stories told of angelic experiences, and I have kept those in my mind & pondered them in my heart, especially in situations like the above (where it's just a simple walk in a 'dark' neighbourhood, past somewhat normal neighbourhood people). I remember a story I once heard of a young girl who was walking somewhere, and there was a gang or a couple of bad guys, and she was nervous about walking through them, however she did and nothing happened to her. But then later she heard of an attack on a young girl or something... and she somehow ended up seeing the 'accused' somewhere, and she asked them why they didn't bother her, and they wondered why she was asking, because she had a really big guy walking with her, so of course they would have left her alone. (paraphrased obviously, as I heard the story when I was much younger, but it has always stayed with me.)

We always need to walk our our faith, be FAITH in action! There is a verse in the Bible that says, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17 NIV) Basically again, we cannot talk the talk without truly walking the walk.

Remember that God does command His angels concerning you... and YOU are important to Him! Pray a HEDGE of protection over you and your family/friends/co-workers, etc...

Be Blessed & Be a Blessing!

 

Happy 2011~~ New year, New blog posts... New fun!

So, this year I am going to try to continue with my devotional thoughts, and try to keep them more up to date. I have a 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional book that I have been reading this past year (again not faithfully), so this year I thought I would read the devotional and then comment on the verse or the thought of the day and share it with you, instead of in a notebook/journal form.

Today's 'DAY 1' entry was rightly called 'A Woman of Faith' and the verse was found in Matthew 21:21 -- "Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done."

Earlier in the book of Matthew in 17:20, Jesus also uses the mountain analogy, "He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'" The last sentence in this verse is what should be a resounding truth in our hearts and minds, but we somehow cannot let this truth really manifest itself in our lives. That little thing called 'doubt' and one called 'fear' get in the way of us truly believing that 'nothing will be impossible for you'. We try to pray and live with FAITH... and then a little pinch of doubt creeps in, and throws us for a loop. Somehow the promise of 'nothing will be impossible for you' just doesn't hit home with us. Why we can let ourselves get so worked up over sometimes little things, and not truly believe that God can and will do what He promises makes God sad I'm sure. Sometimes we even try to make it work on our own, and try to do things our way, since God is obviously not listening to our prayers and our hearts cries and desires. (Truly He is listening, but we try to make ourselves feel better thinking we can do it for Him.)

Sometimes God promises us something, but we have to wait for it, but we don't desire to wait any longer and patience and endurance are not gifts that we want to utilize. Like Abram and Sarai, when God told them He would make Abram (Abraham) the Father of many nations. How was he supposed to be a father of many nations, when he didn't have any children to call his own. He was getting older, and so was Sarai, and so they took their 'promise fulfillment' into their own hands and allowed Abram to sleep with Hagar, and she bore a son, Ishmael. Later Sarah and Abraham did conceive the 'promised' son, yet Ishmael was there as 'thorn in his side'. Isaac was conceived in 'due time'... every promise in the Bible belonged to those in the Bible, and also to each of us. We just need to read, meditate and claim the promises... However, in most cases it says "God will..." and that's what we as readers of the Bible dwell on. Different people (not just Christians) can quote different promises of God from the Bible. They then question why God isn't granting them that promise. If you look closer at the Scriptures, there are two little words usually in front of the promise (or just after)... "If you..." We have to do our part too. I can't just walk through life expecting God to bless each and every thing I do, I need to do my part too. For example, one of the well-known Scriptures in the church is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

What does it take to be a 'woman of faith' (or a man of Faith)... technically it's easy for me and other members of my church, as our church is called Faith Tabernacle. So being of that church makes me a woman of Faith... LOL! However, it takes much more than that! Believing and not doubting... not letting fear or guilt get in the way of receiving the full blessings of God. We need to LIVE out our FAITH. The Bible also says that Faith without works is dead... (James 2:17)


This day is a NEW BEGINNING... a FRESH start at living a life of FAITH. Come join the journey with me...

I've heard it said that FAITH can be described as...
Forsaking
All
I
Trust in
Him

So trust Him today, and lean not on your OWN understanding (stop trying to do things your own way), and He will direct your paths (He will bring you to where you are to be!)

BE BLESSED, and BE A BLESSING!

HOPE Floats... SETTLING Sinks!

(Editor's Note: This is a devotional message that I spoke at our local 'soup kitchen', and I know the message was for them, for other members of our own team, and it is for YOU! So allow the Holy Spirit to speak to YOU and allow Him to move in your life, and continue to build up your HOPE!)

Today we often settle with what we have and we stop striving, whether out of discouragement or just plain laziness. There is a story that is told of a father and his son...

"A father was late getting to his son's baseball game. As he sat down behind the players' bench he asked one of the boys known as a real leader on the team what the score was. 'We're behind 14 to nothing,' he answered with a smile. 'Really!' the Dad replied. 'I am surprised that you don't look very discouraged.' 'Discouraged?' the boy replied with a puzzled look on his face. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet.'"

God doesn't want us to settle with even the 'good', when He desires to give us the 'best'!

Don't give up... press in all the more harder. (Like the baseball team above, [we don't know how the story ends], but if the team went out and didn't try, basically settling with their loss, in the end they probably continued to lose. However if they pressed in hard, and tried to win, then may have just won.) We need to STRIVE for the 'win', and the goal that God desires for us. Don't settle for 2nd best!

For example, say you have a desire for TIMMY's (TIM HORTON'S) Coffee (if you are Canadian), and your thirst calls out for it. If I offer you a simple 'instant coffee', you may 'settle' for it, but you still desire the Timmy's... If however I offer you a McDonald's Coffee (which in some cases people like more than Tim's) you would also 'settle' for it, because you are thirsty and that is what is available... NOW, if you wait until the right time to go for your "TIMs" coffee, and I offer you that, obviously you would choose that decision because Tim's Coffee is what you were desiring to have in your heart all along. But... again you say, well the 'instant' is so quick, so it can fill my thirst momentarily (or temporarily). The McDonald's coffee is still good, and I can afford that right now... but there is such a COST to receive the Timmy's... There is also going to be a COST to striving for the 'best', but the cost is certainly worth it all in the end. Your 'thirst' is satisfied by what your heart/spirit/soul desired in the first place (which should be what God desires for you).

God has BIG plans for your life -- He has created you and designed you to be special -- you are worthy! He desires to see YOU become the M.E. that He created you to be.
M.E. = Maximum Effectiveness (your ultimate potential) -- the 'Best You' = 'Youier You!'

ROMANS 8:19 -- "For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are."

WHO are YOU really?

Are YOU a HOPER or a SETTLER?

Definition of 'SETTLE' -- (according to Webster's Dictionary)
- to become fixed or permanent
- to sink to the bottom of a liquid (as sediment settles)

If we 'SETTLE' we become fixed or permanent (or even hard-hearted), and God cannot change or move us as freely as He wants to. We are not 'willing' to move either. Also we can 'sink' to the bottom, and not do what He desires of us. God wants us to rise above and live the life He has for us.


GENESIS 11:27-32
"This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran."


Terah, Abraham's father 'settled', he did still live a good life, as he died at 205, yet he died in Haran, he never received the full promise from God (the promised land of Canaan). Abraham however did not follow the steps of his father totally... and in Genesis 13 he separated from his nephew Lot, so basically he 'didn't settle for his Lot in life'...
In Genesis 18:1-15, God promises a son and blessings to Abraham and Sarah. Sarah hears that she is to bear a child and she laughs in disbelief. However, in Genesis 21:1-7 Isaac (the promised son) was born to them when Abraham was 100 years old. Sarah now laughed in delight, for God kept and fulfilled His promise to them. They received the 'best' that God was offering them due to their obedience. But... it didn't all happen so easily, Sarah was beginning to 'settle', and she was tired of waiting, she was getting older, she tried to hurry along the process. (She allowed her hand-maiden to bear a child with her husband whom they named Ishmael) This caused even more pain in the end... but instead of settling for the 'good', they strived to receive the 'best'.


God WANTS to fulfill His promises in YOUR lives! Don't 'settle' with what you have - God still wants YOU to be soooo much more!


God IS faithful to keep His promises... IF we are obedient in doing our part, and waiting for His timing, and His desires to be lived out. The Bible says, "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) Our desires will actually become those that He desires, if we are truly living with Him as our guide and source.


Keep the faith! Increase your faith to believe God for sooooo much more!


What is the definition of HOPE... 'desire and expectation of fulfillment' The Bible tells us in Romans 8:24-25, "We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)"


I pray that YOU will become a HOPER... that you will live each day with the desire and expectation of fulfillment of what GOD wants to do in and through you. Don't 'settle' for the good, strive through, press in and receive the 'best'! May your HOPE FLOAT...

In the words of MOTHER TERESA...

TAG! You're it! ~~ The CHASE is on!

I have been reading "The God Chasers" by Tommy Tenney, and through new revelation (as I had started reading it before, but put it aside and never finished it), I am sooooo excited to know that God is making a move in the world again today. If only we are found faithful in our pursuit of Him, it is Him who actually pursues and gets a hold of us.

Because I work with children, and love children I know that one of the games we love to play, especially now that Spring is coming is TAG. The children love to run and be chased. However, when it comes to them being the 'chaser' or in this case, "It", some don't seem to like it as much. They love when I (or other teachers) are "It", as we chase them we grab them and tickle them, and love them. When they are "it", they love to pursue us, and the game continues. It is the same with God. We are called to pursue Him and to love Him with our whole body, soul and spirit. (The tri-parts of man are another lesson altogether - coming soon). When we pursue Him, and 'chase' after Him (as the book says, become "God-chasers"), He in fact becomes the pursuer, and we are the ones being caught. He grabs hold of us, and we have an intimate relationship with Him.

The last days are approaching us, whether you believe in God, or not. I am not one to believe in the 2012 end of the World thing, but the last days are coming... and we have to be ready. We need Him and Holy Spirit more now than ever. We cannot just be satisfied knowing 'about Him', we need to fully 'know Him', and to know Him intimately. There is a scripture in the Bible (Hebrews 8:11) that says that we are to stop telling people to 'know God', and others are using this verse unwisely. The verse itself says, "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear." (Hebrews 8:10-13 NIV)

 For ALL the world needs to hear about God before we can STOP telling people about Him. There is a verse in the Bible that also says, "But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?" Romans 10:14-15. Continuing the Scripture also says, "But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: 'Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?' The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to." Romans 10:16-17 (The Message)

There are people (even Christians) in the world today, who are blaming God for all the trouble. If you want to blame someone, and let it be truly fair, blame the devil. (Or even Adam and Eve) The devil is in control of our troubles, diseases and sicknesses. Too many people (I have even said it in the past), are quick to say "God doesn't care, or else He would be helping and preventing this..." However some of our troubles are because of choices we have made, or that others have made, and we are involved in the consequences. WOW... what an eye-opener this is when you allow Holy Spirit to reveal this to you.

Speaking of which, Holy Spirit is able to reveal more to you when you have that intimate relationship we spoke of earlier. We want His power and annointing in our lives, so that we can live as Jesus did. But it isn't just the annointing we are aiming for. Too many people are following after signs and wonders and the annointing. We need to become annointed through the annointing so that our flesh can truly enter into an intimate relationship with the manifest presence of God!

I pray that as I write these words not only for YOU, but for myself as well, we will truly become GOD-CHASERS along with so many others in the past and present (and in the future). We will become the people spoke of in 2 Chronicles 7:14-16, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there."

Have faith to birth new things, and make room for God, His presence, His Holy Spirit and all the things He wants to do in, for and through you. "satan cannot steal what God has birthed, but God will only birth things to PEOPLE WHO MAKE ROOM FOR THE MIRACULOUS by faith!" (T. Tenney- God Chasers)

Be blessed as you CHASE and get caught in the process!

Check out some more books by Tommy Tenney that you might be interested in... (I read the "Prayers of a God Chaser" before reading "The God Chasers", it's really good!)

Check out TOMMY TENNEY'S AMAZON PAGE

*The God Catchers
*Prayers of a God Chaser
*How to Be a God Chaser and a Kid Chaser
...and more!