SOCIAL DISTANCING... a time to come SPIRITUALLY CLOSER to GOD!

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SOCIAL DISTANCING... such strange words in a difficult and different time... since the last time I wrote in February... who knew that all this would happen between then and today...

My last blogpost was 'Are you ALL IN or are you IN AT ALL??' With SOCIAL DISTANCING, we may not be doing the 'norm', or we may feel that we aren't in it at all...  but for many of our essential workers, they are giving their all... thank you to ALL essential workers, but especially our healthcare workers.  The rest of us who are quarantined at home, only to go out for the essential and we have been given the gift of TIME! How are YOU using this TIME?? 

Some of us yes, still have to work from home, or do our schoolwork... but think of your EXTRA time... How are YOU using your extra time? 

Are you...

* Spending time with family (in your home, on the phone, or on social media); 

* Staying connected with extended family, church family and friends on social media (or e-mail, snail mail or porch drops, etc...) 

* Staying busy focusing on some hobbies (crafts, reading, puzzles, video games, cooking/baking, etc);

* Relaxing and watching TV or NETFLIX or MOVIES (either alone or with family)

* Doing nothing much... trying to keep from going crazy, and being depressed.

* Staying busy and catching up on chores & sanitizing your home (laundry, dishes, vacuuming, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.);

* Cleaning, organizing, purging your home;

* And more... 

SOCIAL DISTANCING requires us to spend time away from those who do not live in our household. We need to stay at least 2-6 feet away from others if we go out of our home. BUT, social distancing doesn't include GOD. NOW is the TIME to get CLOSER to God. ONE STEP in any direction takes us into the arms of GOD. Even IF you are NOT a believer... He is HERE with YOU! You just need to TAKE a U-TURN and come to Him. He hasn't moved away... it's only us who move away. NOW is the TIME to take time out for GOD.  Social Distancing brings Spiritual Awakening...

We may have to stay apart from each other, but NOW is the time to grow CLOSER with God! However you want to do that... however you want to START... DO IT! It could be as simple as listening to WORSHIP music... listening to ONLINE services (yes there are MANY out there on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram - my church Faith Tabernacle London's YouTube channel is found here and our FACEBOOK is here)... BUT the most important is spending TIME in HIS WORD (The BIBLE) and PRAYING to Him. PRAYER is the way you can communicate with GOD, and THE BIBLE is His way of communicating with you along with PRAYER. His WORD is what will stand true in these difficult times! There are THANKFULLY online Bibles if you don't have a physical hard copy at your home. (BibleGateway.com online or the YouVersion APP are my fav's)

GET CLOSE TO GOD! Draw near to God and He will draw near to you! 

"Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty, is divided between God and the world." James 4:8 NLT 

"For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God." Hebrews 7:19 

"You are only as close to God as you want to be."

So on this GOOD FRIDAY, celebrate the GOOD... that Jesus came to DIE FOR YOU AND YOUR SINS... God had a PLAN to RESCUE and SAVE us.  Jesus only had to die ONCE for ALL! Continuing in Hebrews 7 v24-28 "But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honour in heaven.[f] Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever." 

MAKE SURE YOU AREN'T SOCIAL DISTANCING FROM JESUS, OUR HIGH PRIEST!

Remember, inviting JESUS in is as easy as ABCD...

A - ADMIT you are a sinner (we all are - only JESUS was perfect! See Romans 3:23)

B - BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOU (His death paid for our sin! See Romans 6:23)

C - CONFESS that SIN and REPENT (and CONFESS that you want JESUS to be the LORD of your LIFE and YOU will be SAVED. See Romans 10:9&10)

D - DECLARE you are a CHILD OF GOD (See John 1:12)

Now, as I have said before, being a CHILD OF GOD doesn't make your life perfect, nor does it take away all your STORMS, but now you KNOW for sure that GOD is WITH you in your STORMS and can SAVE and PROTECT you!

Be blessed in this TIME! Be Blessed to Be a Blessing!

What are you HOLDING ONTO?

What (or WHO) are you HOLDING ONTO?

In good times and in bad times, we face moments when we need to HOLD ON to something. It's been around a lot, but there's that old saying, If there was a huge fire at your home (or disaster of some kind that was going to destroy EVERYTHING), and you could only take ONE thing, what is the ONE thing you would take?

Why do we always focus on the bad times? Why do we only seek to cherish things in the bad times? A loved one who's health is failing, and everyone is around them, but where were they in the 'good times'? Times are tough and times are hard, let's call on 'God' to help us, oh but He's not answering, so let's focus on our other 'gods' to help us... drinks, drugs, sex, addictions of other kinds, etc...  but what does this say about where our faith stands in the 'good times' and the 'bad times'?

What are we HOLDING ON to? I would hope that you are holding on to GOD. The one true God, not our 'gods'. There is only ONE God, and we are to worship Him alone. Other addictions that can get in our way become like our 'gods' & make Him a jealous God. He is the one we will be answering to on our 'last day'. Booze, drugs, porn, sex, food, shopping, etc will be no more. They are not important, and they will fade away. The only thing that will last is the LOVE of God. 

He is NOT a wrathful God, just waiting for us to screw up so He can send His wrath and punishment. He is a loving and caring God who wants what is best for us. He has GREAT and AMAZING plans for us, but if we walk away from Him, we cannot fulfill any of those plans. We are all given gifts and talents, in the physical as well as in the spiritual world. Sometimes those two collide and that's when God can do the amazing and unbelievable. You don't have to spend every waking hour in a church, YOU are the church. When you believe in a power that is WAAAAAAY greater than you, and 'know in your knower' that God is a good God, He is what you will want to hold on to.

It reminds me of the little story I love about the child walking with their Dad, (we use Dad as in the picture of our Heavenly Father).

 A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.
 The father was kind of scared (for his daughter's safety) so he asked his little daughter: "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The little girl said: "No, Dad. You hold my hand." 

"What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father. 

"There's a big difference," replied the little girl. 
"If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go." 

 In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours...

So, who are you holding on to? Or should I say, who is holding on to you?

We've all heard the statement, 'carrying baggage'... We can get extra 'baggage' of things that we are holding onto. Not all of our 'baggage' is bad, but if we put it ahead of our relationship with God, then it can be. For example picture with me, a busy Mama who finally has some time to go grocery shopping alone (crazy I know). She is tired from a busy day with the kids, maybe she works at home; maybe she goes off to work, maybe she had to make dinner... maybe she had to leave the kiddos with a sitter waiting for Dad to come home... maybe she's a single Mom... anyway... now that you have the image... picture her with her bags and bags of groceries. She is too tired to take more than one trip so she is carrying all her 'baggage' in one trip. She is 'bogged down'... and there's no room to hold anything else... Do you get my picture? 

Here's a visual for those who aren't as visual as I am...

What is she holding onto? BAGGAGE. Who is holding onto her? As pictured, nothing we can see. (But yes God is). Can she hold onto anything else? Now add a child in there with her... can she hold on to him? NO. She would put the baggage in a cart, or she would carry less... or yes, she would use a THIRTY-ONE tote (LOL!) (Hopefully she wouldn't just let him run beside her.) There's no room for her to hold onto anything else, unless she puts something she is holding, down. She would take the hand of her child first, as he is most important! Do you get my analogy?

Too often we are holding onto 'baggage' (good or bad)... and we cannot let go (or most often will not let go) to hold onto God. Thankfully He has us in His hands. But God doesn't want us to be overwhelmed. He wants us to rest in His hands, while He carries us! 

Picture with me again, we're going on a trip. We have to take a plane to a far away warmer destination. Super fun eh? How about just you... since I might not know you well enough to take a trip with you. You are so excited. A far away destination for fun, sun and more. (Maybe you're family is going too -- picture it however you want -- it's your imagination after all). You want to pack one suitcase each (crazy and probably won't happen), so what are you going to take? What do you pack for your week of fun away? 

Some people don't pack much, as they will purchase stuff there. Some people pack for a month (ha ha like me) so they have 'choices' of what to wear. You have to 'stuff' everything in, and hope it closes. Maybe you have to sit on it to close the zipper. (ha ha! there's a visual for you). What's so important that you have to take? Clothes, toiletries, Bible, book, etc. (NO ITS NOT A BUSINESS TRIP). Hmmm... but there are some things that you just might want WITH you. So thankfully you can have one carry-on each. In there, you can put your passport, purse or make-up (if a female), a snack(s), a book you're reading, pens, paper, kleenex, any meds, hobby items (crocheting, etc), and extra set of clothing (incase your other luggage gets lost - eek), things for your child, a neck pillow, your phone or laptop (& charger), camera, gum, music/iPod/mP3, Bible, notebook, etc... What is most important to you on your trip that needs to be on your person? Maybe a picture of your family (if you're going alone), maybe a keepsake of some kind to remind yourself of family or good times... You CRAM WHAT YOU CAN into your suitcase and especially into your carry-on. Unfortunately, there are luggage limits to what you can bring. So you have to alter what's in there... or move stuff from your luggage to your carry-all... etc. Frustrating I know! (Ha ha! After a trip to Kigali Rwanda and having to change over luggage items a few times!) What are you HOLDING ON TO? What is a NECESSITY that needs to be packed into your luggage that now sits in the luggage compartment on the plane --trusting it to an unknown luggage guy? What is IMPORTANT enough to pack in the carry-on that sits in the compartment above your seat (or part of it with you in your seat) that you have control over? What are YOU holding on to?? Why is it so hard to give our 'baggage' to an unseen God, when we freely give our luggage to the baggage compartment, which indeed has a record for losing our luggage? God wants us to 'lose' some of our baggage too!

God wants your 'baggage' in life to be 'unclaimed baggage'. Put it down, and never pick it up again!

Unfortunately, the world has also seen fit to pick up others baggage and re-sell it (sometimes good, and sometimes not so good). (The store idea is a great one, don't get me wrong. Literally, 'you never know what you'll find'. I'm talking spiritually. The world throws our 'baggage' back in our face, and others can get a hold of our old 'baggage' & get bogged down along with their own baggage!)

What BAGGAGE are you HOLDING on to? Are you LOST IN LUGGAGE?

My primary love language is PHYSICAL TOUCH {See http://www.5lovelanguages.com/ and read more about Gary Chapman and find out your top love languages - and those of your close family and friends, if you don't already know.} So songs or quotes, or stories that involve 'touch' really touch me (pun intended I guess); which is part of the reason I am choosing to write this devotional. Being a 'teacher' and having to hold the hand of a lot of children (& youth) I totally understand this thought too. (Having amazing parents helped that too of course!)

There is an amazing worship song called "My Anchor" by Christy Nockels. It is on the new PASSION album 'Even So Come'. The bridge part says "I hold on to You. You hold on to me" -- and I just love it! Such truth in two simple statements. Even when/if we don't believe (when we're not holding on to Him), He still is holding on to us! (This is a truth that the WORLD needs to know -- another reason to share this devotional.) Even though there is trials or suffering, and even in the good times, God is there! He is holding on to us! What a PROMISE to HOLD ON TO!

Here's a link to the song: My Anchor, Christy Nockels (will open in a new window, so it can play in the background while you read the words). 

Here's the words; read them and let it sink into your soul. Who is the ROCK you stand on? Who is holding on to You? Who or what are YOU holding on to?

    You're the Lord Almighty

    Your every word is sure

    And in Your love unfailing

    I'm safe when oceans roar

    Yes I'm safe when oceans roar.

    (Chorus)

    My anchor forever

    My shelter within the storm

    You're my Deliverer,

    You never falter

    Yes, You're the Rock

    I stand on.

     Here within the struggle,

    Oh and every crashing wave

    You are more than able, and

    Your hand is strong to save

    Yes I know Your hand is strong to save.

     (Chorus)

    (Bridge)

    I hold onto You, and

    You hold onto me, Jesus

    I hold onto You, and

    You hold onto me, Oh Jesus

    I hold onto You, and

    You hold onto me, My/(Oh) Jesus

    I hold onto You forever, and

    You hold onto me!

    'Cause You're my (Chorus)

    My anchor, forever

    My shelter, within the storm

    You're my Deliverer

    You never falter,

    Yes, You're the Rock I stand on

    You're the Rock I stand on.

Hebrews 6:19 says: "We have this HOPE as an ANCHOR for the soul, firm & secure!"

Be blessed today, as you let Him HOLD on to YOU, and hopefully you have LET GO of a lot of things so that you can HOLD ON to Him! Praying with you as you read these words inspired by Holy Spirit, and listen to this song. May you drop your 'extra baggage' that is not important (As Elsa sings, LET IT GO... LET IT GO!), and hold on to that which is important! 

"Your Bible & His Purpose"

DAY #120 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
VERSE: "The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace..." Psalm 12:6

In yesterday's devotion found HERE, we spoke of 'Give us this day our daily bread', 'bread' being that which we need to go through each day, not just the actual food itself. In Matthew 4:4, it says, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God", meaning that we are not to live on just 'bread', but also by the 'bread of life' which is God's Word. God's Word as in the Bible is important for us, but just as in yesterday's devotional, 'Prayer Changes Things & You', God's words in prayer are just as important. When we pray to Him, He may come and speak to us. Now it is not audible everytime, but I guess for some it could be. I usually feel His voice in my spirit or my heart. He reveals things to me like that. If He has spoken audibly, I have obviously missed out because I haven't heard & listened to it. There are times when I think I hear an 'audible' voice, but I'm not sure it's not just someone around me. I know that we all, but I myself have to pray and get deeper into the Word more so that I can discern better, so that I may grow more intimate with Him.

In my teaching classes, I always tell the children/youth how important God's Word is to them, for we are soooooo blessed to be able to have more than one in our homes, where people around the world may only have one page of it, or not be able to have it at all or they will be killed. We need to treat it as a rare treasure, not just another book on our shelf or coffee table... or in our hotel room bedside drawer. His Word reveals His purposes, but His Word becomes 'my' Bible, that brings life, truth and hope to me. Do you want to know what to do with your life? He can reveal that to you through His Word. Are you struggling with pain of the past, or health issues? God can minister to you through His Word. Are you seeking Him for more blessings, whether it be spiritual, financial, physical, emotional, social, mental... for you and/or your family, your friends, your co-workers, your clientelle & their families, or even just those around you who are hurting? It's all in the Word, God can and will do great & mighty things for us, but there are also some things that we need to be doing here on earth for Him to move in great power. He doesn't need us,  but He wants us. Sometimes we think we don't want Him, but we always do truly need Him. We need to fulfill our mission or calling here on the earth, and be the hands and feet of Jesus, completing His mission of bringing everyone into the kingdom. But we cannot find out our mission, if we do not humble ourselves & pray, and submit to Him and read his Word daily.

"Finding one's mission, and then fulfilling it, is perhaps the most vital activity in which a person can engage." ~ Laurie Beth Jones

Maybe you have never heard the GOSPEL MESSAGE, or you don't have that 'relationship' with Christ. That's what it's all about it's not religion, it's a relationship. Here is the GOSPEL MESSAGE simplicity - -



We are ALL sinners - Sin results in Death - God loved the world so much, He sent us His Son Jesus - Jesus came to earth to teach, train, equip, and mentor - Jesus did the work of the Father, praying, healing, performing miracles, teaching of His Father's love - Jesus died ONCE & FOR ALL for our sins, so that we didn't have to die - He rose again, to live with His Father in Heaven - Jesus intercedes for us to the Father - We are commissioned to do the work of the Father, trainging, teaching, equipping, praying, healing, performing miracles, but most importantly sharing His story, 'History' not fiction (the gospel) - Jesus will come back for believers - We as believers get to live eternally in Heaven with Him. (If we do not believe, then we will have eternal death, as we haven't accepted the FREE gift of Salvation).

**If you have never prayed the 'salvation prayer' before (or maybe you did long ago and have drifted away)& haven't experienced the joy of the relationship 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 something a little difficult, 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 (sometimes more than once a day), 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 anymore to say word for word, as this important step is something that you need to tell God in your own words. (But if you need someone to help you or to chat with, just comment below.) 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. Then find a local SPIRIT-FILLED, Bible believing, covered by the BLOOD church to be a part of, to encourage you along the way. It's as simple as that. ** GOD BLESS YOU!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"His Will Be Done"

Day #112 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven." Matthew 6:9-10 KJV

A piece of the most familiar prayer in the Bible, the Lord's prayer, where He is teaching His disciples how to pray. Prayer is important, but also what you pray for is important. We want the Will of the Father to come forth on earth, so we need to pray that His will be done. Prayer itself isn't just selfishly asking for things you want from the Father. He desires prayer to be a daily, even moment by moment conversation with Him... where we can intimately share our hearts with Him.

God does indeed have BIG plans for our lives, but if we continue to choose our own desires and ways ahead of His, then His plans are altered a little bit... sometimes a lot. He makes His plans clear to those who diligently and intimately seek Him, and His ways. We need to humble ourselves, pray and seek His face, which means we need to turn from our wicked ways. (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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.") When we can do these things, God will hear us, and will answer our requests according to His will. He desires us to be free of sin, and to walk in COMPLETE healing. He does indeed have BIG plans, as it says in Jeremiah 29:11-14, "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed. God's Decree. I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you— God's Decree — bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it." (The MESSAGE)

So seek Him today, and find out what BIG plans He has for you!!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Celebrating His Gifts"

DAY #54 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in Heaven..." Matthew 5:12 KJV
NKJV - "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven..."
NIV - "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven..."
MSG- "You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company..."
NLT - "Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven."

The devotional message from the book starts out with the sentences, "Do you celebrate the gifts God has given you? Do you pray without ceasing? Do you rejoice in the beauty of God's glorious creation?" Three great questions, and three integral parts of blessing. Now at first thought when 'gifts' is mentioned, one immediately thinks of talents or spiritual gifts. But we must remember also that God has gifted each of us with life, salvation, unconditional agape love, protection, healing, the right to be called 'children of God', our families, our homes, our jobs & workplace... and more! We need to truly celebrate 'being alive'. I rejoice in the truth that God IS. Whatever we need Him to be, our protector, our teacher, our banner, our healer, our provider... He does that, and MORE! In all those things we need to give thanks, and we need to be in prayer. Pray without ceasing. Ceasing means;
–verb (used without object)

1. to stop; discontinue: Not all medieval beliefs have ceased to exist.
2. to come to an end: At last the war has ceased.
3. Obsolete . to pass away; die out.
–verb (used with object)
4. to put a stop or end to; discontinue: He begged them to cease their quarreling.
Therefore, we should never stop praying, nor let our praying come to an end. We should be in constant prayer, or communication with the Father. Praying is not always a loud, long extended prayer with requests, or blessing those around the world, healing our friends & family, etc. It can be a simple 'thank you Lord' throughout the day. Not just calling on Him in tough times, or hard times, but also just talking to Him as you go about your day. Thanking Him for His forgiveness, so that we in turn can forgive others. Thanking Him for His provisions, so that we in turn can give to others. But remember the old saying remains true, if you don't use it, you just may lose it. (Parable of the Talents - found in Matthew 25:14-30 {click link to read} - it says of the man who didn't invest his talent, "So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.")



I truly celebrate the spiritual gifts and talents He has given to me, as I love to work with my hands. However, I know there are spiritual gifts that remain dormant, that I have yet to open, or that I have opened but not used very often. Something to pray about, and step out in faith about. What a blessing it is to be able to use what He has given to me to bless the world. Glorifying Him in all that is done, and not looking for worldly praise. Humbly working for the Lord, and not for man gives you some of the greatest blessings here on earth, -- but importantly, 'REJOICE & BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD; FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN.'

The seeds we sow, plant, water, harvest and watch multiply here on earth will allow us to receive even greater blessings in Heaven. THANK YOU LORD for your PROMISES!!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Asking for Guidance"

DAY #41 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 NASB

**Editor's Note: Wehoo! This is officially post #100 - - WOW! I hope you are enjoying these posts as much as I am. I think I will go back and read some from the past to encourage myself, and hopefully others along the way. I pray they are an encouragement to those who read them, and that they all glorify our Father who is in Heaven. BE BLESSED!**

Yesterday we learned about praise... and praise & worship does change the atmosphere. But prayer is just as much a changer of us and our world around us. Do we honestly pray and seek the Lord's guidance? Do we wait for the answer, or do we step forth in our own knowledge and strength? Do you truly believe this verse can work in your life? Now remember, we don't just ask for anything and get it. We need to be asking with the right heart and the right motives, and it all has to align with the Word and Will of God. It says 'ask and receive', meaning that if we ask with a sincere heart, God can & will provide you with something. It says 'seek and find', meaning if we truly seek God will enable us to find what we need in Him; it says 'knock and the door shall be opened to you' meaning that God will allow us to move into new things, but we have to first desire the change. We have to step our of our comfort zone sometimes to allow God to fully work in us and through us.

When we pray and ask God to guide us in ALL areas of our lives (not just giving Him some of them) - - we will see a CHANGE! We will be allowing Him to reveal Himself in new and fresh ways. He is a God who never changes, He remains the same - - yet He can reveal Himself in many ways even just personally for our own benefits. Whatever we need Him for, He is the God of that... (according to His Word and His Will). Do you need health? Wisdom in the area of healthy practices, etc? ASK! He is the Healer! Do you want to find out what God can really do with you and your life? SEEK! Do you want to step out into new areas in your workplace and in ministry? KNOCK! God may close some doors, so that He can open the ones you need to go through. Stop knocking on doors of worldly riches, worldly desires, sin and wickedness... or even some doors that seem 'comfortable'. Find the door that leads to fulfillment in Christ for your life! Step out into becoming the M.E. that He has called you to be. You cannot be fully effective in the Body, unless you are working to your M.E. (Maximum Effectiveness).

"Do you have questions about your future that you simply can't answer? [Most of us do] Ask for the guidance of your Heavenly Father. Do you sincerely seek to know God's purpose for your life? Then ask Him for direction -- and keep asking Him everyday that you live... Never lose hope. God is not just near; He is here, and He's ready to talk to you." ('A Woman of Faith' Devotional. Day 41. ©2007 Freeman-Smith, LLC. Nashville, TN. 37202)I love that last line... 'He's ready to talk to you'. There's a commercial on now informing us of a new show with Marilyn Denis (I think that's her name) - - and in it she says that she will be talking to the famous, and such and such, and then ends that she will be talking to 'you'. Well I joke with it with my husband, 'She's going to talk to me, wow!'... because obviously she is not going to talk to me, as she talks to the famous, etc., she just means that she will be sharing her conversations, etc with us as we watch her show (which we probably won't). But I know that God is always there, and He is ready to talk to ME. He can and will talk to each of us individually, but we do need to 'turn to His channel'. We do need to channel in and seek those times, so that He can talk to us. He can talk to you through His word, through the prophetic, through a still small voice audibly, or through just the words of others who may be obedient in sharing encouraging words to us. What guidance do you need to get through today? Just ASK... and see what happens! (Continue asking throughout the day too, because we all know that more and more things get added by the moment.)




BE BLESSED & 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!

"Prayer Now"

DAY #19 -- 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction; be persistant in prayer." Romans 12:12 HCSB

Prayer is important... and should be something that is done all day long, each and every day. Persistence does pay off. Is there something that you are hoping for, or something that is afflicting you... for most of us, that is probably a resounding YES! Well, then this verse says that you should be persistent in prayer.

What is the definition of 'persistent'?
–adjective

1. persisting, esp. in spite of opposition, obstacles, discouragement, etc.; persevering: a most annoyingly persistent young man.
2. lasting or enduring tenaciously: the persistent aroma of verbena; a persistent cough.
3. constantly repeated; continued: persistent noise.
4. Biology .
a. continuing or permanent.
b. having continuity of phylogenetic characteristics.
5. Botany . remaining attached beyond the usual time, as flowers, flower parts, or leaves.

So, in spite of opposition, obstacles or discouragement we are meant to be persistent and persevere through and pray. We are to rejoice in faith and hope, knowing that our Creator and Father is watching over us and that He is in control of the entire world, and our little life in that entire world. Having faith in God that He will take charge and fix our problem should allow us to be patient in affliction or times of trouble. God is our Father and our friend. Prayer is just simply communicating with Him. It doesn't always have to be a long drawn out 'Oh gracious Heavenly Father, hear our humble cry...'; it can be a simple 'Help me Lord...'.

Most of our big prayers are at mealtime, or at bedtime or the like... but we should be communicating with God all day long. He knows what we want, and He knows what we need, but He still wants to hear it from us. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 it says, "...pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (NIV) Continually, means it should be always on our lips. If we are to continually breathe in and out, then that means we breathe in and out ALL the time. It just comes natural to us, that our body just does it. Prayer should be the same.

Usually we keep trials, troubles, despair, discouragement, tough decisions in our minds... we think them over, try to fix them ourselves, sometimes we let ourselves get filled with bitterness or despair. The mind is a battlefield... yet we are to turn those problems over to God, and not dwell on them. His power is greater than our power, His thoughts and ways are always higher & greater than ours. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" Isaiah 55:8-9


It has been said, "Pray as if it's all up to God, work as if it's all up to you." (Anonymous) and that is so true. However, it is all up to God so you can pray accordingly. If it's God's will for you to have that desire, then He will grant it under certain circumstances. If it however is not in the will of God, then God will grant you something else to fill that void. Yet His love is always the best filler!

So, open up your heart today, NOW, and more times throughout the day... it may be a quiet whisper, or a regular voice tone, or even a loud shout. It may even have to be a prayer in the mind. Take authority that He has given over your rough situations. Ask for healing in your own body, or for those around you. Ask for those desires that are sitting in your heart unfulfilled yet. But please don't forget to THANK Him for all He has done for you... that is an important part of prayer too. But first of all, remember to repent and ask forgiveness, so that you may BOLDLY go into His throneroom. We can repent for the sins we commit in THOUGHT, WORD & DEED, intentionally and unintentionally, consciously and subconsciously. (Some things you have done require forgiveness, and you don't know that you even 'sinned'.) Jesus' blood covers and cleanses us clean as the snow. You can even tell Him your struggles, yet remember the devil is listening too, and he likes to add to those, so you can pray those in your mind or you can speak in tongues (if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit), cause that confuses the devil. HA HA HA! Remember we are to NOT FEAR the devil... there is NO fear in God. The devil is under our feet, and you can stomp on him throughout the day while you go about your day, and especially while you are praying! You are an OVERCOMER!

"Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." (Romans 16:19-20 NIV)


Have a great day, be blessed and be a blessing!