Reflecting on the day and especially after coming home from Nick Westhoff's visitation I can't help to think about who and where my refuge and hope come from. So often we can lean on others or lean on things but where does our hope come from? Do you quickly find a friend to visit with about the trials and tribulations that you are going thru or do you go to the word? The Living Word that was written for us? Do you go to others to find the peace or do you go to God to find and receive peace and Grace only that the Lord can provide
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We are less than a week away from our Women's CEW in Guttenberg. I've been praying for the team of men and women who will be there witnessing and ministering to the women who come but my heart is in prayer for the women attending. There are several signed up already, I pray for calm assurance that they have made the right decision. There are some women that couldn't find a way to come this year I pray that God will open a weekend for them somewhere else or next year will work into their schedule. There are women that are still wondering if it will work for them and I pray that God clears any roadblocks or doubt from thier minds and makes a way for them to be in Guttenberg Friday night. Sign up online today ladies! It will be the best weekend of your life and it will change you. Carve out some time for you. Hope to see all my friends there and to make new friends. Come a worship with us!
How's that for a title? I read the book "not a fan." by Kyle Idleman this week and he challenges us to not just be fans of Jesus but to be completely committed to following Jesus.
What is the difference? A fan can know everything about his or her idol but not actually "know them". At tec last year I refered to Jesus as a "rock star on tour" He had many people following him around waiting for Him to speak or do somthing spetacular but not many of those people actually knew who He was and what He stood for. Jesus is still a rock star to some...we wear His shirts, put His picture on our wall, wear a cross around our neck to symbolize how He died yet do we really KNOW Him. Have we dedicated our lives to serving Him? It's not going to be easy but nothing worth it ever is, right? If you want to read the book contact me (Tami) and I'll lend it to you. I challenge all of you to not be fans of Jesus but followers! God Bless James 3:1-12 New International Version (NIV) Taming the Tongue Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. Today I heard this...do you want to know where someones heart lies? Go with them to the emergency room. They will be cursing or praying...I think it's true too. Where is your tongue when life hits the fan??? Do you curse first or go to God? I struggle with taming my tongue but not in the way this verse talks about I have some gossip issues. My Grandma had a poem written in her Bible, "Lord, today keep one hand on my shoulder and the other over my mouth" You can't unsay something and people have struggled with it for all time. So my prayer for all today is that God is the first thing to come to your mind and go out your mouth...If someone were to judge you by how you react to conflict how would your fare? Today while reading the Bible I came upon Mark 7:24-30...being and animal lover it really appealed to me. This is what I read from The Message translation...
Mark 7:24-30 The Message 24-26 From there Jesus set out for the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house there where he didn’t think he would be found, but he couldn’t escape notice. He was barely inside when a woman who had a disturbed daughter heard where he was. She came and knelt at his feet, begging for help. The woman was Greek, Syro-Phoenician by birth. She asked him to cure her daughter. 27 He said, “Stand in line and take your turn. The children get fed first. If there’s any left over, the dogs get it.” 28 She said, “Of course, Master. But don’t dogs under the table get scraps dropped by the children?” 29-30 Jesus was impressed. “You’re right! On your way! Your daughter is no longer disturbed. The demonic affliction is gone.” She went home and found her daughter relaxed on the bed, the torment gone for good. I found this so interesting, we have to put our Dog in the kennel while we eat because he isn't just interested in the scraps, he would like to just eat off my plate. Jesus had taken off with his disciples to teach them and he didn't want the crowds that followed him around to find them but one woman did. What faith she had, Jesus told her "NO" but she stood up for herself and her daughter. Pray and faith friends! God Bless 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
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. John 14:1-3 (NIV) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe >in God believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. James 5:13 (NIV) Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. There have been so many things to pray for this past month and my heart is heavy. I know that God makes promises to us but it seems daily I take the same prayers to Him. Father protect the young man with cancer, heal him Lord, be with his family as they support him. Be with the young girls missing from not so far away from us. Be with the victims of unspeakable crimes. My Grandma would always make reference to the end of the world being near when something bad happened. I tend to go with 'free will" after all God gave all of us free will and some people choose to do bad things. I won't ever stop praying and I see answers to prayers every day but today I'm focusing on the last verse...I don't often have problems going to God when I'm in trouble...now I need to sing songs of praise when I'm happy becasue The Gaithers wrote the song..."I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God" it's one of my favorite songs, of course as a piano player in church I have many favorite songs. Most of my favorite songs are about God probably because that is what I grew up with. The pastor at the Methodist church says every other week "this is my favorite song..." no pressure but it is pressure.
My music taste has changed, grown but I always want to be a part of the Family of God. In Matthew 22 Jesus tells about the wedding feast that no one came to and I can't help but think that is like Church...It's there every week yet few make the time to go and worship, to share fellowship with other Christians. This week I'm praying for all those invited to feast with God who have declined the invitation. And I'm praying for all my friends to Tithing...10% of your gross. My husband and I have discussed it much during our marriage but I have resisted. 10% off the top is a lot of money...I have bills to pay. About a month ago we decided to do it...that was before they started taking insurance out of the check and it didn't hurt so much but this week my stomach churned as I wrote the tithe check. Yesterday I said to my husband "tell me this is going to work out"...I've been praying for answers on tithing and this morning this was one of my Bible readings.
Malachi 3:8-10 New International Version (NIV) 8 “Will a mere mortal robGod? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse --your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I cried when I tried to read this outloud to my husband. I LOVE it when God answers my prayers through scripture. It's like He is talking to me. Ask God your questions then read His word and find the answers. One of the readings from Church this morning is this. 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 New International Version (NIV) 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. So friends, be confident and know God...ask for answers and look for them in His word. May you all feel God's blessings this week. And if you aren't The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another. This weekend we celebrate so much. We remember all those who served their country and we remember those that have left this life and we celebrate the Gift of the Holy Spirt....
Jesus' followers were waiting in Jerusalem for for the power Jesus told them to wait for when he was lifted up into heaven. Ten days they waited and then...Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. What a gift...good for us it was not a one time gift...we can call upon the Holy Spirit at any time...We can ask for one of the gifts of the Spirit and we can revel in the gifts we have already "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. This is my command: Love each other." John 15: 9-17
Love one another as Christ loved us...now that's a challenge. After all Christ died for us. And then Jesus goes on to tell us we are his friends, He choose us and appointed us to go bear fruit. Are you bearing fruit today? Know who you are....Know whose you are...and Know what you believe. |
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