Welcome back to my current blog subject of what the Lord has taught me through the lives of 2 precious dogs. Today I want to talk about "Anxiously awaiting the return of my Master".
My dogs are so funny and bring me such joy. One way that they have brought me joy is through their watchful eye just waiting for me to walk through the door each day.
Through the years my dogs have spent some long hours without me home (12 hours is the longest). I never like to leave them that long but sometimes my job left me no choice. They got used to my schedule and so as they saw my routine and my final move of putting on my shoes and grabbing my bags, they would (and still do) let out this sigh and lay down with the saddest looks on their faces. I walk over and give each one a hug and a kiss and a bone that will keep them busy for a while and go on my way. After a long day at work, I have to say I have always had an anticipation on the drive home of opening the door to find them waiting for me right there. It's as if they can smell me! As I near my door, I hear their little noses sniffing and I hear their little cries of excitement. I open the door and feel like a movie star getting mobbed by her fans! The excitement goes on for several minutes.
Well, at first I can remember thinking "all this is going on because I was gone for the entire day" But, it this is their behavior when I am gone for 12 hours or gone for 12 minutes! They sit at the door, just waiting for me to enter. My husband tells me when I am gone and he is at home with them, they still sit by the door waiting for me. It's not that they don't love my husband, but I became their master when they were six weeks old. While they do obey my husband, they understand me to be their master.
I believe the Lord showed me a lesson here. He spoke to my heart one day, reminding me that He is returning one day, (sooner than we probably realize). Will He find me watching, anxiously awaiting the rapture of the church. That once in a lifetime moment (for real) when we who are in Christ will actually meet Him in the air and be taken up to our new home and far from the wrath that will soon come upon the ones who rejected His offer of salvation! Will He find us watching?
Unlike my dogs, this anticipation of the return of my Master, my Heavenly Father, does not mean that I can sit on my duff and just do nothing. My dogs can do that and get by with it because....well, because they are dogs!! However, the Lord has told us to "Occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13 KJV) Or, as we read in the New Living Translation, "Invest this for me while Iam gone". God has given each one of His children a job to do and we are to invest it, planting, watering, or being a witness to the harvest, we are to do His work as we anxiously await His glorious appearance.
May the Lord find me watching and working while I watch and may He find this true of you also! Thank you Father for what you have taught and continue to teach me through 2 precious pups!
To God be the glory!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Following close to the Master
Yesterday I began a new blog topic. I want to spend some time talking about my precious dogs and how the Lord has used them to teach me several things about my relationship with Father God. Today I want to talk about the lesson I've learned about following close to the Master.
One thing that my dogs have done since I brought them home at the young age of 6wks, (they are now 11) is follow me everywhere I go. They crack me up. I can get up from the table to get something to drink and even though I am still within their vision, they get up and come into the kitchen with me. If I get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, they get up from their sleep and come into the bathroom with me.
My husband will take them outside and as soon as they come in from their walk they fly up the stairs and sit by my side acting as if they hadn't seen me in years, they are so anxious to come back to my side. At night time they will sleep right up against me. I feel like the creme filling of an Oreo cookie! I am trapped in between my husband on one side and my dogs on the other! ( I'm not complaining!) I have awakened on some mornings to find my one dog laying right on top of me just staring at me , waiting for me to open my eyes.
When they were young pups they wanted me to carry them everywhere I went. I would pick them up and carry them around- they were so content in my arms. Today that is impossible to do since they both weigh about 37 pounds!
What has God taught me through their behavior? Glad you asked! He has used their example to show me how important it is to follow close to my Master, my Heavenly Father. God wants me to follow Him everywhere He leads me- Even if it requires me to leave my comfort zone. Remember I told you how my dogs would awaken from their sleep and hop off the bed to follow me into the restroom- Sometimes my following God will require that I awake from my slumbering life, hop off my comfort zone and follow Him even though I may not yet understand what He is doing and where He is taking me.
It's funny, I have never taught my dogs to follow me so closely. I don't have to call out their name several times or go searching for them- I always know where to find them.....they are right beside me.
That is how I want to follow my Master, my Heavenly Father. I don't want God to have to chase me down or call my name a dozen times before I show up. I want the Lord to always know where He can find me, right by His side.
The precious thing about God is that His arms are strong enough to carry me. I can no longer carry my dogs around, they are too heavy. However, God's arms are strong and in those times that I am so weary that I need God to carry me, I will always find His arms open and strong enough to carry me through.
Are you following your Master closely?
To God be the glory
Luke 9:23 (NLT)- Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
One thing that my dogs have done since I brought them home at the young age of 6wks, (they are now 11) is follow me everywhere I go. They crack me up. I can get up from the table to get something to drink and even though I am still within their vision, they get up and come into the kitchen with me. If I get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, they get up from their sleep and come into the bathroom with me.
My husband will take them outside and as soon as they come in from their walk they fly up the stairs and sit by my side acting as if they hadn't seen me in years, they are so anxious to come back to my side. At night time they will sleep right up against me. I feel like the creme filling of an Oreo cookie! I am trapped in between my husband on one side and my dogs on the other! ( I'm not complaining!) I have awakened on some mornings to find my one dog laying right on top of me just staring at me , waiting for me to open my eyes.
When they were young pups they wanted me to carry them everywhere I went. I would pick them up and carry them around- they were so content in my arms. Today that is impossible to do since they both weigh about 37 pounds!
What has God taught me through their behavior? Glad you asked! He has used their example to show me how important it is to follow close to my Master, my Heavenly Father. God wants me to follow Him everywhere He leads me- Even if it requires me to leave my comfort zone. Remember I told you how my dogs would awaken from their sleep and hop off the bed to follow me into the restroom- Sometimes my following God will require that I awake from my slumbering life, hop off my comfort zone and follow Him even though I may not yet understand what He is doing and where He is taking me.
It's funny, I have never taught my dogs to follow me so closely. I don't have to call out their name several times or go searching for them- I always know where to find them.....they are right beside me.
That is how I want to follow my Master, my Heavenly Father. I don't want God to have to chase me down or call my name a dozen times before I show up. I want the Lord to always know where He can find me, right by His side.
The precious thing about God is that His arms are strong enough to carry me. I can no longer carry my dogs around, they are too heavy. However, God's arms are strong and in those times that I am so weary that I need God to carry me, I will always find His arms open and strong enough to carry me through.
Are you following your Master closely?
To God be the glory
Luke 9:23 (NLT)- Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Often God speaks to us in ways we do not expect!
We can read the Old Testament and learn of how God spoke to His servants in that day. We can read the New Testament and learn how God spoke in New Testament times- In many ways different than how He spoke in the Old Testament.
We can listen to testimony of our Christian brothers and sisters and how they heard from God.- But we cannot predict God, meaning how he spoke to others may or may not be the same way He will speak to you and me. Therefore we must have our ears open to God, not a method or an other's testimony- doing so may cause us to miss what He is telling us.
I want to talk a moment about a way God has repeatedly spoken to me- it is not in the way I expected. There was a time in the 1990's when I spent a lot of time on the road. I was single at the time and my frequent traveling did not allow me allow me to develop close relationships with people. Quite often I came home to an empty quiet apartment. This season I speak of taught me how to enjoy quietness and solitude. At the same time, I did experience loneliness.
I am such a lover of dogs- therefore, in 1999, I decided that I would get a dog to love on and have to come home to. Well I ended up with 2 dogs - It wasn't what I planned but when I held 1 puppy from the 2 left in the litter, the other one began to whimper and when I picked up the whimpering one the other one began to whimper, They succeeded in capturing my heart and I brought home 2 precious puppies.
What has transpired in these 11 years with these dogs was not what I expected. I was looking for companionship- but God gave me more than companionship. Through the years these dogs have been my disciplers, and God has taught me many lessons of His love, His character and His rebuke at times- all this using 2 little dogs. I want to take time in this and following blogs to just share the lessons God has taught me.
1.) Dependence on my Master- One thing that will never change is that my dogs are dependent on me. I have to feed them- they can't cook or grab a snack from the pantry. If I don't give them water they will not get any for they cannot turn the faucets on and fill their own bowl.
Children are dependent on their parents for a time- but sooner or later they grow up and they no longer need us to cook for them or pour drinks for them, they are independent. However, dogs are unique in that as they age they never gain that independence. I will always have to feed them, I will always have to supply them with water to drink. They are dependent upon me and they understand that, and not only do they understand it, they are content with this dependence.
God showed me (and reminds me so often) that I am dependent on my Master, Father God. I must look to Him to be fed by the Word of God, I must look to Him to satisfy my thirst through His springs of living water. I have no other place to go- for there is no other name by which I can be saved.
Just like my precious dogs, I can never expect to become independent in this area. I will not "grow up" and find that I can now feed myself. Until the day He calls me home, I will be dependent on Him to meet my needs.
There have been times that I have accidentally left a bag of treats within their reach and I will come home from work only to find a trail of shredded wrapping. I soon learn that my dogs have decided to take things into their own hands (or paws!) and they have shredded the bag with their teeth and eaten every treat that was in that bag! Ultimately they did get fed, but they make a mess in the process. Why? They did not wait for their Master to give them food.
You and I belong to a Master, a Heavenly Father who is willing and desiring to feed us. In fact, it was Jesus who said "man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord."
We have a Master who longs to satisfy our thirst- In fact, It is our Master who gave the invitation "Everyone that is thirsty,come! It is our Master who said I will pour water on him who is thirsty.
We can choose to satisfy our hunger and thirst on our own- kind of a "self serve" life- God will not force Himself or His ways upon us. He will let us go our way- in order that we may see that when we attempt to serve ourselves, apart from Him, we (much like my dogs) will make a mess of things. But, praise God, He is always willing to accept us back with loving arms and teach us more on what it means to be dependent on our Master. He never makes a mess and He never lets us starve. He has a perfect track record!
Who is feeding you? In your hunger and in your thirst, turn to the only One who can truly satisfy your needs. What a timely post the Lord placed on my heart tonight- He knows that right now I need to just trust and depend on Him and be content with where He has me at this time,
To God be the glory!
We can listen to testimony of our Christian brothers and sisters and how they heard from God.- But we cannot predict God, meaning how he spoke to others may or may not be the same way He will speak to you and me. Therefore we must have our ears open to God, not a method or an other's testimony- doing so may cause us to miss what He is telling us.
I want to talk a moment about a way God has repeatedly spoken to me- it is not in the way I expected. There was a time in the 1990's when I spent a lot of time on the road. I was single at the time and my frequent traveling did not allow me allow me to develop close relationships with people. Quite often I came home to an empty quiet apartment. This season I speak of taught me how to enjoy quietness and solitude. At the same time, I did experience loneliness.
I am such a lover of dogs- therefore, in 1999, I decided that I would get a dog to love on and have to come home to. Well I ended up with 2 dogs - It wasn't what I planned but when I held 1 puppy from the 2 left in the litter, the other one began to whimper and when I picked up the whimpering one the other one began to whimper, They succeeded in capturing my heart and I brought home 2 precious puppies.
What has transpired in these 11 years with these dogs was not what I expected. I was looking for companionship- but God gave me more than companionship. Through the years these dogs have been my disciplers, and God has taught me many lessons of His love, His character and His rebuke at times- all this using 2 little dogs. I want to take time in this and following blogs to just share the lessons God has taught me.
1.) Dependence on my Master- One thing that will never change is that my dogs are dependent on me. I have to feed them- they can't cook or grab a snack from the pantry. If I don't give them water they will not get any for they cannot turn the faucets on and fill their own bowl.
Children are dependent on their parents for a time- but sooner or later they grow up and they no longer need us to cook for them or pour drinks for them, they are independent. However, dogs are unique in that as they age they never gain that independence. I will always have to feed them, I will always have to supply them with water to drink. They are dependent upon me and they understand that, and not only do they understand it, they are content with this dependence.
God showed me (and reminds me so often) that I am dependent on my Master, Father God. I must look to Him to be fed by the Word of God, I must look to Him to satisfy my thirst through His springs of living water. I have no other place to go- for there is no other name by which I can be saved.
Just like my precious dogs, I can never expect to become independent in this area. I will not "grow up" and find that I can now feed myself. Until the day He calls me home, I will be dependent on Him to meet my needs.
There have been times that I have accidentally left a bag of treats within their reach and I will come home from work only to find a trail of shredded wrapping. I soon learn that my dogs have decided to take things into their own hands (or paws!) and they have shredded the bag with their teeth and eaten every treat that was in that bag! Ultimately they did get fed, but they make a mess in the process. Why? They did not wait for their Master to give them food.
You and I belong to a Master, a Heavenly Father who is willing and desiring to feed us. In fact, it was Jesus who said "man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord."
We have a Master who longs to satisfy our thirst- In fact, It is our Master who gave the invitation "Everyone that is thirsty,come! It is our Master who said I will pour water on him who is thirsty.
We can choose to satisfy our hunger and thirst on our own- kind of a "self serve" life- God will not force Himself or His ways upon us. He will let us go our way- in order that we may see that when we attempt to serve ourselves, apart from Him, we (much like my dogs) will make a mess of things. But, praise God, He is always willing to accept us back with loving arms and teach us more on what it means to be dependent on our Master. He never makes a mess and He never lets us starve. He has a perfect track record!
Who is feeding you? In your hunger and in your thirst, turn to the only One who can truly satisfy your needs. What a timely post the Lord placed on my heart tonight- He knows that right now I need to just trust and depend on Him and be content with where He has me at this time,
To God be the glory!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
God is always up to something!
Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)- Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
oh my !! My story is evidence of the truth of His Word. It is my God at work in a moment that I shall never forget.
It was Jan 11,2007 when I had surgery for uterine and ovarian cancer. During my treatments that followed, (February) I received word that my father had died. I flew home for that time and my mom drove me back to the airport 10 days later. On the way home from the airport, she was instantly killed in a weather related accident. I got home only to hop right back on an airplane and head home for that.
At the end of April, the Lord began laying on my heart to move to the Los Angeles area. When I was a little girl I had always said I would live there one day because I loved the mountains and the ocean. But you see, now I am quite a bit older and I had pretty much given up on that dream. I couldn't figure out why the Lord pressed upon my heart to move to California at that time. I had just gone through some tough moments and was finishing up some treatments. Why would I leave my doctors and my friends to move so far away? Yet, the Lord did not change His mind. I packed up and began my move across the country to California. To be honest I was not excited about it....the timing was just too scary for me. All the way to LA I talked aloud to God. One thing I kept on saying to Him was "Well, Father, I guess this seals the deal on me never getting married, after all I'll never find a good Christian man in Los Angeles!" But at the same time, I wasn't angry, I just felt like this was something I was surrendering to Him. After all, I would rather be single than be married to the man that God did not choose for me.
I was scared! Scared for my physical health, scared for my finances....you name it, I was a little nervous about it. Yet, in my heart I knew that this was a God thing.
I arrived in Los Angeles and began driving around looking for a church. I saw this one church that was part of the denomination I was raised in. But, this church from the outside just looked dead! I did not want to go to that church. I kept driving around, looking but God kept bringing me back to this church. Again, I was not sure what God was up to and at times wondered if I was correctly discerning His voice.
I attended that church. My second or third Sunday there, I met this man. He had stood up in church to announce that he and others met for intercessory prayer during the second service and it was open to anyone. I love to pray so I thought I would check it out. (At this time, I wasn't even thinking about who this man was...I knew nothing about him) I went to check it out and guess what. I was the only one who showed up that day for the intercessory prayer, other than the man who announced it! We began to talk a little and learned we shared a heart for the same ministries (evangelism and discipleship). We prayed and it ended. Over the next few months we began to spend more time together. August 19th, 2007, we knew we were in love. We got engaged Dec 24, 2007 and we were married March 1, 2008. Today we serve the Lord in a different church and we continue to grow closer to God and closer to each other.
Who would have guessed what God was up to?! Certainly not me! But one thing is for sure....just when you think you've got it all figured out, God surprises you! What a wonderful man He gave me. Happy Anniversary Baby!~ Thank you Father, that you constantly are looking out for me, and You've got it all under control. Help me to trust you.
To God be the Glory! I dedicate this song to My Heavenly Father and my dear husband
oh my !! My story is evidence of the truth of His Word. It is my God at work in a moment that I shall never forget.
It was Jan 11,2007 when I had surgery for uterine and ovarian cancer. During my treatments that followed, (February) I received word that my father had died. I flew home for that time and my mom drove me back to the airport 10 days later. On the way home from the airport, she was instantly killed in a weather related accident. I got home only to hop right back on an airplane and head home for that.
At the end of April, the Lord began laying on my heart to move to the Los Angeles area. When I was a little girl I had always said I would live there one day because I loved the mountains and the ocean. But you see, now I am quite a bit older and I had pretty much given up on that dream. I couldn't figure out why the Lord pressed upon my heart to move to California at that time. I had just gone through some tough moments and was finishing up some treatments. Why would I leave my doctors and my friends to move so far away? Yet, the Lord did not change His mind. I packed up and began my move across the country to California. To be honest I was not excited about it....the timing was just too scary for me. All the way to LA I talked aloud to God. One thing I kept on saying to Him was "Well, Father, I guess this seals the deal on me never getting married, after all I'll never find a good Christian man in Los Angeles!" But at the same time, I wasn't angry, I just felt like this was something I was surrendering to Him. After all, I would rather be single than be married to the man that God did not choose for me.
I was scared! Scared for my physical health, scared for my finances....you name it, I was a little nervous about it. Yet, in my heart I knew that this was a God thing.
I arrived in Los Angeles and began driving around looking for a church. I saw this one church that was part of the denomination I was raised in. But, this church from the outside just looked dead! I did not want to go to that church. I kept driving around, looking but God kept bringing me back to this church. Again, I was not sure what God was up to and at times wondered if I was correctly discerning His voice.
I attended that church. My second or third Sunday there, I met this man. He had stood up in church to announce that he and others met for intercessory prayer during the second service and it was open to anyone. I love to pray so I thought I would check it out. (At this time, I wasn't even thinking about who this man was...I knew nothing about him) I went to check it out and guess what. I was the only one who showed up that day for the intercessory prayer, other than the man who announced it! We began to talk a little and learned we shared a heart for the same ministries (evangelism and discipleship). We prayed and it ended. Over the next few months we began to spend more time together. August 19th, 2007, we knew we were in love. We got engaged Dec 24, 2007 and we were married March 1, 2008. Today we serve the Lord in a different church and we continue to grow closer to God and closer to each other.
Who would have guessed what God was up to?! Certainly not me! But one thing is for sure....just when you think you've got it all figured out, God surprises you! What a wonderful man He gave me. Happy Anniversary Baby!~ Thank you Father, that you constantly are looking out for me, and You've got it all under control. Help me to trust you.
To God be the Glory! I dedicate this song to My Heavenly Father and my dear husband
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Window Shopping
Joshua 23:6 (NLT) "So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left." vs8-"Rather cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now."
I think that "window shopping" is an activity that women enjoy more than men. I used to live in a big city on a street that was famous for their window dressings. You couldn't avoid it, you look to the left or to the right and you were subject to these beautiful windows that would try to lure you in by their displays of the latest fashions. Window shopping can be very damaging to a woman's wallet. If we see something we like in the window, we might often find ourselves going in to the store. Even if we do not buy what we saw in the window, we might find something else! I walked this street everyday going back and forth to work. I soon learned if I just kept my eyes face forward, I would not see the windows and therefore I would not face the temptation to spend money on something that I really did not need.
A long time ago I was reading this verse and I the Lord spoke to me. You see, we live in a society that is filled with every kind of temptation. You can look to the left or the right and you will see the work of the devil and his demons as they try to lure us in through their clever advertising. Their advertising attracts men and women alike. It may be bars, or pornography shops, or billboards that display immodesty and suggestive offers. It may be something not as obvious such as greed or pride and worldly philosophy.
God gave good advice here in Joshua. He says just keep your eyes focused, straight ahead....don't look to your left or your right.
If you recall, that same advice was given by the writer of Hebrews. Hebrews 12: 1-2 (NLT) says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."
The author gives us a great example of a runner in a race. If you have ever watched a serious runner, you will notice they are focused on one thing- the finish line ahead of them. They aren't looking around at the other runners or "window shopping", they have tunnel vision- they are keeping their eyes fixed.
May we focus on keeping our eyes "fixed" this week on Jesus Christ. We can be certain that Satan is not on vacation and he is always out there trying to trip us up. But the more we focus on Jesus, the less we will be tripped up. We are in a race and the finish line is closer than we realize. Let us strip off anything that slows us down and keep running. At the finish line we will meet the One we have had our eyes focused on. What a glorious day that will be.
To God be the glory!
I think that "window shopping" is an activity that women enjoy more than men. I used to live in a big city on a street that was famous for their window dressings. You couldn't avoid it, you look to the left or to the right and you were subject to these beautiful windows that would try to lure you in by their displays of the latest fashions. Window shopping can be very damaging to a woman's wallet. If we see something we like in the window, we might often find ourselves going in to the store. Even if we do not buy what we saw in the window, we might find something else! I walked this street everyday going back and forth to work. I soon learned if I just kept my eyes face forward, I would not see the windows and therefore I would not face the temptation to spend money on something that I really did not need.
A long time ago I was reading this verse and I the Lord spoke to me. You see, we live in a society that is filled with every kind of temptation. You can look to the left or the right and you will see the work of the devil and his demons as they try to lure us in through their clever advertising. Their advertising attracts men and women alike. It may be bars, or pornography shops, or billboards that display immodesty and suggestive offers. It may be something not as obvious such as greed or pride and worldly philosophy.
God gave good advice here in Joshua. He says just keep your eyes focused, straight ahead....don't look to your left or your right.
If you recall, that same advice was given by the writer of Hebrews. Hebrews 12: 1-2 (NLT) says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."
The author gives us a great example of a runner in a race. If you have ever watched a serious runner, you will notice they are focused on one thing- the finish line ahead of them. They aren't looking around at the other runners or "window shopping", they have tunnel vision- they are keeping their eyes fixed.
May we focus on keeping our eyes "fixed" this week on Jesus Christ. We can be certain that Satan is not on vacation and he is always out there trying to trip us up. But the more we focus on Jesus, the less we will be tripped up. We are in a race and the finish line is closer than we realize. Let us strip off anything that slows us down and keep running. At the finish line we will meet the One we have had our eyes focused on. What a glorious day that will be.
To God be the glory!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Scenic Route
Deuteronomy 1:2-3 (NLT) Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, going by the way of Mount Seir. But forty years after the Israelites left Egypt, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses addressed the people of Israel, telling them everything the Lord had commanded him to say.
vs6.-7a- When we were at Mount Sinai the Lord our God said to us, "You have stayed at this mountain long enough. It is time to break camp and move on.
These verses always make me laugh, and they make me think! To me it is just casually stated and I probably read it several times until 1 day years ago when the light went on in my little mind and I stopped and thought, 11 day journey....taking 40 years. What went wrong there? It wasn't the distance between the two places that took 40 years, rather I believe it was the distance of their heart from the heart of God. Therefore, God had to take them on a journey that would take 40 years. He was transforming them.
When we have a wandering heart, we might find that we end up on a journey that we didn't anticipate. Our Heavenly Father loves us too much to just let us wander around. He will let us wander around, all the while revealing Himself to us- preparing us to live a life of obedience to Him.
Sometimes a 40 year journey is God preparing us for something greater. While my human mind can't comprehend it, I know that some of the best lessons and character building come out of struggle.
If you are in a journey today, I would encourage you to snuggle up to God. Go to Him and ask Him to expose any hidden sins in your life that may be holding you back, costing you time. If He doesn't reveal anything to you, then trust Him in this wilderness journey He has you on. He is with you and the day will come when He will say........You have stayed at this mountain long enough, it is time to break camp and move on....Look, I am giving all this land to you. Go in and occupy it!
To God be the glory
vs6.-7a- When we were at Mount Sinai the Lord our God said to us, "You have stayed at this mountain long enough. It is time to break camp and move on.
These verses always make me laugh, and they make me think! To me it is just casually stated and I probably read it several times until 1 day years ago when the light went on in my little mind and I stopped and thought, 11 day journey....taking 40 years. What went wrong there? It wasn't the distance between the two places that took 40 years, rather I believe it was the distance of their heart from the heart of God. Therefore, God had to take them on a journey that would take 40 years. He was transforming them.
When we have a wandering heart, we might find that we end up on a journey that we didn't anticipate. Our Heavenly Father loves us too much to just let us wander around. He will let us wander around, all the while revealing Himself to us- preparing us to live a life of obedience to Him.
Sometimes a 40 year journey is God preparing us for something greater. While my human mind can't comprehend it, I know that some of the best lessons and character building come out of struggle.
If you are in a journey today, I would encourage you to snuggle up to God. Go to Him and ask Him to expose any hidden sins in your life that may be holding you back, costing you time. If He doesn't reveal anything to you, then trust Him in this wilderness journey He has you on. He is with you and the day will come when He will say........You have stayed at this mountain long enough, it is time to break camp and move on....Look, I am giving all this land to you. Go in and occupy it!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
You're gonna love how it ends!
Have you ever started to read a book and become tempted to turn to the back page to see how it ends? Or, have you ever talked to someone about a certain movie you want to see and they've already seen it so they begin to tell you how the story ends?
That just tends to ruin it for me- after all I know how it will turn out in the end. However, I want to take a moment to talk about the ending to a story in which the star of the show is Jesus Christ.
There is a lot of unrest in the world right now. Earthquakes, riots, a crumbling economy and the threats of evil dictators that would love nothing more than for America to go up in a cloud of smoke. If those were the only peices of news I had I would be pretty depressed and afraid right now. Surely none of those situations have a good ending.....or do they?
In the Old Testament books of Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, we read about how the stage will be set for the return of our Lord. Just about every player involved in these riots will play a part of ushering in the end of time as we know it. Then in the New Testament Jesus gives some advice about the signs of the times- referring to them as birth pains. The setting of the scene for the antichrist to appear and deceive those who are left behind seems to be coming together at a fairly fast speed. Does this mean that we can predict the date the Lord will return- absolutely not. However, Jesus does say when you see these things happening, LOOK UP FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH!
But, good news for those who have accepted Christ as their Savior! This is a battle in which the victor(s) have already been named. Yep, I've read the back of the Book and we WIN!!
Let me share with you from Revelation 22:3-5 (but I recommend the entire chapter!) "No longer will there be a curse upon anything, for the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there-no need for lamps or sun-for the Lord God will shine on them. And they shall reign forever and ever,
Oh, by the way....while I'm on the subject- let me take a moment to inform you and remind Satan of his future. For I read the back of the Book and he doesn't win- Hallelujah!
Revelation 20:10- Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
I do not know what these days will bring for America and Christians. But this I know, the one who kills the body cannot kill the soul! For the ransomed child of God we know that we are ultimately safe and secure in the hands of our Father and when we draw our last breath we won't leave home, we will go home!
If you are not sure that you will spend eternity then don't wait another moment. Click on my side bar of "do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?" If you are a true child of the King then hang on and be spreading the Gospel for Matthew 24:37-39 says "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered the boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes"
To God be the glory
That just tends to ruin it for me- after all I know how it will turn out in the end. However, I want to take a moment to talk about the ending to a story in which the star of the show is Jesus Christ.
There is a lot of unrest in the world right now. Earthquakes, riots, a crumbling economy and the threats of evil dictators that would love nothing more than for America to go up in a cloud of smoke. If those were the only peices of news I had I would be pretty depressed and afraid right now. Surely none of those situations have a good ending.....or do they?
In the Old Testament books of Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, we read about how the stage will be set for the return of our Lord. Just about every player involved in these riots will play a part of ushering in the end of time as we know it. Then in the New Testament Jesus gives some advice about the signs of the times- referring to them as birth pains. The setting of the scene for the antichrist to appear and deceive those who are left behind seems to be coming together at a fairly fast speed. Does this mean that we can predict the date the Lord will return- absolutely not. However, Jesus does say when you see these things happening, LOOK UP FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH!
But, good news for those who have accepted Christ as their Savior! This is a battle in which the victor(s) have already been named. Yep, I've read the back of the Book and we WIN!!
Let me share with you from Revelation 22:3-5 (but I recommend the entire chapter!) "No longer will there be a curse upon anything, for the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there-no need for lamps or sun-for the Lord God will shine on them. And they shall reign forever and ever,
Oh, by the way....while I'm on the subject- let me take a moment to inform you and remind Satan of his future. For I read the back of the Book and he doesn't win- Hallelujah!
Revelation 20:10- Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
I do not know what these days will bring for America and Christians. But this I know, the one who kills the body cannot kill the soul! For the ransomed child of God we know that we are ultimately safe and secure in the hands of our Father and when we draw our last breath we won't leave home, we will go home!
If you are not sure that you will spend eternity then don't wait another moment. Click on my side bar of "do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?" If you are a true child of the King then hang on and be spreading the Gospel for Matthew 24:37-39 says "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered the boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes"
To God be the glory
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