Memories In A Calendar

The past few days I have been cleaning out my kitchen drawers. During the time we have lived here, for over 23 years, we raised two children. Now both of them are on their own, leaving my husband and me, with our miniature Schnauzer, a black cat and a velveteen rabbit. The cat and rabbit, by the way, came to us through our animal loving daughter. But as I said, she is on her own, so I inherited her pets. That's not a problem as they keep us company and liven up our home.

 

Today I was going through a stack of calendars that were on my counter top near my stovetop. I have always used large ones that lay flat, so I could write things in. Things like appointments, birthdays, vacations, etc. And underneath December I would store important papers, like report cards, SAT paperwork, warranty papers, and the such. In this particular pile were calendars going back to 2006! Why I never got around to throwing them out, I don't know. But because the pile has been getting too tall, I decided to weed them out today, as part of my quest to declutter my kitchen!

 

It ended up being a walk down memory lane. I had forgotten most of them, and reading these things brought them back to me. Copies of letters my kids wrote to get into college. School award letters. Driver's license application booklets, emails I needed to keep concerning issues that were going on at the time. Now, all of these things are history. No longer issues. It kind of left me sad.

 

I didn't realize during those years of being busy with raising a family and being involved with church ministries that all those things that were big things would no longer be big later on in the future. But they were big at the time! When you are young, you tend to treat life with gusto. When you get older, you are more reflective, and experience has taught you lots of things. And what are those things? Did I learn anything about life?

I know I am more appreciative of the people in my life. I have lost both my parents and a father-in-law, a sister-in-law and a niece. I can't take anything for granted. I can't predict my future. And in a lot of things, I have no control. Only God does.

I am so thankful that I have a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. Because of that, I have learned to trust Him in all things. The big things and the small things. His Word reminds me that He loves me and has wonderful plans for me. He promises to be with me, no matter what I go through. He knows the future and holds it in His hands. And someday when I meet Him face to face, my life history will flash before me, revealing all that He saw in me. Will I be ashamed? Or will I be pleased? I am so grateful that He is a forgiving God full of mercy and grace. Not that I deserve any of that, but that He willingly grants me those things because of His everlasting love for me.

Now I have a 2014 calendar that has room for lots and lots of new memories. What will this year reveal?  I pray all good things! But one thing I do know. I will get through anything, with Jesus by my side!

 



 



Time of Soaking



 

Hear my voice, when I call, O Lord.

Be merciful to me and answer me.

My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!'

Your face, Lord, I will seek.

- Psalm 27:7-8

 

This morning as I was beginning to start another day of painting my kitchen, a thought came to me. I haven't spent enough time with God like I should. Yes, I listen to lots of Christian preachers on television, I read the devotionals that come to me via email. I read a couple of Bible verses, in a hurried way. And I talk to Him throughout the day. But I was realizing that God hasn't been sought by me as He should be! By that, I mean, I haven't been truly seeking His face.

 

So, I went to my keyboard and recorded, in a soothing Bell Pad which I love, the chords for Revelation Song. I recorded about a minute of it, then finished. My keyboard has a loop function that restarts automatically what I have recorded until I stop it. I grabbed the talit that I have folded near the piano and headed to the couch, covering myself in it. As the music played, I just sat there, allowing my heart and mind to focus on Him. My purpose wasn't to ask Him anything, or to thank Him. I was wanting to just sit, like Mary did, and soak up His presence.

 

What resulted was a gentle peace. A calming of my spirit. I wanted to adore Him, and thought of how glorious and holy He is. And who He is to me. Holy. Glorious. Awesome. Powerful. Loving. Merciful. Compassionate. Lover of My Soul. Horn of my salvation. Comforter. Redeemer. Alpha and Omega. The list goes on. Joy sprang up in my whole being. I wonder why I have put this off!

 

I wanted to share this with you because I pray that you can experience this same thing with Him. We all live very busy lives and our plates are full. So many demands. Stress and problems. Yes, we are faithful to go to Him in prayer, asking Him to deliver us from these things and to help us. But how faithful are we in going to Him just to spend quiet time with Him? Do we make Him our highest priority?

 

God has us as the apple of His eye, and He desires us more than we realize! He is so patient with us, and I think we can take Him for granted! I feel like we are disappointing Him when we ignore Him day after day. Spending time with Him is so crucial to our well being and sound mind. We can fill our minds with the knowledge of who He is, and there is plenty of information and studies about that. But, are we filling our hearts with HIM? Do we truly know HIM intimately, as He desires us to?

 

Give thanks to the Lord, call on His Name.

Sing praise to Him, sing praise to Him.

Glory in His Holy Name.

Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Look to the Lord and His strength.

Seek His face always.

- Parts of Psalm 105:1-4

 

Perhaps you already have a soaking time with the Lord on a regular basis. But if you don't or haven't had one yet, I'd like to suggest that you find a quiet place and an uninterrupted segment of time in your day. Play some soft worship music, not to distract you but to enhance your time with Him. I am sharing here a video from You Tube to get you started. There are a lot out there, to suit your choice in music. You may also want to light a small candle. Allow your mind to quiet down, ask Him to reveal His Holy Presence to you, and spend that precious time with Him. Think about who He is to you. Tell Him how much He means to you. Adore Him. Show Him your love. And He will take it from there!

 

God bless you as you seek His Face!!

 







Open That Door...Now!

Do you know of someone that desperately needs Jesus, but is stubborn? Any attempt made to share the Gospel, or any Scripture for that matter, results in disregard. You become desperate. You pray. And pray. You try again. And you get the same results. Nothing. So you back off for awhile. Then you feel guilty in not trying again. So everything repeats itself.

 

I have a dear loved one who is on my heart... has been for awhile. She knows what the Bible has to say. She's heard it all. But there is something about her that is waving a red flag.... big time. I have been praying for her, and she knows that. Any attempt I make to talk to her about her relationship with Jesus fails. I sense that He is not foremost in her life now, and that concerns me. 

 

Yes, I have given her to the Lord. I know He loves her more than I do, and sees all that is in her heart. I know I shouldn't assume, by her actions, how much Jesus means to her, but what else can I glean from her? I'm not seeing in her the fruit of the Spirit... you know what they are...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, I'm not able to recognize any of these when we communicate...  which is now very little. What I am seeing is unforgiveness and hatred. So very sad. 

 

I am so very thankful that there is a loving God who can take care of these situations. He is mighty to save, and more powerful than the enemy who seeks to destroy. We do not only live in a physical world, but there is very much a spiritual realm that is livid now. Satan knows his timing is coming to an end, and he is roaming around like a lion, messing with people... especially those who were brought up in the Lord. It's called a spiritual war, and a lot of people are oblivious to it. He can cause confusion and doubt, depression and hopelessness, which is contrary to what a relationship with God provides. People can forget what they formally believed!

 

God knew this would happen, so He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for our sins on the cross. Though He was perfect and did not sin, He bore ours in our place, once and for all. His resurrection completed the task, and no longer are we held under bondage! Through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are now free to live for Him and experience all that He has for us.

 

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord,

'plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.' - Jeremiah 29:11

 

I love the story of Saul, who on the road to Damascus, had a personal encounter with Jesus. Now, Saul was the one who hated Jesus and who persecuted Him. But God had big plans for him, and even though Saul's heart was hard like a rock, that didn't stop God! Saul became Paul, and his life and ministry glorified the One who he had hated before. What a tremendous transformation! This shows to us that absolutely NOTHING is impossible with God! He hears our prayers. He knows our heart. He is able to heal and deliver those who find themselves in deep despair. It isn't over until God says it's over!

 

I will continue to pray for her. And love her. And believe that God is working behind the scenes. He does not wish for anyone to perish, but to have everlasting life. Praying for her reconciliation to Jesus, resulting in a reconciled relationship with me, is in God's will.

 

This is the assurance we have in approaching God:

that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask -

we know that we have what we asked of Him. - 1 John 5:14-15

 

 

Yes, I believe that God can open the doors of even the most hardened of hearts. He opened Saul's, and He can open anyone's! Nothing is impossible with Him! Thank you, Jesus!

 



 

 



 





Remembering To Pray

I'd like to ask you something: How often do you pray?

 

The other day I was talking to someone about a challenging situation she was having. She shared with me some of the details, and was at wit's end as to what to do. I asked her if she prayed about it. The answer was "No."

 

How often do you and I find ourselves immersed in a difficult thing, trying to come up with a solution. We analyze it, dwell on it, lose sleep over it, all with the attempt to solve our dilemma. I'm convinced that's why we get gray hairs! And ulcers! We try to control our monstrous problems in our own strength and our own reasoning. But a lot of the times, if not most of the time, we fail. I can't count the number of times I failed at something because I tried to handle it on my own instead of relying on God.

 

I think some of us go on with our everyday lives, forgetting that we have a loving, mighty God who wants to help us. He knows what we are going through, and waits for us to call on Him.

 

Come to me, all who are burdened,

and I will give you rest. - Jesus - Matthew 11:28

 

He wants us to talk to Him in an ongoing basis, not just when we have needs, but in a desire to know Him better. Our Heavenly Father is the God of the universe, and has the resources to take care of all our needs. We limit our potential for greatness by trying to take care of things ourselves. He loves you and me so very much, and wonders why we don't call on Him more. He is ready to bless us and give us favor. All we have to do is reach out for Him.

 

Remembering to pray about everything is not easy, but possible. Start out with talking to God when you wake up. Give Him thanks for all He is doing in your life. Praise Him for who He is. Thank Him for your meals. When you have a decision to make, stop and ask Him for guidance and wisdom. Make a prayer list so you will remember what to pray about. And when you go to bed, talk to Him about your day. You will find yourself spending more of your time talking to Him, and it will be as natural as talking to a friend who is with you. And in the process, you will feel His presence closer to you than ever before. And just knowing that He is with you will bring you the peace you need to face those challenging situations.

 

Submit yourselves to God.

Come near to God

and He will come near to you. - James 4:7-8

 

 



It Is All Up To Him

Picture this: Near the great Throne of God in heaven is a huge golden bell. It is on a majestic stand within reach of His mighty hand. The angels are lined up, fixing their gaze on Him. Jesus is beside Him, on His right side, and He is watching His Father also. At any moment, God will raise His hand and let it fall on the bell...

 

In the book of Matthew, chapter 13, Peter, James, John and Andrew are with Jesus in the Mount of Olives, across from the temple. Jesus tells them that the temple will be destroyed. They ask Him, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?" Jesus goes on to explain the things that will happen in the last days. Terrible and awful things which we have never witnessed, but He said we will in the end times.

 

Verse 32 says, "No one knows about that day or hour, and even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."  I find this interesting that even Jesus didn't know! Only the heavenly Father does.

 

Friends, we are in the last days, and events that were prophecized in the Scriptures are being fulfilled. We are getting very close to the Father making the decision to put an end to this evil world by sending His Son to gather His Saints. When He does, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye...

 

 

Jesus said "Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. What I say to you, I say to everyone, 'Watch!'" - Matthew 13:33-37