Time to Reach Forward....Tuesday

It is time to move from our perfect one bedroom home to a larger one. Why are we doing this if we are so content where we are already? I’m reminded of Abram and Sarai who packed up because the Lord told them to move out and move on. So it is with us, the Lord has told us it is time to move.

What we didn’t realize when we first started this process was that it would mean downsizing. How can that be? The new house is bigger. Lord, what is going on? It doesn’t make sense. Then His answer came to us, "Let go."  But! But! There are no buts about it, it’s time to clean out our accumulation of “stuff.” Oh, pain and agony!  Rented a storage unit and will sort it out for the annual church rummage sale when we have MORE TIME.  We have more wall space here but no “hidey holes” in the house or 2-car garage. It sounds so simple as I write this but we are both sacrificing as we figure out how to do this bit by bit.

Solomon, the wisest man who has ever lived, searched for the meaning and purpose of life, his observations in Ecclesiastes 3 are helping me focus on God's plan for me.

 

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.

 

A time to give birth and a time to die. I've done the first three times, but dying to myself has been on-going. 

A time to plant and time to uproot what is planted. The past was good, now it is time to pass on the blessings.

A time to kill, and a time to heal. I must choke the life out of the bad attitudes that want to creep into my heart and prevent forgiveness and compassion. 

A time to tear down and a time to build up. Tearing self from the past and looking forward and taking steps into the future.

A time to weep and a time to laugh. “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30:5. The laughter may not come the very next morning, but it does come.

A time to mourn and a time to dance. I have lost and grieved, but I have also danced for joy like the sugar plum fairies!

 

A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones. Many times the things I want to hold onto are perfectly good things, yet if God says to let go, it is time.

A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing. I embrace the work load to get it over with, do not accept the rejection and judgment some people send my way. 

A time to search, and a time to give up as lost.  Couldn’t find my keys for two weeks!  The woman looked for her coin & finding it, called the neighbors to rejoice with her– except we don’t know our neighbors yet:) I am grateful God doesn't give up on any of us as lost. 

A time to keep, and a time to throw away.   Here it is – the theme of our lifestyle this month.

Having had my say, I leave you with a few more of my favorite verses:

 

"Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13.“All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.    Ahhhh, now I take a deep breath and fill my heart, mind, and soul with “The joy of the Lord is my strength!" Thanks for stopping by and allowing me to share this new development in my life in light of Scripture! God is with us! Amen, sisters, amen! 

Click here to hear Tenth Avenue North sing  "Let It Go": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PEWianth7s

Written by Sandy Schott

Seasons...Monday

9/30/13

Perhaps it was the way
Peter,Paul, and Mary
crooned its lyrics in the 60's which
caused Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
 to captivate my heart.
 It is a masterfully written passage.
As a literary piece it certainly lends itself to music.
It's message is profound
and has a wistful pensive tone.
This selection penetrates the soul and yields to numerous personal interpretations.

As you read the words of 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

may the Holy Spirit guide you in relating them to your own life experiences. I hope you find that this passage of scripture gives you peace and assurance concerning past, present, and future seasons of your life. May this literary work, originally written by King Solomon, encourage you with confidence in the wisdom, sovereignty, and providence of a loving God. 

                                                                Ecclesiastes 3:1-8                                                                  

1 “There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down anda time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
 a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

The epochs and eras of our lives serve to craft us into who we are. The Master Potter uses them to refine our character and to help us to see things through His perspective. As the words of Ecclesiastes reveal, in life there are processes of comings and goings, tearing down and building up, of wounding and healing. It is sometimes only in retrospect that we can see the hand of God in the times of our lives.

As born again New Testament Christians, despite our changing circumstances we have an ever present constant joy in the knowledge that this earth is not our final destination. We are pressing on toward an eternal Kingdom where...

 “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:
 for the former things are passed away.” 
Revelation 21:4

By Cathy Friberg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a song by Nichole Nordeman...
"Every Season"

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+song+about+seasons+christuan&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=086A801C05C1964F92FD086A801C05C1964F92FD

SCARS... Sunday

Devotional for 9/29/13

Most of us have some sort of scars from things that have happened to us.  I have one on my arm where I fell on a broken bottle as a child.  It cut right through the thick sleeve of my jacket into the delicate flesh on the inside of my left forearm.  That was so many years ago, it is now just a barely noticeable shiny patch the same color as the rest of my skin.  But I can still find it if I look for it.  I also have some intentional internal scars - where a surgeon purposely "microfractured" a small area on the surface of one of my hips.  This was done in order for my body to form scar tissue where I had a small divot in the cartilage covering the ball of the joint.  Cartilage is our shock absorber, and is called arthritis when some of it is damaged or worn away.  This cartilage does not heal. The surgery forced my body to form scar tissue in that spot, which became my new "shock absorber" on that place in my hip.  Then there are the emotional scars from past troubles and traumas.  Those scars cannot be seen, inside or outside, even with a magnifier.  But the results of those scars can be felt in the heart, or can affect current thoughts and actions.  Each of these different types of scars are from wounds that have healed, some better than others. Scars are a natural part of the healing process of a wound, but they leave marks, evidence of something that has happened.  

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, died in our place.  He was nailed to a cross, creating wounds on his hands and feet.  Adding insult to injury a spear was also thrust into his side.  Those wounds healed after his death and resurrection and left marks of evidence on his body.  He later appeared to the disciples on earth, and those scars bore witness to the disciples that the person they were seeing was indeed Jesus.

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?  Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.  Luke 24:37-40  (NIV)

Our Savior was wounded because of us.  He did not deserve the crucifixion nails in his hands and feet or the spear in his side, yet he endured them for our own salvation.  His scars are good - healing us from our own brokenness. 

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

Our scars can also be a good thing.  Physical scars are what heal wounds.  Without them we would be left with gaping holes where they did not belong.  Emotional scars can be a sign of lessons learned and create a point of contact with others.  Healing can grow our faith as we learn to trust God more fully.  How we deal with our scars and rely on God can be a witness to those around us.  Scars can actually be a beautiful thing!

written by Jan Andersen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a song called "Scars"

It is sung by Jonny Diaz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhVDhUlUX88#t=90

Trust and Obedience...Saturday

9/27/13`

“So he did according to the word of the Lord; he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank of the brook. After awhile the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land.”
I Kings 17: 5 thru 7

(Amplified Bible)

In this story we see how the Lord directed Elijah to a place where he would be fed and cared for. The Lord had commanded the ravens to bring Elijah both bread and meat in the morning, and also again in the evening. There was a brook there, from which he could drink from. 

But then, it says that “after a while the brook dried up”. The good thing for Elijah was that the Lord then sent him another word and directed him where to go from there. But just for a moment, I’d like to stay right there at that little brook.

It seems to me that I have been at that place in my life. There have been times that all of my “needs” are being met, and I didn’t need to wonder at what was going to happen tomorrow. I had “found” my place of comfort and shelter and I was content at being where I was. There was no need for me to leave the place where I was at. 

But then, one day the brook dries up. Now this concerns me. This wasn’t in my plans, I think to myself. “The Lord has been providing and caring for me, this just can’t be. There must be something wrong! What could I have possibly done to deserve this? Lord, there must be some mistake!” I say. I begin to call out my thoughts to the Lord, but the brook remains dry.

My first thoughts in times like these, even though I hate to admit it, are thoughts of myself. It is because I have become comfortable with the way things are. I am satisfied with being “fed and watered” without it taking too much effort on my part. I don’t have to worry about what I will do tomorrow, for I will simply do again, what I have done today. 

These are the times that I have come to recognize as the “uncomfortable” times. I don’t know what lies ahead. Now, in this particular story, the Lord does tell Elijah where to go, and who is going to help him. But when he gets there, it surely doesn’t look like what the Lord said is really going to happen. He does get fed, but he surely doesn’t arrive at a place where the “banquet” table is already “set” for him.

My point is this; at times the Lord is going to give us those places of comfort. But, just like Elijah, we must be ready and willing to move on when the Lord tells us that it’s time. We cannot stay beside the “dry brook” praying for rain! We must move when the Lord says to move. He will bring us into those times of uncertainty so that we can learn to trust in Him. Not on the brook with the seemingly endless water supply. It is Him that truly supplies for all of our needs. Even when our circumstances don’t seem to appear that way, in fact, especially then. 

We must be like Elijah, the Bible says, “So he arose…” . He didn’t stay there, kicking his feet and complaining that he had liked it the “way that it was”, as so many of us do. No, he arose and went on the way that the Lord was directing him to go. He didn’t know how long he would “stay” at that “new place” or how comfortable he would be, but he went anyway. 

That is how I want to be. I want to willingly “rise” from that place where I’m at. I want to “rise” quickly, and without complaint. I want to leave that place, thanking the Lord for His goodness and provision to me. I want to go into the new place with a thankful heart. I want to remember how the Lord had provided, and how He will provide again, if I only allow Him. I want to be at each and every place in my life for only the appointed number of days. No more, and no less. I want to be “in step” with each and every plan that the Lord has for my life. 

Thank you, Lord, that you are the One in Whom I can put my trust. Thank you that with You, all things stay the same, yet you allow change to take place in our lives so that we will come to fully know and understand You and your ways of caring for us. Help us to arise when its time to arise and to rest when it’s time to rest. Above all else, help us to place our love and trust in You alone, and never on the circumstances that surround us. It is in Your name that we pray, and that we ask these things. Amen.

Written by Beverley A Napier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a worship song for Saturday.
It is called "Trust His Heart"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLn0cRl-0GE

NO CHARGE...Friday

 9/27/13

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- 

and that not from yourselves.  It is the gift of God -- 

not by works, so that no one can boast." --

Ephesians 2:8, 9

     All of us like to receive something for nothing.  I generally wait to buy vitamins until there is a "buy one, get one free" special at the drugstore.  It is nice to get a car wash at no charge when your car is fixed at the dealer's.

     I am one of those who had difficulty waiting to open birthday and Christmas presents.  I tear off the wrapping paper in short order.  It is fun to receive gifts.

     I am not sure, as human beings, that we can really even comprehend what God gives us through faith in Jesus Christ.  Even if we received just the blessings we have on earth that would be enough.  God goes beyond all we can imagine with the gifts here on earth to give us as well as all the promises of eternal life forever in the heavenly mansions.

     

When I'm filling out reams of paperwork for something, or sorting out and paying bills, or having a trying and tiring day, it seems inviting to think that some day I will just be able to reap all the glories and joys of heaven at no charge to me.  It was all charged to Jesus.  What an unspeakable gift of grace!

Written by

Carol Steficek

Circumstances (Storms)...Thursday

9/26/13

"Come on, then, replied Jesus.  Peter stepped down from the boat and began to walk on water, making for Jesus.  But when he saw the fury of the wind he panicked and began to sink, calling out, 'Lord sae me!' At once Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying, 'You little-faith! What made you lose your nerve like that?'  

Then when they were both aboard the boat, the wind dropped. "

 Mat 14:29-32 Phillips

Did you know that the wind and the waves didn't really have anything to do with Peter walking on water.  He would not have been able to walk on water even if it had been calm. Peter's circumstances (the storm) simply took his attention away from Jesus and led him back to his carnal thinking.  Fear neutralizes faith.  Peter began to sink because of fear.  Fear does not come from God.  Fear was able to affect Peter because he took his eyes off of Jesus.  Fear can not just over take us we have to let it in.  If Peter had kept his eyes on Jesus he would not have feared.  In the same way that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, fear comes by hearing and seeing something contrary to God's Word.  Peter would not have been tempted with fear if he would not have consider his circumstances, the storm.  We must cast our cares on God and keep our eyes on Jesus the Living Word not our circumstances, not the storms in our lives.  If there is a storm going on in your life right now and you feel as though you are sinking turn your attention back on Jesus as Peter did, because our God will save you from drowning just as He did for Peter.

"Casting ALL your cares on Him, 

for He cares for you." 

I Peter 5:7

Written by
Kathryn Hansen


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a song for you to enjoy today...
It is "Sometimes It Takes A Storm sung by Jessica King

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SFYEKk7_Zg

"Yes And Amen"...Wednesday

 9/25/13 

We have all heard the old hymn from way back "Standing on the Promises of God." If you recall the chorus is,  "Standing....Standing.....Standing on the Promises of God my Savior... Standing... Standing.... I'm Standing on the Promises of God."

That hymn rings true to what God desires us to do with His Promises every single day of our life, and that is to Stand. God's promises in His Word are not just "mere words," but are every bit God's heart for His people.

He tells us in...   

2 Corinthians 1:20

"For All the Promises of God in Him are Yes,

and in Him Amen, to the Glory of God through us."

He gives us a resounding YES to His Promises! We as His people can grab hold of His Promises knowing fully well, God will fulfill everything He says He will do in His love letter to us. God's Promises fill us with much Hope, Joy and Faith. His fulfillment of His Promises are a great affirmation of His rich love for us.

I will forever until eternity be "Standing On the Promises of God!" 

In His Radical Love, 

Sandy Billingham

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a song for you to sing to the Father this morning...

"Standing on the Promises of God"
       sung by Alan Jackson

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+standing+on+the+promises+of+god&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=77F20519751310C6EE0A77F20519751310C6EE0A

Sights and Sounds.....Tuesday

We have all heard, or even used these saying, “That’s like the blind leading the blind,” or "They are as blind as a bat.” I wonder, if a person is born blind from birth, how would we explain what a bat is to them? What words could we use if they don’t know a wing from a beak?  Communicating with them would need to include presenting the object and touching, in order to add depth to our description. I couldn't describe the sun or the moon. I could introduce them to a tree, but could I explain a forest in a way that they could see it in their understanding? 

Those of us with sight see forward and peripherally at the same time but put blinders on us and we’re limited, no more seeing out of the corner of our eye.  I wouldn't like that limitation. Then I ask myself, what would it be like to be deaf? Would it be harder to be deaf and to know and understand things, or just different from being blind? 

I can remember being asked, “What’s the matter with you, are you deaf?!”  If I was born without hearing or speech, I would see and perceive with my eyes. But to ask or answer questions, I would have to communicate in a whole different way and not everyone would necessarily be able to understand me, nor would I understand them. Thinking about it I realize how much all the sounds around me are influencing me every moment. Certain sounds make me turn and look out for my own safety. I can't imagine the difficulty in learning to live without sounds.

Truly seeing and listening are two incredible yet different gifts from God (see Proverbs 20:12). While Jesus healed the blind and the deaf during his time on earth, He wants to heal all of us from spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness.

Moses was the prophet who both saw and spoke with God face to face. He gave God's messages to the people. When God told Moses to tell Aaron how to make sacrifices that would please Him and take away the sins of the people, we see an amazing picture of what it takes to take away our own sins.

 Aaron, you must offer the bull as a sacrifice

of forgiveness for your own sins and

 for the sins of your family.

 Leviticus 16:6

After you offer the first goat as a sacrifice for sin,

the other one (the scapegoat) must be presented to me alive,

 before you send it into the desert to take away the sins of the people.

Leviticus 16:9-10 CEV

God used the sights and sounds of burnt offerings and a scapegoat to help Israel understand what kind of sacrifice was required for their sins to be removed from them. How grateful I am to learn this lesson through scripture instead of in person. For in God's Word, we can learn that God sent a final sacrifice, a perfect scapegoat, to remove the sins of the whole world.

 For God so loved the world 
that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him 
shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world 
to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him.

John 3:16 NIV

 We didn’t see the signs that God gave to Israel, we didn't hear the prophets declaring His words. BUT we have heard His voice and seen Whom He is in His Word. There’s only One way for us to have spiritual eyes and spiritual ears to understand what God is saying:

You were saved by faith in God, 
who treats us much better than we deserve.

This is God’s gift to you, 
and not anything you have done on your own.

It isn’t something you have earned, 
so there is nothing you can brag about.

God planned for us to do good things and to live 
as he has always wanted us to live.

That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are.

Ephesians 2:8-10 CEV

So faith comes from hearing, 
and hearing by the word of Christ.

Romans 10:17 NASB

Thank you, my sister, for taking this journey with me! Praise God and Amen!

A Hymn for Today: "All Creatures of My God and King" performed by West Coast Revival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECad_5jSduQ

Written by Sandy Schott

Starting Over.....Monday

0/23/13

I love starting over. I once attended a year-round school and I loved it! Every 12 weeks I got to begin again. New notebooks and a fresh start made the school year fly by quickly.

I still depend on the routine of the fall season to inspire me to start over. I plan to clean out closets (well, at least one), sort through clothes, and organize my desk. I make lists and notes of the many things I would like to get done. Already I am thinking of the holidays and telling myself that as soon as I get my Fall cleaning and organizing done, I will start on that! Oh yes, I also plan to write a letter to my Grandmother, call my mother, send birthday cards, spend time with my husband, enjoy dinner with friends, etc.

Then before I know it, a whole lot of days have zipped by as I get up in the morning, go to work, do  laundry, pay some bills, fix dinner, do dishes, run errands, and get back in bed at night. I know I am made to work, but surely, there is something more? God created me for relationship with Him and others. How can those relationships be healthy if I don't have any time for them?

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.

Proverbs 23:4 NLT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

But there’s one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left.

Lamentations 3:19-24 MSG

Dear Lord, please show me how to slow down and take time for You. I truly love You and desire to grow in my understanding of You. I take my busyness, my schedule, my to do list, and I lay them out before You. Please give me eyes to see and ears to hear so that I will understand what You would have me do each day. In Jesus name, amen.

The band "Passion" singing about God's love never failing in
"One Thing Remains":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EHw-92ntXQ

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

BROKEN... Sunday

Devotional for 9/22/13

There are times when we have a heavy heart and broken spirit.  Sometimes that is because of things happening to us or around us.  The times when we feel betrayed by a friend makes our heart heavy.   Or when a loved one dies and we feel that total loss in our hearts.  When evil things are happening in the world around us, it can make us wonder, "Where are you, God?"  Doubt creeps in.  Even more devastating than things happening to us or around us can be the things that happen within ourselves.  That can include when we are envious, or hateful, or resentful.  It can be when we hold other things as more important to us than God.  Our spirit is broken when we are separated from God, whether that be just a little, or by a great chasm when our faith falters.

But there is always hope.  Our hope means we are certain of God's mercy and grace, not just wishful thinking. Whether we feel God's presence or not, he is always there, even in our doubting times.  In fact those most broken times can be what drives us to greater faith.  We hear God speak to us and tell us that in spite of our difficulties or unfaithfulness, he still forgives and loves us.  We can be confident that when we turn to God and offer up our difficulties as a sacrifice, he will not despise us.  

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart. You, God, will not despise. Psalms 51:17

Thank you dear Lord for always being present in my life, in spite of my difficulties and even my times of rebellion.  I give to you my broken spirit and contrite heart as a sacrifice, knowing that you are merciful and will forgive my times of not trusting you fully and my times of unbelief.  I know that you will not ridicule me or despise me for it, as you have promised.  Thank you for your great mercy and love.  Help me to focus on the blessings of this life of forgiveness you grant me freely.  May I praise your name forever.  In Jesus name, Amen.

written by Jan Andersen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a beautiful song about this topic.

It is called BROKENNESS ASIDE

Please click on this link...

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+song+about+brokenness&qpvt=you+tube+song+about+brokenness&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=6CF36028989AEE5927A26CF36028989AEE5927A2