Jesus Wept.

Jesus Wept.

In the story of Lazarus (John 11:28-44), the women are all gathered together, moaning and weeping and mourning the loss of Lazarus.  And when Jesus arrives on the scene, and sees Mary  and the Jews with her weeping, "He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled" (vs 33)  Then Jesus asked to see where Lazarus was laid, and they replied, "Lord, come and see." (vs 34) and  "Jesus wept."(vs 35)  

There is something special to me about this verse.  "Jesus wept!"   Can you picture that?  Can you imagine Jesus weeping?  His dear friend is dead.  His other dear friends are suffering because of the loss of their brother. And Jesus wept!  

Jesus knew that in just a short time, He would call Lazarus forth from the grave, and Lazarus would come back to life.  Jesus knew how the story would end, the good things coming soon.  But when His friends were mourning, Jesus wept with them.  Why? Why would He weep when He knew that Lazarus would come back to life?  Jesus wept for His friends, the ones living, the ones grieving, Jesus wept for Mary and Martha.  Because Jesus loved them and had compassion on them.  

I believe that just as Jesus wept for Mary and Martha, Jesus weeps for us too.  Jesus knows the future, the good things coming...but when we go through hard times and we find ourselves weeping, Jesus weeps with us! Why? Because Jesus loves us.  Because Jesus has compassion on us.  In our time of loss, in our struggles, in our brokenness, Jesus comes on the scene, and He weeps with us.  

In verse 38 it says, "Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb."  After weeping with Mary and Martha, Jesus went to the place of their sadness.  The source of their pain and He did something incredible!! 

In vs 39, He asked for the stone to be removed and Mary speaks up and says, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."  Many times we do the same thing...Jesus comes to the place of our pain, our suffering, and He ask us to "remove the stone" or open the door so He can have access to that area in our life, and we are quick to come up with a reason not to remove that stone..."But Lord, there will be a stench!"   "But Lord, it hurts too much!"   But Lord, it's too bad" "But Lord, _________!"fill in the blank with whatever excuse we can find.

Jesus' response to us is very similar to what He said to Mary..."Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"  In other words, If you just have faith, if you just believe, you will see the glory of God! 

   

Once the stone was removed, Jesus prays, and then cried in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!  and Lazarus came out of the tomb bound with grave clothes...and Jesus said "Loose him, and let him go!"  When we remove the stone, open the door and allow Christ access to those dark, hurting places of our lives, He calls out to us and brings us back to life.  The areas where we struggle with losses, hurts, sins, or failures, become new with just the sound of His voice.  Then as we struggle with the baggage left over, our "grave clothes" wrapped about us...Jesus says, "Loose him and let him go!"  and Jesus does what He does so well, He sets us free!! 

I don't know what your situation is, what area in your life you find yourself weeping, or hurting, or struggling...but Jesus knows, and Jesus is weeping with you, loving you, and asking you to remove the stone, open the door, and allow Him to bring new life to those dark corners of your heart and life.  Will you remove the stone today??  Will you give Him access?? 

Let's Pray!

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You love us! Even though we fail and fall, though we are broken and scarred, though we make mistakes and mess things up so quickly...You still love us!  You weep with us, You see our mess, our pain and our failure, and You are moved with compassion. We are so thankful!
Today we choose to open the door, to roll the stone away and give You full access to those areas of our lives that are so hurt, broken, sinful and just plain stinky!  No more excuses, no more holding back, today, Lord we give those areas to You, and ask You to bring about new life and set us free from the "grave clothes" that entangle us.  Thank You Jesus for your love and forgiveness.  We love you, Lord! 

In Jesus Name, AMEN

Psalms 91

Psalms 91

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

I love this chapter! God is mighty to save us, protect us, and provide for us.  Not only is He more than able, He wants to do all of this for us.  

Today, I am so thankful that when we place our trust, and hope in God, choosing to take refuge in Him and Him alone, dwelling daily in His presence...all of the promises in this chapter become ours!  

God is so good!! 

"Grace" - by The Skit Guys

"Grace" -  by The Skit Guys

Dead Idols and the Living God

Isaiah 46
Dead Idols and the Living God

1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, A burden to the weary beast. 2 They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity. 3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb: 4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you. 5 “To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike? 6 They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. 7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble. 8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there isnone like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times thingsthat are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it. 12 “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, For Israel My glory.

What a great message! God is so good.  Here Israel has made many golden and wooden images and called them gods, they bowed down in worship to things they had made with their own hands.  And they forgot to serve and worship the one true God.  But God in His goodness and mercy sends them and us this message...

3 “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb: 4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you. 5 “To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike?

then he continues in verse 9

9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

What an amazing promise! I know there are times in life when we get distracted, and though we may not bow down to a golden or wooden image, we bow our hearts to material things allowing them to take priority, forgetting to make serving the only Living God our priority.  But this promise from God directed at a rebellious Israel, also is for us today!  God formed us, He has and will carry us, even into our old age...His counsel shall stand and He will do all of His good pleasure, in our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

God has great plans for us...He is working in every situation and working out his good pleasures in our lives...even when we have made bad choices, and feel unworthy.  God's love and His plans for us, do not change based on our actions.  He has and always will love us more than we can imagine.  And even when we slip up and fail Him, He still is working to bring us back to a place of right relationship with Him, and He will use even those bad times to bring about good for us.  

I am so thankful! What an good and faithful God we serve!!!

GOD IS GOOD!!

In Whom Do We Trust?

In Whom Do We Trust?

This week people all across the United States of America are celebrating Independence Day.  As American's we all have been privileged with the freedom and security found in a nation founded on biblical principals...a nation whose money states "In God We Trust".  

So my question today is this...In whom do we trust? Are we trusting in God?  When life has different twist and turns? When life is great and all seems right with the world? or when life as we know it seems to be crashing down around us?  

Who is it we are turning to?  Who do we look to be our healer? Provider? Shelter? Strong Tower? Shield of defense? When we've gone as far as we can go on our own, and there's nothing left to give...Who is it we are really trusting in? 

I've found in my life, that even those times when my faith falters, and I stumble and fall...God is Good, and He always Always ALWAYS is right there beside me just waiting for me to call out to Him.  

Here is a great Psalm that gently reminds us, that our help doesn't come from the hills...you see in Israel the high places, or hills, is where the idols and man made gods where placed.  The Israelites would go up to the hills and high places to worship and burn incense to the false gods.  Here in this Psalm the psalmist is reminding us that nothing man made, nothing set up on the high places in our lives will ever help us or save us...it is God, the creator of heaven and earth, He is the one we should look to for help in every circumstance or situation.

Psalm 121

New King James Version (NKJV)

God the Help of Those Who Seek Him

A Song of Ascents.

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 12

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 12: Heaven On Earth

1.  Do you believe in healing by faith? Why, or why not? If not, state your reasons, not your feelings or emotions.

Yes! It is through faith that we are saved, and it is through faith that we receive healing.  Jesus said, "If you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move!' and it will be thrown into the sea".  Faith (even if only the size of a mustard seed) is an important part of the Christian life, without faith, you will not do anything, including receive salvation!

2. Whom does the Holy Spirit promote through His works? Is it you, God, Himself, or Jesus?

Jesus! The Holy Spirit always promotes Jesus, because believing in Jesus is the key to receiving all that God has for us.

3. What is the source of the Holy Spirit's gifts?

God is the source of all gifts, Jesus is what gives us access to God's gifts and the Holy Spirit is the one who delivers those gifts to us.

4. How do you know when the convicting power of the Holy Spirit is working in your life?

When you find yourself feeling the need to pray...that's the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life.  When you find yourself convicted of sin...that's the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life.

When you are full of joy and just can't help but sing praises to God...that's the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life.

When you find yourself facing a mountain far too big, and you find yourself on your knee's calling out for God's help...that's the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life.

He is the One who prompts us, nudges us, and constantly calls out to us, following us through our darkest hour and even into our brightest day...always making known to us that Jesus is the answer to all of life's problems.

5. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit has been given to you as a guarantee of ____________.

Eternal Life!

6. What is the greatest purpose of the Holy Spirit?

The greatest purpose of the Holy Spirit is to draw people to Jesus...then once we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and lives, to help us to daily die to ourselves, and live in Christ.  He strengthens us, teaches us, comforts us, leads and guides us, anoints us, helps us pray, gives us rest and a whole lot more!!

7. Have you asked the Holy Spirit to come into your life? Have you asked Jesus Christ to come into your life? If not, you can do so right now by praying, "Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner.  I believe that you are the Son of God and You shed Your precious blood on the cross for me.  Forgive me of my sin. Cleanse my heart from all unrighteousness.  I thank you for saving me now. Amen."

If you prayed that prayer just now, you are a new creation, and God and all the angels in heaven are celebrating today because you have become a part of the family of God.  You will never walk alone, your heavenly Father loves you more than words can say...I am so glad I get to call you my brother or sister in Christ! Welcome to the Family!! 

I encourage you to find a local group of believers to fellowship with regularly, and start studying God's Word daily... God has great plans for you!! :o)

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 11

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 11: "Why Are You Weeping?"

1.  Why can't blasphemy against the Holy Spirit be forgiven? 

I think about the different hurts we deal with in life - physical pain will heal over time, but when someone speaks negatively about you and wounds your spirit, it takes much time, and an act of God to help you get past it, to move on and not have it effect everything you do.  I think that the Spirit of God is fragile or sensitive much like our own spirits are sensitive and fragile.  When you make the choice to speak against, or to insult the Holy Spirit, it causes Him pain, and when you purposefully harm God's Spirit, God will not forgive you for it.

2. Read Matthew 12:30-32. How can you be assured you will never blasphemy the Holy Spirit?

Matthew 12:30-32 (NKJV)

30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

The Unpardonable Sin

31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

If we love Jesus and desire to serve Him and walk with Him each day, we will not ever speak a word against the Holy Spirit...only those who do not love the Lord, and who do not care what His Word says, or what He thinks about their daily actions and decisions, will purposefully speak against a Holy Spirit.

3. How do you know the Holy Spirit is still with you?

As we go throughout our daily lives the Holy Spirit is faithful to convict us of wrong thoughts, actions, words, etc.  And He leads us to pray for someone or tell someone Jesus love them, etc.  If The Holy Spirit is still actively speaking to you, you know that He is still with you.  

4. Describe what it means to "walk after the Spirit." Read Romans 8:1.

Romans 8:1 (NKJV)

Free from Indwelling Sin

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Walking according to the Spirit, is when we make the choice to obey His voice.  When He convicts us of a sin, we quickly ask for forgiveness.  When He asks us to pray, we stop what were doing and we pray.  Obedience to His Voice = Walking in the Spirit.

5. For the next seven days, work on memorizing the seven works of the Spirit described by Paul in Romans 8. Write a short list of the good things that will occur when each work is manifest in your life.

Seven Works of The Holy Spirit as described by Paul in Romans 8:

1. There is power over sin.  -I will be able to make right choices and decisions

2. He will fulfill the law. -I no longer need to try to be perfect, He takes care of it.

3. He will give you the mind of God. -I have the mind of God working daily renewing my mind.

4. He will give you righteousness. -Even though I am a sinner, He gives me the righteousness paid for through Christ death on the cross.

5. He will give life to your body. -My body will daily be renewed and strengthened.

6. He will bring death to self. -It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives through me.

7. He will testify of your salvation. -Other's will see that I am different, they will see Christ in me, my life will be a light.

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 7

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 7: Wind for Your Sails

1. Describe in your own words what a Spirit-filled life is.

A Spirit-filled life is life full of the Joy of the Lord, love, forgiveness, humility, and complete surrender to God.  The Spirit-filled life is a life of power through the inner-working of Holy Spirit.  

2. What are the four main functions of the Holy Spirit when He is working in our lives?

The Holy Spirit working in our lives can be seen in multiple ways, but a few of the tell tell signs are these...

1. Your speech and focus will change, no longer does the world revolve around you, your wants, your needs, your desires...You start focusing in God, - instead of self-centered, we become God-centered.
2. A new song...When we are filled with the Spirit, we receive a new song in our heart...a song of joy, praise, deliverance!!
3. A thankful heart! When the Spirit dwells within you, in all things, good and bad, you will find yourself thankful!
4. A servant heart - just as your focus is no longer on yourself, your heart will now long and desire to love other people through serving, and helping.    

3. What is the author's answer to people who ask him, "Am I filled with the Holy Spirit?"

If you don't know, then you're not!

4. At what point does the Holy Spirit become available to us personally?

When we accept the gift of salvation.

5. Have you found it difficult, or impossible, to surrender yourself to the Lord? Try to pinpoint what is holding you beck?

At times I have found myself wrestling with the Lord, and most of the time it is when I come up with my plan and I expect God to make it happen.  The Holy Spirit has spoken to me on this, and it always come back to whether or not I trust Him.  It seems to me that I finally surrender one part of my life and think I have made progress only to turn around and realize there is a different part that needs surrendered. It is an ongoing thing, that all of us deal with, that is why Paul describes it as surrendering your life as a living sacrifice. A living sacrifice can get up off of the altar...so we have to daily and even multiple times a day surrender again and place our life back on the table, so that it is Jesus living in us.  

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2:19-21

6. Write down the seven steps to meaningful prayer on a little piece of paper.  Carry it with you and refer to it when you pray.  Try to include all seven steps until they become automatic.

I am going to sit down and write these steps out, and I encourage you to do so as well.  Just a quick glance at my prayer life, I can see all of these steps at this time or that time, but not necessarily all at one time.  This is definitely something I want to work on.

7. If your prayers incorporate the seven steps, what is likely to come about in your prayer life?

When we incorporate all seven steps in our prayer lives, we will find that when we pray, the Spirit intercedes for us, and we really aren't doing most the prayer...it is the Spirit praying for us, which means our prayers are filled with more power and authority.

Good Morning Holy Spirit - Chapter 2

Good Morning Holy Spirit

Chapter 2 - From Jaffa to the Ends of the Earth

1.Do you talk with the Lord in your prayers as if He was a good friend who stopped by? Practice spontaneous and open prayer right now.

It may seem odd at first, talking out loud to someone you can't see...but I have found that the times when I speak to Jesus as if He is right there, like a friend who came to visit, these are some of the most wonderful times of communion and closeness.  I encourage you to try it!

2. Do you need to suffer for God to take you seriously? Why, or why not?

No! I believe that there are times of suffering, and those times help us to draw on our faith in Jesus, and when we walk through the hard times leaning on Him, we come out stronger than we were before. But even in the good times when we call on the Lord He hears us, and is right there with us.  We should always lean on the Lord and trust Him, and stay in close communion with Him whether in good or bad times.

3. How do you interpret the author's dream about being a prisoner in chains and led down endless stairs?

I believe that the Lord was showing Benny, that he was slowly being pulled and lead down into the evil and darkness of sin.  It was showing Benny that he had a need for a Savior.  

4. In the same dream, what is the symbolism of the angel's appearance and the shackles falling from the author's hands and feet?

The Angel in the dream represented Salvation through Jesus, when we accept this amazing gift, His sacrifice on the cross pays the price for our sins and we are set freed from our chains and burdens and He brings us out of the darkness into His glorious light.  

5. Does God use dreams and visions to send messages to "ordinary" men and women? describe a dream that seemed to carry a message for you.

Absolutely! God has given me many dreams in my lifetime, and though I have not always understood them right away, in God's time He reveals what they mean.  Just this last December God gave me a dream, it would take too long to tell the whole thing, but the gist is this...

All my friends and family were gathered together at my house, and before we had time to realize all of what was going on, I mean by the time we heard, saw, and recognized it for what it really was, a huge bomber dropped two huge missiles on either side of the house.  Everything for miles around was gone, Everyone was in a panic trying to figure out what to do, Flames were lapping the side of the house and coming through the windows...I ran to get my girls out of their beds, and as I returned to the living room I woke up.

At first I focused on the panic, terror and horror of seeing great destruction all around, and living through such a terrible experience, because it was as real as a dream can get...Real!!  But for the next two weeks the Lord faithfully showed me through sermons I heard, scriptures I read, devotionals I read, even songs I heard on the radio, over and over again God showed me that this dream may have been a warning of something terrible coming, but that is not what God wanted me to focus on.  He wanted me to know that no matter the terror, or the fear, He is here, protecting us.  Not even huge missiles landing right outside our house can get through God's covering of protection.  I believe this dream is more a promise of protection from whatever may come, than a warning of things to come, and I am so thankful that God loves me enough to give me this promise personally, not just for me but for my friends and family as well. Thank you Jesus! You are so Good!!

Unshakable Faith - Day 50: From Babylon To Abraham

Unshakable Faith

Day 50: From Babylon To Abraham

1.  Like Abraham, are you willing to leave everything you have to seek the Lord's will in unknown places?

Yes, It is not an easy road to travel.  Trusting God and obeying Him when you are scared to death,  the road long and the future seems unclear.  I have learned over time, that no matter how scary it is to step out in faith, trusting God for His guidance and provisions...it is far scarier to try to do your own thing, outside of the will of God.

2. Are you walking in a manner worthy of your calling? Believing God, obeying Him?

I certainly try! And I believe with God's help, grace, forgiveness and love, I am able to continue living for Him, believing Him, and obeying Him.  When I fall or fail, He picks me up, dust me off, and sets my feet back on the right path.  Without God's hand on my life, I could never walk in a manner worthy of my calling, but Jesus paid the price and bridged the gap, so that I can walk each day with the assurance of my salvation!

3. Are you doing all things for the sake of His gospel and letting the love of Christ control you?

The love of God is amazing! When we allow Him to come fill us up with His love it sets us free. Free to love, free to give, free to receive.  A life filled with and controlled by God's love will do everything for the sake of the gospel! Because the gospel is what has made them secure enough to be who God created them to be.  It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that has made their life worth living.  Everything they do becomes a testimony of God's goodness, love and grace...Other's see God working in them and are attracted to it.  The testimony we live out everyday, is the most effective type of testimony!

Unshakable Faith - Day 47: Noah And The Nephilim

Unshakable Faith

Day 47: Noah And The Nephilim

1. Have you learned to be comfortable in the presence of angels because there is a great deal of interchange between them and humankind, especially believers?

This is not something I think about on a daily basis, but scripture is clear that God has given His angels charge over us, this means they are assigned to protect and work on our behalf.  Also, scripture says that some people entertain angels with out knowing it.  The knowledge that they are there is in the back of my mind, but I have not really thought about it.  So I guess I am completely comfortable with it...it just seems normal to me.

2. The Scriptures are clear that some will not only do the works that Jesus did, but greater works. Do you think this is possible?

Yes, if Jesus said it, and He did! Then it is true.  We may have trouble comprehending it, or fully grasping it, but it doesn't change the truthfulness of it.

3. Christians who are born again by the Spirit of God are in fact a "super race." Are you a member of this "super race"?

Yes! When we accept Jesus as our personal savior His Spirit, the Holy Spirit comes and resides inside of us.  We are now enabled to do what was impossible before, not because of who we are but because of Christ working in and through us.  

Unshakable Faith - Day 46:Walking With God

Unshakable Faith

Day 46:Walking With God

1. Have you accepted your invitation to draw near to Him?

Yes, I so long to be close to my Heavenly Father...I hunger for more of His Word and His presence in my life...I spend hours studying, and getting to know Him...I also talk with Him and spend time just listening to Him as He speaks to me...I love the Lord more than anything...He is my everything!

2. Have you sacrificed all of the things that distract you from becoming closer to Him?

I have given up many things that were distractions to me, but I sense the Holy Spirit nudging me telling me that there are other things in my life, that distract me from spending time with Him, and growing in my relationship with Him.  You see, God already knows everything about each one of us.  He made us, and He knows our every thought and even the number of hairs on our heads.  We are the ones who need to learn more about Him, and to draw near to Him...If there is something in our lives that keeps us from doing what we need to, to get to know Him and spend time with Him, we need to sacrifice it, let it go, give it up, the trade off is always worth it.

3. "There is nothing that says we cannot walk with God to the point that He just takes us up like He did Enoch. Could this in fact be what the rapture really is?"

I would love to walk that closely with God! WOW!!  And I agree that there is not anything in God's Word that says it is not possible, if one man could do it, any of us could...but I believe that the rapture of the church is when Jesus returns for His Bride (the whole church,  all Christians)...Not just a few christian's who grow close enough to God that God takes them.  

Unshakable Faith - Day 45:Calling On The Lord

Unshakable Faith

Day 45:Calling On The Lord

1.The Lord knew the end from the beginning, and from the beginning He planned and prepared for our ultimate redemption and restoration from sin. Isn't this amazing?

One of the most humbling and awe inspiring things is sitting down and thinking about all God has made, all He has done to provide, and sustain humankind...His love for us is so great, He is so good.  Here is a song that tells it all so perfectly.

2. Have you been deceived by satan, but realize that the Lord is the author of all good things and repentance is the way back into His mercy?

Absolutely, we all at one time or another fall for a lie of satan, and no matter what the lie, or how great the sin seems to be, Jesus has paid the price, and all we need to do is repent of our sin, and run to God.

3. What are the true riches of the Kingdom?

True riches of the Kingdom are the truth and knowledge of God's ways.  God's ways are so much greater and higher than our ways, we will spend all eternity exploring the riches of His love and mercy!

Unshakable Faith - Day 43:A Curse From The Ground

Unshakable Faith

Day 43:A Curse From The Ground

1. "The very earth itself curses man today in many regions because of the innocent blood that has been shed upon it." What regions come to mind when you read this statement?

Hmmm, well there are many different regions in the world today who are suffering famines, earthquakes, tsunamis etc.  But one of the ones that stand out most in my mind, is right here in America.  This nation was founded on God's Word, the laws and constitution was made to uphold a standard of living while giving people freedom, justice and the pursuit of happiness.  But the sinful choices made and even made lawful over the years have taken their toll.  We cannot remove prayer, the Word of God and all moral values from our homes and Schools and expect God's blessings to continue to fall.  We cannot allow innocent babies to be murdered by the thousands each year and not pay the consequences...America is dealing with huge issues today, and the only hope we have is to repent of our sins and bring God back into our everyday day lives, not just on Easter and Christmas, even every Sunday is not enough...We need to be in His Word, spending time in His presence each and every day. 

2. Are there generational curses affecting your life or the life of your family that need repentance and restoration?

There are things passed down from generation to generation that we must repent of, and remove from our lives.  I believe everyone has things in their lives that they naturally tend to do, because of a generational curse.  I have dealt with fear all my life...and so has just about all of my sister's and there are five of us.  Do you think that is a coincidence? I don't think it is...somewhere up the line sin caused this generational curse to enter all of our lives.  I have spent much time praying, repenting of being fearful, quoting scriptures and claiming God's promises, and when fear tries to come in, it is met with the full armor of God and doesn't stick around for long...My children will not deal with this generational curse, it stops with me!

3. Repentance can be the beginning of the release of God's grace and favor in your life.

Repentance is key! Only when we ask God for forgiveness and then turn from our sin, will we see God's favor and blessings in our lives.

Unshakable Faith - Day 41: Sin and Depression

Unshakable Faith

Day 41: Sin and Depression

1. Have you suffered from depression?

No, I've never had to deal with depression, though I've had family members and friends who have dealt with it at times.

2. To be delivered from depression is not by having someone accept you the way you are, but by someone loving you enough to correct you so you can do what is right.

Loving someone enough to take a stand and tell them the truth even if it is not what they want to hear is one of the greatest ways you can love someone...Just remember to always speak the truth in love, if it is not said in and with love, it will do more harm than good.

3. Do you know of someone, or the family of someone who committed suicide?

I have heard many stories but I don't know anyone personally who has committed suicide.  It breaks my heart every time I hear about someone who thought the only way to make things better was to end it all...If they only knew that they could turn to Jesus and that God would help them work through the troubles and issues, if they only had the hope that comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus, it would have made a huge difference in their life and the lives of their loved ones.  If you are dealing with suicidal thoughts, please tell a loved one, a pastor or a counselor, get into the Word of God, talk to God, tell Him your doubts, your hurts, your troubles, ask God for guidance, healing and provision...start working on making good choices and decisions...There is hope, and it is found in Jesus!!

Unshakable Faith - Day 40: The Offering

Unshakable Faith

Day 40: The Offering

1. Are you giving to God from your own works or through the blood of Jesus?

No matter how hard we work, nothing we could ever come up with on our own would ever be a good enough gift for The King of Kings...It is easy to get into the mind set of trying to fix things and make things right before turning it over to God, but this never works.  We must come to Him just as we are, and let Him do the work for us.  When Jesus went willingly to the cross, and His innocent blood was shed for us, the price was paid.  It is only through His blood that we can dare to stand in the presence of a most holy God. 

2. The true root of almost every division within the Church is jealousy. Have you seen this happen?

Yes, I have seen jealousy cause great divisions, even close friends turn on each other when jealousy takes root.  We all need to be careful, to recognize jealousy for what it is...and ask God to work on us, to help us to find our worth in Him, not in how we see ourselves compared to others.  We can not go through life trying to be exactly like other people...we need to get to the place where we know who we are in Christ, and we live our lives to please Him, not to compete with someone else.

3. Do you trust in the cross for the ultimate victory?

Most definitely YES! I know myself well enough to know that without the cross, I would be a complete mess.  There is no way I could ever succeed without the work of the cross in my life.  Victory will only come through Jesus!!

Unshakable Faith - Day 38: The Covering

Unshakable Faith

Day 38: The Covering

1. Had you before considered that when the Lord made a covering for Adam and Eve by shedding the blood of an innocent animal, that it was a prophecy of the atonement that Jesus would make by shedding His blood for our sins?

I have read that portion of scripture multiple times, but I never made the connection...what a beautiful way for the Lord to show us His plans and provisions generations before it was to come.  This is a great reminder to me, that God is in control, and He is working in every situation to bring us all to the place of close communion and fellowship with Himself, He loves us enough to go the distance and do the hard work on our behalf, because He wants to be with us for eternity...What a wonder God's Love is!!

2. Have you ever refused to go to the cross and tried to carry the guilt of sin yourself? If so, you are saying that the cross was not enough.

Accepting the gift of forgiveness and salvation through the cross of Jesus, at times can seem almost to easy.  The office supply store known as Staples, has the red "easy button" in all their commercials, in fact you can buy little toy "easy buttons" to put on your desk as paper weights.  But the idea is that when some task seems like too much, or you don't have the time, you just hit the "easy button" and the task is done for you.  Many times in life we think it would be nice to have a real "easy button", but we don't realize that Jesus has given us the best "easy button" ever...all we have to do is call on the name of Jesus...He is enough, He will cleanse us, restore us, heal us, provide for us, and protect us.  I encourage you to accept the gift He has given to you...and stop struggling and trying to do it on your own...We can never do enough, all our good will never out weigh all our bad...We need Jesus!

3. You can have confidence to enter into the very presence of the Lord, not because of anything you can do, but because of the blood of Jesus.

It is only through the blood of Jesus that we find restoration, and redemption...Allow Jesus to cleanse your heart of sin, you will never be the same, those burdens that weigh you down, the cares and worries, the sickness and pain, give it all to Jesus, and let Him make you whole today!

Unshakable Faith - Day 36: The Curse On The Woman

Unshakable Faith

Day 36: The Curse On The Woman

1. What do you think about the "women's lib" movement?

I think there were some valid reasons for the women's liberation movement, but I believe it has been taken too far.  Women weren't made to be treated as lesser people, but they also have a God given position that is subjected and submitted to their husbands.  This doesn't mean all women are to submit to all men, just that a wife should follow her husbands leading as the head of the house.  Today many women try to take the leading role, they feel like they shouldn't have to submit to anyone.  This kind of attitude come directly from listening to the lies satan feeds us.  We need to realize that there is a reason for the way God set things up...men need to step us and start leading their families, in a loving and compassionate way, just as Christ loves the church...that means laying down their lives for their wife and children! And women, we need to honor and respect our husbands, encourage them and be the best helpmate we can be.  When our husbands lead in the way God designed, and we submit to their leadership, our marriages will be the best relationship possible between two people.

2. Do you believe that men and women have equal but different authority in a marriage?

I believe that God made men and women equally, but designated the man as the leader, to be a covering of protection, over the family.  When men fulfill there God given role and women fulfill their God given role, the two work hand in hand...it creates a wonderful -he takes care of her and she takes care of him - relationship, where everyone's needs are met and everyone puts the other before themselves.  It becomes a harmonious beautiful relationship!

3. Does your family truly reflect the relationship between Christ and His Church?

I can't say that we have it perfectly worked out...It is in our fleshly human nature to want to go against the way God designed it.  But my husband and I both recognize this, and work to stay in the roles God designed for us.  There are times when we make mistakes, get selfish, or step out of bounds  and God helps us through them.  But there are also times when JC leads and loves as he should, and I submit and love him as I should, and it is those times that are the best times of our lives.  Those are the times that we can work together in harmony, and truly be one!!

Unshakable Faith - Day 34: The Fall Deepens

Unshakable Faith

Day 34: The Fall Deepens

1.  Have you been known to slip into self-centeredness?

It is in the human nature to be self-centered...the scriptures say that there is nothing we face that is not common to all man...so if one person deals with self-centeredness, we all deal with it at one point or another.  The important thing is realizing our natural tendencies towards being self-centered, and to continually ask God to help us to love others and to put others before ourselves.

2. Have you been know to hide you sins?

We all want to look good to other people, we all have a certain amount of pride that makes us want to cover up or hide our faults from other people.  But we all have to come to the place where we realize that all the hidden sin in our lives is hindering us from living the abundantly blessed life God has planned for us.  No matter who you are, where you've been, or what you've done...it is always better to acknowledge your mistakes, take responsibility for your actions and to be completely honest about them.

3. Have you been known to shift the blame?

I remember as a kid getting in arguments with my sister. It was just about always over something insignificant, but we always made a huge deal out of it.  And before the issue was settled, we would always try to blame each other, "She started it!" or "She hit me first" or the classic "she touched me!" I think all children have times when they cast blame on someone else, and we might think we as adults have out grown this childish game of blame.  But the reality, is that we all are guilty of playing this game everyday.  We might disguise it as some mature adult way of thinking, but really it is the same as what we did as kids.  We need to realize that trying to blame others, the environment, our school systems, or the government, etc. for our problems only makes our problems worse.  The only thing that will make our problems better, is for us to realize that we can not control everything else, but we have the ability to control ourselves, and if something needs changed we should start with changing ourselves! 

Unshakable Faith - Day 31: The Delusion

Unshakable Faith

Day 31: The Delusion

1.  Are you seeking to know Him with the understanding that He will always be greater than your natural mind can comprehend?

In all we do, our goal and purpose should be to know and be like Jesus.  We can never fully understand or comprehend all there is to know about God, but when we humbly search and seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us.  God knows just what we need, and just what we are going through, and He is faithful to reveal things about Himself that apply to us...when we are walking through a dark time, He reveals himself as the Light of the World, When we are dealing with sadness, He reveals Himself as the Joy of the Lord...When we need healing He is our healer...He know and He is all we need.

2. Do you sleep peacefully because you are not worried about something hidden being revealed about you?

When we have things hidden, secretive sins, the fear of them being found out is a terrible thing...I've known people who have said that once they came to Christ and found forgiveness and were set free from all the baggage and bondage that comes with a sinful life, they had their first peaceful, restful night of sleep ever in over 40 some years...I am so thankful that we can come to Jesus and He is our peace!! 

3. Have you drawn near to God with confidence so that you will receive mercy and grace in time of need?

God wants us to draw nearer to Him...He is so willing to give us mercy and grace when we need it.  All we have to do is humble ourselves, and earnestly seek Him.