Wonderful joy ahead

1 Peter 1: 6-9 So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

Spring

I just love spring. My flowers are blooming & I cut my lawn for the first time this season. It looks great. I hope it continues to stay nice. We had frost over the weekend. So the mornings were chilly. Simba got her haircut so she is ready for the heat. I am still job searching. No leads yet but I'll keep you posted. I am being patient and waiting on the Lord's direction for my life. We had revival this weekend at church and I sure needed reviving. The preacher spoke of "A Trip to the Potter's House". He spoke of us being a vessel. We are a vessel, formed by God to do His work. And God gives us 2nd chances, well more than just a 2nd chance. Isn't that awesome? He doesn't throw us away like a piece of clay that a potter doesn't like. We are retreaded & revived & give more chances than we deserve. He make us new all over again if we repent. A new start. Isn't that what we all need sometimes?
I read this morning in 2 Timothy 2:20-22 about this.
Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses (asks for forgiveness) himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from yuothful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those call on the Lord from a pure heart.
23-26 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and espace from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Put God in charge

I finally got a copy of The Message last night. I have been wanting to get a copy ever since a PWOC study and someone kept reading what it said about what we were studying. The purpose of The Message is not to use it as a study Bible but to just read from it. The idea isn't to water down the Bible but to read the Bible like a book you would read for pleasure. It is written in words we would use everyday. The intro says to let God take the reins-teaching you, knowing you, and changing you. Wow. If we all could have teachable hearts and use God as our teacher. WHEW. What a thought!

Everything with a Place & a Purpose

Proverbs 16
Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word. Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good. Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place. God made everything with a place and purpose; even the wicked are included-but for judgment. God can't stomach arrogance or pretense; believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place. Guilt is banished through love and truth; Fear-of-God defects evil. When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand. Far better to right and poor than to be wrong and rich. We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.

Live for today

This is awesome! Thanks Pops for sending it my way.

http://www.positivepause.com

A special prayer for you

Each and every one of us are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. My instructions were to pick four people that I wanted God to bless, and I picked you, people who read my blog. This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another.
The Prayer: Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those I care deeply for who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

All hope is in Him and Him alone

Psalm 62:1-8

My soul waits in slience for God only; From Him is my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.
How long will you assail a man, That you may murder him, all of you,
Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence? They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; They delight in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse.
My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Conduct yourself worthy

Philippians 1:27-30
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm (AMEN-thank God I am) in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents-which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake (on the cross), not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer (trials) for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Keep the faith! Keep the main thing the main thing!

Victory in battles

In our Sunday school lesson, there is this wonderful quote about battles we will face:
The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came...Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory.
R.A. Torrey

Keep praying!

Another battle...or is it?

Every Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge. Wow. So heart wrenching to read about yourself. I can see where I have failed God in many areas. I am thankful for my many friends who have tried to help me be a better person and to keep me accountable for various aspects of my life. Thank you forever friends :) You know who you are.
Last night I read this quote from The Message, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way...The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
I don't usually like to quote from The Message but I thought this was worth quoting. Isn't that the truth, the world doesn't fight fair? Life isn't fair. God didn't tell us this would be an easy road. But going through trials make us stronger and bring us closer to Him. AMEN! Keep making the main thing the main thing. Matthew 22:37-38 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.

Battle

I am currently reading Every Man's Battle by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. What an eye opener! I like what I read last night about counting the cost. What is your Christian life costing you? It costs something to learn about Christ but it costs a lot to live like Christ. Wow...that is earth shattering. The author also compared excellence and obedience. I thought they were so similiar but they are so different. He says American businesses are in search of excellence. They could be in search of perfection, of course-perfect products, perfect service-but perfection is too costly and eats into profits. Rather than be perfect, businesses know it is enough to seem perfect to their customers. By stopping short of perfection, they find a profitable balance between quality and costs. How far can we go and still seem perfect? Excellence is a mixed standard while obedience is a fixed standard. We want and shoot for the fixed standard. Fred asked himself, How far can I go and still be called a Christian? The book isn't just for men. There is a section at the end of the chapters designed to help women understand and support the men they love. If I only would have known some of these things that cause temptation and that a man can fight to win. So if you want to know the struggles every man faces, this is a must read.

Ezekiel 6:9
Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who will remember me-how I (God) have grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done.

Praise be to God that He forgives our sins. But He knows our heart and will only forgive if we are asking from our heart.

Psalms getting me through

Psalm 71:12-16
O God, do not be far from me; O my God, hasten to my help! Let those who are adversaries of my soul be ashamed and consumed; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, who seek to injure me. But as for me, I will hope continually. And will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them. I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.

I sometimes feel all alone, with just Simba here with me. But God is with me. He has not forsaken me. He sends me friends who comfort me in times when I just need a hug. It is God who is allowing me to hold on to the this thread that I am clinging to. God tells me there is hope and I am relying on this hope. I just have to keep being reminded of this hope because my flesh just wants to give up. Our lives are a testimony of what God has done for us. Thank you God for doing so many things for me even though I don't deserve them.