Tag Archives: Serving the Lord

Lord, Thanks For Giving!

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Psalm 69:30  “I will Praise the Name of God with Song, And shall Magnify Him with Thanksgiving.”

Gracious Heavenly Father…

Thanks for Giving Me…

All Your Promises…

Your Precious Word to Guide Me through this Life…

Your Beloved Son to Give Me New Life…

And Your Holy Spirit to Teach me all Truth!

For my Parents who Brought Me Up to Love You…

For my Husband who Works to keep us Safe…

For my Son who never ceases to be the Delight of my Life…

For Our Precious Siberian who Gives us Unconditional Love and Affection every Day!

For my Siblings, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins who Know How to Pray…

For Good Friends wherever we have Lived and Worked…

For Caring Believers wherever we have Worshiped…

For Helpful Acquaintances along the Path of Life…

For our Jobs over the years that have been Blessings from You…

For the Safety and Protection of our Home, Cars, and Finances…

For our Health in Body, Mind, and Spirit…

For Your Gift of allowing us to Retire to the Town and Neighborhood of our Dreams…

For Teaching us to Delight in You…

To Love Others…

And to see Everyone as You see Them…

To Minister with Grace and Encouragement for Your Kingdom!

I Pray Your Blessing on this Blog, to be a Powerful Ministry for You…

And that I Always Know how Very Blessed I Am…

In Knowing Who You Are!

Lord, Thanks for Giving…

I Welcome You Into My Life Always, Lord!

Can You Stand?

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Sunday’s message at  the church we visited while on vacation was…

“The Word Stands, So Stand On The Word!!”

The Pastor said…

“Get in the word, and let the Word get into you!

Faith=See what God promises…

See new possibilities!!

You get what you see…

And what you believe!

Don’t doubt!

Believe WHEN you pray and then get it!

Not just pray and get!

You must believe first!

All God’s promises are ‘YES’ to us!

He is the Lord who heals us!

FAITH sees only what God promises…

Not the problems!

The Word is living!

The Word is the Sword of the Spirit needed to win the battle!!”

I don’t know about you…

But I have friends and family who need miracles of healing right now as I write this…

Thank you Pastor Leonard…I was so blessed by this powerful message!

So I’m sending it along to everyone!

“Think Beyond Yourself…”

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I was listening to Dr. Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries, on TV the other day…

His message was on “Forgiveness, Think Beyond Yourself…”

He wasn’t talking about God’s forgiveness of us…

That’s easy…

Just repent and accept it!

But, our forgiveness to others!

Ouch!

That’s hard!

We don’t want to!!

We question…

We vent…

We complain..

We state our case…

To everyone…

To God…

Do You know what he/she did to me???

Said to me???

But Dr. Stanley said, “You can do all that, but it’s still clear from Scripture that you MUST…

Forgive!

To be Forgiven…

Don’t even bother to ask, Dr. Stanley said…

“Is it God’s will for me to forgive__________(insert name!) AGAIN????”

It is His will!

Let it go!

Don’t let satan take a root…

It’s a choice you need to make!

That you MUST make!

Lay it down…

With God’s power!

Here’s a tip:

Dr. Stanley says, “Pray for the other person, so that your attention won’t be on yourself!”

Ask, “What can I do for the other person?”

Get rid of your unforgiveness…

Even if your request for forgiveness is rejected…

When your unforgiveness is gone…

You won’t see  the other person in the same way…

Harsh feelings will be replaced with a new attitude…

Accept the other person as they are…

Give them time…

God’s working on them…

And on your behalf, also…

So you can understand why they act as they do…

Life is too short for you to just avoid the other person…

Or to wait for them to apologize…

Choose to Forgive today!

To be free…

And not bound by unforgiveness!

Preaching to myself!

I had to put this into practice just today!!

Matthew 6:15

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:21

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.

Collide With The Healer!

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Are you hurting???

Listen to  “The Hurt & The Healer”

by MercyMe

Here are the lyrics…

“Why?
The question that is never far away…
The healing doesn’t come from the explained…
Jesus, please don’t let this go in vain…
You’re all I have…
All that remains…

So here I am…
What’s left of me…
Where glory meets my suffering…

I’m alive…
Even though a part of me has died…
You take my heart and breathe it back to life…
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide…
When the hurt and the Healer collide…

Breathe…
Sometimes I feel it’s all that I can do…
Pain so deep that I can hardly move…
Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You…
Lord, take hold and pull me through…

So here I am…
What’s left of me…
Where glory meets my suffering…

I’m alive…
Even though a part of me has died…
You take my heart and breathe it back to life…
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide…
When the hurt and the Healer collide…

It’s the moment when humanity…
Is overcome by majesty…
When grace is ushered in for good…
And all our scars are understood…
When mercy takes its rightful place…
And all these questions fade away…
When out of the weakness we must bow…
And hear You say ‘It’s over now!’

I’m alive…
Even though a part of me has died…
You take my heart and breathe it back to life…
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide…
When the hurt and the Healer collide…

Jesus, come and break my fear…
Awake my heart and take my tears…
Find Your glory even here…
When the hurt and the Healer collide…”

Take your hurt…

and…

Collide with the Healer!  Amen!

My New Bank Is Stalking Me!

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I feel the need to vent!!!

I have a new bank…

Well, an old bank with a new name…

And a new way of doing business…

I think they’re super sugary sweet…

And super annoying!!

Every time I go through the drive-thru window…

They want to chat, sell me some new services, or invite me to come in and talk with one of their helpful representatives…

Duh…if I wanted to “COME IN”…

I wouldn’t have driven up to the window!!

Or, they ask about my family members…

I call that preying…

I’m always in a hurry when I need to run to the bank…

Especially after work!

Hence, the name “Drive-Thru” window…

Not…”Come-In!  Sit-And-Chat-Awhile” window!!

You’re supposed to get your business taken care of quickly, and drive on thru!!!!

Ladies, you know this is true…

I’m thinking of other things!!

My next stop,

Drama choreography,

Things I need to do when I get  home,

What am I going to eat when I get there,

When am I going to finally get to collapse and get some sleep,

How to keep my “Siberian Craziness” dog from jumping on me when I walk through the door with all my packages from Wal-Mart?????

Now, these are important questions that I need to mull over while driving…

And while waiting at the drive-thru window at the bank…

I don’t need to have a long drawn out conversation with anyone!

A teller at one of the bank branches in my town is from NJ, like me…

So you can imagine how long that conversation was…

When I was already running late to unlock the door for drama practice after work!!

Last week, one of the tellers asked me how my husband was doing…

She called him by name!!

What does that mean…

I don’t even know her!

Should I say, “Well, we had a huge argument…”

And then, go on and on about the details, ’til she says, “I have another customer…”

Should I say, “He’s wonderful!  I love him!  He does so much for me!”

And risk nauseating her?

Should I tell her,  “He’s outside doing lawn work in our front yard and complaining because there’s so much work, and it’s hot and humid here in FL!”

I just don’t know the “Bank-Teller-Sharing-Confidential-Friends-Only-Information” Policy!!

I don’t even know if there is such a policy!

This is my first run-in with this!!

Also, my husband complains about them because he has to show his driver’s license at the window every time he drives thru…

I don’t know if they give him the 3rd degree about me when he’s there…

But, if they know him so well, why does he need to show his driver’s license????

Does anyone else out there in blogger’s land feel this way???

Before the “Take-Over,” and name change at my bank…

I loved my bank!

They were friendly, helpful, and knew their place in my life….

Now, I have a bank that wants to come right in, and dwell in my life…

Only Jesus gets to do that!!

Don’t get me wrong…

Before my wonderful bank changed its name…

And the bank with the new name started stalking me…

My husband and I had a great rapport with our banker!

He was young, knowledgeable, and spoke “banking” in a way we could understand!!

Amen and Hallelujah!!

We loved him, and still keep in contact with him…

He’s at another bank!

My son and husband even played golf with him, and his Dad!

Where they could talk all day if they wanted…

I might have to change banks!

Folks, is church the same way?

Sugary sweet for the purpose of selling people something?

Selling them our wonderful programs???

Selling them on Jesus?

He needs no selling…

Just let people  feel the moving of His Holy Spirit in their lives…

And God will take it from there…

Are we welcoming or pushy??

No stalking, please!

There’s a fine line, Church…

“Hi!  Welcome to our church…Thanks for visiting…We have church tonight, come on back…Monday night we’re off, so you can enjoy your family at home…Tuesday is game night…Wednesday is family night…Thursday is choir practice…Friday night is youth group…Saturday night is pot luck…Sign up for the Bible study…Men’s meeting…Ladies outreach…

And, Oh, yes, the missions trip to Haiti is in two weeks!!

Do all of your family members go to church?  We have  Kids church, a Toddler class, a Nursery, a media center, a playground……………..etc.

And also, a group for the senior citizens!!”

You get the point!

I love all these programs…

But, it’s not about them…

It’s about Jesus!

Be sincere!!

Show them God’s love…

Point them to Jesus…

Welcome them into the Family of God…

Not just into your church!

Love the people…

Care for their needs…

Not just inviting them to the great ministries you provide…

People can spot sugary sweet a mile away…

I know I can!

Yes, You Can Change!

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I just heard a new contemporary Christian song…

“Who You Are” by Unspoken

Go…Listen to it!

It’s Awesome!

Here are the lyrics…

“I know that look you’re givin’ like you got something to prove…
‘Cause I have walked for miles and miles in that same pair of shoes…
You refuse forgiveness like it’s something to be earned…
But sometimes pain’s the only way that we can learn…

You can never fall too hard, so fast, so far…
That you can’t get back, when you’ve lost where you are…
It’s never too late, so bad
So much, that you can’t change who you are!

You can change who you are!

You believe in freedom, but you don’t know how to choose…
You gotta step out of your feelings that you’re so afraid to lose…
Everyday, yeah, you put your feet on the floor…
You gotta walk through the door, it’s never gonna be easy…
But it’s all worth fighting for…

You can never fall too hard, so fast, so far…
That you can’t get back when you’ve lost where you are
It’s never too late, so bad
So much, that you can’t change who you are...

You can change who you are!

So let the ashes fall wherever they land…
Come back from wherever you’ve been…
To the foot of the cross, to the feet of Jesus…
The feet of Jesus!

You can never fall too hard, so fast, so far…
That you can’t get back when you’ve lost where you are…
It’s never too late, so bad…
So much, that you can’t change who you are...

At the foot of the cross you change who you are!

You can change!”

I’ve Changed My Mind…

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Again…

Yes, I have!

Many times over the  years!!

Like the time when, newly married in our first apartment in NJ, we bought a pine roll-top desk…

Had it stained a dark walnut…

Used it and loved it!

Then, some of my friends took me to an antique auction, and I saw my first antique oak roll top desk…

An “Ah-ha” moment, for sure…

I definitely changed my mind!

And fell in love with something new!

Or, when we moved to FL…

And finally got to buy furniture we loved…

Instead of family hand-me-downs…

We bought a master bedroom suite…

Loved it…

Then I saw on HGTV that “matchy, matchy” wasn’t IN anymore…

Uh-Oh!

Here we go again…

I’m not an overly fickle person, I only buy things I really, really, love…

So when we got to choose stuff for our house in FL…

I chose colors, textures, and patterns that I could love for a long time…

Like curtains, carpets, room colors, tile, light fixtures, pool tiles, lanai screen, etc.

I don’t want to keep changing my mind!!

It’s frustrating…

Well, we have a God that loves us!

Always!

God never changes His mind about us…ever!

He loved us yesterday…

He loves us today…

And, He’ll love us tomorrow!!

He’s not fickle at all!!

It keeps our  life and our heart so peaceful…

Have you changed your mind lately?

If you don’t know Jesus…

That’s the only change you need to make!

Change your mind and accept Him…

And then He’ll show you…

That He’ll never change His mind about you…

He’ll never want something new…

No “Ah-ha” moments…

No “Uh-Oh!”

Or, falling in love with something else…

He created you…

He loves you!!

That’s final!

No game change…

He will never change His mind about that!

Ahhhhh….peace!

How And When Did You Meet Jesus???

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This is your post today!!

Your Comments will tell the story and witness to others…go for it!!

Was it anything like this???

Listen to “When Mercy Found Me”

by Rhett Walker Band

Here are the lyrics:

“Something had to give, something had to give…

‘Cause living my life so wild and free, finally caught up…

Oh, it left me broken, left me hopeless…

But that’s where I met Jesus…

In one moment everything changed…
Who I was got washed away…
When mercy found me…
My Savior’s arms were open wide…
And I felt love for the very first time…
When mercy found me…
All those days, all those doubts…
They don’t seem to matter now…
His Grace is all I need…
And the chains that I was in before…
They don’t hold me anymore…
His love has rescued me…
His love has set me free…
In one moment everything changed…
Who I was got washed away…
When mercy found me…
My Savior’s arms were open wide…
And I felt love for the very first time…
When mercy found me…
My mind found peace…
My soul found hope…
My heart found a home…
In one moment everything changed…
Who I was got washed away…
When mercy found me…
My Savior’s arms were open wide…
And I felt love for the very first time…
When mercy found me…”
Yes, it felt exactly like this!!  Amen!

Song Lyrics For The Church…

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Listen to “Jesus, Friend Of Sinners” by Casting Crowns

It teaches the Church a powerful message…

Here are the lyrics…

“Jesus, Friend of sinners…

We have strayed so far away…
We cut down people in your name…

But the sword was never ours to swing…

Jesus, Friend of sinners the truth’s become so hard to see…
The world is on their way to You…

But they’re tripping over me…
Always looking around, but never looking up…

I’m so double minded…
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided…

Oh, Jesus, Friend of sinners…
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers…
Let our hearts be led by mercy…
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors…
Oh, Jesus, Friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours…

Jesus, Friend of sinners the one who’s writing in the sand…
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands…
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves…
Let the memory of Your mercy bring your people to their knees…

Nobody knows what we’re for, only what we’re against…

When we judge the wounded…
What if we put down our signs, crossed over the lines…

And love like You did…
Oh, Jesus, Friend of sinners …
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers…
Let our hearts be led by mercy…
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh, Jesus, Friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours…

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast…
For the leper and the lame; they’re the reason that You came…
Lord, I was that lost cause…

And I was the outcast…

But you died for sinners just like me…

A grateful leper at Your feet…

‘Cause You are good, You are good…

And Your love endures forever…
You are good, You are good…

And Your love endures forever…
Oh, Jesus, Friend of sinners…
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers…
Let our hearts be led by mercy…
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors…
Oh, Jesus, Friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks Yours…

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast…

You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet…”

Amen and Amen!!

I have nothing to add…

Except to pray that we the Church listen…

I Eat Meat!

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Nothing against vegetarians!!

I’m talking about spiritually…

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,

So that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”  I Peter 2:2  NIV

Milk is for baby Christians…

Grow up…

Eat meat!

“For when…you ought to be teachers,

You have need that one teach you again…;

And…have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”  KJV

Crave strong meat, not just milk…

Pick up your Bible!

God’s Holy Word…

God’s instructions on how to live a victorious Christian life…

An abundant life!

Open it and devour it!

The Bible teaches us to Believe…

Feed your Belief!

We’re told to increase our Faith…

Feed your Faith, so it will grow!

Start with the book of John in the New Testament to learn about the Word made flesh…

Jesus!

Pray for understanding as you read…

Let the Holy Spirit talk to you…

I’m attending a DVD/Bible study right now by Robert Morris, based on his book The God I Never Knew.

He says, “To many people the Holy Spirit is mysterious, confounding—even controversial.”

As the senior pastor of Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas, Robert Morris reveals a common-sense approach to the Holy Spirit.

He explains, “The Holy Spirit doesn’t need to be feared and isn’t a weird element of the trinity…

The Holy Spirit is a person who thinks, feels and has desires, and is present to help each person live the Christian life.

Perhaps its time for you to meet the God you’ve had misconceptions about…

The one you’ve feared..

Or the one you never knew!”

I’ve never been more excited about a Bible study message before!!

I believe it should be shouted from the roof tops!!

I love learning more and more about the Holy Spirit…

And how He operates in our lives…

You can also read these Christian books:

John Bevere:  The Bait Of Satan.

This is my all-time favorite Christian book…it’s about how we should not take offense at everything that happens in our lives!

Because that’s what the enemy uses to try to defeat us…

It’s the bait he uses!

To hook us!

A must read for every Christian, for sure!!

His other books are great, too!  Heart Ablaze, Relentless, Extraordinary, and more…

Pastor Reza Soffa:  Blessings In The Light Of Our Redemption, and more…

Joseph Prince:  Destined To Reign, Unmerited Favor, and more..

T.D. Jakes: Reposition Yourself, Woman Thou Art Loosed, and more…

Reinhard Bonnke:  Evangelism By Fire, Taking Action, and more…

Joyce Meyer:  Battlefield Of The Mind, Never Give Up! and more…

Joel Osteen:  Your Best Life Now, Every Day A Friday, Become A Better You, and more…

Rick Warren:  The Purpose Driven Life, The Purpose Driven Church,

Max Lucado:

He is my all-time favorite Christian writer…I could read his books forever, since…

Because of his God-given gift of writing, I can picture in my mind everything he’s saying!  His writing is awesome!

Read his other books, also…Facing your Giants, It’s Not About Me, He Choose The Nails, Cure For The Common Life, and more…

Also read anything by Billy Graham, Charles Stanley, Tony Dungy, John Eldredge, Tim LaHaye, Beth Moore,  Stormie Omartian, Lee Strobel,  Philip Yancey, Bill Hybels.  There are so many anointed Christian writers, pastors, and speakers!

Go ahead…read them!

And go where you can (to church, Bible studies, conferences, conventions, camps, etc.) to…

Learn…

To Dig Deep!!

To find that morsel of meat in the Word to nourish your spirit…

Something that tastes so good to your spiritual taste buds…

Take notes…

Read the Scriptures again at home…

Pray…

Pray for your pastor, your speaker, your Bible teacher…

That God will fill them with wisdom and understanding…

To teach you God’s Word with a fresh anointing each time you hear them speak…

A baby must be fed…

A mature Christian needs to find what sustains the spirit-man…

Listen to God when He speaks…

Listen to worship music that lifts up your soul…

And praises your God!

Put contemporary Christian tunes on your iPod…

Download them onto your computer…

Play them when you’re walking your dog…

Or driving in your car…

Keep a prayer constantly on your lips…

And a song in your heart…

Some of my favorite contemporary Christian artists are:

Casting Crowns, tobymac, Francesca Battistelli, Laura Story, Skillet, Newsboys, Mandisa, Jamie Grace, Britt Nicole, Steven Curtis Chapman, Anthem Lights, MercyMe, Eddie James, and so many, many more…

Are you hungry, yet?

Hungry for more of the Lord?

Hungry for meat?

Sit down to a bountiful feast with the Lord…

When you’re blessed with meat, be grateful to God…

Because He is the only One who satisfies us with a full meal!