DEDICATED TO: God, Jesus, and the Holy-Spirit Who never left and along with the Written word is my foundation I will always be in debt to you For I would not have anything if it were Not for my Father My prayer for you As you read this is that both of us would grow spiritually This blog is about gowing, walking closer with our Heavenly Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit
Friday, February 27, 2009
Meditate
Deck of Cards
It was quiet that day,the guns and the mortars,and landmines for some reason hadn't been heard.
The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the holiest day of the week.
As he was sitting there, he got out an old deck of cards and laid them out across his bunk.
Just then an army sergeant came in and said, 'Why aren't you with the rest of the platoon?'
The soldier replied, 'I thought I would stay behind and spend some time with the Lord.'
The sergeant said, 'Looks to me like you're going to play cards.'
The soldier said, 'No, sir. You see, since we are not allowed to have Bibles or other spiritual books in this country,
I've decided to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards.'
The sergeant asked in disbelief, 'How wil l you do that?'
'You see the Ace, Sergeant? It reminds me that there is only one God.
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments
The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them were glorified.
The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.
The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation.
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives -- the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth.
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy He cleansed ten, but nine never thanked Him.
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.
The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of Go d's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.
The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365 total, one for every day of the year.
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a year.
The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
Each suit has thirteen cards -- there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.
So when I want to talk to God and thank Him,
I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for.'
The sergeant just stood there.
After a minute, with tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, he said, 'Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?'
Please let this be a reminder and take time to pray for all of our soldiers who are being sent away, putting their lives on the line fighting
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Leap of Faith
After all a person's value comes from God
It's like I read somewhere when you realize that everything you have comes from God.
Well everyone does matter.
Okay Okay allow me to set the stage
Last week at the Singles Ministry that I attend quite frequently we had a baptism service.
There were 14 people that had signed up to be baptized last Thursday
Last Thursday morning the singles Pastor felt God impress on him how they were more people that needed to be baptized.
So he sets off to the store and gets 8 shirts and 7 pair of shorts all different sizes of course.
That night everything that the Pastor had purchased was used. Instead of 14 being baptized 21 people were now baptized.
I want to talk about the last person for just a minute he walked up to the Pastor and said "Do you think that God can love me?"
Well you guessed it the Pastor said Yes and He led him in the prayer of salvation and then He was baptized that night.
Thus all the clothes that the Pastor had purchased was used and instead of 14 people baptized 21 people got baptized.
Talk about a spiritual High.
I must admit I just wanted to sit there and soak up Gods Presence like a sponge.
To soak Gods love up like a sponge.
For you see the Pastor listened to God and as the Pastor tapped the rock God was faithful.
Well lets just say a lot of people had spiritual hangovers so to speak
Always remember you do matter for God knew you before He formed the Earth.
Think about it.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Doubts
I doubt you have ever been saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrian Rogers
Jesus responds to our doubts by showing us who He really is (Matt 11: 4-6)
Gods word is not given for information
Gods word is given for transformation
Jesus never breaks His promise
"I show you doubt, to prove that faith exists." ---Robert Browning
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." --John Wooden
Remember God loves you where ever you are.
Whatever your feelings are that is what God wants
Remember God uses the weak to lead the strong
Friday, February 20, 2009
ONE PERSON . . . . .
JESUS DID !
If only one person that has accepted Jesus could tell one person
Only one person telling one person
What a difference HEAVEN would be . . . . . . .
IF ONLY . . . . . . .
GOD leaves the choice up to you . . . . .
Remember God gave mankind free will . . . . .
IF ONLY . . . .
Thursday, February 19, 2009
TO BE A SPONGE ! ! !
Sponge - to absorb
Like most people you might think of absorbing a liquid maybe water. Okay I will admit it that was my first thought.
Then somewhere along the way I started thinking of God's presence.
Have you ever wanted to do any of the following:
-To soak the presence of God up like a sponge thirsty for more.
-To have a hunger for THE ONE WHO GAVE IT ALL FOR YOU
-To have a thirst for THE ONE WHO GAVE IT ALL FOR ME
Ah yes Jesus did give everything He Had for you, for me or is it for me, for you.
To just soak it up .
To be a sponge when you feel the presence of :
_God
- Jesus
-Holy-Spirit
-Written Word ( in this case when you hear or read)
Just to be a sponge soaking up everything that is Good from God
A very wise Pastor said "Change People Change People"
Another wise person said "Now Go Change someone by the power of the Holy Spirit that is within you."
Ah yes to soak it up and then to share Gods love with another person.
One of the biggest fears a Christian has to Witness to another person.
For those who have shared their faith with another I salute you.
For those who say that God is their Heavenly Father I hear by challenge you to share your faith with 1 person while hear on Earth.
It can be as simple as saying 'YOU MATTER TO GOD" or maybe something like 'ONE BIRTH CHANGED HISTORY".
Then if you hear a question you can tell them about Jesus.
Remember how your heart and life was changed the second you asked Jesus into your heart.
Changed People Change People
S T O P ! ! ! !
Some are co-workers. Ok I forwarded it to a lot of co-workers.
I received this e-mail from my Uncle who gets up early every morning
just to pray for ME!!
Read This Slowly
Jack took a long look at his speedometer
before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone.
Fourth time in as many months.
How could a guy get caught so often?
When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour,
Jack pulled over, but only partially.
Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard.
Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror.
The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.
Bob? Bob from Church?
Jack sunk farther into his trench coat.
This was worse than the coming ticket.
A cop catching a guy from his own church.
A guy who happened to be a little eager
to get home after a long day at the office.
A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.
Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.
'Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this.'
'Hello, Jack.' No smile.
'Guess you caught me red-handed
in a rush to see my wife and kids.'
'Yeah, I guess.' Bob seemed uncertain. Good. 'I've seen some long days at the office lately.
I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once.'
Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. 'Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight.
Know what I mean?'
'I know what you mean.
I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct .'
Ouch.
This was not going in the right direction.
Time to change tactics.
'What'd you clock me at?'
Seventy.
Would you sit back in your car please?'
'Now wait a minute here, Bob.
I checked as soon as I saw you.
I was barely nudging 65.'
The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.
Please, Jack, in the car.
Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door.
Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard.
He was in no rush to open the window.
The minutes ticked by.
Bob scribbled away on the pad.
Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?
Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays
before Jack ever sat near this cop again.
A tap on the door jerked his head to the left.
There was Bob, a folded paper in hand
Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.
'Thanks.'
Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.
Bob returned to his police car without a word.
Jack watched his retreat in the mirror.
Jack unfolded the sheet of paper.
How much was this one going to cost?
Wait a minute.
What was this? Some kind of joke?
Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
'Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter.
She was six when killed by a car.
You guessed it - a speeding driver.
A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free.
Free to hug his daughters, all three of them.
I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven
before I can ever hug her again.
A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man.
A thousand times I thought I had.
Maybe I did, but I need to do it again.
Even now.
Pray for me.
And be careful, Jack,
my son is all I have left.'
'Bob' Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car
pull away and head down the road.
Jack watched until it disappeared.
A full 15 minutes later, he too,
pulled away and drove slowly home,
praying for forgiveness and
hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.
Life is precious.
Handle with care.
This is an important message;
please pass it along to your friends.
Drive safely and carefully.
Remember, cars are not the only things
recalled by their maker.
Funny how you can send a thousand jokes
through e-mail and they spread like wildfire,
but when you start sending messages
regarding the sanctity of life,
people think twice about sharing.
Funny how when you go to forward this message,
you will not send it to many on your address list
because you're not sure what they believe,
or what they will think of you
for sending it to them.
Pass this on,
you may save a life.
Maybe not,
but we'll never know if we don't try.
May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God
that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
'I believe that friends are quiet angels
who lift us to our feet
when our wings
have trouble remembering how to fly.'
Just send this.
The life you save may be ...
Your own child or grandchild.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Person of the Wek
TO CONTINUE TO LEAVE DEFEATED TAKES NO EFFORT
TO OVERCOME A SITUATION IT MAY SEEM TO TAKE EVERYTHING THAT
THE PERSON HAS INSIDE THEM SOMETIMES IT MAY SEEM IMPOSSIBLE BUT WITH THE GRACE OF GOD IT CAN BE DONE
This week my person of the week is a group of some special lady's.
They are the graduates of Mercy Ministries.
Life is never easy for anyone.
But the graduates of Mercy Ministries have chosen to be over comers.
After they complete the program and graduate over 80% become Missionaries or Counselors
to help others who are broken hearted.
As I have said many times before a person does not have to look to get knocked down.
On the flip side a person has to look to find encouragement.
Sometimes even in America a person has to look to find Jesus.
The good news is God is always reaching His hand down regardless of where a person is spiritually.
For more information feel free to click on the link.
The best part is the Mercy Graduates come out praising their Heavenly Father.
In my book these are very strong women and I would like to take this opportunity to salute them.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Deep Breathe
---Allow me to set the stage:
-Its that time of year once again
-Time to have your annual physical or maybe its a sick visit
-Regardless it involves a trip to the Doctor's office
-I'll be the first to admit if I can skip the annual physicals I will
-(DON'T TELL THE Doctor shhhhhhhhh...........)
-Still occasionally I get sick and I must admit once again I dread going to the
doctor. I don't know about you but its expensive to get better.
-Yet even though I'm sick its usually the flu ugh.
-Even though its difficulty for me to take breath I know I will hear the question.
-The Doctor enters the room :
-checks my ears (oh no, I think here it comes.....)
-take a deep breath (I think to myself I can't talk and I was just asked to take a deep breath)
- I found myself telling the Doctor I will try
-It seems like just the other day I found myself realizing everything that God did just so I could take a deep breath.
God knew I would need:
-a pair of lungs
-my heart would need to beat
-it would require for my brain to be active (after all the brain plays a crucial role especially with the other organs or so I'm told)
-a deep breath involves the digestive system
-Then of course God knew I would need a nose.
OK you win. I must admit God knew everything that I would need just to take a
deep breath. Every good n perfect gift comes from above.
Smile or Frown The Choice is YOURS
After all I must admit I do not have to look to get knocked down.
On the flip side I do have to look to find something encouraging.
Unfortunately, whether you turn the TV on or buy a newspaper. The result is the same.
You either read or hear about something that is negative.
Once again on the flip side you have to seek and search.
To read or learn about how a person chose not to be a victim but instead chose to be an
over comer. Which brings me to something as simple as a smile.
Studies have shown that it indeed takes less muscles to smile.
Yet it's easier to find a frown than a smile.
I must admit I found myself thinking "As a man thinketh so he is....."""
Simple, yet profound.
Frown vs. smile
Smile vs. frown
Regardless one or the other was spoken to that person's spirit man and if that was not important enough it was spoken to their destiny.
For you see a smile brings victory.
For you see a frown brings defeat.
Defeat vs. Victory
Victory vs. Defeat.
Remember it wouldn't be God's Love after all God gave man FREE-WILL
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Valentine's Day
Okay I have 2 Jesus stockings.
Let me guess? Why are you writing about a Christmas stocking.
Well I was hoping that you would ask that ?
In the Jesus stocking in my room. It has multiple uses.
After all whatever is on my heart that's what God wants to hear.
Come on lets face it God know my heart far better than I.
So what goes in my Jesus stockings?
I have praise reports.
Answered prayers.
Of course they are prayer requests.
Then comes one of my favorite parts.
I buy my Heavenly Father cards after all everything I have comes from Him.
Now don't get me wrong. After all I'm not saying that you have to do it. Its just
something that I do for My Heavenly Father.
Last year I got Father's day cards, Valentine's Day Card, Christmas Cards.
The card that I put in my Jesus stocking for Valentine's Day last year is worth sharing.
In hopes that it will help in some shape, manner or form.
Here goes:
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Worth Sharing
I ddn't realize how spiritually hungry I really was.
Ok so I took a lot of notes in 1 hour. Okay you win I took 4 pages of notes.
Okay I'll admit that I was so thankful to be fed spiritual.
OK its so good that its worth sharing some key points
Does it have to end????
It was dedicated to God, Jesus, and the Holy-Spirit.
Okay that is my favorite part of the entire blog.
Allow me to set the stage:
Most of the people who read it are people that I work with.
I'll be the first to say that God has blessed me with the job I have.
This weekend me and Debbie just hung out.
To say that it was relaxing would be an understatement.
To sit there and to discuss the written word was such a luxury.
The best part was just sipping my coffee while I listened.
I found myself thinking does it have to end???
I'm enjoying spending time with George, Barbara, and Debbie.
If only this moment could last....
After I left I realized it had become one of my favorite memories.
I guess it did last.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
After all Valentine's Day is coming up.
A day that we tell others that we love them.
But what's so special about Valentine's Day??
Why wait to a special day to tell a person that he or she means a lot to you.
After all God never sleeps nor slumbers. All because God loves Y O U.
A person's worth and value come from God.
According to God Y O U MATTER!
Then again Jesus shed His blood for you because Jesus loves you more than you will ever know.
Then I found myself thinking about my very own heart.
After all its not that big.
Yet it is just the right size for Jesus to come n dwell in.
"Always remember that My heart is the biggest of all.
There is nothing too small or too big for me.
After all My Heart is so big that I shed my blood for you.
Love,
Jesus"
Regardless of the type of day you have had.
Regardless of what you are going through.
Remember Gods Love is the Biggest of all.
For it was God who made your heart just big enough for Him to dwell in.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Dependent
GOD ON THE CROSS
BUILD CHURCHES
Monday, January 26, 2009
LOVE OF GOD
LOVE OF GOD
As I look to the left to the right I see God’s love.
It is painted in laughter I hear a smile on a Grandma’s face.
Its funny how Grandparents work.
When they are just parents it is typical for the son or the daughter as the case may be to hear both yes and no.
When they become a Grandparent suddenly their love is different.
They get all the favorite things for the grandchildren.
Its common to hear just don’t tell your MOM and of course the child is going to say I am going to do just that.
Cause in the Child's mind I want you to bless me and you wont feel good if you don’t bless me.
Kind of makes me wonder where they get that idea.
Then I find myself stopping and thinking that God knew the book of Revelation before He chose for there to be a beginning.
To begin simply means to create, start, implement, however whenever there is a beginning there must be a finish line.
What is so interesting that God knew the order that the verses need to be in.
The written word is a gift from God to His sons and daughters.
After all God remembers everything that He has ever spoken and will ever speak to every one of His sons and daughters.
Regardless how mankind acts nice or mean, an act of friendship or a hate crime the choice is left up to mankind.
Not that mankind chose for it to be that way but God chose it that way.
Yet it makes me stop and wonder because God created mankind to worship Him.
We should have an intimate relationship with Him to always thirst for more.
Yet God took His love so far to the point regardless of how mankind treats Him He simply says I love you.
With God, He sees one or the other.
This is my child who last prayed (you fill the date in) or this is my creation that I long to welcome to the family.
The angels are waiting to have a party.
There is nothing that will hurt God quicker.
Than someone who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, yet for whatever the reason may be they chose not to be close to God.
More than anything God longs to hear every son and daughters prayer.
He even silences all of Heaven just to hear your voice.
In the meantime God waits and longs just to hear your voice .
As much as He longs to hear your voice.
He just simply says it would not be God's love if he or she didn't have free will.
God made the choice to give everyone free will.
Just as a child wants to be spoiled by his/her grandparents.
God wants to do even more but it all begins in prayer.
The best thing about the Bible is that God works according to His written word not mans word.
There is a difference.
Regardless of your choice God gently whispers I LOVE YOU .
I can’t wait to hear from you.
Love,
GOD
Journey Begins.........
In the Briticanna the definition for journey is to travel from one point to another.
Yet it goes back much father than that.
So just where did the journey begin? With every journey there will be choices made along the way.
But have you ever stopped to think about God’s first choice.
God has and will always be on His throne. He placed the scripture in the order that He wanted it to appear.
Ah yes, the Bible pure perfection.
He impenitently left out 18 years of Jesus life for a reason that is to remain a mystery to mankind.
God will always be God and well man will always be man.
Perfection verses no perfection.
So again I ask the question where does a journey begin?
For me the journey began a long time ago.
Way before Away in A manager would be sung or talked about in Bible stories, devotions, and ah yes Church.
Yet the same one who was in a manger for you and for me was right beside His Father when God made His first choice.
Have you ever stopped to take the time and ponder on what inspired God to make a choice.
Throughout the years God has made so many choices and my Heavenly Father will continue to make choices.
Then I remind myself that my Savior the one who was bruised for my transgressions. The same Saviour who was persecuted for my sins.
That is the one who lives in my heart which is just the right size.
The same one who ministers to me on a daily basis.
He conquered death that I might live.
Yet one of the names of Jesus is Firstborn (Colossians 1) and it is beyond my comprehension. Just to know how deep His love went for you and me.
So again I ask the question where does the journey begin for you?
For God the journey began a long time ago.
Does it start with Genesis 1:1 or did God make choices long before that.
Again God is the unveiler and it is important to recognize that.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
For the Ladies
It was a sermon that I needed to hear.
In the sermon it compared men to women
Fact:
Women are more verbal than men
Its easier for women to learn foreign language than for a man
The average woman speaks 25,000 words a day
The average men speak 12,500 words a day
Men think mostly using the right side of the brain
Women can multi-task because women use both sides of the brain
The text for the sermon was Genesis 2: 18-25
Women are to be corresponding to men
My favorite point of the sermon is:
-Women are to be corresponding to men
-God brings the woman to the man
-God fashioned every detail, every aspect of the woman.
-God fashioned every detail of everyone (Psalms 139)
for additional information about Biltmore Baptist feel free to check their website out www.biltmorebaptist.org
Friday, January 23, 2009
Mercy
Its easy to see Gods handiwork when things are going your way.
Its another to see Gods handiwork when your in a valley.
Friends have come into my life for a reason.
The lessons that God used them to teach me.
I used to wonder if they knew any other words.
After all regardless of the circumstances/situation they would just say Mercy.
If I was in a good mood they just simply said Mercy.
When I got knocked down they said Mercy.
Now don't get me wrong after all they picked me up.
In short regardless of the scenario they just said Mercy.
I must admit it was a lesson that I didn't learn overnight.
Long story short Mercy does indeed cover a lot.
God's Mercy is new every morning.
Good or bad God still loves you.
Bad or good God still loves you.
Even in the darkest of dark places God is there.
'Lo I am with you............
As my friends would say "MERCY!"
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
He Gave His Everything
Has anyone besides me had a bad day?
Sure you have.
Has anyone besides me had a good day?
I hope you have.
Regardless of the type of day.
God gave you everything.
God is watching over you.
Jesus is carrying you.
Oh how they wait to hear your voice.
Your value comes from God
Every good n perfect gift comes from above.
Lo I am with you
Regardless of what you might be facing.
Remember He gave His everything.
Cause He cares
Jesus shed His blood for Y O U!!!!!!!!!!
The Holy Spirit longs to speak to you.
HE GAVE HIS EVERYTHING FOR___________________________________
God wants you to fill in the blank.
God waits on you.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
In Process
For some it may be getting married.
For others it may be walking by faith.
For others it may be the first decision they made on their own.
For others it could be moving out on their own for the first time.
Ah yes, independence.
In my life there has been so many beginnings.
There was the first time I took my first breath after all that was a beginning.
The day would could come when I would able to crawl.
Later on I would stand up on my own.
As time would have it not long after that I would try to take my first step.
As time progresses I would begin to grow.
Before you know it I am beginning to learn to ride a tricycle
Then a very big day would come I would go to kindergarten now for me this was a big.
After all everyone was going to fall in love with me so I thought.
Well as luck would have it I was wrong.
It was not long before I realized that my perception of things would not necessarily be the perception of everyone else.
There’s a number one question that regardless of the year still continues to be asked even today.
Something about this old aged question that deep down tells me it will be asked tomorrow.
If there is one thing about your life that you could change what would it be?
Well needless to say depending on the person is going to depend on your answer.
I have found it to be interesting that even though mankind continues to ask this question.
There is one person who will never ask this question and of course that is God.
The older I have become the more I realize that I don’t know the things I once knew.
In short I will always be in process.
My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isiah 46) NIV
Then I find myself saying it’s all about beginnings.