6-14-08
Luk 12:34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Luk 12:35 "Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning,
Luk 12:36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open
the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.
Luk 12:37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will
seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!
Luk 12:38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the
servants who are ready.
Luk 12:39 "Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house
to be broken into.
Luk 12:40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."
Luk 12:41 Peter asked, "Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?"
Luk 12:42 And the Lord replied, "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of
managing his other household servants and feeding them.
Luk 12:43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
Luk 12:44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
Luk 12:45 But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other
servants, partying, and getting drunk?
Luk 12:46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him
with the unfaithful.
Luk 12:47 "And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those
instructions, will be severely punished.
Luk 12:48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When
someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even
more will be required.
I love the first verse so much that where our treasure is there our heart is.
In sorting through all of things that life throws at me, I am finding just how much I truly love God more than anyone or
anything in my life.
God has been dealing with me recently about doing some things for Him that are completely outside of anything I would
ever do, at least on my own. They aren’t even in the comfort zone of being inside of the church. I, of course have
argued with Him, and I have explained to Him how that I am not the ideal person for the things that He is directing me
to do. But I realized for that very reason, God can do anything He chooses, as I can do nothing on my own. This I know
very well. Sometimes the responsibility scares me do deeply. Once again, it’s not about me. The Word tells us that to
obey is better than sacrifice. As I began to ask God exactly how I could be prepared for His work at all times, He
showed me Luke 12:35&36. It’s quite simple. At that point I reminded God that I really didn’t know that I was the one
for the job. Then He took me to Luke 12:42 And the Lord replied, "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the
master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
Luk 12:43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
Luk 12:44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
Luk 12:45 But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other
servants, partying, and getting drunk?
Luk 12:46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him
with the unfaithful.
Luk 12:47 "And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those
instructions, will be severely punished.
It is very clear to me what God wants me to do and I intend to carry it out by His mighty love and grace. We often wait
for someone else to show us what to do, when all we really need is to be willing and follow the burning in our hearts.
The truth is that when we take Jesus and not ourselves to others God will do mighty exploits.
|
5-17-08
Act 10:38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and
healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Matthew 4:23, Matthew 9:35, Luke 9:11
These are just some of the scriptures that tell us about how that Jesus healed all of the sick. The thing that really got my attention about Acts
10:38 is the word oppressed, that Peter used. The Webster’s dictionary gives the following definition:
Oppress
OPPRESS', v.t. [L. appressus, from opprimo; ob and premo, to press.]
1. To load or burden with unreasonable impositions; to treat with unjust severity, rigor or hardship; as, to oppress a nation with taxes or
contributions; to oppress one by compelling him to perform unreasonable service.
2. To overpower; to overburden; as, to be oppressed with grief.
3. to sit or lie heavy on; as, excess of good oppresses the stomach.
We find here that oppressed simply means any heaviness that the enemy has placed upon your life. It can be physical, which is often a result
of oppression of the mind, or it can be any area of your life that is simply too much for you to deal with on your own. God desires for you to
seek Him and let Him destroy the oppression in your life.
Mat 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good
cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
Mat 9:3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!"
Mat 9:4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Mat 9:5 For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'?
Mat 9:6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your
bed, and go to your house."
Mat 9:7 And he arose and departed to his house.
Mat 9:8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
In this scripture we find that the simple act of repenting from sin enabled this man to receive healing in his body. Sometimes we allow the
enemy to place oppression on our lives even though we aren’t practicing sin, that being the case, get on your knees and war against those
things because you have authority by God’s Word over those things.
|
4-30-08
Luke 11:35 Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness.
What a powerful thought. How can you do exactly what Jesus was describing in this verse? Know what God’s Word actually says! We see
more and more of our brothers and sisters falling away and much of the time it is simply for lack of knowledge of the Bible. You can’t walk by
what others have told you. You can’t even necessarily follow the patterns of good people that have been used of God. Often times we see God
use a ministry or an individual and we think that all of the teachings must have been good because it worked for them. Maybe it could have
been much better. We need to realize that GOOD is not the BEST.
My point is that when you know what the Bible says, it is very specific about all of the important aspects of life. When you get to the place
that you can say, “God I learned some good stuff, but take out the things that were not really you,” Look out! Because when you pray
something like that from a sincere heart, God will honor that request.
Remember that if you are rooted in programs, works, busyness, proving yourself faithful to men; you will eventually loose heart, but if you
are rooted deep in God’s Word, there will be enough life to sustain you when you need it.
If you are in the place where you are working so hard for God today and it seems that everything is falling apart around you, STOP
EVERYTHING! Literally everything! Stop your classes, stop your groups, stop your regularly scheduled services, and say," GOD – nothing
else until You say.” Seek Him, ask Him, get desperate before God, and I promise that HE will turn you inside out and do something that will
never end in your life. IF you want His desire and schedule instead of your own, I assure you that He will show up. And I love it when God
shows up. I never get use to His presence. His love is new each day. If serving God feels like a chore or feels like bondage, something is
wrong. When He is in the middle of what you are doing, it is a pleasure and not a chore. It is a blessing!
|
04-27-08
The minute the sun goes down on Sunday, I just can’t wait for next Sunday! Each week I just imagine in what glorious way God will reveal
His indescribable presence. When I woke up this morning I said, “Lord I’m so tired, I just need to go and worship You and be refreshed.” And
wow, did He honor that! I am always renewed in His presence.
A couple of months ago, my son Jason, was very sick with a fever. I was holding him and praying as I waited for his temperature to go down.
He woke up for a minute and said,” Momma you smell so good, I love the way you smell.” He needed to be comforted. Of course I felt like a
million dollars at that moment. When someone is dear to us we love everything about that person. We love their voice, their smile, even the
way they smell. Sometimes I like to wear one of my husbands shirts, it makes me feel close to him. One time when he was in the hospital, I
would wear his shirt because it smelled like him and I missed him. You see I want to spend so much time at the feet of God, that I not only
know His voice, but that I will begin to know His specific identifying characteristics. In a successful marriage usually there will be so many
common traits, in one way or another you become like each other. I want to be more like my Father each and every day.
Psa 68:3 But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy.
|
4-21-08
This past Sunday we had one of the absolute greatest services that we have ever experienced! God never fails to completely blow my mind.
Pastor asked me on Saturday to prepare to have a communion service on Sunday. As I made those preparations, God began to deal with me
about how to prepare the communion. He has never done that before, and because of that, I began to expect something great to happen.
When the service began, worship ushered in an incredible glory that filled the sanctuary. A heavy, sweet presence stayed with us through the
preaching. As we shared communion, the anointing became even stronger. I don’t really know how to put into words exactly how amazing it
was. I can just say that once again, I have never experienced anything like it before. And most of all, I know that more is coming to my life
and to the life of those in our church. It is getting to be as if God himself actually comes down from Heaven and sits in our midst. Oh how
wonderful!
As pastor preached Sunday, “Better Is One Day In His House!”!!!!!!!!!!
|
04-16-08
Mat 9:12 When Jesus heard this, He said, "Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do."
Mat 9:13 Then He added, "Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.'
For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."
Jesus was saying in effect that if you are already flawless and perfected, then you don’t need a savior. It is so hard to
share Christ with those who have so much and don’t realize that they are missing something. They fill the void in their
lives with things that will waste away and relationships that aren’t built on a solid foundation.
He said that He was not looking for people that are made righteous by their own abilities. But those that know they have
nothing truly good without the love of Christ in them. When you really understand that He is where your right standing
comes from, it is so much easier to show mercy and compassion to others. Even though you may not have walked where
they walked you understand that, except by God’s grace, you could have walked there as well. Our heavenly Father
doesn’t toss us aside the first time we fail. He is patient and teaches us as long as we are willing to learn and grow. Just
as with my children, they don’t always get it right the first time. When they began to walk they stumbled many times
before they mastered the concept. But with my encouragement, they kept trying. Although there is a time that we
simply must turn away from things, He endures much with
His children. The key is in recognizing that you need to be changed from the inside, by Christ.
It doesn’t matter how wonderful you have been, you still need The Savior Jesus Christ
|
04-12-08
Psa 103:3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
Psa 103:4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
Psa 103:5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's!
David continuously mentions the wholeness that comes from being a child of God. He knew in a very personal way that
His Father didn’t do a partial work in His life. Verse 3 says HE forgives my sins, thus God is dealing with my spiritual.
Then He heals my diseases, thus God is restoring the physical needs in my life. Next, God gives me love and goodness.
And finally He revives my youth. He refreshes my mind, soul, and body. Our Father completes the work that He begins
in us. Sometimes the entire process takes place over a period of time, but we have to remember that if any area of our
life is not whole, we need to seek completion.
Mat 9:2 Some people brought to Him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man,
"Be encouraged, My child! Your sins are forgiven."
Mat 9:3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, "That's blasphemy! Does He think He's God?"
Mat 9:4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so He asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?
Mat 9:5 Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'?
Mat 9:6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the
paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"
Mat 9:7 And the man jumped up and went home!
Clearly it is most important that your sins are forgiven, but Jesus wants to restore you totally. Not only will He restore
what has been taken from you but; He will give you things that you didn’t have to begin with. He will even help you
take hold of the blessing, that maybe the enemy has beaten you down and kept from you.
|
4-5-08
Psalm 37:1-7
Psa 37:1 A psalm of David. Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
Psa 37:2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Psa 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires.
Psa 37:5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you.
Psa 37:6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the
noonday sun.
Psa 37:7 Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don't worry about evil people
who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
We should never envy evil people, even though some may be extremely popular or excessively rich. No matter
how much they have, it will fade and vanish like grass that withers and dies. Those who follow God live
differently from the wicked and, in the end, will have treasures in Heaven. What an unbeliever gets on Earth
may last a lifetime, but what you get from following God lasts forever.
David calls us to take delight in the Lord and to commit everything we have and do to Him. But how do we do
this? To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This happens
only when we know that person well. Thus, to delight in the Lord, we must know Him better. Knowledge of God’
s great love for us will indeed give us delight.
To commit ourselves to the Lord means entrusting – our lives, families, jobs, possessions – to His control and
guidance. To commit ourselves to the Lord means to trust in Him, believing that He can care for us better than
we can ourselves. We should be willing to wait patiently for Him to work out what is best for us.
|
Don’t Give Up!
04-03-2008
Often times we look around and ask ourselves, “Am I doing any good? Am I helping anyone?” I want to encourage you
today, if you are uplifting Christ and following after Him, yes, you can’t possibly have anything but a positive impact on
those around you when you represent Christ.
We are such an on-demand society that we want results now. Spiritual results show themselves at various paces. Some
we will see, and some we will not see until we are in Heaven. Giving our best is a fail-safe situation. When you love
God, you can’t keep yourself from loving others. Our obedience is all the Holy Spirit needs to produce good things in
others. Remember, it is not our responsibility to decide whether or not God is changing someone else.
Take a chance and love others, just because you can, and should.
Gal 6:8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But
those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Gal 6:9 So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't
give up.
|
4-1-08
Psalm 37:23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Psa 37:24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.
Psa 37:25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for
bread.
All through the day my thoughts have been on the great love and goodness of Almighty God. You see, He chose me. He
chose you. Before we ever knew Him, He chose each of us to be His children. Though we walked in sin, He made us His
very flesh and blood through adoption. To walk with, to fellowship with, to love. He delights in the fact that we need
Him, that we are dependant on Him. If you don’t know what it means to be dependant on God, find out. You will find
that He has far better things for your life than you could have ever asked for. But, until you give Him control over all
the plans for your life, you will not be complete. It’s amazing how quickly everything falls into place once we actually
say, ”OK God you drive.” All we do is follow and learn and be blessed.
The Lord holds them by the hand. Who holds your hand? As long as I haven’t taken my hand out of my Father’s, I
have nothing to be concerned about. Verse 37 says He directs my steps and delights in every detail of my life.
Praise God!
|
3-29-08
Today’s Thoughts
Today I was so blessed by my 5 year old son, Jason. The Bible tells us that children are a blessing from the Lord. Many
days bring heartbreak and heaviness, but it never fails that God always reminds me of His great glory and blessings all
around me. The one area of my life that is always a new testimony, are the many great blessings that God pours out on
my family continuously and I will try to share more of those soon.
Recently, Jason’s teacher called me aside and told me how proud she is of him. Jason was asked to write a story about
what he wants to be when he grows up. Jason wrote, “ I want to be a preacher because I love God.” You see, it was not
because dad is a preacher or any other reason; simply said, "I love God.”
This morning as everyone in the house was slowly getting direction for their day, a Saturday, my husband had already
gone to the church to study. I was confused when I heard my husband’s voice from Jason’s room. I went to see why he
was home and realized that Jason was listening to a cd of Rick preaching. He loves his dad very much and tells him that
numerous times each day, but that is not why he was listening. He loves God and wants to know what God has to say.
For a five year old that can read, but may not be ready for Bible reading, the spoken Word is the best way for him to
know what God has to say to him. And believe me there has been many days that Jason has reminded me as to what
the Bible says about the circumstance at that moment. In fact, there was a time recently, when we were faced with
some very difficult and unwarranted circumstances. Jason looked directly into my eyes and said,” He never let’s go
does He momma?” Jason knows exactly where to turn in tough times and he has taught me much.
|
03-27-08
The Damascus Road Experience
This is a topic that God has been dealing with me about recently, and I will be expanding my thoughts on over the next
few weeks. First of all let me say that, although I have not yet found myself eager to kill the Lord’s followers as Paul
did before his conversion, God still has a plan for me. It amazes me that the body of Christ has this great misconception
that we have to have lived a flawless life to be called by God. In fact, all through the scriptures, God often used the
people that no one else would have chosen. He chose people with flaws and imperfections. David was the least skilled of
all of his siblings, yet this was God’s chosen. Why? God looks at the heart!
Jeremiah 17:10 - But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards,
according to what their actions deserve."
We read in the book of Acts chapter 9 that Saul met someone while on the road to Damascus. Not only did he meet
someone, but
that someone would from that day forth consume every part of his being. The thing that has the greatest impact on me
about Paul is the way that when he was at the crossroad of his life, he made a decision. A decision that he passionately
pursued every day for the rest of his life. You see, Paul found himself struck out of nowhere by the unexpected,
undeserved love of Jesus Christ. Paul let us know that he was human and struggled at times. I admire the way that he
never strayed from his commitment. Not only was Paul a new man, but he constantly set aside his flesh to represent
Christ. Often we make the commitment to follow Christ, but forget that we have to die to our flesh. We are no longer
who we were. We somehow think that there is our own individual life and then the one with God. I have found that
some of God and some of what I want is not the formula for success. I even decided that maybe there really wasn’t a
closer walk than what I had. I found out that when who I am is more about who God is and when everything I am
includes Him, there is more. There really Is a powerful relationship that can take me places that I never imagined.
When I turned my back on my ambitions, and towards God’s, I found out that He was just waiting for me to fall
completely In love with Him instead of the world. Paul knew that his desires and Ambitions had to die in order to follow
Christ successfully. The only good in me is because of Christ and thank God that He is so patient and gentle with me.
By His mighty grace, I will overcome!
I challenge you – Get closer to God and Love Him – You will find that Everything as well as everyone in this world will
fail you.
JESUS NEVER FAILS – We just have to step aside and let Him show us who we are to be in Him.
Rom 6:1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace?
Rom 6:2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
Rom 6:3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death?
Rom 6:4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the
glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
|
|
