The Fragrance of Christ

I'm sure you have had a negative experience when sharing the good news of Christ. Some people just don't want to hear about Him. Even though your concern is for their eternal life, they usually think your shoving "religion" down their throats.

To help us understand why so many have a negative reaction to our faith, the apostle Paul uses the analogy of a Roman celebration of victory. In his day, when a general returned to Rome after conquering the enemy, he made a triumphal entry and led a parade through town. he rode in a golden chariot surrounded by his officers and followed by his troops. At the end of the procession were the chained captives.

During this pageantry, clouds of inscense floated among the participants and the assembled onlookers as pagan priests carried their censors. To the conquerors, this was the sweet aroma of victory. To the captives, it was the smell of death, for they would soon be killed by wild animals in the arena.

In the same way, we are a sweet fragrance of Christ to one another as we follow in His victory over sin and death. However, to those who don't know Him as Savior, we are reminded of the judgment they dread.

Even though some people will be repulsed by us and our message, we MUST continue to share our hope with gentleness and grace (1 Peter 3:15-16). Paul hated Christians at one time, yet he would be the first to affirm that the Lord can reach a hardened heart and change a captive into a victor!

December – The month for peace

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14)

December brings a chilly, gray looking sky. Colors are muted, and cold weather seems here to stay. Winter solstice arrives toward the end of the month, with the official first day of winter. Even now, days are beginning to lengthen and we can gradually look forward to more daylight.

Though one of the coldest months on our calendar, it is one of the warmest months in our hearts. For it is the month that Jesus was born. He came into the world poor, wrapped in swaddling clothes, His bed a manger. Joseph and Mary, His parents, were far from the comfort of their home the night of His birth, having journeyed to Bethlehem to be counted in a census. Turned away from the inn, they were sent to a stable. There, among common animals, He was born.

The world was changed for all time!

This is a story told many times, but never to grow old. It rings down through centuries, always new and inspiring. For Jesus came to bring peace and love to a weary world. His words and deeds are fresh in our hearts to this very day. The joy of His birth is echoed in the love we share with others.

Sometimes the message of His birth gets lost in commercial trappings of the holiday. It becomes a time of gifts and cards and parties. But we should always remember the real reason for Christmas.

Take time during the holiday festivities to stop and think of Jesus. When His Spirit of Peace becomes a part of our lives, each day will be Christmas, and each night will hold promise of joy in the morning. So find a quiet corner and say a little prayer, a prayer of love and brotherhood for all men.
Usher the old year out by letting your faith shine like a beacon to herald the new year.

Decide right now things are going to be better for you and for your loved ones and that, with God’s help, you will work hard to make it your best year ever!

December 7th – Pearl Harbor Day, the anniversary of the Japanese attack of Pearl

Harbor in 1941, putting the United States into World War ll.

December 25th – Christmas, the birthday of Jesus, and a time for good will toward all men.

December 31st – New Year’s Eve…a time to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new year with anticipation.

The beautiful story of Christmas

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night.
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tiding of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. (Luke 2: 7-14)

Personal Forecast
If you were born in December, you are ambitious and hard working. Your interests are many, and you are curious about many things. You have great self discipline, which makes you a tower of strength to those who depend on you. Don’t be too pessimistic this month. It is a good time to apply yourself, because things will work out well for you if you really try. Your faith in the Lord’s blessings will be rewarded!

A Prayer for December
Dear Lord, I pray now for Your blessing of peace for all mankind, peace that comes from faith we can all work toward a new year of harmony and good will. May everyone be filled with joy in small things, touched by affection and good friends. A truly happy life doesn’t demand wealth or fame. It is sufficient to have enough for each day’s needs, with something left over to share with those less fortunate. It is to be surrounded by dear ones, and to make them glad. It is to love and be loved. To have all this is to be rich beyond measure, and to live in true contentment and peace of mind. This is the month we celebrate the birth of Jesus, Prince of Peace. Let me always remember His lessons, and strive to follow in His way. Teach me to think of other people with understanding, and to live each day fully and trustingly, enfolded in Your love. Please let the coming year find me strong in faith, Lord. Thank You, Precious Father. Amen and Amen.

2010 Angel Card Project

Mark is founder of the Angel Card Project. Every year lots and lots of folks come together to spread a little holiday cheer to those who need it. They join together and all send Holiday cards to the less fortunate, sick, elderly, lonely, and those who just generally need a good cheering up! Many of the people who receive cards from this project might not otherwise have anything to make them smile during the holiday season. This can even include Military Individuals! So they send them Christmas Cards to put a smile on their faces and a nice warm feeling in their hearts. This is strictly a VOLUNTEER project. Mark hosts it every year to give folks an opportunity to give a little something back at Christmas time to folks who deserve it.

We are volunteers this year, helping Mark spread the word. Won't you join us in this blessed event?

Just click on this link: http://www.countrychurchcrafts.com/angelcardproject2010
or the Angel Project Banner to learn how you too can bring a smile into someone's life, sharing Holiday love and smiles.

You Are Worth It

We should never go through life doubting our existence or believing the lie that our life does not matter. By being alive in this day and time, we should be eager for each new day that comes our way to meet its challenges and exceed what we even thought was possible. By having a quiet confidence, we are reaffirming our faith in ourselves as well as our faith in the Lord who has promised our success and our victory. Get it deep in your mind and heart that you are special and are alive today because you are meant to accomplish something that no one else has been equipped to accomplish.

If we only knew how special God sees us, we would never allow our temporary trials to get us down or discouraged. We would be true overcomers because we would see with renewed eyes how special we really are. Be encouraged to believe this truth about how special you are in God's eyes and rededicate yourself to being positive, outgoing, steadfast, faithful and unwavered in your walk with the Lord. By doing our simple part of staying in faith, the Lord will continue to do His part to lead us onto the path that is best for our life. (Psalm 139:17-18) (Psalm 103:10-12) (Philippians 3:13-14)

Place this before your eyes for easy remembrance in the future. These simple anecdotes for life do so much to remind us of what is most important in life.

YOU ARE WORTH IT

1. Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

2. Do not set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

3. Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

4. Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

5. Do not give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.

6. Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

7. Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.

8. The quickest way to receive love is to give love; The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

9. Do not dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope; To be without hope is to be without purpose.

10. Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going.

11. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

Author Unknown

Psalm 103:10-12~He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Hebrews 13:5-6~Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Philippians 4:8-9~Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

When The Odds Are Against You

Have you ever felt backed up against the wall, with the odds stacked against you? In those situations, Christians often refuse to acknowledge an important truth. They fail to recognize that God may actually be the one who is orchestrating their challenging circumstances.

You may think, No way. God protects me from such things. The world and satan are doing this to me. Maybe. Yet maybe, God is trying to tell you something ~ and He needs to get your attention. Besides, satan can’t do anything to us unless it is sifted throught the Father’s hands first.

Again and again in Scripture, we see that the Lord uses difficulties to build faith. It’s easy to trust Him when things go our way. However, God often removes comfort and false securities from our lives to remind us that He is the true source of our strength.

Consider this passage, Judges 7:1-25, in which Gideon was ready to lead a powerful military of 32,000 men into battle against the enemy. However, the Lord stepped in three separate times, whittling the Israelite army down to less than one percent of it’s original size. Our reply would have been, “What? It’s impossible to defeat enemy forces with just 300 men!”
That is probably true, 300 men alone couldn’t do it. But the Lord can! That is the lesson of Gideon.

When the odds are not in your favor, don’t think God has abandoned you. Your friends, money and success may disappear, but they won’t win the battle anyway. Stand your ground and keep your eye on the Lord. With everything stripped away, you will be amazed at what your heavenly Father will achieve.

Gideon was undoubtedly feeling anxious. He was about to attack an enemy camp of more than 130,000 trained soldiers, and he was going to do it with just a handful of men.
In this terrifying moment God gave him encouragement.

God woke Gideon at night and strategically positioned him to overhear an enemy soldier recounting a frightful dream ~ a vision of Israelite victory!! This situation assured Gideon that the Lord was at work in this daunting situation. God graciously used this incident to show His sensitivity to one man’s faintheartedness. And He still does today.

Consider the power of a friend’s encouraging words. Think about how meaningful it is when an unexpected blessing seems to fall from heaven right in your darkest moment.
These are not “happy accidents” rather, they are precious confidence builders from God.

Our challenge is simply to remember times in the past when our loving Heavenly Father has encouraged us. Standing on the evidence of His faithfulness, we can boldly face the future, knowing we are not alone.

As inhabitants of a fallen world, we will at times face heartache, intimidation, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. As children of God, saved and secure in Christ Jesus, we are never beyond reach of our Lord’s encouragement.

Bottles and Books

You number my wanderings, put my tears into Your bottle, are they not in Your book? (Psalm 56:8)

Are you the kind of person who keeps a daily record of what you do? I journal, I write down things that take place, and needs that I pray about.

Did you know that God is keeping a journal about you? His journal is composed of bottles and books. David sais, "You number my wanderings, put my tears into Your bottle, are they not in Your book?" God watches our traveling and notices our weeping. He has His eyes on our feet and His eyes on our eyes.

God sees where we walk. He knows the paths we've been on. Some of these paths have been rather bumpy. But that can be for our good, for as a little boy once said, "The bumps are what you climb on." God sees our wanderings, and He's marked it all in His record.

God sees when we weep. He sees and records our tears and files them for future reference. Among the Semitic people, mourners often catch their tears in a little bottle, a symbol of their sorrow. Then they place the bottle in a tomb or casket.

One day God will show you the book and the bottle. He's going to say, "I knew when your heart was broken. I knew what you were going through. I've kept a record of it. Now, that sorrow shall be turned into joy." And everyone of your tears will become a jewel of beauty to the glory of God.

God knows your difficulties and sorrows. The day is coming when your sorrow will be turned to joy, and your tears will glorify Him. (Psalm 56)

God Is Faithful

"God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:9)

I use to have an answer for most problems in life. I had a lot to say on almost every subject. I now have fewer answers, and they might be reduced to the simple phrase, "God is faithful."

I don't say that lightly or without thought, I say it because I know it is true, and I have discovered that it is true no matter what is happening in my life.

With confidence, I say these words at the end of the worse statements in the world: My son doesn't want anything to do with me and I don't know what to do...but God is faithful. I lost my job aand I don't know how the bills are going to get paid...but God is faithful. My husband/wife left me and and my heart is torn to pieces...but God is faithful.

Sometimes God doesn't seem to be faithful because He doesn't answer our prayers as we expect Him to. I have had to change my expectations. If the whole purpose of my life is to learn to love God and to show His compassion to the world, then what He is doing "in" me is more important than what He is doing "for" me.

Through many tears I have discovered that if I will bring every jagged edge of my life to Him, He will continue to mold me to become the woman He called me to be.

Whatever is happening with you right now, as your sister in Christ, I urge you to meditate on these words of life: GOD IS FAITHFUL.

Dream Big Dreams

There are many instances where we want to do great things with our life, but we listen to the pessimistic voice in our head telling us why something can't be done and instead of pushing those thoughts aside and being determined, we give in to them and quit even before we have begun. What we must remember is that we can be overcomers in life no matter how strong the urge is to want to give up and not believe in ourselves. When we gird ourselves up as the Bible says and dig our heels in with unmoved determination, it is then that positive results will come our way. We cannot allow our negative or pessimistic point of view to keep us stagnant in life. We are meant for greatness. The Lord didn't create us to barely get by or only enjoy life a little bit. He created us with big plans in mind and as proof, He gave us dominion over all that He has created. (1 Peter 1:13-19) (Genesis 1:26-28)

The Lord wishes for us to stand in our authority and has already given us the required tools to be successful, but it is up to us to take hold of that authority and move towards victory in confidence. There is nothing new that God needs to do. All that's required has already been fulfilled. It is now simply up to us to believe God to be successful and victorious in every area that we are now lacking. Be encouraged to break the strongholds over your life and believe in yourself again just as God believes in you. He sees you as a Victor and not a victim. The question is, How do you see yourself? (Luke 9:1) (Luke 10:19) (Jeremiah 1:4-9) (Revelation 12:10-11)

Be inspired and challenge your heart to go forth in life dreaming a bigger dream than you've ever dreamed before and then believe that it is within you to take hold of that dream.

We need liberation from enslaving beliefs and attitudes.

Almost everybody walks around with a vast burden of imaginary limitations inside his head, says J. H. Brennan. While the burden remains, personal success is as difficult to achieve as the conquest of Everest with a sack of rocks tied to your back.

What burden of limiting beliefs and attitudes are you walking around with?
Do you ever say, I can't do that or I can't change this or that? Do you ever think that you'll never be able to pursue your passion or achieve a cherished dream? Do you believe that other people can experience the good things of life, or simply be happy, but not you? These patterns of thinking are as much of a burden as a sack of rocks tied to your back.

Listen to these words from Darwin P. Kingsley: You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind.

Okay, certain limitations are a part of life. You may be more able to see those that are physical. After all, stinkin' thinkin' can be easily hidden. But, as Kingsley says, when you get rid of limiting attitudes and beliefs, those rocks tied to your back, you'll discover powers you never dreamed of. You'll do things you never thought you could do! And you'll be truly free.

Besides an unhealthy mental outlook, what have you got to lose?

Romans 8:31-32~What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Jeremiah 29:11-13~For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

Philippians 3:13-14~Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The Measure Of The Family

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. (Luke 2:16)

When someone rises to a high position in world leadership and influence, the first information the world wants to know is, "What is the family history"

Upon reading only a few of the volumes of biographies of well~known people, one will quickly sense that indeed the family~the home and the individuals in it~or the lack of family~greatly influence the actions and life~changing decisions of adults and young persons. It makes them who they are, and, in turn, the family molds and shapes future generations.

Name the person or persons who whave shaped our world in art, music, politics or science. Look beyond those persons to the families and homes that molded them. We cannot fully measure the effect of the family, any family.

Like the wake of a ship that leaves an unending ripple in an enormous sea, a family's influence can extend far beyond our sight or knowledge.

How can you and I measure the influence upon us of the families that lived before our time? Our ancestors? Or even those who are not in our direct line, but whose lives affected those who were?

Give Time To Quietness

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

The fight to which we have been called is not an easy fight. We are touching the very center of the devil's power and kingdom, and he hates us intensely and fights hard against us. We have no chance at all of winning in this fight unless we are disciplined soldiers, utterly out-and-out and uncompromising, and men and women of prayer.

So first, give much time to quietness. For the most part we have to get our help directly from our God. We are here to help, not to be helped, and we must each learn to walk with God alone and feed on His Word so as to be nourished. Don't only read and pray, listen. And don't evade the slightest whisper of guidance that comes. May God make you very sensitive, and very obedient.

Fill up the crevices of time with the things that matter most. This will cost something, but it is worth it. "Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm 27:8).

All this will be, if you walk with Him as with a visible Companion, from dawn through all the hours till you go to sleep at night. And your nights will be holy too, for He is watching over your sleep as your mother watched over it when you were a tiny child.

Why I say I Am A Christian

When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not shouting, "I'm clean livin'" I'm whispering, "I was lost," now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far to visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou. I'm just a simple sinner who received God's grace somehow.

Rainbow Gardening

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up...(Proverbs 12:25)

RAINBOW SEEDS~A miniature plastic bag with a teaspoon of colored sprinkles.

PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS:

WHEN TO PLANT: Any season, but rainbows grow best just after a storm.

WHERE TO PLANT: In the light of the Son, preferably near a pot of gold.

HOW TO PLANT: Assume a kneeling position close to the earth. Dig a hole deep enough to hold the cause of your dark clouds. Place the cause and the seedss in the soil, cover with earth, then rise and stomp down with bothe feet. Walk away in faith.

HARVEST: When needed most.

I got to thinking about how a rainbow is a perfect picture of God's grace. It's a kind of refuge for our mind when storms threaten to rip us apart and flood our dwelling. In the rainbow we see God's promise that He will never again devastate life on earth.

Don't ponder over the "what-ifs" or "whys," neither question your abilities. Simply wait on Him and watch your garden grow.

When the mighty winds blow, and they will, God will miraculously place them at your back. When the floods begin to rage, and they will, He may tell you to keep paddling in faith, believing, while He calms the seas.

We don't have to worry about making a way. If it's His will, He works all things out in His own perfect timing.

He calls us through, around, over, and under. No foe can stop us, no poverty can starve us, no evil can diminish His call, for He has a glorious plan!

You can be a rainbow gardener by opening your heart even if your in pain yourself. Let someone know that although you don't have it altogether, you find comfort and help in the Lord.

Thank You Father

We should always be quick to lift up the Lord when we are tempted to worry or fear over the negative situations that come our way. The Lord is to be magnified above all things and our confidence in Him should be reflected by the actions we take in facing the negative reports that are presently before us. The Bible says in Hebrews 4:16; Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The Lord wishes to meet our needs, but we must call upon Him and let God know of our needs while also giving thanks and praise for promising never to leave us nor forsake us. Be encouraged to have a thankful attitude to the Lord. Give thanks for everything that God has given to you. Do not wait to call upon Him only when you are in need, but rather when all is going well become one who gives praise and thanks for the good in your life. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

I hope this inspires and challenges your heart to be quick to give God thanks. It is easy to murmur and complain when things go wrong, but if we change our attitude and call upon the Lord with our praises, our problems will soon seem minuscule.

Dear God:

I want to thank You for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am
thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am
thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop
talking about me, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am thanking
you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to
thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is
quiet, I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job,
I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that
has caused me pain or grief, I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are
removed. I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive.

I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.

I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.

I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more
and do better.

I'm thanking you because Father, you haven't given up on me.

Author Unknown

Jeremiah 32:17-18: Ah Lord GOD! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the
earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too
hard for Thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest
the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them:
the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is His name.

2 Chronicles 16:9: For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the
whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is
perfect toward Him...

Romans 8:31-32: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us,
who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him
up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Matthew 21:21-22: Jesus says,...Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith,
and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but
also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast
into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in
prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Feedings In The Philippines

Jesus says; Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?...Therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek), for your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself...(Matthew 6:25-34)

Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of security. The birds and lilies do not fret and worry, yet they have God's wealth in ways that man cannot duplicate. All of nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money, and money always fails.

God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. He will feed and cloth us. He has great blessings for us if only we will yield to Him and live for the riches that last forever.
What a testimony it is to the world when we dare to practice "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto us."

Yes, it is right to plan for the future and even save for the future (1 Tim. 5:8). But it is a sin to worry about the future and permit tomorrow to rob us of todays blessings.

He knows that we need certain things in order to live. In fact, He has given us "richly all things to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17)

Jesus says that worry is sin. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name; concern, burden, a cross to bear~but the results are the same.

Materialism will enslave the heart, the mind and the will. We become shackled by the material things of life.
Most of these people don't have the material things we have, let alone enough food to eat. They truly trust and depend on God to provide their daily needs.

It is such a blessing to be used by our Heavenly Father to help and encourage those less fortunate than us no matter where we live or where we go.

Those we served at the feedings have victory over worry...they have faith, trusting God to meet their needs, knowing their Heavenly Father cares for His children and, putting His will first in their lives daily so that He will be glorified.

No matter our circumstances, we should always have the assurance that God has not left our side and that dwelling in Him we receive our strength. The goodness of the Lord reaches from everlasting to everlasting and when we find ourselves discouraged or disheartened, all we need to do is return again to the Lord to be refreshed and renewed by His Spirit. The Scripture says the Joy of the Lord is your strength.

Have faith in God the Father, put Him first, He will meet your needs.

From Death To Life

I am on a missions trip in the Philippines. We arrived safely and are about our Father's business each day, going where He leads us. Witnessing His tender mercies over all His works.

When we were here two years ago, we went to visit a lady in the hospital. She had been in the hospital for three years, yes, three years! with a bad case of Lupus. She was literally dying from the disease.

Upon our return this time, she is home from the hospital and doing feeding programs for needy children, families and her doctors and nurses. She also raises funds to help feed those in need and gets medicines donated for those needing medical attention.

She fixed us breakfast when we got to town. It is such a miracle that she is up walking and ministering for the Lord through her cooking, even though she cannot eat anything but organic rice and drink rice milk, she blesses many others through her cooking.

God has healed her and blessed her with a wonderful ministry and she serves Him with MUCH joy and gladness.

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits (Psalm 68:19).

A Grateful Heart

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said, or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. And give the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can’t find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that don't believe.

But I thank you that I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my brothers and sisters. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love, and joy in their homes and that all their needs are met. I pray that those who reads this know there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

How To Overcome What Overcomes You

“God’s Antidote to Indecision”

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:3)

In this life we will have stress. There are many, many things that cause us stress in this life. The question is, “How are we going to deal with the stress that we have to deal with in our life?”

How do you deal with the stress in your life?

There are a lot of different ways to deal with stress. How about…taking a few deep breaths, or…closing your eyes, picturing yourself near a stream, birds chirping in the crisp mountain air, no one knows “your” secret place, your in total seclusion from the hectic place called “the world.” The soothing sound of the waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity, the water is clear, you can clearly make out the face of the person your holding under water…There now, do you feel better? Probably not. The point id, there are many ways you and I, as human beings, attempt to deal with and sooth the stress that we have so often in our lives. But all our human attempts are going to fail. All of them are going to want us desiring another deep breath, another vacation, another experience of paradise to try to ease the troubles and sooth all the stress that we deal with in our lives.

The real antidote is found in the six verses of Psalm 23, where we have an incredible picture of who God is and how He wants to interact in our lives. If we will allow these words to be eternalized and truly live out what God is sharing with us through these words, He truly gives us the antidote to dealing with stress.

God did not intent us to live at such a neck break pace!

So many people think, “I am somebody because of all the things I have to do, the longer my to do list is the more important I am.” Then we race and race and become so busy to the point of exhaustion, fatigue and illness.

That is NOT where we find value, in self-esteem or in busyness. God wants to lead us beside still waters, He wants to make us lie down in green pastures, to give us rest, to restore our soul. God wants to heal all our damaged emotions. The guilt, grief and grudges we often go through in this life.

Life is a series of choices. Success is basically a matter of making wise decisions. We make our decisions, then our decisions make us, because every decision has a consequence ~ foolish or wise, good or bad.

He guides me…what does that mean? It means He wants to guide us on the right path. In the path He intended for us to live. The right path that He predestined, choose for us to live so we would have a good life and a right relationship with Him. The Lord is our Shepherd and our Guide. He keeps us on track. Because it is so easy for you and I to get off track, He wants to guide us.

Where do you turn when needing to make an important decision?

There are three approaches we use in decision making.

1) The emotional approach ~ I want to “feel,” I want to have an emotion, go through some ceremony in order to “feel” right. There is a way which seems right to man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12). At times emotions will take us down the wrong path. We cannot trust our emotions to lead us down the right path in our life.
2) The formula approach ~ a recipe. Give me a formula, a book, I’ll read the book, I’ll follow the self-help steps and I’ll be able to derive at the right conclusion…NOT! If self-help books worked, they wouldn’t have to keep writing them.
3) The mystical or magical approach ~ The, look for a sign, just show me a sign, something to help me know that the decision I’m about to make is the right one…looking to astrology, stars, horoscopes, fortune cookies, whatever, for a “sign.”

Of all the ways we have come up with to find peace in our heart in the midst of all the stress and decisions we have to make, getting guidance from God is the antidote.

If we are going to allow His guidance, we have to…

1) Admit we need a guide. We want to believe we have everything under control…All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, every one, to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). Like that ole song, “I did it my way…”
Folks, our vision is limited. Good and upright is the Lord, therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way (Psalm 25:8-9).
2) Ask in faith for direction. Lots of things distract us into “believing” that we have the right point of view and yet we miss the whole point. Many think that they don’t need to bother God, thinking he wouldn’t be concerned with it and that they can deal with it. We’ll ask for the help (direction) of a man, but we won’t ask God to give us the directions that we need?
We major on the minors. We need God’s perspective. Ask, expecting! Ask in faith expecting the right Person’s guidance. True faith is dependant upon the Person who sent the truth and wants to give that truth to you and me if we ask “in Faith. Wisdom is seeing life from God’s point of view. Ask Him to give you His point of view because we are overwhelmed by different points of view in this world.
3) Listen for God’s response. The issue isn’t, is God speaking to us, the issue is, are we listening? How many of us really “listen” for God’s response, knowing He is going to speak to us and then give Him the time of day to speak to us?
Is there a way to tune in to God so we can hear His voice? YES…His word. It is
intended to guide us on this path of life, the right path, and if it just sits on a shelf collecting dust, it’s no wonder we are stressed out!
God also speaks through teachers; Pastors, Sunday School teachers, Bible study
Leaders, godly brothers and sisters, and even through us. He speaks through impressions, circumstances, or pain.
It is said that, God whispers to us in the good times and shouts to us in our pain
because we are more willing to listen in our pain, willing to stop and allow Him to speak to us when we are hurting. For God may speak in one way or another, yet man does not perceive it (Job 33:14).
4) Trust God when we don’t understand. Even when things don’t make sense, the not knowing, the misunderstandings, the “why’s.” Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths (Prov. 3:5-6). God sees ways we don’t see, He sees paths we don’t see. Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps were not known (Psalm 77:19). God has ways of deliverance, of solving our problems and getting us through those things that overcome us that we cannot see. We think they are roadblocks, an obstacle. Move in faith, trust God even when you don’t see a way. He will make a way where there seems to be no way! The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines even brighter unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18).

God’s way is the best…not the easiest. The path of righteousness is not an easy path. We are going to have struggles, but the Shepherd will never leave you. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand (Psalm 37:23-24). Even when we stumble He delights in us…it is those times we are usually willing to listen.

What seems like a wall, is really a door. God knows what is best for us. We don’t see what He sees. He sees the future, the end results, and we can’t. All the “why’s” we ask now will one day be clear in the light of God’s love. In the meantime, lean not on your own understanding and trust God.

We have a society that is breaking down because we are not following the right path. The path of righteousness is the road to recovery. God is the good Shepherd, the great Redeemer who restores. He takes what is broken, old and used and makes it new.

Who’s path are you following in your life? God’s path of righteousness or your path?

Setting Goals for 2010

Wilt thou be made whole? (John 5:6)

Don't forget yourself...Often we as Christian women get so involved in meeting the needs of others that we forget to take time to refresh ourselves.

If you have flown on a commercial airliner lately, you will recognize the speech the flight attendants recite just before taking off. It goes something like this, "In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will automatically be lowered. If you are sitting beside a child, first secure your own mask before applying the child's.
Why do they advise you to do that? They realize that unless you as the adult are getting the oxygen you need, you will be of no help to the child, and you will both perish.

Jesus, filled with absolute love and compassion, went to the mountain to spend time with His Father in prayer, to renew His weary body and soul. When the crowd pressed in on Him, He suggested to the disciples that they all get away from the crowd and go to the mountains alone.

Are you getting enough "oxygen" in your life to be of maximum benefit to those around you? It is not a selfish thing to set goals allowing you to "refill your cup."

Just as an empty teakettle will crack or melt as the heat under it is turned up, so you also will break as the heat of life is turned on "high" when your "cup" ~ your emotional and spiritual life is dry.

So, take time for you throughout the year, get the oxygen you need so you can help others.

Have A Vision

Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keeps the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)

There is something about hesitation and reconsiderations that is curiously fatal to successful achievement. Good fortune is in going on ~ not in going back. The parable of Lot's wife (Genesis 19:26), who turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back, is by no means inapplicable to the life today. Let no one who the vision has shone look backward instead of forward, and he become paralyzed and immovable. He is impeded by the shallows and the miseries. He has withdrawn himself from all the heavenly forces that lead him on. This fidelity to the vision is the vital motor. It gives that exhilaration of energy which makes possible the impossible.

Each recurring New Year is an open door. However arbitrary are the divisions of time, there is inspiration and exaltation in standing on the threshold of an untried year, with it's fresh pages awaiting record. It is, again, the era of possibilities. The imaginative faculty of the soul must, indeed, be "fed with objects immense and eternal." Life stretches before one in its diviner unity ~ even in the wholeness of the life that is and that which is to come.

There is no one set of motives and purposes to be applied to this life, and another set to that which awaits us. This is the spiritual world, here and now. It is well to drop the old that one may seize the new.

What vision do you have for your, your family, your business, your life this 2010?

Spur Each Other On

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24)

The word spur conjures a vision and brings the old west to mind of cattle drives and cowboys, of other times long left behind.

When used as "on the spur of the moment" it could even become an element of time or perhaps, a short section of rails that run off, away from the main line.

However, to do God's work, silver spurs we need not wear. Share the "Good News" with others as you travel about here and there.

Cowboys old and new wore their spurs to urge their horses to greater heights to do the job that needed done or face lonely sleepless nights.

The word "spur" has a much older meaning than that which was found in the west...The Bible, in Hebrews chapter ten, an early writer definitely says it best, "Let us consider how we may spur each other on toward love and good deeds."
Then ideas and good thoughts dawn, "encourage one another." The words brought to mind, "do not give up meeting together."

The true meaning of life you'll find...In other words, if you keep on traveling your old sinful path you shall surely experience the suffering of God's eternal wrath.

Remember, Jesus was sent to save us, from heaven above.

So above all, "spur" yourself and others on to believe and live...in God's eternal love.

Written by Blair Sneddon for our Women's Day Retreat

How will you spur (encourage) someone today?