Are You Lonely?

It happens, even though we do not like to admit it.  Sometimes even in a crowd we can feel alone and disconnected.  But, in reality as members of the body of Christ, we are in a very full household and as we work at the commission He has given us, the family keeps growing!  This is a wonderful thing.  There have been times I’ve felt in need of a hug from a brother or sister and when it seemed nobody was around.  I posted something here and suddenly my family, though scattered throughout the world, were here making me laugh, smile, praise, sing, dance, and feel their love.  How awesome!

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,”        Ephesians 2:19 NIV

 

You Are Being Watched!

Jesus Has Been Trying To Tell Us!

You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.  – Cornel West –

 

Our amazing and loving Lord has been trying to write this message on our hearts since He walked this earth in human form and He still is trying to urge, to teach, to command us to love.

 

He came!

He loved!

He served!

 

If you have picked up a newspaper, turned on the television or radio, or simply walked down any street whether far or near, you cannot deny that we have failed in this . . . it is not “they” who have failed.  It is not an undefined “those who walk in darkness” who need to hear this message . . . it is each and every one of us.  Regardless of the denomination of the “church” you belong to, you know that we are the body of Christ and that the ultimate message is love yet all too often the message we focus on is one of being judge.  God is the judge.  We are not.  Want to change the world?  Reflect His love!

 

 

 

 

 

Fan The Flame!

The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled – Plutarch –

I like this quote.  I woke up this morning discouraged by the well intended advice I had received from friends at church last night.  I prayed about it as well as the situation I am battling with and the Lord comforted me and encouraged me and led me in the direction He had for me for today and now I feel much better.  I don’t know what next year holds for me,nor next month, next week, or even tomorrow . . . but I know I am in step with Him and that in Christ, I am a vessel He has filled to use for His purpose and that the passion or fire within me was placed there by Him.  By listening and following Him, it will be kindled.  Praise Him at all times and in all places.  He is good.

Yes, Lord . . . I give you my heart and my life!!!!

Monday Afternoon – Uplift Your Spirits!

Can Perfect Peace Be Found?

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”        Isaiah 26:3 NIV

I don’t know about you but I am not in the habit of using the word steadfast in my daily conversation, but I sure do pray a lot to feel and be filled with the peace of God.  I also find that the book of Isaiah speaks to be a lot of late.  So, I just looked up “steadfast” in the dictionary and this is what it revealed:

• faith
• fixed in direction
• firm in purpose

Hmmm . . . firm in purpose.   tough one for me sometimes.  I spend a bit too much time fretting about my specific purpose.and thus find peace becomes elusive.  Could it be that once more I’m trying to run ahead and should be staying in step with Jesus?  I think perhaps this is so.  My purpose should be His will and the details will be revealed as He decides and always for my good.  This got me wanting more so I consulted an online Hebrew Lexicon and found something which delighted me. I learned that the biblical Hebrew word for steadfast is amad which means to take one’s hand.  This brought to mind an image of my inner child holding hands with my loving Savior and feeling complete trust and love for Him and being fully aware of His great love for me.  Perfect peace . . . become like a child as He has urged us to do.  He wants to hold my hand.  He doesn’t want me to “get it” and then dismiss me and leave so that He can get to other things on the agenda.  That is more our way of looking at things.  He wants to take me by the hand . . . what an amazing feeling that has brought over me.  What a way to begin the day, the new week, and the new challenges and opportunities . . . hand in hand with my Lord and best friend, Jesus!

Bible Quote For A Monday!

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,  so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”        Romans 12:4-5 NIV

 

I can’t speak for anyone else, but wow have I wasted time in my life wishing I could be gifted like other people and that usually resulted in a nice pity party on all I saw lacking in me.  Sound familiar?  I think many of us can admit to ourselves we’ve done some of that at some point, but if we live authentic lives in Christ, we are filled with grace and our lives are full of the gifts He has chosen specifically for the amazing life in Him that we were created for.  He doesn’t see us as “if I only” or “why couldn’t I” or anything of the sort.  He sees us as His beautiful children.  We are children of the King of Kings and all we have to do is say yes to His love and He takes it from there.  The body of
Christ!  I am so excited to be a part of it!

 

 

 

 

I used to love this song and haven’t heard it in ages! Check it out!

Magic Seeds!

Many of us at some point or another seek to “find ourselves” and for me this meant finding the Lord and in so doing discovering my authentic self.  I can recall praying often and yet not having learned yet to hear or truly see.  I looked for Him everywhere, yet found Him deep within me . . . a seed planted in my heart before I was born.  When I looked deep within myself and opened the door to that sacred place, life began anew! 

Find the seed at the bottom of your heart and bring forth a flower.
                                                                                                                        Shigenori Kameoka