Our Christmas Gifts!

The True Gifts for Us at Christmas!

As we are about to begin December, God has put on my heart for us to know the true gifts that he has given us as his children! Just like we love to find the perfect gifts for our own children that we know they will love on Christmas morning. Our Father also loves to do that for us all the time. He knows us so well, I recently learned that our future is a memory to him. That is hard to wrap your mind around isn't it. It is because he has already seen it...so it is a memory! Just like those of us who know our children so well...when we see something that they will just love...it excites us to give it to them. Isn't that amazing that our Father in heaven is thinking about us individually and picking out the perfect gifts for us! Have you ever thought of it that way? Me either...that is just something God revealed to me.

~2 Peter 1:4

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.


~Matthew 11: 28-29
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.


~Isaiah 40: 29-31
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.


~Philippians 4: 19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.


~Romans 8: 37-39
Now, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~Proverbs 1:33
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

~John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

~Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So after reading those scriptures it becomes very clear to me that our gifts are so precious! He gives us Love, Hope, Peace, Promises, Faith, Power, His Glory, and Eternal Life. When he gave his son for you, it allowed us to have all of these gifts. These are the most meaningful things we have in our life. We just need to graciously accept them. So often we forget who we are in God's eyes, his precious, beloved child. We just let these gifts stay wrapped up in a pretty little box under the tree, and do not even open them. It is time for us to open these gifts the Lord has already given us. Lets begin to really Celebrate this season. God is so good to us! He is waiting for us to take all of these gifts, he is excited to see how we will react once we accept them. We can be like our children on Christmas morning as they run to the tree and tear open the presents! Lets do it!


Let's stop allowing our situations, people, and circumstances to rob us of these gifts. We wake up in the morning and pray and we are thankful and happy! Then throughout the day things may happen that begin to take these feeling away. How often do we allow something someone says to us, even a complete stranger ruin our day? Why??? When we know who we are in Christ! Who cares what anyone else but our God says about us??? Does anyone else really matter other than Him?


Bottom line is that the best Gift that we can give God, is to really honor him with knowing who we are in him. That all of his gifts are in our heart and soul. Be full of JOY! Share it with others!!!

This is a little part of one of my favorite Christmas Songs:

This night, we pray
Our lives will show
This dream he had
Each child still knows

Isn't that beautiful, that our lives will show the dream that each child still knows! And what that knows is that we are worth dying for! That he loves us that much! Let's remember this girls, and while we enjoy buying our gifts, decorating our house, and doing our family traditions...that we don't forget how much our Father Loves us! Lets get ready to celebrate the Birthday of our Savior who came for you, to save you, to die for you, and bring you true JOY!

Thank you for these gifts Lord!

The Power in Prayer! Nov. 2, 2012

 Prayer is the privilege of touching the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.

I really think that we are suppose to learn more about prayer. What it really is, and why the Lord made it available to us. How important it is to our relationship. Why do we do it? God already know what is on our hearts, but he delights in us telling him. He wants us to talk to him. Just like we know our children...when they are upset, when they are happy, what they want, and what they do not want. We want to talk about it with them. Without talking there is no relationship...no communication.

 
I recently read something that puts it all in prospective: If you were a student at a college and you went to the president for a loan, he probably would say no...because he does not know you right... well if you were the daughter of the president and you asked him for a loan??? Of course...you got it. Just a little simple way to think about it. Why does God want to answer our prayers??? Because he is our Father!!!
Sometimes even the strongest believers may feel that the Lord is not answering their prayers. The truth is that when we pray in his will it is done. It says it in the Bible..that is truth...but what we don't think about is that we do not know his will. We only know a limited amount of information about the situation. Our understanding is not like our Fathers. He knows the future we don't. He knows what he is doing...we don't. I think that when we really start to pray for something we already know how we want God to answer it...or most of the time. So we are setting yourself up for a disappointment sometimes. We must pray about all situations, but then leave it up to him to decide how this request must be handled. I have heard people say often... I prayed for this and well God did not do it??? So prayer does not work... I am done. How do they know it did not work? Well it also says in the Bible that we must do a few things as believers in order for the Lord to hear our prayers. One is forgiveness, we must forgive, I know it is hard trust me I know, but our Father says we must do it. We must be saved. You have to make the decision to follow Jesus Christ in order to have prayers answered. I believe that when people who are not following Jesus need prayer they automatically reach out to those who do.


Definition of Prayer : A solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.


Mark 11:24~ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.


John 15:7~ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.


1 John 5: 14-15~ And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask for anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, then we know we have obtained the requests made of him.

Now lets look at what the Bible has told us we are capable of doing as a disciple of Christ...

Matthew 10:1 ~Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

We have been given authority in Jesus' name to pray against Satan, when we ourselves or people we know have come under attack. Yes...you are that powerful!!!

These following prayers are so powerful, because they are based on the word of God. I encourage you to not only pray these, but say them out loud. I recently learned that when we speak Gods word its power is magnified... Say it out loud. I also just recently learned that Satan cannot read our minds like our Father. He can hear us and see our actions...so that is a very important thing to know because we all are in a spiritual warfare...this is true because the word says so. We need to know how our enemy works...what he does to try to defeat us. Be careful what you say always... in Proverbs 21:23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. Just wanted to share you these things that God has recently revealed to me which are very important!!!

Also the MOST powerful instrument God has given us is our MOUTH!!! That is how we communicate with him, pray to him, and share his word.

PRAYER AGAINST SATAN

Jesus, I accept my share in the authority You have given the Church over every demon (Mt 10:1). Satan, in Jesus' name, I disarm and despoil you (Lk 11:22). I bring down all your strongholds, sophistries, and proud pretensions (2 Cor 10:4-5). I cast you out in Jesus' name. Thank You Jesus for Your victory.
We have the power to pray for our families:

FAMILY PRAYERS

"I kneel before the Father from Whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name; and I pray:

1. That He will bestow on you gifts in keeping with the riches of His glory.
2. May He strengthen you inwardly through the working of His Spirit.
3. May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, and may charity be the root and foundation of your life.

Thus you will be able to grasp fully, with all the holy ones, the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love, and experience this love which surpasses all knowledge, so that you may attain to the fullness of God Himself. To Him Whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, world without end. Amen" (Eph 3:14-21).
(Put the names of your family members in place of the word "you" and "yours".)
"May our sons be like plants well-nurtured in their youth, our daughters like wrought columns such as stand at the corners of the temple. May our garners be full, affording every kind of store; may our sheep be in the thousands, and increase to myriads in our meadows; may our oxen be well laden. May there be no breach in the walls, no exile, no outcry in our streets. Happy the people for whom things are thus; happy the people whose God is the Lord" (Ps l44:12-15).

PRAYER FOR HUSBANDS

Father, may husbands be strong men who are spiritual heads of their family, leaders in prayer (1 Tm 2:8), courageous and bold witnesses for Jesus, and victors over the evil one by the power of Your word (1 Jn 2:14). Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE WIFE OF AN UNBELIEVING HUSBAND

This prayer applies to circumstances when a husband is unbelieving and disobeying God's word. It applies to many marriages. In these situations, wives should pray both for their husbands and for themselves:
Heavenly Father, I pray that my husband will be won over to Jesus through my conduct. Give me a reverent purity in my way of life. May I be adorned with the hidden character of the heart expressed in the unfading beauty of a calm and gentle disposition (1 Pt 3:1, 2, 4). Father, show me what it means to be Your daughter, a bride of Christ, a temple of the Spirit, and a Christian woman. I repent of my sins and trust You completely. I put my husband, marriage, family, and life into Your hands in Jesus' name. Amen

PRAYER TO WANT TO FORGIVE

"To err is human; to forgive is divine." Since forgiveness is divine, we can truly forgive only by God's grace. The Lord will give the miracle of forgiveness instantaneously (Mt 5:25). But many times we don't want to forgive. We should pray:
Father, I don't even want to forgive. Change my will. Make me willing to forgive, and then give me the power to forgive in Jesus' name. Amen

PRAYER FOR WISDOM

Every Christian can receive wisdom by asking for it "in faith, never doubting" (Jas 1:5-6). Therefore, the key to receiving wisdom is to pray for freedom from doubt. Pray:
Father, give me wisdom (Wis 9:4) but first
give me faith. I repent of doubts that I have entertained. Holy Spirit, confirm me in Your love. Jesus, "beyond doubt, You are the Son of God!" (Mt 14:33) Amen.

PRAYER WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE SINNING

Father, thank You for giving me the grace to repent and be forgiven of my sins. Thank You for the blood Jesus shed on the cross. Take the plank out of my eye (Mt 7:5), and give life to this person who is sinning (1 Jn 5:16). Amen.

PRAYER FOR VICTORY

"O Lord, there is none like You to help the powerless against the strong. Help us, O Lord, our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. You are the Lord, our God; let no man prevail against You" (2 Chr 14:10).

PRAYER BEFORE READING THE BIBLE

Father, I can't understand Your word without Your grace. I acknowledge my weakness so Your power can reach perfection in me (2 Cor 12:9). Send Your Holy Spirit to remind, teach, and guide me to the Truth (Jn 14:26; 16:13). May I share as soon as possible whatever You teach me (see Lk 8:15-16). Amen.

PRAYER TO HAVE JESUS' ENERGY, HIS MIND, AND HIS JOY

Jesus promises to give us His energy, mind, and joy. Therefore, we dare to pray: "Jesus, may I be 'impelled by that energy of' Yours 'which is so powerful a force within me' (Col 1:29). Thank You for giving me Your energy (Col 1:29), mind (1 Cor 2:16), and joy" (Jn 15:11). Amen.

PRAYER TO HAVE CHRIST'S HEART

Jesus, You promised me a new heart and a new spirit (Ez 36:26). May I not be conformed to the world (Rm 12:2). Give me a new gospel life-style. Where my treasure is, there will my heart be (Lk 12:34). May I want what You want. Amen.

PRAYER TO GIVE OUR LIVES TO JESUS

Father, "those things I used to consider gain I have now reappraised as loss in the light of Christ. I have come to rate all as loss in the light of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ. For His sake I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish so that Christ may be my wealth, and I may be in Him" (Phil 3:7-9). "I have been crucified with Christ, and the life I live now is not my own; Christ is living in me" (Gal 2:19-20). Jesus, You gave Your life for me; I give my life for You. Amen.

PRAYER FOR HOLINESS

Father, may I hunger and thirst for righteousness (Mt 5:6), be made perfect in holiness, and be preserved "whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Th 5:23).

PRAYERS FOR THE CLEANSING OF OUR SUBCONSCIOUSNESS

"Cleanse me from my unknown faults!" (Ps 19:13)
"Probe me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, see if my way is crooked, and lead me in the way of old" (Ps 139:23-24).
"Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Ps 19:15).

PRAYERS FOR SIGNS AND WONDERS

1. Lord, "grant to your servants, even as they speak Your words, complete assurance by stretching forth Your hand in cures and signs and wonders to be worked in the name of Jesus, Your holy Servant" (Acts 4:29-30).
2. "Give new signs and work new wonders, show forth the splendor of Your right hand and arm" (Sir 36:5).
3. Father, may I proclaim the good news and have signs and wonders accompany me. May I expel demons, speak entirely new languages, handle serpents, drink deadly poison without harm, and heal the sick through the laying on of hands (Mk 16:15-20).
4. "Deliver us by Your wonders, and bring glory to Your name, O Lord" (Dan 3:43).
5. "As in the days when You came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs" (Mic 7:15).

PRAYER TO MULTIPLY MONEY

Jesus, I believe You can multiply loaves, fish, work, and money. I give You the only multipliable portion — I give You my all. Bless, break, and multiply it, especially through the Eucharist (Lk 9:16).
Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All (Jn 20:28).

PRAYER TO GET A JOB

Father, may I seek first Your kingdom and Your way of holiness, and a job will be given to me (Mt 6:33).

PRAYER TO EVANGELIZE

Father, I acknowledge that it is a sin not to evangelize. I repent. Forgive me. May I fall so much in love with Jesus that it would be normal for me to tell others about Him. Empower me by the Holy Spirit to be His witness (Acts 1:8). Amen.


PRAYER FOR OUR CHILDREN


When they are misbehaving~ “Lord, I know that lacking self control makes my kids vulnerable to the Enemy (Proverbs 25:28). Self-control comes from your Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23); please teach them self-control through your Spirit.”

To keep them pure~“Lord, hide your word in their hearts so that they don’t want to sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

Proverbs 18:21 says, The tongue has the power of life and death. As parents, you have the power to speak life or death to your children and over your children. When you choose to speak the Word of God over your children, you are choosing to speak life over them. Jesus said in John 6:63, The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. The following are scriptural confessions that you can speak over your children – and as Isaiah 55:11 says – these words will not return to your empty, but will accomplish and achieve the purpose for which they are sent.

Exodus 20:12 I thank You Father, that my children honor and obey me, therefore, they please the Lord and will live a long life.
(Also found in Colossians 3:20 and Ephesians 6:2.)

Psalm 112:2 My children are blessed and will be mighty in the land.

Psalm 127:3 My children are a reward and gift from the Lord, and I will enjoy them.

Psalm 138:8 My children will fulfill God’s will and purpose for their lives.

Daniel 1:4 My children are children in whom there is no blemish, but they are well favored. They are skillful in wisdom, cunning in knowledge, and understand science. They have the ability to stand in the King’s palace and teach others.

Romans 12:2 My children are not being conformed to this world’s system, but they are constantly being transformed by the renewing of their mind, that they might know what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God for their lives.

I Corithians 6:18-19 My children will flee from all sexual immorality and impurity in thought, word or deed, and they will realize that their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

I Timothy 4:12 My children are examples to others in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.


1. Salvation
Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
(Isaiah 45:8; II Timothy 2:10)

2. Growth in Grace
I pray that they may “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”.
(2 Peter 3:18)
3. Love
Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love through the Spirit who dwells in them.
(Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22)
4. Honesty and Integrity
May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection.
(Psalm 25:21)

5. Self-Control
Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be “alert and self-controlled” in all they do.
(1 Thessalonians 5:6)
6. A Love for God’s Word
Father, help my children grow to find Your Word “more precious than gold, than much pure gold; and sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb”.
(Psalm 19:10)

7. Justice
God, help my children to love justice as You do and to “act justly” in all they do.
(Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8)

8. Mercy
May my children always “be merciful, as their Father is merciful”.
(Luke 6:36)

9. Respect (for self, others, authority)
Father, grant that my children may “show proper respect to everyone,” as Your Word commands.
(1 Peter 2:17)
10. Strong, Biblical Self-Esteem
Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus”.
(Ephesians 2:10)
11. Faithfulness
“Let love and faithfulness never leave my children,” but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts.
(Proverbs 3:3)

12. A Passion for God
Lord, please instill in my children a soul with a craving for You, a heart that clings passionately to You.
(Psalm 63:8)
13. Responsibility
Grant that my children may learn responsibility, “for each one should carry his own load”.
(Galatians 6:5)

14. Kindness
Lord, may my children “always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else”.
(1 Thessalonians 5:15)

15. Generosity
Grant that my children may “be generous and willing to share and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age”.
(1 Timothy 6:18-19)

16. Peace, Peaceability
Father, let my children “make every effort to do what leads to peace”. (Romans 14:19)
17. Hope
May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13)
18. Perseverance
Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to “run with perseverance the race marked out for them”.
(Hebrews 12:1)
19. Humility
Lord, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.
(Titus 3:2)

20. Compassion
Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion.
(Colossians 3:12)
21. Prayerfulness
Grant, Lord, that my children’s lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests”.
(Ephesians 6:18)
22. Contentment
Father, teach my children “the secret of being content in any and every situation…through Him who gives them strength”.
(Philippians 4:12-13)
23. Faith
I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.
(Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40)
24. A Servant Heart
Lord, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may “serve wholeheartedly as if they were serving the Lord, not men”.
(Ephesians 6:7)
25. Purity
“Create in them a pure heart, O God,” and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions.
(Psalm 51:10)
26. Willingness & Ability to Work Hard
Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, “as working for the Lord, not for men”.
(Colossians 3:23)
27. Self-Discipline
Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire “a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair”.
(Proverbs 1:3)
28. A Heart for Missions
Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among all peoples.
(Psalm 96:3)

29. Joy
May my children be filled “with the joy given by the Holy Spirit”.
(1 Thessalonians 1:6)
30. Courage
May my children always “be strong and courageous” in their character and in their actions.
(Deuteronomy 31:6)

WOW!!! I am encouraging all of us to pray these things OUT LOUD over our children! I know that this will be life changing. How powerful...us speaking HIS word back to him over our very own children. I just know God will delight in this. I have a friend who leads a Bible study I attend on Wed. night, and she believes that her Great Grandma, who passed away before she was even born spoke to the LORD about her and her children, and down each generation. That they would come to know the HIM, and have a LOVE for him. I think that is amazing. I myself have just been reminded lately of something that my own Mother did when I was 16. I had got into 4 car accidents the first month I had my license, and I am the baby. My Mom just could not handle this, and although we never attended church and I was not raised in the faith... my Mom said she literally fell to her knees and prayed to the LORD to take over me, she said she game me to him because she could not handle the worry she had for me. Well I think he did, no I know he did. He accepted that offer from my Mother and her words have came true in my life. I am his!

Girls...I encourage you to PRAY..PRAY...PRAY! It can be spontaneous, crafted, just a little word to the Lord. But is should be something that consumes you everyday!!! Lets use this teaching to begin a more powerful prayer life. We have been given this power...lets use it...Lord, help us to use our most valuable tool...our mouths.. we celebrate that we have the authority and power to pray about every situation in the name of Jesus! AMEN

Seeking HIS face...

"Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory [is] above the earth and heaven." Psa 148:13

Who is God to you?

Is He your Most High God, All sufficient One, Master, Lord of Peace, the Lord Who Will Provide? Is He your Father? We must be careful not to make God into an "it" or a "thing" to which we pray. He is our Jehovah Raah, the Lord our Shepherd. God knows us by our name, shouldn't we know Him by His?

Hallowed be Your name?

To hallow a thing is to make it holy or to set it apart to be exalted as being worthy of absolute devotion. To hallow the name of God is to regard Him with complete devotion and loving admiration. God's name is of the utmost importance

~Lately God has put it on my heart that he knows everything about me, but I want to know more about him!!!

Isaiah 43:1-28 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. ...

Psalm 139:13-16
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:1-4
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

Isaiah 49:16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

See he know us so much...and in this relationship with him, I long to know more about him.  I will be honest that I have sang many songs at church, and although I love them, I am a bit confused about the meaning.  Maybe you are with me...or maybe you know all the names of the Lord and you can give us more insight on this topic :-) 

I know there is a song at church that says "There's no God like Jehovah", and I will be honest when I first heard it I thought "what Jehovah...Jehovah's Witness???"   WHAT??? lol

Jehovah

Definition: The personal name of the only true God. His own self-designation. Jehovah is the Creator and, rightfully, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. "Jehovah" is translated from the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, which means "He Causes to Become."

• (Lord God Almighty)
  
• El Elyon (The Most High God)
  
• Adonai (Lord, Master)
  
• Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah) El Shaddai
  
• Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
  
• Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
  
• Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
  
• Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
  
• Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
  
• Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
  
• El Olam (The Everlasting God)
  
• Elohim (God)
  
• Qanna (Jealous)
  
• Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
  
• Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
  
• Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

There is a beautiful song that declares names of the Lord, and I love it so much...gives me chills all over everytime I hear it...maybe it will mean even more now that I actually know what all the names mean to me. 

The song is called "Lord You're Holy" here are the lyrics...I would encourage you to look it up and listen to it on you tube...it is a very annointed song!  Love it!

Lord You're Holy
Lord You're Holy
Lord, You're Holy
Lord, You're Holy
And we lift You up
And magnify Your Name
Lord, You're Holy
Lord, You're Holy
And we lift You up
And magnify Your Name

As I look around and I see
All the works that Your hands have made
The awesomeness of You
And how Your love will never fail
Mere words cannot express what I feel inside
I can't describe Your glory divine
But as a token of my love
This is what I'll do
I lift my hands and cry holy

Lord, You're Holy
Lord, You're Holy
And we lift You up
And magnify Your Name
Lord, You're Holy
Lord, You're Holy
And we lift You up
And magnify Your Name

There's not enough words that I can say
To tell you how much I appreciate
All the wonderful things You've given me
Your loving kindness
Your tender mercies
It's my desire to praise You
And tell you how much I love You
You're worthy of all the honor
Lord You're worthy of all the praise

I don't know how
You can love me
How You could give me
So much mercy
You didn't have to suffer and die for me
Way back on Calvary
But I just wanna thank you
I thank you
I thank you
I thank you

Wonderful, Glorious, Holy, and Righteous
Victorious, Conqueror, Triumphant and
Mighty
Healer, Deliverer, Shield and Defense
Strong Tower and My Best Friend
Omnipotent, Omnipresent
Soon Coming King
Alpha, Omega, Lord of everything
Holy, holy, holy is Your Name

So first of all what does Holy mean?  The best definition I could find to describe God as Holy is "Sacred and Worthy of Worshiping" 

Omnipotent~Having very great and unlimited authority!

Omnipresent~Being present everywhere!

Alpha and Omega~Begining and the End!

Also when looking up names of God I found he has a lot, and just to read through them is amazing!  So here we go:

Advocate, Almighty, Alpha, Angel, Amen, Angel of the Lord, Annointed One, Apostle, Author and Perfecter of Our Faith, Beginning, Bishop of our Souls, Branch, Bread of Life, Bridegroom, Carpenter, Chief Shephard, The Christ, Comforter, Consolation of Isreal, Cornerstone, Dayspring, Day Star, Deliver, Desire of Nations, Emmanuel, End, Everlasting Father, Faithful and True Witness, First Fruits, Foundation, Fountain, Friend of Sinners, Gate of Sinners, Gate for Sheep, Gift of God, God, Glory of God, Great Shepherd, Guide, Head of the Church, High Priest, Holy One of Israel, Horn of Salvation, I Am, Jehovah, Jesus, King of Isreal, King of Kings, Lamb of God, Last Adam, Life, Light of the World, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Lord  of Lords, Master, Mediator, Messiah, Mighty God, Morning Star, Nazarene, Omega, Pasosver Lamb, Physician, Potentate, Priest, Prince of Peace, Prophet, Propitiation, Purifier, Rabbi, Ransom, Redeemer, Refiner, Refuge, Resurrection, Righteousness, Rock, Root of David, Rose of Sharon, Ruler of God's Creation, Sacrifice, Savior, Second Adam, Seed of Abraham, Seed of David, Seed of the Woman, Servant, Shepherd, Shiloh, Son of David, Son of God, Son of Man, Son of Mary, Son of the Most High, Stone, Sun of Righteousness, Teacher, Truth, Way, Wonderful Counselor, Word, Vine.

WOW~  He is EVERYTHING!!!  Is there anything that we can fathom that is all that???  And the most amazing thing is, he is our Father...he made us, created us...his Greatness is in us.  We are his children...we come from good genes!!!  See in my quest of finding out more about him...it is just like the Lord to reveal to me that all of the Goodness is living in me!!!  I set out to find out more about him, and he in turn Blessed me!  That is so like him!  How diferent would this world be if all his children knew what was in them...what Greatness they came from... 

PRAISE YOUR NAME LORD...PRAISE YOUR HOLY NAME!

Why is it so important to have his Word in our life?

Why is it so important to walk with God everyday, and read his word everyday?

It is hard to believe this is our last time meeting before summer vacation. I have enjoyed our time together so much! I have been so blessed by being around each of you. My prayer for this study was for it to truly bless us and our families. I believe that this study is like our own little study guide from God. If we don't just read his word, but instead use his word in our lives we will be full of his Joy. My prayer is that in the future we will all remember the basics. The simple child like basics that God wants us to know.

John 1:1~In the beginning before all time was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

This verse alone tells us how important the Word of God is to us. The Word is God Himself. Have you ever thought of it that way. That God is the Word? That when we read the scriptures he has given us, it is like having more and more of him put inside of us. We love him, and long for that so much. It gives us more power, strength, and wisdom. You can never have too much of that. I just read something that stuck with me it said “wisdom is the ability to discern the truth”. Wisdom is supernatural, it is a gift of God, and cannot be taught by man. I loved that so much. That is the difference between someone who is full of the Holy Spirit and studies God's Word You will have the peace and knowledge, the spiritual training from your Heavenly Father to have wisdom in every situation. God is offering this Gift that cannot be taught by man to us, we need to graciously accept it.

Philippians 3:10~For my determined purpose is that I may know Him and I may progressively become more deeply intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly.

Psalm 91:1-2~He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty. Whose power no foe can withstand. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I trust!

Psalm 119:105~Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Hebrews 4:12~For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power, it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line o the breath of life and spirit, and of joints and marrow, exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

In this life we are constantly fighting a battle in our minds between what is Good (which is of God), and what is bad (the enemy). In order to win that battle in our mind, we must have the word of God. With all the bad things we hear and see everyday. We need God's word to overcome, rise up above the problems of this world, and to be able to go to His secret place. We should look at God's word as our weapon. I recently found some scripture that is perfect for today!!!

Ephesians 6: 10-17~ A final word, Be strong in the Lord and in the mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth, and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the good news so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.

In my very first post I mentioned Jeremiah 29:11~For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you a hope in your final outcome.

See God wants us to walk with him, closely, so that he can fully protect us from all the evil in this world. I pray for us all to remember this everyday. That we will cling to his Word, and hold on to it tightly.

I pray for blessings and peace for all of our family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being part of this with me. I know that God has big plans for us. This is just the beginning of beautiful friendships between us Girls who are covered by his Grace!

I love you!

All the ways to be a Witness

All the ways to be a WITNESS

1 Peter 3:15~Instead you must worship Christ as Lord of your life, and if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

1 Peter 2:1-5~So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 John 2:1-5~My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him

Proverbs 14:25~A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Isaiah 43:10~“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me

James 5:16~Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

The last thing Jesus said to his Disciples was “you will be my witnesses throughout the whole world.” It is so important for us to not just go to church on Sunday, but to live our life everyday, even behind closed doors as a witness of our LORD. These are the following ways to be a witness:

~first of all obey the 10 commandments

~show Love to others

~have a Godly attitude

~be kind and helpful

~be a joyous giver

~be compassionate

~be God's light everywhere you go

If you are going to give your life to God, the easy part is obeying what God wants you to do, but the hardest part is to adjust your attitude. Our attitude is what others will notice about us the most. You can give tons of money to your church or to charity, go to church every Sunday, pray everyday, but if you have a bad attitude, forget it you have lost your witness. There are ways that we lose our witness. Some of us can think of examples of people who attend church, but maybe there attitude does not reflect someone who studies God's word. When believers see this it is hard, but imagine non-believers who see this, where is there hope, why would they consider following Jesus? These are some of the ways we can lose our witness.

~being hateful

~judging others

~being unforgiving

~gossiping

~having fear/living in fear

~being full of doubt

~complaining

~being angry

I believe with all my heart if you are hearing this right now, that God has chosen you to be his witness. He has placed his hand on you, and if you let him he will remove the layers around you that are blocking his light from shining within you. When you give your life to him, other people will notice. I promise you that.

I myself had went to church for seven years, was praying daily, teaching Sunday school, and I was learning a lot. Mostly due to the fact that I was full of everything I just mentioned above (the ways to lose your witness), that I could not be a good witness. I have surrendered my life, and my family to him. I Love him so much, and I want everyone to know it. He has been working on me all this time. Dealing with the things I need to get rid of so that I can honor him. I need so much more work, but I also know that in my soul I am the best I have ever been. I know now what Born Again means. To be new, to be given a new life. To hear God, to discern evil thoughts from Godly thoughts. In the scripture we heard earlier, he said “be like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into spiritual salvation”.

I praise God for letting me have a new life, through HIM!

He has blessed us so much, what can we do for him?

Deuteronomy 11: 26-27

~Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse— The blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day.

Psalm 5: 12

~For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with your shield.

James 1:25
But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.


1 John 3:21-23
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.


Luke 11:28
But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it."


Matthew 5:2-12
And opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. "Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


Psalm 24:5
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation.


James 1:12
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him


In all of these scriptures are promises of blessings from our Father. He is so loving to us. He has laid out the instructions for our life, and clearly tells us that if we follow his commandments we will be blessed. It sounds so simple... and it should be simple. We just need to obey the words our Father has told us, and once we have surrendered to him, and truly live according to his laws then we can truly begin to experience the blessings he has in store for us.


How Great is our God! Just as our own children get rewarded for obeying and doing what they are suppose to do. Our Father wants to reward us. That does mean that we must stop living by our own rules, we must basically die ourself, and then start living our new life through him. Not only will he bless us for doing this, but those around us will be blessed as well. We can be a true witness of what surrendering can do.


When we surrender we can begin to shed the weight of our own feelings and emotions that bring us down. We can no longer get our feeling hurt, because we will forgive the other person before we even allow it to hurt us. We will not judge anyone, because we know that there is only one judge. We will not share our own opinion, but pray about what God would want you to say. It is a new life. It becomes about what he wants for you, and not what bing on ourself. Which often causes grief and strife in our life.


I know myself, I am really working on not allowing people to hurt my feelings. I really need to let that go. I spend so much time re-playing things in my head that people say to me. Or how someone has treated me. Which is really just robbing me of the true Joy that my Father wants me to have. I know that I am his beloved, that he has chose me to be his, that I am strong through him, I have everything I need from God, and I do not need acceptance from anyone else but him. It is the enemy who kills and destroys! When someone says something that kills and destroys your spirit, that is only evil. That is something that person needs to deal with themselves, not me! I need to just pass it along to God, and pray for them before I let it settle in my mind, and re-play it over and over again. Besides me getting upset about it is not a very productive way to handle it anyways, if I pray about it that will at least get results.


So since he has given us so many blessing, what can we do for him,the answer would be to ACCEPT them. Graciously accept his love and blessings, share them with people you love, tell people how good he is to you. He loves when we tell people about his Love. Most importantly do not allow anyone to rob you of his Joy and Blessings.
Romans 8: 38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Today I want us all to examine what is holding us back from all of the blessings he wants to give. That we will have clarity about how we are not honoring his commandments. That we can examine what and who is hindering our Love from God, and begin to pray about this. Pray for strength to change these things about our self. Pray for those people who we Love, that need to surrender to his love as well.
Lets give praise to our Father for all of the blessings he has given us, lets be excited about all of the blessings he cannot wait to give us, and pray about the people or things in our life that are holding us back from receiving all he wants to give.


In HIS name.

What does God say about being a good wife?

 

 

There are many verses in the Bible about being a wife. Very interesting because according to the Bible, not many wives including myself are nothing like what is described. Why do you think this is? Did we learn to be so different from how God intended us to be because that is how we were raised, because of society, or is it just to hard to be submissive? How do you remember your Mother treating your Father? Last time we talked about being a Mother and I would say that is so much easier to be really good at than being a wife. Mostly because we have unconditional love for our children, and not all the time we do for our husbands. We love them if they are doing all the right things, but the minute they make us mad that is it... it can be much harder to forgive them and move on. It is very easy for us to find their faults, what we don't like about them, what we would like to change, and sometimes while doing that we forget what we love about them. We should really think about and re-examine why we fell in love with them in the first place. They are still the same person. Also we should really think about how we are as wives. Sure we cook, clean, go to the grocery, etc. But how is our attitude, are we really doing our best to have a happy marriage. I mean really how important they are to us. They are the men we chose to marry. They are the Father to our children. Shouldn't we be good to them? Instead sometimes we are more respectful and nicer to strangers.

Lets read some scriptures about what God says about being a wife...

Proverbs 31

1 Peter 3 1:6

Ephesians 5: 22-33

Man's logic and ideas, coupled with a woman's sensitivity, blend to aid each other in making decisions. Learning to hear the voice of the Lord is one area where both husband and wife can confirm to each other what the Spirit is saying as they each seek the will of God on any given circumstance. The woman will usually have a certain inclination about it, while the man will have a definite idea regarding the situation. The ideal is, of course, for both husband and wife to walk totally submitted unto the Lord. When this is not the case, the woman should not disregard her husband's advice, for the Lord can and does speak through unsaved husbands. When the wife is submitted to the Lord, the Lord will deal with her husband. Extreme submission where the wife never offers advice to her husband, or is never allowed to think for herself, is out of balance as God did not intend any human being to be another's "door mat." This is an example of that domineering "Jezebel spirit." People under this kind of dominance need deliverance, as do the ones imposing their domineering spirit. The Lord wants every area and dimension of our lives to be balanced in Him.

Some wives neglect their husbands and homes by engaging in too many spiritual pursuits. Of course, the opposite problem can also exist in our homes. Other problems arise when wives are so neat and fastidious about their homes that so much time is spent on cleaning and cooking that they neglect the much needed time of family worship and fellowship. Houses then become a "shrine" to be admired, placing more emphasis on the residence than the residents. Women can become "Marthas" instead of "Marys.''

We must begin by seeing the kind of woman we are. The woman in Proverbs 31:28, "Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her," or the one in Proverbs 21:19, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman." I'm sure our desire is that we fit into the category of the first type, for we certainly do not want to be referred to as angry and contentious. But I wonder, if we honestly examined our hearts and motives and let the Lord turn His searchlight on us, if we might not see some areas where anger and contention do exist in our lives. Perhaps we do not openly voice our anger, but inside we feel it toward our husbands or children; and because we do not voice it, we have feelings of resentment toward them.

Jesus, in the New Testament, talked much about our thought life and our inner feelings. Remember as he spoke to the religious leaders of His day, He reproved them for their evil hearts even though their outward deeds appeared to be right and good. We can outwardly do our duties as mothers and wives, but inside our hearts we may not really be lovingly ministering to them. We may be motivated by duty, not love. None of us really appreciate people doing things for us simply because it is their job. The real witness to others is when we do something simply because we love them. A lot of Spirit-filled Christians are eager to show the love of Jesus to everyone else, but those of their own households often suffer from a lack of love. Let us certainly show the love of Jesus to all we meet, but let's remember to show it in our homes first, asking the Lord to give us the true Spirit of love in performing our daily chores."Lord, may we turn the daily tasks into celebrations of love. Amen.''

"God, I am resentful toward this person; I can't help it; I don't want to be like this; help me change. Lord, help me to be the kind of wife and mother that will inspire my husband and children to rise up and call me blessed. Amen."

Proverbs 14:1

What kind of Mother does God want us to be?

March 7

What a blessing it is to be a Mother...What kind of Mother does he want us to be?

Is there any higher calling for a woman than being a Mother? To be handed these gifts from above, intrusted to raise them? What a huge honor, responsibility, and Joy.

John 16:21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy that a human being has been born into the world.

We talked about this a little last time we met, and how blessed we are because we truly enjoy our children. We love to be them, we all make sacrifices to be with them as much as we can. What a gift to know how precious our children are, and to not take that gift for granted. Some parents do not enjoy being with their children, and we do not understand that.

In Psalm 127:3 it says “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, (inherited from), the fruit of the womb, a reward. Like arrows in the hands of warrior are the children of ones youth.

So not only does God say that they are inherited to us from him, a gift, a reward, also they are like arrows in the hands of warriors. Which is pretty powerful, our kids are like arrows in the hands of warriors. We are the warriors, and how important it is to raise our children, who are given to us by God, in his way. To insure that our children will live a life full of Gods Love, Grace, and have a purposeful and joyous life. What a huge responsibility he has given us as a Mother.

In the Bible God says he wants us to be available to our children all the time.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And these words that I command you today shall be on your ear. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you like down, and whey you rise.

Deuteronomy 4:10-How on the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me. Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on earth, and that they may teach their children so.

What does it mean to fear the Lord?

Provers 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Proverbs 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. (Folly means lack of good sense.)

In the Bible there are good examples of being a Mother who is faithful. Mary who was the mother to Jesus. Hannah, was the Mother to the prophet Samuel, she longed to have a child, and told God that if he gave her a son she would dedicate him to the Lord, Naomi was the Mother-in-law to Ruth. Elizabeth was the Mother of John the babtist. Also inn the Bible it speaks of Lois who was faithful to god and passed her faith onto Eunice, who influenced her son Timothy to follow God, who then preached the Gospel. The faith we instill in our children are a legacy, that they will pass on.

I read once that a Mother who loves God, will not worry about how much money their child makes when they are adults, but instead how faithful they will be, and what they will do for the Kingdom. I like that. I know we want our children to be able to take care of themselves, but we know that true happiness comes from giving your life to God. Not from money. We all want our children to be happy. The only way to true happiness is through him. He is the way. Not their career, house, car, etc. It is our job as a Mother to make sure they know that. We love our children so much, we are here to show them God's love, to teach and encourage them to follow the Lord.

I have from experience seen what a difference it has made in adults to have that foundation as a child. There is a knowledge and peace about them that stands out. It is as if they know a secret that those who have grown up not in the word do not know. Something that you don't understand, until you come to that place yourself. I did not get there myself until I was an adult. Think about the believers who grew up in a home that made knowing God a priority, are they different? I am thinking right now, and I can say for sure YES! The people I am thinking of are great witnesses to how growing up in a Godly home can make your life so much more joyous and peaceful. Praise God that our children will know his love and peace.

It is very simple our children are a gift from God, and our gift to our children is to show them the Love of God.

We also need to realize that even though we take our children to church, read them the Bible, and counsel them on how to handle situations. How we act is such an influence on them. We can tell them to live a Godly life and how important it is, but if we are not doing that ourselves this can be very confusing to our children. For example we tell them not to have fear or worry, but we may be faced with a situation ourselves where we should be putting our full trust in the Lord and we don't. Or we tell them how important it is to love everyone and not judge, but they hear us talking bad about a stranger or even a friend. We teach them to be slow to anger like the Bible says, but we get mad if someone cuts in front of us while we are driving. We teach them that our body is a temple of God, and that we need to take care of it and then they see us eat 2 dozen cookies. We tell them that knowing God will bring joy to their life, but they may see us being grumpy and sad for no reason. I think it is most important to be a good example for them. Actions speak louder than words.

We have to be their example of how when God's love is inside of you that you are different. You are full of the Holy Spirit and Joyful. Show them by example how you want their life to be. They will learn how to be parents from us. They will learn how to treat their husbands and wives from us, from how we do it, more so than how we tell them to do it.

See being a Mother is the hardest, funnest, and most important thing we will do in this life. We know from last time we met that we have a job of making disciples. How important is it to raise disciples?

1 Corinthians 11:1

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ”

Feb. 22nd What does God really want for us?

Feb 22, 2012

What Does God Really Want for Us?

 

Why did God make us, Why are we here? What does he want us to do?

Psalm 139

1 You have searched me, LORD,
   and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
   you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
   you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
   you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
   and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
   too lofty for me to attain.
 7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
   Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
   if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
   your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
   and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
   the night will shine like the day,
   for darkness is as light to you.
 13 For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
   they would outnumber the grains of sand—
   when I awake, I am still with you.
 19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
   Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
   your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
   and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
   I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.

I love what this says, I saw a part of this scripture framed in the Doctors office when I was pregnant with my first son, and at that time I was not far along in my faith at all, but I wrote it down, and later put it in Shane's Memory book next to his sonogram picture.

It is so amazing how God created us! We are all different, not one of us has the same finger prints, even identical twins have different finger prints. I often wonder how people who claim they don't believe in our Lord, can even explain that... How can you witness a baby growing in a Mothers womb,and then it be born this perfect gift, and not believe in God???

Last time we met we talked about our passions, which I believe is our gifts, what we are suppose to do in this life. We are all parts of the body of Christ... We are all born with a gift, his light that is in us, and as our faith strengthens those gifts become clearer to us. As we step out in our Faith and let it be know we are true believers, the more he will lead us to our calling in life. Some people chose to not step out in their faith, and may never really know their purpose in life, which is so sad...

I wonder what keeps people from pursuing their faith, is it fear, uncertainty, stereotypes (they think it is not fun to be a believer)? What do you think it is? Why fight it. Why not accept this Gift of the Lord, he Holy Spirit? What keeps them from walking with the Lord?

“But when God, who set me apart

from birth and called me by His grace...” - Galatians 1:15,16

Meaning of Grace: sweetness, attractiveness,favor, goodwill, and loving-kindness!

See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord'.” -

Colossians 4:17

My Pastor just preached about how it is not just his job as the pastor to make disciples, that we are all called to do this?

Ephesians 4:11-12

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and the teachers, to equip his people for the works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

Acts 26:16

But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

(Matthew 22:36-40)“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”

So it is very simple that we were made to Love God, be filled with the Holy Spirit, be his witness, and make Disciples.
How do we do this?
I have some songs to listen to about this!
This group of us have made knowing God, and walking with him a priority in our life, our children's life, we do so much at our church's, but what can we do to reach the people in our community that aren't walking with God, who don't know him? How can we actually make disciples in our community? Please pray about this, and we will talk when we meet!

Love you!