Category: God

Janina

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Janina’s question:
for many years I live with a deep desire in my heart to hear God’s Voice but I cannot go through. Do you have some suggestions for me. Thanks.
Janina

I remember being right there in that same spot! Most people including myself will say something that we understand but not everyone gets it until it’s time.

Romans 10:17 NKJV
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

When I was a new believer I tried so hard to hear God speak. I wanted to have conversations with him like more mature believers had but I wasn’t getting anywhere. Some would say to me, read the gospels. Other would say, read the psalms, while others would point to specific scriptures, like I just did here in this post.

For me, I believe that I tried too hard in the beginning. Prayer and relationship is not a forced thing. I can’t walk up to a stranger and demand a conversation on my terms. I can’t come to you and talk and talk and talk and never pause to listen to what you have to say.

So in the simplest terms I can use, I think you must read the bible. Let the stories come alive for you. Pray as you would talk to a friend, and take the time to listen to the other side of the conversation. Take your time and believe that it will happen. You must be ready to listen though because it will come quietly. God’s words to you will come when you aren’t busy, when you are searching and when you are ready. His words will not supersede your will nor will they condemn but they will gently lead. Well, okay sometimes not so gently, but I’ve never felt hopeless in those moments with God, I know he is still there guiding me where I allow him to. Sometimes a word you’ve been waiting for comes from the mouth of a least expected source. Don’t discount this as coincidence.

Ease up on yourself and let your Father in heaven know your desire to hear his voice. It will come. There’s so much more to say here but this is a good start and I don’t want to overwhelm you with too much. Start here. Read and pray and LISTEN. May God bless you and thanks for writing in!

Time For Beth Moore and Dog Allergies

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Some of TLC goes to see Beth Moore

I’ve missed writing this past week! April 1 saw some of the women of TLC head to Fresno, CA to see Beth Moore at the Save Mart Center. What a blessing for us. We stood in a stadium of 6,500 women and worshiped to the music of Travis Cottrell and then heard a powerful word from Beth Moore. At one point, during the worship, I looked around the stadium and just shut my mouth. I watched in awe as the daughters of the Most High King praised him with song. It was just beautiful. Tears filled my eyes as I stood on holy ground and watched women from all denominations, all colors, all sizes and shapes, all ages including babies come together for one common purpose. To praise and learn about our Father.

The Save Mart Center became holy territory the moment our feet entered that space together in one mind and one accord. With all debate between denominations and all the Christian voices we hear battling one another it was pure honor to be one voice among many that sang in unison, that laughed in unison and that talked non-stop during break! There were so many of us, honestly I saw about four men there, that we not only used all the women’s restrooms but the men’s as well.

Of course the women of TLC who went to the conference, spent the night in a local hotel, and I spare you the details of that, but suffice it to say that we all slept about 3 hours or so and then went back to the conference. I can tell you that our ride home in the church van was MUCH quieter than our ride up!

I wasn’t able to catch up on my sleep that night or for many nights. Lulu, the wonder dog, began to scratch like crazy. I thought she had fleas so I pulled the flea comb out and began to brush her out but there was not a single flea. A trip to the vet told us that she has an environmental allergy. What the heck does that mean? Well, she allergic to either her food, her treats, flowers or grass. So guess what? Lulu and I are on prednisone, my seasonal allergies and her whatever allergy. There’s a problem though. We decided to eliminate one thing at a time to see what she’s allergic to. So we had to eliminate all snacks and put her on a special diet. Lulu, is not used to getting told no she doesn’t get people food, so she’s not happy. Plus swallowing a pill without a treat afterward is not her idea of fair.

So life’s been rolling along and my writing has lapsed but I’ve got so much to share. So many things on my heart, so many things I am learning. I can’t wait to get back to time writing. For now, I have to give my dog her next dose of meds!

Dirty Dishes

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Recently the question was posed if we ever praised God for dirty dishes in the sink? NO! Was my resounding reply.

My answer was wrong because as it was pointed out to me, I need to be grateful that I have dirty dishes in the sink, it means my house had food to eat. I liked this attitude and I began to think of all the things I need to praise God for:

My bad hair day, because I am not going through chemo or radiation and my hair is still on my head.

My toilet and sinks that need cleaning because there are people who still live without such luxuries in their homes.

Laundry that needs to be done because it means I have clothing and linens to use. I don’t have to use the same thing daily.

A house to clean because in this economy it’s not a guarantee.

A car to wash.

A job to go to.

Well you get the picture! Today look around at the work your hands do and instead of complaining rejoice because you have it so good!

Prophesy

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In the Christian world, prophesy is a word that is spoken over a human being based on the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Yet I see so many people, myself included, that have prophetic words over our lives and yet, they haven’t manifested (at least not the WAY in which I interpreted or the person spoke it). I also know many people, myself included, where many prophetic words have come to pass exactly as they have been spoken.

My prayer for quite awhile has been to get a deeper understanding of why some prophetic words come to pass and some don’t. Was it because the person giving them was excited in the moment and spoke without the prompting of the Holy Spirit? Was it merely wishful thinking? Was it that I did something to blow it? Was I not worthy, as in God said, “On second thought…..”.

I’ve come to some conclusions, over the last while, that two of the above scenarios are correct. I believe that yes, sometimes people have wishful thinking and they say things that make them feel good, without the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think it’s intentional for most people, in fact, I think they mean well but don’t know better or maybe misinterpreted what they were seeing. I remember once when a friend was in critical condition in the hospital and I received a call from another friend who said in prayer the Lord said, “Don’t worry, this isn’t death.” We were all excited knowing this friend would pull through but within hours, they died. I realized then that to God, it wasn’t death, my friend was saved and secure in their salvation. It could have been a reassurance from the Lord that we heard through our own understanding of life. The second thing I believe is that sometimes, we ourselves, blow it.

Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.NIV

Hebrews 10:23 Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.The Message

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. NKJV

Hebrews 10:23 So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word. Amplified

I make reference to a few different versions of the same verse because I want this word to get into your heart as it did mine and while one version may speak to me, another will speak to you. Could it be that the prophesy is not the problem but the confession and the faith it takes for it to manifest is the key?

For as a man thinks so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)

Does it take some action on our part for a prophesy to be manifested in the earth?

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Do we believe the report of our friends at work or our buddies on the golf course? If so, then sometimes we drown out the word of the Lord. Listening to naysayers when the Lord has already issued his stamp of approval is self-defeating. Not confessing the promise that the Lord has given us limits it’s power. If life and death are in the power of the tongue then we must hold fast to the confession of our faith. So often I hear those who know better speak as if nothing that God has promised is true because their Aunt told them it could never happen.

What could we accomplish on the earth if we believed the word of the Lord? What could be manifested in our lives if we believed the prophesy and moved in the direction of it? What could be had if we believed that with God all things are possible. Maybe it’s time to believe that if God gave the glimpse into the future then we only need to walk towards it, speaking it out loud and living it to the fullest. Maybe we need to quit being ashamed of big impossible possibilities and just accept that it can happen to us! Then, what if we’re like Abraham who sees his promise from afar?

Put On The Lord Jesus

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My husband was watching a documentary of how shepherds handle sheep during lambing season. As the ewe goes into labor, inevitably one will give birth to a lamb who dies. The shepherd quickly pulls the lamb aside because the opposite is true as well, and a ewe may die during the birthing process.

The logical thing in a human’s way of thinking is to put the baby lamb, whose mother has died, to nurse with the ewe who has lost her lamb, only the ewe will kill the lamb as it is not hers biologically. So the shepherd will skin the lamb who died and tie the skin to the lamb whose mother has died. The ewe who lost her baby during birth smells the skin of “her” lamb and allows the lamb to nurse. Thus the lamb is adopted into the family.

So it is with us. We come to the Lord our God putting on the sweet fragrance of Jesus,
Romans 13:14 Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ,
so that the Father smells the scent of his son on our lives and not the stench of the flesh. We pray in the name of Jesus because no one comes to the Father except through Jesus
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
We are taught to pray in the name of Jesus by Jesus himself, and there are many, many scriptures but here are a couple:
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 16:25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

How comforting to know that the Lord covered us in our nakedness and shame even when we had failed him so miserably because he loves us even when we behave so terribly towards him.
Genesis 3:21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

How good it is to know that even today he’s made provision for us through His Son. Thank you dear heavenly Father for adoption and for the skin that hides our humanity and frailty. May we never take it for granted and may we recognize all that you have done for us.

My Elijah Moment

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There is a character in the bible named Elijah. He was a prophet of God and he was a great servant. There is a woman named Jezebel, who Elijah has a run-in with to put it very mildly. She is angry because Elijah has proven her belief system wrong. So she tells Elijah, after he’d had this fantastic battle in which he proved victorious:

1Kings 19: 1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

So Elijah has just proved that his God was bigger than his circumstances, he conquers very matter-of-factly, and then along comes Jezebel, a woman no less, and he freaks out and runs for the desert. He even tells the Lord he’s had enough and asks God to take his life.

Now, I didn’t ask God to take my life but I did question what I was doing. It came about this way:

Having a conversation with our kids around the dinner table, I said living together without the benefit of marriage was wrong. One child said, “But you and dad are the only ones who believe that. Seriously, you two are the only ones.” I said smugly, “No, we go to a church full of people who believe that.” They answered clearly, “You think that, but it’s not true. They say they believe that but they don’t. Seriously, you and dad are the only ones.” Have you ever heard someone’s interpretation of facts and thought they might have a point? I felt flat and defeated. What did it matter if we stood for truth, if we stood alone? Would it not be better to concentrate effort on something productive? What were some in the faith showing my kids? What was I showing them? I’m not perfect or always doing the right thing either.

Then I was reminded of the end of this portion of this story when God shows up and says after a dramatic show of who God is, get up, go back and keep standing. There are seven thousand people just like you and you haven’t seen anything yet.

1 Kings 19:14 He (*Elijah) replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel–all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” *My insertion for clarification.

So it’s all good. There are those who believe what God says is for our benefit and we’ll stand together and our children will one day see that even though we weren’t part of the “in” crowd we stood for what we believe. There are people getting discipled and baptized in our church, just yesterday there were seven people who were baptized, two baby dedications. Not everyone has bowed. Yes, there are those who profess Christ and live differently, bowing and kissing the gods of the world, but that is their account to give not mine. I am to get up and go!

Life

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Sitting here this morning drinking a cup of coffee and praying over situations in my life. Japan has had a devastating earthquake and the pictures shook me. I woke up just after midnight California time and watched the reports off and on the entire night. The effect of the earthquake will be years in the making. The immediate result is a tsunami which is about to hit our coast, just miles from my home. Fortunately, we are safely far enough away and over a hill but what about those who live near the coast? What about them Lord?

On a personal note, I have my own devastations. I have a friend who is sitting on pins and needles over a situation that has us both agreeing in prayer, another friend who miscarried last night, suffering her own life shaking event, a friend whose brother we buried on Monday after a bout with kidney cancer, my uncle has just been diagnosed with kidney cancer, a good friend who died two months ago of kidney cancer, a friend who is caring for his father who has kidney cancer, Lord, what is up with kidney cancer?

I began to write this blog this morning. In the middle of writing it we got a message that the evacuees who were fleeing the California coastline, were assembling in our city parks and parking lots. You see, we’re the first city over the hill, we’re the refuge. My husband and I got into our truck and went to assess the situation. Sure enough there were people everywhere and they told a story of even more people on the top of the hill that separates our city from the coast.

We moved into action. We printed a flyer, opened the church doors and called everyone who answered their phone for help. We got sandwiches made, chocolate milk for children, water for adults, and offered a refuge for refugees. Many people were weary. What did we want from them? You see, they had blankets and precious belongings in their car. They had their animals. They were scared, they were worried. What happens if a tsunami hits and your home and livelihood are destroyed? What happens if you lose the little bit you walked away from? When they didn’t arrive at the church, we went to plan B and delivered food and water to the people. Children had sunburn on their cheeks, but they waited patiently to get some food and water. So many people just thankful that we were out there.

Leadership at its best!
The church being the church!

So the day started out with a pity party. I sat with my cup of coffee asking God WHY? Then he put me to work. We had church all day long outside the walls of the church. We SERVED. It’s a blessing to serve and I thank God for his lesson to me this day. There is a saying that I hang onto when the day goes incredibly wrong. This day started out totally wrong and ended up with service, yet the saying still stands.

“When you realize that life is just life, then nothing ever goes wrong.”

Fussing

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Luke 12:22″Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. 23 There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.

Luke 6:25 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.

Did you ever notice that these two passages of scripture have Jesus saying, “quit fussing”.

Fuss- noun – an excessive display of anxious attention or activity

So what’s all the fuss about? Why do we worry so much about things that are so insignificant? Today I am taking a day off of work to clean my house. I am making a nice dinner for my family, and I am going to watch some television or maybe a video. Really, what else is more important than that today? Tomorrow, I go back to work and I spend some time working at the office, we have practice for the Easter musical in the evening, and the next day will hold it’s own set of directions but why complicate it?

Jesus said there was far more to our inner life. Yet that statement becomes sort of a catch-22 when it comes to our inner life. It’s hard to discover the inner life when the widow is given anti-anxiety pills and sleeping pills to not feel those things she MUST feel to grow and heal and learn. It’s hard to talk about the inner life when the teenager is giving anti-depressant medication to not feel the angst of being caught between becoming an adult and a leaving childhood behind. It’s easy to ignore the inner life when we give a boy who can’t sit still in his seat medication to settle his soul.

There are three aspects to our lives, body, mind, and spirit. If we neglect any one of these, suddenly we have a problem with our inner life, yet we seem to focus on the body and forget that if our mind isn’t transformed then the body remains the same. Just ask the woman who is trying to kick a food addiction and we can easily see the three interconnections.

So what’s all the fuss about? Well, honestly it’s easier to fuss about the outward things. It’s easier to make a meal for our family then to sit and discuss real problems. It’s easier to buy a new dress then deal with the self-esteem issues going on. The fuss is about the excessive activity that keeps us away from the true realization of who we are and what God is trying to do in our lives.

Clean Sheets

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Each Tuesday I change my bed sheets. Nothing feels as good as crisp, clean, high thread count sheets. They are soft to the touch and when you finally get in them at the end of the day, they feel so good and comfortable. Nothing beats the smell of fresh laundered sheets either. I heard Oprah say once that she has her sheets changed daily because she wants that feel of clean crisp sheets at the end of the day. Well, I wish I had the time or the person to do that for me but alas, once a week will have to suffice.

I also love clean sheets of paper. Something about a new page when you are writing  just makes you feel like anything is possible. Sheets, clean ones gives you opportunity to do just about anything with them. I can draw a picture, I can write a novel, I can fold it into a paper airplane if I want to. The point is, it becomes whatever I want it to be. Open up a fresh ream of paper and it has a smell that nothing else has.

Cleansing your soul feels like those fresh sheets on your bed or that fresh sheet of paper. This is something I do daily. Nothing feels as good to the touch as a fresh wash from the Lord of my life. Just like my sheets, the smell of His presence is just that good to me. Plus, it’s so much easier to come before him and just confess those things that you messed up on that day and be clean and new once again.

Each day is like waking up in fresh sheets, ready to start your day off right after having had a restful night of sleep. There is nothing that burdens your heart, there is nothing that is staining your life. Then, in that state your life is like a fresh clean sheet of paper, nothing is impossible and anything can be written on it.

What story will unfold on your page today?