Devotional April 29th April 30, 2010

Philippians 4:11 “…for I have learned, whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content”

I have just had a dear friend loose her battle with lymphoma. I have known her for the past 30 years and she has many circumstances. I rarely saw this Godly woman complain. She was an awesome example of being content no matter what.

She has been an intricate part of my life, is a dear friend and her loosing this battle has left a whole in my heart and life. I know that over the last few years that Lord has helped me to go to him in prayer more quickly than I would have before.

 A comforting scripture to help in times like this is 1 Corinthians 10:13 ” There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ”

First off it shows you that you aren’t alone, these things that we are going through are common.

Then like a life preserver “God is Faithful”…Praise God!  He IS Faithful! That is pretty self explanatory!

Then it says “He will not suffer you to be tempted aboce what you are able”- he knows, better than we do, how much we can take.

He doesn’t promise that we won’t have temptation, he doesn’t promise a way out of temptation, he promises us that he will help us through the temptation. “That ye may be able to bear it.”

Our loving Heavenly Father cares for us and wants to see us become more like him. The trials and situations that we need to learn to be content in, are helping us to be more like our Father. As we take our worries and concerns, our hurts and pains to the Father, he doesn’t always change the circumstances; he changes us in the midst of those circumstances.

I pray that the Lord will help me to run to him, my Father, before I start complaining to others about any circumstances and help me to be content. It is a wonderful thing to know that He loves us so much that he takes careful thought to help us through the good times and bad.  It’s such a wonderful comfort!

Thoughts for April 28, 2010 April 29, 2010

Today started with going to the florist, after dropping my daughter off at her job, so I could order flowers from our church for Pastor Dee’s funeral that was tonight. I was getting a bit teary on the way to the shop. I ordered a nice vase of flowers and they were beautifully done! I then went to work and had a good day in the office. We got a lot accomplished today, and the phones have slowed down quite a bit, so you can actually think straight occasionally. =)

After work, I put on my taxi driver hat and took my son to work and picked up my daughter from work. I came home and finished burning some photos of Pastor Dee to a CD for her family to have some pictures of her, from through the years. Got ready and went to the funeral home. They did a wonderful job, and Pastor Dee looked amazing! The service was so sweet. Bradley and Elizabeth were so good. They got up and spoke and even sang. I don’t think I could have done that at my mom’s service. Pastor Dee is being taken to Ohio to be buried near her family; so they are having the service on Saturday. We saw friends that we haven’t seen in years, and had a wonderful visit with them.

Funerals make me take a step back and examine my life, and my priorities. I pray that I am an example for good and not for bad. I want people to see Jesus in me. I want to be that spigot that allows him to flow through me to each person I meet. I want to love Him and serve Him with ALL my heart, soul, mind and strength. I want to worship my Jesus, in spirit and in truth; and I want to have a good testimony before God and man.

God bless each of you!

April 27th Devotional Thought April 28, 2010

“A little seed lay in the ground

And soon began to sprout.

“Now, which of all the flowers around”

It mused, “shall I come out?”

Then the little seed said to itself; “I don’t want to be a lily, for lilies are so cold and lofty. I don’t want to be a rose, for the rose is rather loud in color, it dies quickly, it’s edges wilt and it isn’t very practical. I don’t want to be a violet, for the violet is too small, too dark, and grows too close to the ground.”

The little seed was like some people we all know. It was critical. It was critical of everything around it. It found fault with its neighbors. It didn’t like the colors of some, the perfume of others, the size and shape of others. It had nothing constructive to offer, even in its own behalf. The whole theme of its life was criticism.

And so it criticized each flower

This supercilious seed.

Until it woke one summer hour

And found it was a weed!

There has been only one faultless Person in this world and He has promised to present all believers “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24) Until then, let each believer be a “flower” rather than a weed in this scene of His rejection.”                                                                                                             CMA Church Bulletin

This is a very real problem with many people. I know God has been working on me for a while and in no way to I claim to be perfect about this; however, I do try not to criticize people. I may see things that I don’t like, but I try to remember that I am not perfect, either. I am still a work in process and God is still working on me, as well.  I do pray that the Lord will help me to see the good in people. I do know that He saw the potential for good in me, and thought I was worth giving His only Son that I could have eternal life. I owe Him everything and want to live my life to please Him.

April 26, 2010 Devotional thought April 27, 2010

So, I was doing my devotions this morning, before I went to work, and right now I am using Streams In the Desert 2.

This is what really spoke to me, today and I hope it blesses someone else, too.

“If a person wishes to show that Confucius was wonderful, he quotes some of his words of wisdom. But when  Christian wants to show God’s glory he does not quote from on of Jesus’ sermons- he points to the cross and says, “God is like that!” Whatever Jesus said can be understood only in the light of God’s willingness to suffer for men.

The hallmark of Christianity is action, not words. We comprehend God fully in what He has done rather than in what men say about Him.”

The basic idea…what have we done today to show the love of God? What have we done to show He cares and forgives? I have heard people doing “Make a Difference Monday’s” and I don’t in any way want to belittle that, I just think that we should live everyday that way. As a child I was taught the golden rule…”Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you.” I have heard it quoted mockingly in ways from “do unto other before they do unto you” and “do unto others as you have had done unto you” but the way I was taught really works in most ways. It catches people off guard, when you genuinely treat others with kindness and thoughtfullness, and show them God’s love and allow it to flow through you; it makes a difference.

God wants us to be an open spigut to allow him to flow through us to each person we meet.

April 26, 2010

Went to work this morning, and had a good day, there. On the way to run an errand, kept getting hit by tears. I am still having boughts of missing Pastor Dee. That’s normal, since she just passed away, yesterday.

I know that the Lord is with me and he’s helping us to go through even this one step at time.

Tonight I saw a rainbow on my way home. They always are an encouragement, remembering they are a sign of the promise of God to us.

Got to go! God bless and talk again soon!

New to this… April 26, 2010

Well, I have not done blogs before; but I am ready to try something new.

I go to a small full gospel church in Yorktown, VA. Over the past few years, we have had a lot going on; but we believe that God is getting ready to do something AMAZING!
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that was sent to the Earth to fulfill God’s plan for our salvation, and that faith is given to every one to come to the knowledge of God as their Savior.
We have been praying for years for our community and our families. We are praying for revival, restoration & a mighty move of God in our neighborhood.