Saturday, February 25, 2012

JVR...The Story: God's Holiness!

JVR...The Story: God's Holiness!: Again, if you've followed my blog, you'll remember how I repeat myself on how God speaks to me in themes. Usually I can figure them out pret...

Saturday, February 18, 2012

God's Holiness!

Again, if you've followed my blog, you'll remember how I repeat myself on how God speaks to me in themes. Usually I can figure them out pretty quickly. But the most current theme, I just wasn't sure...until today that is. I've been at the annual Transformed event. The Indiana Women’s Retreat that I've attended every year for the past 18 years I think. It's such a time of spiritual renewal, self evaluation, and...well...just a great big breath of fresh air! I've always been an attendee, and attend I did. I helped with small things, but always made sure I attended all the sessions I could possibly attend. This year, about the end of summer or first of fall, I was sitting on my front porch enjoying the quiet, gentle breeze. Watching the butterflies flutter to and fro around our butterfly bush, God spoke to me. He reminded me of how He took care of me, of how He brought me through some trying times. He reminded me of the very first Women’s Retreat I ever attended. It was in Indiana, but was actually based out of Texas. The logo was a butterfly. What a revelation. God spoke to me so strongly about my own attitudes, expectations of others, my relationship with Him, His Holiness. I still to this day have a card I wrote, with dedications written on it. One of those dedications was to wake up at 5am every morning for my quiet time. (I don’t always make it, but most of the time I do around 5 to 6 or at least some time of the day.) It started out as about 5 minutes, and it was a hard habit to make. But God has blessed me so much through my quiet time and I really do miss it when I skip that precious time alone with my Father. God also spoke to me about all the wonderful things He spoke to me though these conferences. Then He spoke to me again, He said it's time for you to do the sharing and help encourage others. Give back to other women what I the Lord have given you. It was so strong; I had to tell our WMU director. I told Allison, and she didn't really have anything for me to speak on, but I ended up being the money person. I helped with the bags and collecting the money. I wasn't too excited about this; working with money is my job, and not my interest or what you would call my rathers. But, God has used this time to teach me humility, the reality of humans even in a leadership role, and attitude once again. The theme I'm talking about, well it's God's Holiness. I've heard of God's Holiness all my life. I know God is Holy. I've taught that God is Holy. But I'm starting to grasp the true meaning of God's Holiness. It's like I grasp it, then it slips away. Lord, praise your name! Holy is Your Name! Thank you for using me to point others to the truth, the light, you! You are indeed Holy! Beyond our understanding!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Job 41 the Leviathan

Cool!!! I remember being told about the dinosaur mentioned in Job, I even think I read this chapter before, but never really got it. But this morning, as I read chapter 41 I began to see a picture of a sea monster in my head. You know the Loch Ness Monster! lol Oh I can hear you readers now, "She's really going off the deep end now!" Well, I'm not talking about some mythical monster; dinosaurs are nothing more than old reptiles, mammals, fish, and birds. The Alligator and the turtle are two modern age dinosaurs. I only know this because my now almost 26 year old son loved dinosaurs. We did research on what the bible says about them. It's pretty interesting actually. The Creation Museum in KY is a great place to learn about dinosaurs. The creation museum answers all of your questions about how the bible and dinosaurs relate to each other. I'm planning to take our grandchildren there sometime, when they're able to come of a visit. I know they'll just love it! Back to the Leviathan...I said earlier in this blog that I didn't think this is a mythical creature. But then again, there are so many things we don’t know, so many spiritual things. There are angles and demons...so maybe. Have you read the Chronicles of Narnia? Have you seen Lord of the Rings? It really makes you think doesn't it? Of course no matter what, all the praise and glory go to our Heavenly Father, the creator of all!

Monday, February 13, 2012

The Book of Job...I'm Beginning to Like It

Job 38...God talks to Job. As I read the awesome speech of God and followed it up from some notes written on the side of my Bible, a light bulb goes on in my head. Wow! God has masterminded, controlled, orchestrated, the whole universe, world, earth, Heaven and hell! Why can't I trust Him with my life? My family? Why do I fret and worry so? That's all today...small but huge!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Job...My Revelation

If you've been following my blogs at all, you'll remember when I said I had a hard time with the book of Job. I've been struggling trying to read through it. I took a short break while reading the Awaken 2012 prayer guide, but now I'm back reading it. I'm at chapter 35. Yesterday during our devotions at work I had a revelation. My light bulb went on. J Job's friends are upset with Job thinking he was saying how he was righteous, and rightly so telling him no man is righteous. But what Job is saying if you read, pray, and listen is through God's son Jesus Christ Job is made righteous. During Job's time they didn't know about Jesus. Jesus hadn't been born yet. Many verses in the Old Testament point towards the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins so we can all be washed in Jesus blood being made righteous so we can spend eternity in Heaven. This is so cool! What a revelation! Now I understand the book of Job so much better. I just love it when God speaks to me and explains His word! J

Monday, February 6, 2012

Day #21

John 4:27-38, Acts 1:8 The Coming Harvest the last day of the Awaken 2012 Prayer Guide. What have I learned? Well, I've learned that I'm more of a sower than a reaper, and that I can't be discouraged. I just need to trust God and obey. I've learned that I need to be more serious about my prayer time and topics. I've learned that I need to be urgent about the need to share God's truth. I've learned that I need to listen and obey God even if others around me have different ideas. That even if I don’t' think I'm good enough or strong enough to do what God is calling me to do; I still need to obey and walk in faith. I've learned that I need to be prepared by studying God's word, praying in God's name, listening to the Holy Spirit, trust, obey, and be willing and ready to move, go, do whatever God is calling me to do. I have the blood of Jesus Christ all over me and am filled with the Holy Spirit. I'm willing, ready, eager, and waiting on God's next step. Lord, Holy God, where do you want me to take my next step?

Day # 20

John 4:28-30, 39-42 A Testimony for Your "Town" Today's devotion is about sharing the truth with your own town. I figure my own town would be my writing audience, if I would have any. I really feel this is where God is leading me, yet I still feel embarrassed that my writing is not professional enough to sell. But, I'm encouraged by something as simple as a TV show. Something I heard just today from one of my inspirational authors, Laura Ingalls Wilder. She wrote a birthday card to her Sister Mary in Brail. The card started off by saying, “I don't have a way with words like you do.” Don't have a way with words, and her books are collector’s items, classics, a TV series, and movies. With our almighty God, all things are possible. So, my prayer is that my writing may prosper as a tool to lead others to Christ. People all over the world and generation after generations until you Lord come back again!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Day # 19

Mark 5:1-20 Go Home and Tell..Before I go on about today's reading, I have to tell about my $10 challenge! I had several ideas, some, no, most were non-threatening ways, like write a note and send with the money. Or drop off the money to a ministry of my choice. But no, God said to listen and wait on Him. He gave me this idea last night to go out for a meal and give to the waitress. I prayed about it, even asked God to send somebody to my office asking for money. (That's happened on many occasions! But not this week.) But I knew I had to step out and seek. So I asked around to see who would go to lunch with me. One coworker prayed for me and the chosen one. One was too busy to even listen to my plan and challenge. One listened, felt my trepidation, but in the end didn’t go with me. But one, my faithful buddy, chose to hold my hand through the process of stepping out of my comfort zone. We went to Bob Evans for lunch; I was excited, anxious, and wary. We were seated and our waiter, not waitress waited on us. When he gave us our checks I jumped. Tongue tied, and not making much sense I handed him the envelope. I asked if he had a minute. He looked nervous, and pretended to be taking our order. I told him about our church giving us money and giving us a challenge to share it with somebody along with the truth. I asked him if he knew Jesus. He replied that he went to a small general Baptist church in town, hadn't been lately but planed to go back. We told him about where we worked. He seemed interested, but cautious. I asked him if there was anything we could pray for him for. He said that he had just come through a rough time and that his church family was helping him through it. His name is Max. Please pray for Max. Now on to today's reading...What has God done in my life? Where do I begin? At the beginning? My memory is sketchy at best. As far back as I can remember I think I was about 5. There was this very small church in our subdivision. I'm not sure how I got there. I think it was a Baptist church. They were having a vacation bible school in a trailer set up in the front yard of the church. I remember playing with play do, that's all. I remember when I was a little older walking to church with my brother, sometimes by myself. I walked to Saturday school as well. We went to a Catholic church. I remember when I was even older I started to go to Monday night youth meetings, CYC. I remember my first communion, my first confession, my confirmation. I remember sitting in church listening to all the different voices singing Gods praises. It was so beautiful. I remember moving away, but still yearning for church. I read my bible and prayed to God. I remember getting married in the Catholic Church, a beautiful wedding! I also remember crying myself to sleep night after night as a teen ager thinking that if I never woke up nobody would even miss me. I remember crying and praying to God for help on my tests at school, grade school all the way to High school. I remember my parents fighting and yelling horrible words at each other. I remember praying to God to make it through another day. Then, I remember how God answered my prayers, how He brought my now wonderful husband into my life. How He kept me from harm’s way more than I will ever know. How He brought our family to a wonderful church! How He brought the deacons and pastor to our home to tell us about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. How we needed to confess our sins, ask for God's forgiveness through the blood of Jesus, and accept Jesus’ sacrifice accepting the gift of everlasting life with God in Heaven. That wonderful day was in August of 1981, less than two months after we were married. I honestly don't know how anybody in this crazy world can make it without knowing Jesus. I mean, I know God protected me before I became a Christian, I know God answered my prayers, because I believed in Him. I also know the first time I heard the truth at my kitchen table that August evening; I had to make a choice. A choice that would change my life forever. If I would've waited, refused, or laughed it off, I would probably not be here today. It was like God told me that night, this is it. Believe or our relationship as I knew it would be gone. But I believed, because God Himself told me so. And our relationship just keeps getting better, in spite of my constant mess ups! Yeah, our God is like that! He Loves us no matter what! Isn't that the most Awesome thing you can ever imagine!?