Dr. Charles Stanley went HOME to JESUS

 We know that Dr. Stanley is with Jesus ...  he was a steadying force here on earth ... preaching the word in season and out of season ... we are thankful for all the hours of sermons that he has left behind ... 

R.I.P. Dr. Stanley ... 

It is a choice

there is no getting away from it ... we all choose ... Jesus or the world.

The Puritan's Prayer

 O LORD,

I am a shell full of dust,
but animated with an invisible rational soul
and made anew by an unseen power of grace;
Yet l am no rare object of valuable price,
but one that has nothing and is nothing,
although chosen of thee from eternity,
given to Christ, and born again;
I am deeply convinced of the evil and misery of a sinful state,
of the vanity of creatures,
but also of the sufficiency of Christ.
When thou wouldst guide me I control myself,
When thou wouldst be sovereign I rule myself.
When thou wouldst take care of me I suffice myself.
When I should depend on thy providings I supply myself,
When I should submit to thy providence I follow my will,
When I should study, love, honour, trust thee, I serve myself;
I fault and correct thy laws to suit myself,
Instead of thee I look to man's approbation,
and am by nature an idolater.
Lord, it is my chief design to bring my heart back to thee.
Convince me that I cannot be my own god, or make myself happy,
nor my own Christ to restore my joy,
nor my own Spirit to teach, guide, and rule me . . . .
Then take me to the cross and leave me there.¹

1. Arthur Bennett, ed., The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions (Carlisle, Pa.: The Banner of Truth Trust, © 1975, 1988, 2003).

Easter Greetings

 How blessed to know Jesus ... what peace He offers to those who are the saved - the called - redeemed - heading for heaven ... AND, it is available to all who call on His Name  ... John 3:16 ... no discrimination - "whosoever will, may come" ... 

Springtime filled with promise

 Sometimes we just need to wait a bit longer ... but the PROMISE is there.

Where is your citizenship?

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

John 3:16-18

And one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "if You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."

But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

"And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."

And he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Luke 29:39-43

Payday is coming ...

 

forgiveness ... easy to receive, hard to give ...

 

Never alone ...

 GOD wins the battles you know ... don't struggle on your own.

it might not be you ... ya know ...

 Denzel Washington put it well ... it's a lesson i've learnt too, as i age.

rich man / poor man

 In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus says “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

morning by morning new mercies i see ...

 And the truth of it is, EVERY day with JESUS, is better than the day before.

Ash Wednesday

 The time coming up to Good Friday ... the whole Passover Season ... it is the great celebration of the church ... thank you Jesus!

keep in touch!

 Pray without ceasing - the bible says ... keep in touch with God and it will be hard for the devil to tempt you ... Walking with Jesus keeps us out of many a worldly detour ... 

my cup overflows

 IF God is our portion, then our portion will be enough ... and not only enough, but overflowing ... Thank you LORD!

it will be alright soon

 Nothing on this earth will last for ever ... be patient ... it will be alright ... 

Jesus casts out all fear ...

 

The Lord Helps His Troubled People

A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
2 Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

3 But You, O Lord, are a shield [a]for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
4 I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

PSALM 3

Obedience ... to Jesus

 

Happy New Year 2023

 

looking for a gift this Christmas?

 i think i need to remember that "kindness" is the best gift ... fits all sizes, genders and ethnicities ... and appreciated by all who receive it ... :D

Jesus, is for every Season

      ENJOY the Season, because you know the Reason!

Keep your eyes on Jesus ...

Don't stress about Christmas hurrying ... wrapping presents ... buying the right gift ... making sure your house is clean ... These may all be well and good, but if they cause stress at this time of year - then we have lost our focus ... keep the main thing (JESUS) - the Main Thing.

Go ... tell ... Jesus has come.

 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Isaiah 52:7

Go tell it on the Mountain:

"The shepherds feared and trembled
When, lo! Above the Earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And brought us all salvation
That blessed Christmas morn" 

Christmas Peace ... because of Jesus

 The Resurrected Jesus said this to the 2 he met on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24

God is there for you ...

"Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great."          2 Samuel 24:14

 

God is in control ...

 it is good and comforting to know that nothing touches us, that has not gone through the hands of God first ...

Advice for all ...

 our choice ...

a thief in the night ...

 "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Where is your trust?

 Our help comes from the LORD ... the Maker of heaven and earth ... 

the called ...

Be called by Jesus ... be a Jesus follower ... be born again into God's kingdom ... then Be faithful ...

 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."

John 14:8

I had another "Jesus is coming" dream this morning. It was a very short one ... maybe 5 seconds ... I saw the silhouette of a head, high in the sky, then arms were outstretched - behind the silhouette was a brilliant bright light framed by dark thunder clouds .. I knew instantly that it was Jesus and the time had come ...
THEN i woke up ...
Immediately i thought of loved ones and friends who did not know Him. It's one of those glad/sad moments. Glad, because my heart is at peace and ready to be with Him ... sad, because I know so many who reject Him.
But it was a dream, there is still time, Jesus is saying .. "Come unto Me ... "

Happy Thanksgiving

 God is so faithful ... and we are forever grateful ... Happy Thanksgiving!

called to the Light

 Let your light so shine before men, that they may glorify your Father, who is in heaven ... yes, let it be so LORD ... that we shine for you ... 

Change is in the air ...

        a change in seasons ... possibly more ... let us WAIT on the LORD!

Day of trouble

 Isn't it amazing how we go along, enjoying the day, feeling thankful - then something happens to try and pull the rug out from under us ... trouble finds us ... it finds everyone at some point ... But God knows this and is waiting for our call of "Help!" ... He knows, He cares, He is able to change the course or change our hearts ... whatever it is - Call on the Lord in the day of trouble ... and He will help you!

Christ's return is closer today ... then it was yesterday ... get your heart ready, set - to GO!

No one knows EXACTLY the time of Christ's return ...  but the bible tells us what the signs will be ... oh, those signs are starting to add up ... look up believers in Jesus - for your redemption IS DRAWING NEAR!

     SUNDAY ... let ALL who have breath - 

                Praise The LORD!

He will show compassion ... great is HIS faithfulness

 His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness!

This was my sunrise this morning and also the first verse that I read this a.m.. Nothing like getting a poster made for me by our Heavenly Father!

Rest easy, Jesus knows

This world is rough ... people can be mean ... but let us be of good cheer, Jesus faced all the issues we may be facing - HE knows, cares and will be there to welcome us home one day ... my heart is confident in GOD, the ONE who loves me, despite knowing me best!
 

Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe ...

 "He has removed our sins as far from us as the East is from the West.

The LORD is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him.
For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.
Our days on Earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone - as though we had never been here.
But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear Him."
Psalm 103:12-17

If the Lord wills ...

 

God's got this

His mercies are new every morning ... great is His faithfulness.

God wants to shelter you

 The safest place to be ... is in the hollow of His hand ... abandon yourself to God.

how's your walk?

 the walk will be worth it ... even if we step in a few puddles ...

Jesus, the One and Only

 ONE day the believer will reign with Christ, but here on earth - the way may still be laden with troubles ... but take heart - Jesus has overcome them all ...

believe in Jesus ...

 " ... I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."

2 Timothy 1:12

God WILL always help ...

 Paul wrote, “There was given me a thorn in my flesh, from Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

The cancer in the body. The sorrow in the heart. The child in the rehab center. The craving for whiskey in the middle of the day. The tears in the middle of the night. The thorn in the flesh. “Take it away!” you’ve pleaded. Not once, twice, or even three times. You’ve out-prayed the apostle Paul, and you’re about to hit the wall. But what you hear Jesus say is this: “My grace is sufficient for you.”

Sustaining grace. Grace that meets us at our point of need and equips us with courage and wisdom and strength. Sustaining grace. It doesn’t promise the absence of struggle, but it does promise the presence of God.  

- Max Lucado's devotional

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

 this message is always the BEST MESSAGE ... the tomb is empty - HE IS RISEN! 

early morning dream ...

 i had this "interesting" dream last night ... 

it had to do with a house remodel (like HGTV) ... and i was there, plus another guest was there also ... this guest was a medium ... my Spirit (the Holy Spirit) and her spirit (NOT the Holy Spirit) were in conflict ... as i stood at the doorway to her room, the whole area filled with smoke (not a choking kind of smoke but a Presence) ... we locked eyes ...  she finally stood up and we continued to stare at each other (she was a really tall lady) ... then she asked me (without speaking) what i wanted ... i answered that i wanted her to know that the GOD i serve is the FIRST above all  ... the smoke left the room and she nodded - and even tho' she was much taller than i was, every time we met she seemed smaller ... 

now the freaky part ... this morning as i opened up my scripture reading... which was in my Daily Light reading for this  day ... it said: "Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last."    Revelations 1:17 ... THE FIRST ... the words from my dream ...

i don't know what to make of  it - and the real world follow up this morning ... but i personally  KNOW that God is the FIRST in everything and above any other spirit that this world holds ... and Jesus is the First born from the dead ... Jesus is also the Author and Finisher of our faith.  The Holy Spirit makes intercession .. 

i continue pondering this dream ... 

 "Streams in the Desert" ... filled with so many profound insights ... worth reading this century old devotional ... again and again ... 

learning faith through trials

 "Never try to live your life with God in any other way than His way. ... Showing no concern for the uncertainties that lie ahead is the secret of walking with Jesus."

~ Oswald Chambers

"I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able."
2 Timothy 1:12

"Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." "According to your faith let it be to you."
Matthew 9:28-29