Don't Let The Stones Cry Out!

When you are at a store checkout , have you noticed the sincerity of the words "thank you"?  Even though it is required for all employees, sometimes it does not seem authentic.

I am learning how to have a genuine, thankful heart.  Jesus told the Pharisees the stones would cry out if the disciples kept quiet.  The Lord was approaching Jerusalem before he was to be crucified. They wanted the disciples to be rebuked for praising him!  God's word is to teach us about praise and thankfulness.

"Shout with joy to God, all the earth!  Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious."  Psalms 105:1

"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Deuteronomy 10:21

"Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name." 2 Samuel 22:50

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthains 15:57

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Ephesians 5:19,20

Jehoshaphat's Praise Brought Victory

 In 2 Chronicles 20, some men came and told King Jehoshaphat a vast army was coming against him.  He stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord.  He told them they had no power to face the army going to attack.  He did not know what to do, but his eyes were on God.  The spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel.  He was a Levite and was standing in the midst of the congregation.  "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours, but God's." 

Verse 18 and 19,  "Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerualem fell down in worship before the Lord.  Then some Levites from the Hohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of  Israel, with very loud voice. "  King Jehoshaphat and his men left early the next morning for the Desert of Tekoa.  After consulting with them he appointed men to sing and praise the Lord!   The men spoke as they went out, "Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever."  When they began to sing and praise God instead of fighting, the Lord caused the invading armies to start destroying each other. Talk about "real men love God"!  Could this have been the origins of the men's "Promise Keepers" movement?  They overlooked the desert and saw only dead bodies, not one enemy alive.

Victory With An Added Bonus

Jehosphat and the men of Judah went and started carrying off the plunder.  It took them three days to collect all the equipment, clothing, and precious jewels.  On the fourth day they assembled and praised God in the Valley of Beracah.  So, if we learn anything from the story of Jehoshaphat, it is to praise God before, during, and after a battle we are encountering!

My Prayer:

Dear Lord help us understand how praising you changes our circumstances.  When situations are completely out of our control we need to pray, "Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6"  Give out a shout of thanks and praise and let God fight your battle!

Comments:

Do you have a praise for our Lord?  Will you share a personal story to bless others?  May the Lord surround you with his peace and love.

God Does Love Imperfect People!

I am a flawed person.  Sometimes I wish I had this calm, quiet personality and had the virtue of patience.  But, I struggle with letting my emotions take control.  Several weeks ago, I was frustrated at a large grocery chain.  So, I addressed the problem with the assistant manager. I felt they should keep a bakery item available.  It annoyed me to drive to another store.  Why is it so hard to keep sub rolls on the shelf? 

I finished shopping and sat in the car to reflect on my interaction with the manager.  I was upset with myself for not remaining completely calm. With tears running down my face I prayed, "Lord I failed you again. How can I be a faithful witness for you?"  Immediately I felt the Lord's presence and heard him say,  "I need people with passion so I can use them."  My heart was filled with peace and joy because God can utilize me for his purpose.  We are all a work in progress!

I started to read about people from the Bible in a different light.  I began to see their flaws, and yet they still accomplished tasks for God's kingdom.   King David was a man after God's own heart, even with his indiscretions and outright sin against God. 

Psalms 51: David's Prayer For Mercy

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.  Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.  Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  David asked God to cleanse and wash him and most importantly to blot out his iniquity.  But what I found fascinating was David wanted the Lord to create in him a pure heart.  He knew only God was capable of this request, because he had created him and everything.  Yes, God is more than able to do it for me.  I began to pray, "Lord create in me what is lacking.

Use Me To Teach Others

David also asks, "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.  Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you."  I understood there was also a higher calling.  God used him to teach and also help others.  People like David have sinned and are flawed.  Our God who gave us a free will, understands we need his help to become pure.  A cleansing is available to us by asking, so we can declare our Lord's loving kindness.  Or better phrased by David,   "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise."

My Prayer:

Dear Father, wash away anything which needs cleansed in us.  Psalms 61:1 says, "Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer."  Thank you God for your unfailing love and mercy towards us. Help us lead others to you because of your grace.  Amen.

Comments:

Please share your comments to lift up others.  God bless you today.

A Personal Encounter

I "personally" don't like automated systems when needing to resolve a situation. Sometimes you just need to talk with a real person.  More and more services are turning to a recording with you responding to pushing numbers on the phone.  Where have all the people gone? 

Luke 19:1-4

But, the bible tells of a wonderful personal encounter with a tax collector of all people. "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy."  I'll skip from making a comment here.  "He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way."  Zacchaeus was so moved to see the Lord he ran and climbed a tree. He wasn't embarrassed to find out about this man called Jesus.  How much effort do we give to learn about God and who he is? 

The Lord Passes By: Luke 19:5,6

"When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at your house today.  So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly."  How gracious our Lord is because he rewards those who diligently seek him.  Zacchaeus did not have to question who Jesus was speaking to when he looked up at him and called out his name.  I wonder what they talked about as the Lord spent time at his house and with his family?  Talk about having some quality time.  

As Seen Through The Eyes Of A Child

On the way home from school with my daughter in the fall of 2008, we approached a blockade.  Police officers directed us to pull over at a popular restaurant near the airport.  President George W. Bush attended  a fundraiser, and was heading back to the airport.  We were allowed to stand beside our car.  Many other people also stood in the parking lot.  My daughter waited in anticipation. When President Bush's vehicle and his security drove by, she started waving.  The President turned our direction and waved back.  My daughter's face lit up and she was so excited.  She said to me, "mom he smiled and waved at me!"  I did not have the heart to tell her he was waving at everyone, not just my daugher. It made her feel special because an important person noticed her in the midst of all the crowd. 

My Prayer:

Dear Lord,  please pass by our way.  You already know us by name.  In Psalms 139:17, 18 it says, "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand."  Thank you for meeting us at our point of need as an individual.  We don't have to climb a tree to find you.  Help us understand how much you a want a  personal relationship with us.  Amen and amen.

Comments:

Please share a personal story to encourage others.  We are all on this journey together, and I would like to hear from you.  God Bless. 

More Than Enough

A widow cried out to the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 4.  Her husband had died and she reminded Elisha he had revered the Lord.  Her predicament was a creditor coming to take her two boys as his slaves.  Not only had she lost her godly husband, the thought of losing her sons was more than she could bear.  She would be left destitute.

"Elisha replied to her, How can I help you?  Tell me, what do you have in your house?  Your servant has nothing there at all, she said.  Except a little oil."  The story continues with Elisha telling her to go around the neighborhood and ask for jars.  Here comes the best part.  Elisha said to not ask for just a few!  Verse 4 says, "Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons.  Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."  She did not question the prophet.  Would you?

A Plea Is Answered

"She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons."  Can you imagine her holding the little bit of oil?  She looks around and sees all the jars. She may have asked herself, "Is this possible?"  Her sons brought the jars to her and she starting pouring. The bible says she kept pouring.  I wonder if tears of joy also started to flow? "When all the jars were full, she said to her son, Bring me another one."  Her son responded to her question, "There is not a jar left.  Then the oil stopped flowing.  She went and told the man of God, and he said, Go, sell the oil and pay your debts.  You and your sons can live on what is left."  Not only had God taken care of the debts, he secured her future!

God Provides

There have been times when my husband and I have been faced with difficult situations.  We needed solutions only God could supply. When my daughter was born, I could not bear the thought of going back to work.  I wanted to stay at home with her, and could not see how this could happen.  We asked God to help us raise our daughter. We saw changes began to happen in our lives.  And now almost nine years later, we still give all the glory to our Lord.   I am convinced God can and will answer your  prayers that seem impossible.

Right now we are crying out to God for an answer.  Do you have any empty jars we can borrow? Ask him for a miracle in yours.


My Prayer:

God you are Jehovah - Jireh.  The God who provides.  When times are tough and problems weigh us down, we can come to the point of feeling abandoned.  Lord your word  in Hebrews 13:5 promises to never leave or forsake us.  Help us not waiver in knowing you do hear and answer our prayers. Amen.

Comments:

Please post a comment to encourage others on how God met a need in your life.  If you have a prayer request, please send me an e-mail and I will pray for you.  God Bless.

The Lord's Lesson On Multiplication

My calculator quit working around three weeks ago.  I struggled for a few days without it and looked for my daughter's red super-sized calculator.  I have to admit multiplication was never my best subject in school.  I was lost without my three dollar calculator and headed to Walmart to replace it.  Last night in a business meeting we discussed how to duplicate our efforts.  Growth comes rapidly when numbers begin to multiply.  When I woke up this morning, I still had the word multiplication on my mind.  I got my Bible out to read and looked up the story about Jesus feeding the five thousand. 

MARK CHAPTER 6

In Mark 6:32-36, it tells of Jesus and his disciples going to a solitary place.  But, many who saw and recognized them leaving, ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.  When they got to their destination, not only was it not solitary any longer, a large crowd had gathered.  Without Twitter, Facebook, radio, internet, television, or any other form of communication, people actually ran and arrived before Jesus.  Can you imagine having that kind of success?

So,  Jesus began teaching them many things.  When it was late in the day the disciples asked Him to send the people away so they could go and buy themselves something to eat.  In verse 37 it says, "But he answered, you give them something to eat. They said to him, That would take eight months of a man's wages!  Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"

The Lord was teaching a lesson in multiplication when he asked them to take care of the food.  The disciples had calculated eight months wages for the size of the crowd.  "How many loaves do you have?  He asked. Go and see.  When they found out, they said, Five - and two fish."

The lesson continued when Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the grass.  They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.  I believe there was more to the grouping of the crowd than just being orderly.  But, the best part was coming!   Jesus then took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks.  Let me repeat that part again - He gave thanks first!  Next, the Lord started giving the broken loaves to the disciples to set before the people.  Then  Jesus "divided" the two fish.  Not only did everyone eat and were satisfied, there were twelve basketsful of broken pieces of bread and fish left over.  Little became much!

Five loaves and two fish make seven, which feeds over five thousand people, with twelve basketfuls uneaten.  I don't know about you, but I would take that multiplication any day of the week.  Jesus repeated the miracle another time for four thousand and asked his disciples, "Do you still not understand?"

PSALMS 127:1

Psalms 127:1 states, "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain."  How many times have we tried to produce large numbers, to make or become many, to increase without giving thanks and having Jesus in charge?  How many loaves do you have?  Go and see.

MY PRAYER:

I thank you Lord today that you lead me where I am to go.  Help me to become like the testimony of John the Baptist in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease."  Let us seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and  all these things will be given to us as well.   Thank you Lord and amen.

COMMENTS:

What has God "added" to you lately?  Please share your story here to bless others.

Tape Is Temporary - But Heaven Is Eternal

I don't know what the fascination of tape is, but my daughter uses it on everything.  It got to the point I had to start hiding it, especially during Christmas and birthdays, so I would have some to use.  Problems occurred when the tape quit sticking or got wet.  She just couldn't understand why it wasn't permanent like some of the markers she uses.  So, she added more tape to the existing.  The most surprising use of tape happened a few months back.  She kept trying to catch lizards in our yard with her bug catcher and a stick, but they managed to elude her.  My seven year old tried a new approach.  She came into the kitchen while I was preparing dinner
with a grin and a stressed out lizard.  How did she catch it?  With tape of course!


My daughters excessive use of tape made me think about life.  Everything here on Earth is just temporary.   Do we live our life knowing it is?  So many people have lost jobs they thought were permanent.  Foreclosed homes, lost savings and retirements.  Did the recession change us and give pause for what is eternal?


John 14:1-3

I help teach an adult Sunday School class and one of our lessons was about Jesus comforting his disciples.  In John 14: 1-3 it says, "Do not let your heart be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." That same comfort applies to us.  A promise of an eternal life and place.  We need only to accept and believe. 


My Prayer:

Dear Lord help each person reading this to trust and rest in you.  Give peace where peace is needed.  Give hope for situations which seem to never end.  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  Corinthians 2;17-18.


Can you imagine eternity.......infinite.......unchanging.......ceaseless?  Thank you Lord.  Amen


Comments:


Please submit a comment to share something that affected you about eternity.  I want this to be an active blog.  God Bless.

Books I love!

The following books have made an impact on my life. They may not have been on a best sellers list. But, the authors writings have encouraged, inspired, and helped me through different phases of my life.

 

                                        

     A Life God Rewards 

     By Bruce Wilkinson

                                                     

     As Silver Refined
     By Kay Arthur

     My Utmost For His Highest
     By Oswald Chambers

 Meeting God At Every Turn
 By Catherine Marshall




                                                    

       Mere Christianity
       By C. S. Lewis






                                                       

Not I, But Christ
By Corrie ten Boom





           
                                    



        Out Live Your Life
        By Max Lucado





                                                          

The Road Less Traveled
By M. Scott Peck

 The Christian's Secret To A Happy Life
 By Hanna Whitall Smith






                                                          

        No Man Is An Island
        By Thomas Merton