He Is Born

Jesus left His Father and His seed was implanted in Mary by the Holy Spirit. He started out at just a few inches and a few ounces  then He grew and became probably around 6 lbs or more. He was cramped in the space that He needed to grow in.

Here is the biblical account found in

Matthew 1:18-25.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thous son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. 

Mary And Her Baby Part 2

Week 12-Size of a plum and is about 2.1 inches long and Jesus weighs about 49 ounces. He has all most all His parts and it is just a matter of keep growing.

Week 13-Size of a peach and is about 2.9 inches long and now 8.1 ounces. His head 1/3 size of His body. His vocal cords are forming and also his fingerprints.  His intestines moving from the umbilical cord into their permanent place in His tummy.

Week 14-Size of a  lemon and is 3.4 inches and weighs 1.5 ounces. Almost doubled in weight since last week. Jesus maybe sucking His thumb and wiggling His toes. His kidneys are making urine, and His liver and spleen are doing their jobs too. He is growing a thin, peach-fuzzy like hair all over His body. This will help Him keep warm!

Mary is now over the morning sickness but now has gone into a hunger overdrive. I wonder what she wanted to eat?

Week 15-Size of a navel orange. Now average weight of Jesus is 2.5 ounces and He is about 4 inches long. His legs out measures His arms. He is now squirming a lot. Jesus may be hiccuping and His joints and limbs can all move .

Week 16-Size of an avocado and is about 4.6 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces. Now Jesus listens to His mother's voice which He can hear because of His tiny bones forming in His ears. Hair, lashes, and eyebrows are growing. He is now forming His taste buds.

Mary at this time may feel Jesus moving.

Week 17-Size of an onion. Now Jesus is about 5.1 inches long and weighs about 5.9 ounces. his rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone. this is where Jesus is getting fat on His bones. The more He grows the thicker His umbilical cord becomes.

Mary is now experiencing rapid weight gain.

Week 18-Size of a sweet potato. Now can weigh as much as 6.7 ounces and is about 5.6 inches long. He now can yawn, hiccup, suck, and swallow. He is twisting, rolling, punching and kicking.

Mary might be able to feel Jesus doing these things.

Week 19-Size of a mango. 6.0 inches long weighing about 8.5 ounces. Jesus would now be developing a protective coating over His skin. It's greasy and white.  His  nerve cells for His sense of taste, hearing, sight, and smell are developing in His brain.

Mary is now mid-term of her pregnancy.

Week 20-Size of a banana. 10.2 ounces and measure now about 6.5 inches. His taste buds are working and He is gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day.

Week 21-Size of a pomegranate. Is now 10.5 weighs about 20.8 ounces. Digestive system is developing.

Week 22-Size of a papaya. Now is 10.5 to 11.8 inches and weighs about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces.

Mary is starting to get stretch marks.

Week 23-Size of a grapefruit and is weighing about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces. Jesus is getting ready to be born. Face is formed and needs a little more fat to fill out. Jesus is now listening to His mother's voice and can hear her heartbeat. Also can hear noises outside of His mother.

Week 24-Size of a cantaloupe and is now about 10.5-11.8 inches long and weighs 12.7 to 20.8 ounces. Skin is becoming more opaque and pink in color.

That is the information for today. Again is is amazing to me how wonderfully we are made. The weights and lengths are different for each baby and these are just a general idea. But I can imagine how cramped Jesus must have felt.

Mary And Her Baby

The Christmas Story

2014

Imagine Jesus, His Father God, and the Holy Spirit talking in heaven. They are all Spirits and one of the things that they were discussing was what they were going to do to help the people become part of their family.

They knew ahead of time that the first people that they put on earth would go against God the Father and be separated from Him.  So the plan was that when it was time God would send down His Only Begotten Son to save the world and allow them to become part of the family of God.

What was the plan? Jesus would leave His home in heaven. Leave His Father, and the Holy Spirit. He would be placed in the womb of a virgin girl named Mary by the Holy Spirit. Then Jesus would grow just like a normal baby and have a human nature along with being God the Son.

When Jesus told a story or parable He used symbols of the day and that is what I am going to do for our story. The site I am using to get my details is called Bump. I am not using word for word from this site but summarizing details that are important to our story.

We are going to look at the first eleven weeks of Jesus’ life in Mary from Jesus' point-of-view.

Week 3&4: Poppyseed is the size of Jesus.

*John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Jesus:
It is time for me to leave my Father, the Holy Spirit, and my heavenly home and come and live among the people of  the Jewish world.* The angel has told Mary, my earthly mother, that she is going to conceive me. She is a bit frighten because she is engaged to Joseph and what will he think when he finds out that she is going to have a baby. But my mother said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” The angel then went away.

Weeks 3 and 4- I am now about the size of a poppyseed. My  spine, brain and backbone are already forming. My amniotic sac and fluid are forming into protective cushioning for Me. It is at this time that my mother may beginning the stage of morning sickness. It even may last through out the whole day. She may have bloating and mood swings. This would be a great time for her to pamper herself--but will she?

Week 5- I am the size of an apple seed. now and My major organs such as my heart, stomach, liver, kidneys, digestive, circulatory and nervous systems are developing. My mother is very tired and still having the morning sickness. This is the time that she should be around other woman having babies but she stays with her cousin Elisabeth and helps her while she is having her baby.

Week 6- I am the size of a sweet peat. I have doubled my size in just a week. My blood is increasing its flow through my body and my circulatory system is on its way to developing. I am wiggling my paddle like hands and feet. My poor mother is now very tired and her body is beginning to get ready for when I am born. She still has morning sickness and is moody and needs extra rest.

Week 7- It has arrived and I am now the size of a blueberry. I am now generating about one hundred new brain cells each minute. My brain and heart are becoming more complex. My kidneys are now my kidneys are permanently formed. My mother's morning sickness is doing better and now she is beginning to crave different things to eat. She is becoming emotional.

Week 8-I am now the size of a strawberry. I am moving my arms and legs like crazy. My fingers and toes now slightly webbed and my tail is gone. My taste buds are now forming.

Week 9-I am the size of a green olive. It is now month three. I am no longer known as a embryo but I have become a fetus, which means I am looking and becoming more and more like a baby. My small heartbeat can be heard by a doctor. My mother has put on some weight by now maybe one to five pounds.

Week 10-I am the size of a prune, which means I am about 1.2 inches long and weigh about 14 ounces. I have working arm joints and cartilage and my bones are forming. Fingernails and hair are starting to appear. I am now able to swallow and kick.

Week 11-I am now the size of a lime. I am now about 1.6 inches long and weigh about 25 ounces. I have only two more weeks in which I will still be in the trimester or stage one of my growth. I am able to move fluidly and gracefully. My skin is see-through, but on am on my way to looking more like a baby. My fingers and toes aren't webbed anymore. And I am beginning to develop tooth buds, hair follicles and nail beds. My mother, along with some of the other things my mother is going through, is having leg cramps. Sometimes it wakes her up at night.


(Will stop here for now and continue on next time. I want to leave you with the following verses:

Psalm 139:14-18

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

If should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.)

We are all wonderfully made and God formed us just the way He wanted to be.

New Approach On Christmas Story

I can not believe that in three weeks it is Christmas. The time is going by so fast.

This year I am going to concentrate on telling the birth of Christ from His point of view. What He may had been feeling and thinking.

I am using a sight on the internet which tells me each week of a baby's development and how Mary must had felt also. I will be comparing Bible times with modern day times for this great event.

So I hope you will come back and see what I have discovered as I search through the internet and the Scripture and Bible traditions on babies and having babies.

Happy Thanksgiving Day

For us who live in the United States it is our Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Day-2014

With snow on the ground
and a nip in the air
we gather together
to say our prayers of Thanksgiving.

Each day is a day that we can give thanks,
for families, friends, church, and most of all
to  You our Father, to Christ Your Son, and
the Holy Spirit that is with us to guide us
day by day by showing us Your way.

Thank You Dear Father in Heaven Above
for bringing us all together today
to praise and worship You in our
own ways.

New Day

Because I am not feeling good at this time I am going to try to write something on Thursday for now. It is hard for me to sit at the computer for any length of time. But I want to write to you so decided that Thursday is a good day as I am off that day from work.

So will write again next week.

Thank you for all who look at this site. It is much appreciated and hope the Lord is blessing you through it. It is all about Him and I want to honor and praise Him for all He does for me and all His children.

Lots of snow or maybe none at all

We received a phone call from our son who lives in Buffalo, New York. We weren't home at the time but this is somewhat how the message went. "Hi, this is your son, wanted to see if you were home. I am I have three foot of snow outside my door."

We called him back last night and it was beginning to snow again. They were suppose to get another foot. He said he was very board. No one around. His fiance was stranded at her parent's home. They got the same amount of snow. Some areas of Buffalo didn't get that much. It all depends in what area you live in.

I am so glad that God made the seasons but I think 3 foot of snow is much and so do the people that have to shovel it. But He know what He is doing. We are suppose to get a lot of cold weather. That is what happening where I live. Wind shield factor temperatures are below zero in some places and daytime temperatures are only in the teens maybe up in the 30's or 40's. It is going to be a long winter I think. That is what some people are saying.

I guess we will just have to wait and see.

May you all be safe during this storm that is hitting us in the United States.

Satan Wants To Sift Us As Wheat

As I was going through my e-mails this morning I came upon a message from James MacDonald. It really hit home for me as I have been going through some mind boggling experiences lately. Here is just one thought in the message that help me remember who is in control of my life.

"Remember Jesus' words before Peter's biggest failure, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31-32.)

My mind is the area in which Satan attacks me  most. I have Post Tarmac Stress and Anxiety disorder. And if I don't hold on to Jesus' hand tightly I slip and fall right into Satan's trap he has for me--"I'm no good. I'm dumb, How can the Lord use me, I have done nothing for Him, etc." But I read in MacDonald's message that even before I was born, Christ interceded for me. And now Jesus is at the right hand of His Father lifting me and my needs to Him. He knows my exact situation. He knows my needs, my weaknesses, my fears, and what I am facing, and what is at stake.

Jesus doesn't let my stumbling and falling keep me from Him praying for me. So I must remember not to keep myself away when I feel I fail Him.

What a great comfort for me is it for you?

Sleep or Not To Sleep

One of my favorite radio and TV preacher is Charles Stanley and this week he was talking about setting time aside to just be with God. Talk to Him and allow Him to talk to you.

If you are anything like me I start out good when I begin to pray. I feel real close to my Heavenly Father and I get so excited. But as I am praying I might come across an idea that comes to my mind if I am thanking Him for giving me the ability to create things. All of a sudden I thinking about all kind of crafts I could do. Or worse yet I start praying and then next thing I know I am falling asleep and lose my concentration. I feel so bad.

I find when I am woke up each morning that is the best time to pray short prayers. I have to take medicine three times before I eat. I am woke up, take the medicine, and then go back to sleep if I have had a bad night. But if I am awake enough  I try to pray for those who may be sick or need help. I ask my Father that He, His Son, and the Holy Spirit, would be in my life for that day. Then I thank my Lord for the things He has given me.

It works out well and when I do get up for good in the morning I try to say, "It's going to be a good day for the Lord has made it."

How about you? Do you take time to be quiet with God? It can be just a few minutes at a time throughout the day. Or maybe you have a time that you can just sit and have a longer time with Him.

Happy Praying!

Rivers Of Tears

One of our homework assignments for this week is to read Psalm 119. Most people know that Psalms 119 is the longest book in the Bible. I must tell you that I don't usually like to read Psalms, but as I began to read it I being blessed by it.

For day's reading I came to verse 136 and it says, "Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law." I had to stop there and just think have I ever cried so much that rivers of tears ran down my face because people were not keeping the law of God let alone the law of the land.

I must say no I haven't. Why not? Because I have not honestly been convicted to do so--until now.

How much do we love God and His Word? I know for sure I haven't love Him as much as David did.

By reading Psalm 119 I am getting a new picture of how I want and should love God and His ways not out of duty but because I want to. Also to be sad and angry over the things hates.

How about you? If you have an opportunity read at least Psalm 119 and see what you find when you read it.

Music

II Chronicles 7:6 ESV
The priests stood at their posts; the Levites also, with the instruments for music to the Lord-for his steadfast loves endures forever-whenever David offered praises by their ministry; opposite them the priests sounded trumpets and all Israel stood.

Two thoughts for today. First going to share with you about a concert I went to yesterday afternoon. It has been the third time I have seen and heard Anastasia Rizikov play the piano. She was nine when I fist heard her, but she started playing when she was seven. She is now fifteen and as the years go by she gets better and better. She plays classical music. If you would like to hear her yourself try going on You-Tube and look up her name. If you like classical music you will like Anastasia.

I gave some highlights on the concert, but after reading the verse I found on music in the Bible, I also wanted to comment on this verse.

It doesn't say what instruments were used to honor the Lord, but it does say instruments. Then later down it says trumpets. In Bible times the instruments were different than what we have today. But the point is they used instruments of different kinds.

In a lot of churches today there are different opinions of what instruments should be played at church. Some churches have Worship groups which are different than the choir. I must say that when we started using the screen with the words of the songs on it and added some different instruments beside piano and organ and a worship team, not to many people liked it. Especially the older people who are used to hymns.

I like most of the music we have today, but I also enjoy the hymns as well. I know them better.

How About You?
Do you like more of a traditional service with just hymns or do you like the more modern choruses? Do you like a lot of instruments  or just piano and organ. maybe you don't even like those in the service.

Back To Work

Blessing
It has been a great two weeks. I have been on vacation from work. I was hoping to get a lot of work done at home--but the Lord had a different plan.

The first week I was able to get together church history and work on that. We are celebrating our 75th year this year. I am working on it today to finish up the first draft of a small booklet so all the information is in one place. I have a person who is going to proof-read it. Sometimes it is hard to proof-read your own work. If you are a writer you know this very well.

I also had a lot of quiet time the first week. My husband is retired from his main job but is custodian at one of our local churches. So he usually cleans when I am work at the library near by. But the first week he went to work and I stayed home. It was a good time just to relax and do things at my own pace. I was drawn closer to God by having this time alone.

The second week was nice also but I went to work with my husband due to having doctor's appointments and other things going on where it made more sense to go with him so he wouldn't have to come all the way home and then leave again. This worked out good also as I am reading a great Christian book and I to read as my husband while my husband worked. I did some of the lighter work but he did all the heavy stuff.

One other thing I want to mention is how blessed I am to have the husband I have. He is so caring, so loving, and gentle with me most of the time. Of course no marriage is perfect. But he has been my caregiver now for about 44 years out of our 48 years of marriage. He doesn't complain and he is always there for me when I need him.

Another blessing is writing to you. I am home today as I have two days off of work and work three days. So I wanted to get caught up on writing to you. Sometimes when I work a six hour day or a five hour day or even a four hour day when I get home I am just wiped out and so I am not always able to get to the computer to send a post.

 If you think of me just pray that I will be faithful to what God has called me to do and that is to write this post to encourage you, share with you what God is doing in my life so it may help you, and for me to pray for you as a group, for I don't know who you are. That I will continue to be healed in body, soul, and mind.

Thank you in advance.

Prayer and Fasting

Blessing

I met with my small group last evening and we talked about prayer and fasting. Those reading this post know how important it is to pray to God the Father. Sometimes He is referred to as Father, My Heavenly Father, Abba (which means Daddy). When we pray to our Father we tell Him how great He is. Next we as Him to forgive us of any sin we have done. Then we thank Him for things He has given to us. And then we ask Him for things. Healing of a sick one, a safe trip etc. Pray, prayer, prayers are mentioned a lot in the Bible.

Fasting is only mentioned seventeen times in the whole Bible.

What is fasting? It is abstaining from food either entirely, like Jesus did in Matthew 4:2, or for a predetermined period of time. It is voluntary and it is to be done in secret. In otherwords don't go around telling everyone that you are fasting. Fasting is between you and God.

Please check with your doctor before you fast. If you have medical problems like having diabetes, or other issues it may not be safe for you to abstain from food. However, you can fast by say giving up watching TV or playing computer games as an example. Then spend that time humbling yourself before God. 

You may want to fast if you are in a severe stress mode, or lost of a loved one, major health issues, family problems. There are a lot of reason why you might want to fast. Maybe you just want to have a notebook, pen, Bible and a quiet place and just talk to God and have Him talk to you through His Word.

Ambassadors For Christ

Blessing For The Day
Last evening, at prayer meeting, we had a missionary speaker. He spoke to us on Sunday morning also. So a lot of the information was repeated. But after he told us more details about his mission field in Canada, with the Native American reservations, he went to II Corinthians 5:20. It was here that I received my blessing.

Here is the verse taken from the New Living Translation: "We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, 'Be reconciled to God'"

So it gives be great joy when I can pass on my blessings to you when it is concerning my Lord. I am His ambassador, I speak on His behalf. I am His month by using His words from His book-the Bible.

Are you His ambassador?

One Of Those Days

We have been looking at blessings that I have received as a results of being in a Small Group at my church. Yesterday I had a chance to put into practice what I been learning.

It was a very busy day especially for my husband. He is 74 years old and he has raked our backyard at least four times.( 250 feet) Yesterday he wanted to finish up the piles he had started the night before. He was planning on going  to his regular job after doing the leaves.

So he went out and spent about an hour-and-half raking the rest of the leaves. So when my husband got through it was lunch time. So we ate lunch at home. Then we started out for the next job.

We arrived and I went and cashed my husband's check while he started in cleaning the church that he cleans every week. I got back and I checked the bathrooms and did some of the other work that needed to be done.  I sat down and starting to read a new book I got.  My husband finished what he needed to for the day and then we went to Barnes and Nobles.

It was here that the disasters of the day began. I had taken out our membership card and was holding onto it so that I would have it when I went to pay for our items. My husband handed me his item and I had mine and I got into line and was about to pay and realized I didn't have our membership card. So got out of line and we started looking for it. My husband saw one on the desk and the person working there was just calling me to tell me that another customer found it. My husband said that it was mine. He turned around but I had gone to another place. So they found me and the manger  gave me my card. I was so thankful.

Then we went on to supper and then we stopped at Radio Shack  as we needed a new phone and a speaker. A nice young man helped us find what we were looking for and I was going to pay by check. I looked into my holder and no check book or the book telling me how much money I had in the bank. Panic struck!

So my husband and I started back to Barnes and Noble and on the way I made a call to the store asking if they found a check book. They hadn't, So I prayed and asked my Heavenly Father that the check book would be found.

We arrived back at the Barnes and Noble and my husband started to look in the parking lot and I went into the store. There was no one in line and there was a person cleaning up the area. I told her my name and told her what happened that I had written out a check that afternoon and that---before I could finish the sentence she said, "And you left your checkbook?" I said yes and she said, "I just found it. It was laying on the counter where I had paid for the items. I thanked my Heavenly Father and thanked the girl. We went back to Radio Shack, picked up our things there, then had to stop at the grocery store. We got home about 7:00.

My hockey team played last night and heard some of game in the car and then the rest of it at home. My team  lost six to five. So that was how the day ended.

But I was at peace even though I thought I had lost the checkbook, I knew God was with me and even if I did lose it He would show me what to do next. But I am so glad that this time my prayer was answered right away as the girl had found it just before I came into the store.

Blessing
I have a great God and He hears my prayers and gives me peace through storms.

Once We Are Saved Are We Going To Feel Like We Are?

Once you become a believer are you always going to feel like one? Let's look at Philippians 2:12-13:
"Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases Him."

Let's Look A Little Closer
Paul is not with us and we can not see our God or Lord, but we have their words written down for us to guide us and we have the Holy Spirit living within us.  So even though they are not before us we are to be careful to follow the Bible's instructions so that we can please our Father and also by obeying we show reverence and respect for Him.

What if we fail? I John 1:8-10
"If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts."

Here we see that we all are sinners. Even after we are saved, we sin. Sin is doing what God does not want us to do.  If you steal-steal no more.

 When we go to God we tell Him what are sin is. He knows already, but He wants us to see what we have done or haven't  done and tell Him about it and then turn from that sin. Then He will forgive us and cleanse us from that sin. Then we can again have the full fellowship with our Father.

 We may do it again, and if we do, we go back and confess again. It doesn't mean we should keep on sinning the same sin and God will forgive us, but we are truly trying to be more like Jesus. That is the goal. So we need to inspect our lives and confess the wrongs we see we are doing and go on and become a stronger believer.

One To One Study

Our church just started what is called Small Groups. There are about 5 sets of leaders that have taken a training class. All the leaders are couples so the couples meet in a home of someone in the church. Those who wanted to attend a group signed up with the leaders they wanted or the home that was closes to them. We have a lot of elderly people and it is hard for them to drive at night.

Each group meets at a certain time, has a light meal, then a Bible Study time, and get to know each other a little better time.

One of the leaders of the group preached Sunday night at church and said he had received a blessing from his group. And that gave me the idea of sharing with you the blessings I am receiving from my group.

Here is the first blessing. Ephesians 2:8, 9
For my grace are ye saved through faith and that not yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I have been a Christian for a very long time but sometimes even I have not the true understanding of some of the words used in the Bible. So I sat down the other day and tore about these verses and looked up in my Strong's Concordance the words I wanted to know the Greek meeting of.

For my grace. What is grace? Here are some of the definitions I found.

• Favour, 
• That which affords joy
• Pleasure
• Delight
• Sweetness
• Charm
• Loveliness
• Grace of speech
• Good will
• Loving
• Kindness

Kindness of God

• Gives us holy influence on our souls
• God turns us to Christ
• Keeps, strengthens, increases us in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles us to exercise Christian virtues. 

you are saved.  Saved from what?

• Save from danger or destruction
• Keep one from dying
• To be delivered from penalties of God's judgment
• To be saved from evils which obstruct the reception of God's deliverance

through means of, reason by which something is or not done or on account of.

faith 

• Belief
• NT conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things.
• Trust
• Holy Fevour born of faith and joined with it
• Conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things
• The provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
• A strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through when we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. 

Not of yourselves it is the gift of God. Not of works 

• An act, deed, thing done
• Any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, industry, or mind. 

So if we put these verses in a modern day wording without taking away from its meaning it could read like this: 

For by God's favour we are keep safe from danger, destruction, death, and God's judgment  and it is by trust, believing, and having conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things. Salvation is that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God.Not of anything deeds, acts, or things done or think, least any man should boast. 

Summary

This verse comes down to trusting, believing that Christ alone is what gives us salvation. Not by anything we do but what Christ has done. 

Question

How do you know for sure that you are a Christian? 

Answer

Believing in your heart, not just head knowledge, that Jesus is the Son of God, sent down to earth, lived for about 33 years, crucified on the cross and shed His blood, was buried, and rose again so that we can have a relationship with His Father who is God. Without shedding of Christ's blood there is no remission of sin in our life. 

I Did It!

I mentioned in my last post that I had gotten a new camera and I was trying to put the pictures onto my computer so I could share with you some of the beauty of Upper New York State. Well it took me awhile but did figure out and did put the pictures on my computer. Now let's see if I can share them.

As you can tell most taken from a moving car. The last picture that I have here I took from my back steps looking across the river and on the hillside. The colors are just beautiful.

Hope you like the pictures.

And remember God is so good!

Strange Things Happening Before I Come To The Computer

It is already the middle of October. It does not seem possible. Here in my area the leaves have already turned colors and now the trees are becoming bear. We had some beautiful oranges and red colored leaves this year. I got some great picture but they are on a new camera and haven't figured out yet how to get them over to my computer so can use them. As soon as I do I will post some.

I love this time of season. The air smells different, the trees are beautiful colors, and it just a great time of year. I am thankful that I live in an area with the different seasons. Winter is a little hard but it is still can be a beautiful time.

I haven't written as I am still recovering from the car accident that my husband and I had in August. I did not get hurt to bad, like broken bones and things like that, but I did get a bad whip lash and the seat belt cut into my throat and I have no protection for my vocal cords so they have been bruised so I am not suppose to talk at all. Have you ever tried not to talk? It is very hard. I do know some sign language and that helps when I am in church and what to join in the singing. I can sign most of the songs. I am able to talk a little more, but still lose my voice after a few minutes. Also it hurt to sit for at the computer for any length of times so that is the main reason  that haven't written.

I went to a chiropractor for the first time last week. He said I might hear some popping noise. I didn't hear any but sure felt when he jerked my neck back in place. I feel so much better. It sacred me at first thinking if he just made a slight mistake I could be damaged for life. But he knew what he was doing and it worked out fine. I go back to him today.

Will I guess that is all the things that happened before I came to the computer to write. I am really wanting to write each day. I miss not doing this. But I just couldn't sit to long at a time without hurting as I mentioned above.

Thank you for your prayers and I do hope I will be faithful in writing how the Lord is working in my life and this will encourage you that He can work in your life too. We have a great God!

Love Those Who Have Hurt You

Over the years I have had problems with love. I have loved many people in my life but it seemed like the love was not returned. In fact, in some cases, I was betrayed and harmed very deeply by those I loved.

As I was reading from Beth Moore's book Praying God's Word Day by Day the prayer for today is "When you really love sacrificially, God catches it even if no one else does, it never falls to the ground." I Corinthians 13 is known as the love chapter. I have read it many times but today it just seemed to click on what it really says. This was His answer to my prayer on how to again love people.

How To Love

• Be patient for love is patient.
• Be kind for love is kind.
• Don't be envious as love does not envy.
• Don't boast in yourself or others only in God as love is not boastful.
• Love is not self-seeking.
• Love is not easily angered.
• LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.
• Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
• Love always protects.
• Love always protects.
• Love always trusts. 
• Love always hopes.
• Love always perseveres.
• Love never fails. 

I can not proceed this kind of love on my own. I must surrender my heart to God first. He wants me to empty myself of all fleshly contents so that He can make it a vessel for His love. 

My prayer is that I can love the unlovely and love even those who have hurt me. 

If you have been hurt by others love them anyway. You are not saying it was right what they did but you can love them as God loves them. 

Don't Break His Heart

"Don't Break His Heart" is the title of one of my post that I receive from a Blog called HEARTLIGHT.  Their work is copyrighted so can give you the whole post, but I thought the idea was good enough to share in my own words and what it means to me.

Do you know that we can grieve God? How can we grieve Him? We find out the answer in Ephesians 4:30 (NLT.) "And do not bring sorrow (or grieve) to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption."

We grieve God when we grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God and His Spirit lives within me and the Spirit is helping me to be more like Jesus, that is if I let Him. So by sinning, maybe using my words to hurt someone instead of encouraging them. Gossiping about a person is grieving the Holy Spirit.  It hurt others and degrade myself and breaks the heart of God.

As each day is new, I want my life to reflex that and think about the things that will please God and not grieve Him.

Be Careful What You Pray For

Be Careful What You Pray For

In Sunday School and in one of our church services, just recently, we have been talking about the tongue.

James 3:2 NLT reads, "We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way."

James 3:5 reads, "So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do."

I prayed that the Lord would help me to control my tongue. Sometimes I talk to much and say things that should not be said, gossip. So today I went to my thyroid doctor for my 6 months checkup. I told him that I was having trouble with losing my voice. I asked him if there was anything that I could do for it. I thought he might tell me to use hard candy to keep it lubricated. That was not the answer. The answer he gave me was just not to talk. To rest my voice. Ugh! He said it wouldn't be easy. And for me where I work in a library and have to answers the phone and talk to patron for fours a day it is not going to be easy.

I had to laugh though because the Lord did answer my prayer. If I can't talk then I won't get myself in trouble with anyone or displease God. It is like when the Lord was telling to slow down and not to do so much. I didn't listen and so He allows me to have fibromyalgia which can slow you down a lot.

So I am going to try my best to just talk when I have to. I found out this afternoon how we talk about a lot of things that we don't really have to say.

Prayer
Thank You Father for answering my prayer even if it not the answer I was looking for but is the best one because You are allowing this irritation of my vocal cords. I thank You for hearing my prayers and giving me just what we need instead of what I might want.

One Of A Kind

One Of A Kind

Today at work I was going through the donations that were brought in. Among them was this most wonderful Bible. It had a real leather covering, Fine new pages that most of them had never been taken apart it was so new. And one of the nice features was it was a study Bible which had great notes.

I took it from the pile and was looking through it. It was great! Then I thought, "I have so many Bibles at home that I don't use right now. I have my one or two favorites, but the others sit on a shelf." So I put it back in the pile of books. I am praying that someone who can use it to help them grow in God's Word will find it in book sale and take it home and uses it til it falls apart.

I did also find some other books that I liked so was able to take those home. Since I work at the library we are allowed to take home any donations we want. A lot of times I return them and then they can be put in the book sale and the library gets money for programs and special events that come along.

I am so thankful that I work in a library. I am reading all the time and I never know what books I might come across.

I am so thankful that God created people that can write a good story. Also I am thankful for the Bible as that is what book God gave to us to read, learn from, and share with others. The greatest book on earth.

A Pulchritudinousl Night

As I am writing this post I am looking out my small window and it is framing a most pulchritudinous pink clouds. They are beginning to fade away and dark fall clouds are floating by now. 

Pulchritudinous simply means beautiful. I never heard of this word before and I am one who likes to learn new things. I am a very curious person and so I looked up in my Roget's Thesaurus to see if I could come up with a different word for beautiful and that is where I found this long, unknown word at least to me anyway.

I am so thankful that God created the night sky so that we can enjoy its beauty in all seasons. 

Question
Do you agree? 

Well Laid Plans

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 

A Closer Look

The Lord knows the plans that He has for each one of us who are His. His plan is to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and future.

I was thinking about my relationship with God today and I realized that He chose me even before the foundation of the world. And He does have a plan for me that is good. How exciting it is to be His Child and if I allow Him to let Him lead the way I am to go. 

It is an adventure for sure. It is not always easy, it can even mean physical death. But I figure we all are going to die sometime, so if death comes because I am severing the Lord and stand up for what I believe about Him, then let it be. I know that I am going to see Him face to face someday.

I may sound real brave, and I don't know what would happen if someone came up to me with a gun or a knife and say, "Do you believe in God and Jesus?" If I said yes, I may be shot or like or having my head cut off. 

I would hope I would not deny my Lord just to save my life. It wouldn't be much then to live for. 

How About You?

By looking at who at least looks at this site you might be going through persecution already. It is just starting here in the United States. But nothing yet like other places. Are we ready? 

Christian Author Book Series

If you like Christian fiction stories I would recommend you read Mindy Starns Clark five book series of The Million Dollar Mysteries Book. You can get on Kindle. Or try your local library. They are hard to find.

The reason I recommend her is because she simply lays out the plan of salvation and ways to live the Christian live that go naturally in her stories. She has a series also on the Amish if you like that style better which they too are very well written.

As I am reading the last book in the series she was writing about forgiveness. I don't want to give away the story line but she needed to forgive someone for something they did. And as I read her idea of what forgiveness is I realized how simple, in one way, it is to forgive someone.

In my own life there is about seven people that I need to truly forgive. Some are living, some have already passed away. But in my heart I need to fully forgive these people and let go of my anger and hurt, no matter how justified it is. I need to give everything over to my Heavenly Father and he will and has judged these people.

My doing this frees me up and I can go on with my life in the way that I was meant to do. God had a purpose for me to be born. And all these years I have let these people and what they did to me rule my life. I thought I had forgiven them, but I haven't fully until now.

Prayer
Father, thank you for Christian authors who know Your word and are able to put in a way that is easy to understand and in a way that flows with the story but also allows the ready to discover things they might not know or might not want to do but Your Holy Spirit urges them on so that they can get things right and live to please.

Father, if there are any readers today who need to forgive someone let their hearts be open to the Holy Spirit leading and allow them to be free of angry and hurt and show them what You want them to do with their lives.

In Jesus Name I pray this.

Micah 7:1-13 Misery Turned To Hope

Misery Turned To Hope

Micah 7:8 NLT

Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD himself will be my light. 

A Closer Look

All of us fall at sometime in our spiritual walk. When we do our enemy is right there. It comes in the form of darkness. Darkness of thoughts, deeds, devil. There is hope however! 

The Lord is with us! In our darkness we may not see Him, but He is there. Praise His Holy Name!

The Lord has come into the world as a light and those that believe in Him will not stay in darkness. 

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, my Lord and Savior, thank you for being the Light of the world instead of darkness. We can see so much more with Your Light than the darkness of the devil. Help us all continue in the Light of Your Way and walk with Your Light glowing from us. In Your Name I pray this. 

Having A Need

Having A Need

2 Timothy 1:12

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

A Closer Look

Paul is in prison at the time in which he writes this letter. It is a hard time for him, as prisons back in Paul's time were completely different than the ones that prisoners have today. Dark, dirty, smelly, and chained to soldiers. 

Paul writes that he wasn't ashamed of being in prison because he knew for sure who he believed in. None other than Christ. And he was persuaded that Christ was able to guard what Paul had entrusted to Him until the day of Christ's returned.

We too can commit our suffering to Christ. Paul continued to do good by witnessing to anyone that came into his cell. We too can do good and witness or tell those around us about Christ. We can have the faith that Paul had and know that Christ will 

guard what we have entrusted to Him until He returns. 

Prayer

Father, may we be as bold as Paul was and have the kind of faith that he had. May we be not afraid to tell others about You. Also that we would know without a doubt that whatever we have entrusted to You that you will guard it.  We asked this in the Name of Jesus. 

Desires Of Our Hearts

Desires Of Our Hearts

Psalm 20:4 (NLT)

May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans.

A Closer Look

I found a copy of Beth Moore's Praying God's Word Day by Day. And the prayer for this morning has to do with three different aspect of our lives.

Children In Our Lives

1. Discipline your children, and they will give you happiness and peace of mind. (Proverbs 29:17)

• Discipline of children when they are small is most important. Some of us are older and it may concern working with our grandchildren. When we correct children this produces wisdom in them and shows them right from wrong. I am afraid this is lacking very much in today society. 

Divine Guidance

1. When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is happy. (Proverbs 29:18)

We are a better person when we chose to go with divine guidance and not our own way. Seek the Holy Spirit to guide the way for each day. 

Today I was thinking about how I was going to work the same schedule after I get back to work. Then the Lord reminded to take a day at a time. Enjoy today, follow Him, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide me this day. Important thing is for me to accept the divine guidance that is given me. 

Reputation

How long will you people ruin my reputation?  How long will you make these groundless accusations. How long will you pursue lies?(Psalm 4:2)

Here Beth is thinking about how God's glory is turned into shame. How we love delusions and seek false gods. She prays, "Expose the delusions and false gods in my life. O Lord, and set me free." That is my prayer also. I hope that it is yours also.

Desires Of Our Heart

1. May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans. 

Isn't it wonderful to know that if we have a heart desire, and it goes along with God's will that He will grant that desire? This is the exciting part for me.

One desire of my heart is to keep writing this blog as long as long as I possible can, and try to give you helpful information that will led you closer to God. 

You are all loved by God and also by me. You are my family. 

Expectation

Expectation

Philippians 1:20

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, to now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

A Closer Look

With all of the things going on in my life these few weeks this verse struck me as being a verse that I wanted to memorize.

The reasons:

1. I don't want to be ashamed of my life or the Lord.
2. I want to be bold. 
3. I want Christ to be magnified in my body.
4. It doesn't matter whether I am alive or if needs to come through my death that is alright. 

How About You?
Will this verse be a goal, a prayer, doing it, or all three?

Update On Hit And Run Accident

In my last blog I shared with you about the hit and run accident that my husband and I were in. Wednesday, August 20, 2014 I went to my regular doctor for a follower up. He confirmed that I have a nodule on my right lower lung and we will have it checked in three months. He said he didn't want to put me through anymore radiation at this time since I had CT scan on Friday and again on Monday. Monday I was back in the ER for chest pains. It wasn't heart just soreness yet from the seat belt. I also was having severe back pain on my right side. So that is when I got the other set of CT scan done.When they did the abdomen area they found that I was developing two kidney stones. Today, Saturday the 23th,  is the first day I haven't had to much pain. He told me to stay on the muscle relaxers as that would help heal the muscle spasms that I have been having.

Our car will be fixed the second week of September and will take about four days to fix.

Again, I want to praise the Lord for all of His protection and that my husband was not hurt and that more damage was not done to the car.

Hit and RUN Car Accident

My husband and I were on the way home from work on Friday afternoon and around 4;00 pm a pickup truck decided that he didn't want to make a left-hand turn. We were driving in right lane at the right speed around 35 miles and the truck pulls over in our lane.The truck hit our car and pushed us into a parking lot. The driver sped up and just kept on going. Neither myself nor my husband got a good description of the truck or license plate number.

My husband had to move the car a little bit so it would not be in line of traffic as the back end was not totally off the road. I told him that he needed to go into the store and call the police. He did so and within a few minutes the police officer came. He told us that we could have the car towed away but to him it did look driveable. My throat, left shoulder hurt but didn't think I needed an ambulance. However the more we stood around it began to hurt more. The officer said that my husband could drive me to the hospital so that is what he did.

In the meantime while the officer was taking our information he had to leave and go to another accident down the road not even a mile away. Then he came back. A person who heard screeching tires who had made the left-hand turn came over to make sure we were alright and give his description of what they saw. Which we thanked them for many people don't stop and get involved. They didn't see to much themselves but they verified that it was a red truck.

My husband got me to the hospital and the kind of pain that I had the first think they did was put a collar on to protect my neck. Then I had a CT Scan of my head, neck, and spine. It turned out that everything was alright and he gave me a muscle relaxer and pain pills to help me through as I was still hurting. Of course yesterday was even worse.

Now the good part. I could really see how the Lord protected us. First, my husband was not injured at all. As the truck hit him on his side and he was driving. Second, when we were pushed into the parking lot there was a fire hydrant right in front of us and if my husband had not had good control of the car we would have hit that. Third, there were no cars behind us so we didn't get hit from behind. Fourth, the parking lot that we were in was empty so no other vehicles were involved. Also, I am on vacation from work all next week so don't have to go into work.

Later, when we went to the drug store to pick up the medicine I needed the woman who was in the other car accident was waiting for her medicine. She had more injuries and it looked to be more of a head on collision.

Just now I put on my neck brace as moving my head up and down is causing my neck and shoulder to hurt.

So I am praising the Lord even though over the wheel is smashed in, and the fender is a little damaged and the hood was pushed up a little it could have been a lot worse.

Mental Illness

At the time of this post Robin Williams has just died. He was depressed and committed suicide. How sad. I just want to take a moment and address mental illness.

Most people don't want to admit or ask for help when they are going through severe depression, Post Traumatic Stress, Bi-polar and other types of mind illness. Why? Because most people don't understand what kind of illness this is. In fact a mind illness is no different then if you had cancer, heart disease or other illness. It is just that this illness affects the mind and not other organs in your body.

Because people have never really understood the mind many bad things have happened to those with mental illness. They have been put away and many have drug treatments that they might not need. Fear is the biggest factor here for those who don't understand.

For the last ten years I have been treated for Post Traumatic Stress and Anxiety disorder. I have medicine that helps me keep it under control. However, occasional I do have panic attacks. The first time it happened it felt like I was a whole different person. I would be calm then my mind went into this mode and took over my body. I lost my speech, my walking was all off, my arms would swing back and forth. It was horrible. Once I understood what was happening I can now feel an attack coming on. It is usually when I have had a extreme event happen. Like just a month three major events happened within hours of each other. For the first time in sixteen years I had to ask to leave work early as I could not get things under control like I usually can.

The reason I am sharing this is so that if you are depressed (lasting awhile) check with your doctor or tell someone you trust. Seek help. Mental illness is not a bad thing. If you have someone who can council you let them do it. In some causes, such as mine, I had to get to the root problem. Mine was abuse in childhood and the loss of brother-in-law who was the same age as I was at the time of his death, and the death of one of my abusers who gave me severe problems as the caregiver.

Reach out to those who have mental illness. Knowing that someone accepts you even though you have this illness is a great help in their recovery or helps them to stabilize the condition.

If you are a believer, you too can have mental illness. I know because I am a believer and for many years I would not go for help or got the wrong kind of help. Now I have great people helping me. A verse that has helped me a great deal is the following:

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." John 14:1. The Greek word here means to be disquieted, restless, cause of inward commotion, taking away the calmness of mind, to stir up, to strike one's spirit with fear and dread, to render anxious or distressed.

One other thing I want to mention. Satan attacks you in your weakest area.  If you have problems with mental illness or your mind that is where Satan is going to attack first. So sometimes he causes the restlessness and inward commotion. That is when you have to put on your armor and have your shield held high to fight off those evil darts that come your way.

Mental Illness is not always caused by Satan and in most of the cases it is chemicals in the brain that are not working right or trauma. So please don't put a label on Mental illness.

Thank you for letting me share this with you.

Prayer
Father, I know that there are many of Your children in the world that have mental illness and that You look after them. You made us all and some You have allowed to have this illness. My prayer is that people will better understand this illness and help those with it. I pray this in the precious Name of Jesus.

Great Joy

Great Joy

I Kings 1:40

And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. 

Thoughts 

David makes Solomon king in I Kings 1. All the people returned with Solomon to Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.

Question

Have you ever been in a crowd that was so joyful that the whole place shook? That is how we should be when we think of God. Joyful and shouting for joy.

Rejoice-Be Glad In The Lord

Rejoice

Psalm 40:16

Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified

Rejoice Because Of Trust

Rejoice

Psalm 33:21

For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

A Closer Look

Our hearts can rejoice in Him because we are trusting in His Holy Name. 

How precious this is that we can be rejoicing because of trust. 

Rejoice In Salvation

Rejoice

Psalm 13:5

But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 

A Closer Look

We can trust in Christ faithfulness, kindness, and goodness. Because we can do this our hearts will rejoice in His deliverance, welfare, prosperity, and victory, salvation.  

Trust, Hearts, Rejoice, and Salvation are sweet words found in this verse. 

What a great promise!

Rejoice And Sing

Rejoice And Sing

Psalm 9:2

I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

A Closer Look

Singing, I enjoy singing but my husband doesn't enjoy hearing me sing. I do it anyway. Some days I wake up wanting to sing hymns and choruses that we have sung on Sunday. Ones I remember through the years of church going, hearing Gospel music via records, dvds, cds, radio, and on computer.

To Do

Sing anytime. The Lord loves to hear you sing praises unto Him.  

Rejoice And Shout With Joy

Rejoice

Psalm 5:11

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 

Closer Look

Those of us who put our trust in the Lord can rejoice and shout for joy because he defends us. When we just love His name we can be joyful. 

"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there is just something about His Name." Part of a song and how true this is. Just saying His name over and over again brings calm to one's soul. 

Apply

Rejoice and shout with joy today and every day. 

Mind Thinking

Mind Thinking

Rejoice

Leviticus 23:40

And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

A Closer Look

In chapter 23 of Leviticus and starting with verse 33 and going down to verse 40 the Lord is telling Moses to have the Israelites begin the Festival of Shelters. 

The idea was the Lord wanted His people to rejoice in Him for seven days. Actually He wanted them to rejoice all the time, but for now it was for seven days while the feast was going on.

Action
We don't have this feast now, but I was thinking  I about us  rejoicing in what we have. To have a verse that we can look at and help us be happy in the Lord. Others words that we will look at are: glad, joy, joyful, merry. 

So rejoice in the Lord. Be happy even when times are tough because you know that God is with you if you are His child. 

A Little Kindness

This week I did something that I was afraid to do but felt that I needed to do it. I sent a letter to someone to apologize for something I did. I wasn't sure how the person was going to respond.

A few days after I sent the letter I received a pretty stationary card and I opened it up and two words were written, "Thank You."

I trusted in what I felt the Lord would have me do and the leading of the Holy Spirit. I praise the Lord that I did what He asked me to do.

Kindness goes a lot better than being unkind.

Truth

Truth

3 John 3

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

Living in the truth here means behaving like a Child of God, a believer. This is what I want to happen at work. That believers and non-believers can see that I behave as a believer and not go back to my old nature. 

See below what has been happening in my life. 

Did you ever have a kind of week when you had about three things going on and none of them were that good? That is the kind of week I had.

First, I thought I might lose my job. As it turns out I didn't but the person tried very hard to get me fired.

Second, something came along in my life, which at this time I can share full details, but for me it was traumatic.

Third, I found out that my sister is not doing well health wise and in other ways.

I still can say that God is in control and He will work out all things!

Beloved Son

Matthew 3:16,17

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased

What We Can Learn From These Verses

• We see Jesus being baptized. He knew that this was necessary for Him even though He did not sin and had to repent of anything. But it was written that John would do this to fulfil all righteousness.
• Also we see the Holy Spirit as a dove sitting on Jesus.
• Then a voice from the heaven was heard and this is when God says that this is His beloved and I am well pleased. 

We see the trinity God The Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Question

If you are a believer can say about you this is my beloved child and I am well pleased?

Abode

Abode
Dwelling Place

John 14: 22-24

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that you wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

What Can We Learn From These Verses?

Only those who love the Lord and His Father will have the Father and Son living within them. And those who loves the Lord and does what He says His Father will also love them. 

Be aware that those who do not love the Lord will not do what He says to do which comes from His Father. 

Trust and obey. 

UPS Truck

Once in a while something happens that is to me what I call a Kodak moment. Today was one of them.

My husband and I were out doing some errands today and we came to a cemetery.  As we got to the driveway of the cemetery a UPS truck was coming out of the driveway. The first thought that came to my husband and I was, "What is a UPS delivery mail to those in the cemetery." Of course it was coming from the office building. But it just struck us funny. My husband with a dry sense of humor said, "He's delivering the dead-letter mail."

Sorry, I hope I didn't offend anyone.

Sacrifice

Sacrifice

Meaning
Victim, give up, Forfeit

Romans 12:1,2 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What Does This All Mean?

As brothers and sisters in Christ we are to give over our bodies to God. Forfeit our own desires and do not copy the behavior of this world, but daily change our thinking by doing what we know is good and right and what God would want us to do. 

We are to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  

Bear-Word For The Day

Bear

Means
To support

Galatians 6:2

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

How To Apply It To Our Lives

Another word for bear is to share. And so we are to share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way we are obeying Christ.

So if you know of someone who is going through a rough time right now, be there for that person. See if there is anything you can do for them. 

Wisdom-Word For The Day

Wisdom

Meaning

• Broad and full of intelligence
• Used of the knowledge of very diverse matters
• The varied knowledge of things human and divine
• Acquired by acuteness and experience
• Summed up in maxims and proverbs
• The science and learning
• Skill in the management of affairs
• The knowledge and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living

James 1:5

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

How To Put Information Into Action

Just ask God for the wisdom that you need. He will give it to you. I know, as I have done it and He has given me the wisdom that I needed. 

Rejoice-Word For The Day

Rejoice

Meaning

• Be glad
• Be rejoice exceedingly
• To Be Well
• Thrive

Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

How To Apply This To Our Lives

This past week has been a rough week for me. It has been hard to put this verse into practice, but I have. 

It has not been easy at times as I want to think about it and worry about it but that still small voice says, "Stop!" So I do and go on thinking about other things and rejoicing in the Lord. 

I am so glad for this verse. I can rejoice and keeping on rejoicing!

How about you? Are you rejoicing in the Lord? 

Enemy-Word For The Day

Enemy-Meaning
Hostile

Matthew 5:43,44

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

How To Put Information Into Action

For example lets say your workplace deals with the public. It is a service that is provided for the customer. You wait on the customer and they become very rude and yelling at you as you are trying to help them. But they continue to be angry at you. You are kind to them, even though on the inside you really want to yell at them, and you do your best to be pleasant. 

Two days later you are called into the bosses' office and said that the customer called and complained about you and now he wants you fired. The boss is supporting you only because she needs you to work as she is down six people. She says that she has no reason to fire you but it still may happen.

You leave the office and truly inside you are at peace. You know that God is going to take of things and it will work out for his glory.

The Lord doesn't want us to hate our enemy or those who do wrong toward us. We are to love them, bless them, and pray for them.

Do you have an enemy right now? Love them, bless them, and pray for them. 

Holy Spirit-Word For The Day

Holy Spirit

1. The third person of the triune God.
2. Holy Spirit coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son.
3. He teaches, reproves, convicts, intercede, calls, and bears witness, seals a person, draws people to God and salvation, fills, empowers, anoints, imparts spiritual life.
4. 
   

Romans 8:16-18

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

How To Apply This To Our Lives

We are to have respect for the Holy Spirit as we should have toward the Father and Son. The Holy Spirit is a person. We can grief Him, lie to Him, resist Him, insult Him, and blaspheming. He has feelings so we need to be careful that we don't do the list of things above. 

We are to listen to Him. His Spirit and our spirit should bind together so that we go in the right direction--that is toward God and not away from Him. 

Persecuted-Word For The Day

Persecuted

Galatians 1:23

For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it.

Meaning

• To make to run or flee
• Put to flight
• Drive away
• To run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing
• To run after
• To press on: figuratively of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal
• To pursue (in a hostile manner)
• In any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one
• To be mistreated, suffer persecution on account of something
• Without the idea of hostility, to run after, follow after: someone
• To pursue
• To seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire

How To Put Information Into Action

We in the United States are just now starting to be persecuted, but nothing like those who live in Russia and other countries. But our time is coming and so we must know that we are going to be sought after. We must be strong in our faith. 

In the verse we have for today Paul was one of those who persecuted the Jewish people for believing in Christ. He set out to kill them when the Lord approached him and changed his life. 

The Lord, Himself, was persecuted on the cross and before He went to the cross. So if He was we will be too. But we need not worry as the Holy Spirit will be with all believers and tell them what to say and do. God is in control.