Tammy Melton's Blog

Time out for Comic Relief!

2011-11-04T20:34:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I posted on this blog. I am in a time of my life when time management skills are needed more than ever before. I have started going to school to get my Master's Degree in Professional Counseling. I decided to change from my normal "serious" heart-issue posts to share some comic relief I had in the middle of an otherwise very stressful time of statistics homework.

Before I decided to get my Master's Degree, I found out I had to have statistics as a pre-requisite before I could start my degree. My daughter, Amy, took AP Statistics last year. She told me, "No problem, Mom! I'll help you!" Yeah, right! What she didn't take into consideration is that she is just as busy as I am, so to find 15 minutes of her time is quite difficult. So, I've been doing most of this stuff long hand...just taking formulas the book teaches and plugging in numbers. I have no earthly idea what the formulas really mean or how they came about coming up with these crazy formulas, but give me a formula, and off we go!

I got a graphing calculator from a friend, but Amy couldn't help me with it, because it's a Canon, and she learned on a Texas Instrument from school (of which we do not own, because we didn't think we had $100, so she used one from school...now I know it is definitely worth $100!) Finally, I got another friend to loan me a TI calculator thinking I could get Amy for at least some time to help.

A couple of nights ago I was at the frustration threshold when the formula I was using was for calculating the correlation coefficient (r)...how they come up with r for that, I have no idea! These problems have 2 sets of numbers: the x column and the y column; n = the number of pairs of numbers in the problem. The formula that I had to do long hand is...are you ready for this? r = n times the sum of x times y minus the sum of x times the sum of y divided by the square root of n times the sum of x squared minus the sum of x squared (yes, that's different! the sum of x2 - the sum of x squared) times the square root of n times the sum of y2 minus the sum of y squared. I said, "You have GOT to be KIDDING ME!!!"

I think Amy heard my moaning and groaning so much that she had pity on me and came to help me learn how to do that on the graphing calculator! YAY!! I can't even begin to tell you how complicated the calculator is, but Amy had me take notes on what to do. She said, "Press On; press 2nd; press 0; scroll down to diagnosticON; press enter...now that's just for if something goes wrong!" At that point, I busted out laughing!!!!!! I was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down my face. How was I supposed to know if something went wrong? To me it was all wrong!

After I got a hold of my self, I let her continue...long story short, it worked! Now it takes about 2 minutes to enter all the information and find out the r (the correlation coefficient) when it was taking me FOREVER before, and the number was so big on the y column, the number didn't fit in the calculator anymore! So, I said, "OK, now, let me try a problem by myself before you leave so I can see if I can do this." I did it and plugged my answer into the online homework problem and checked it....on popped a message that said "FANTASTIC!" I belted out a holler, "HUHHHH!" Amy said, "Mom, you just woke up the house!" About that time, Bill came out of the bedroom half asleep trying to rescue whomever was being attacked! He said, "WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED??" Of course, Amy and I busted out laughing again, and I had to apologize to him. He was NOT happy!

OH, MY GOODNESS! THANK YOU, LORD, FOR GIVING ME SOME COMIC RELIEF IN ALL THIS!!! I will get through statistics!

Combatting Stress

2011-09-23T07:31:00.003-04:00

I am now beginning my journey to get my Master's Degree in Psychology from a Christian perspective at Liberty University online and I already love it! I started taking my pre-requisite courses this fall to prepare me to start the Master's program in January. Let me give you a little tid-bit in layman's terms I learned in PSYC 101 this week.

Stressors are external events or situations in your life that cause stress. Strain is the negative reaction you have as a result of stressors in your life. Strain includes stress-induced sickness: physically, mentally, and emotionally. If the resources you have to combat stress are greater than the stressors in your life, you can be at peace even if someone else freaks out at the same level of stress. On the other hand, if your resourses to combat stress are less than the stressors, you may have great strain while someone else under the same circumstances is calm.

What are those resources we have to combat stress? There are many, including: positive outlook, friends and family, sleep and times of rest, exercise, proper nutrition, experience. The best resource, however, is God Himself! As Christians, we sometimes forget that the One Who created us is all we need to combat the opposition we face in life. He actually dwells in us! Wow! The stressful situations we face never take Him by surprise. He is there to protect us and give us wisdom and insight that brings perfect peace. It is true! I have experienced it. Have I been stressed? Hah! Of course! But that is my reminder to get my eyes off my stressors and on to my Resource! What is so great is that even when I am bombarded with more stressors, I can have peace at the same time!

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. (Is. 26:3-3, NKJV)

In Him We Live!

2011-09-14T06:34:00.003-04:00

"In Him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28
That verse has been ringing in my spirit lately. As I was meditating on it, I sensed the Lord speaking to my spirit, "The opposite is also true. In you I live and move and have my being if you let me!" Wow! That's the desire of my heart! I want God Himself to operate His love through me to others.If you read Acts 17, you will find that Paul said that to the people in Athens after he observed how religious they were with all their idols and even an altar that had an inscription, "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD." Let's take a closer look at what he said to them about that: Acts 17:23-31 (NKJV)

"Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Some of them "got it"; others still didn't. My spirit leaps within me as I read Paul's words, because I KNOW that God! God in His very nature means that we cannot prove His existence, but He sure proves Himself to those who truly seek Him; I know, because He continues to prove Himself to me everyday! His ways are so past our ways; His thoughts are so higher than our thoughts. That's what makes Him God! That's why you cannot "prove" Him, but He can make Himself known to you.

Thinking about what God spoke to my spirit about Him living, moving and having His being in me, I set out to find the verse that says that. I found it in John 14 when Jesus was talking to His disciples. In verse 23, He said, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." So I am one of those temples not made with hands that Paul talked about in the earlier mentioned passage! Oh that I would let that happen every day! I desire for God Himself to guide and direct me as to...
*what to say
*how to respond rather than react
*when and what to pray
*when and how much to give
*what and how much to eat
*how to not take others' actions stemming from their own issues personally
*trading my perspective for His
*letting go of my expectations on others they cannot meet, therefore freeing me of hurts from unmet expectations
*letting the fruit of the Holy Spirit operate in and through me
*how to show His unconditional love
*letting God Himself illuminate His Word to me
*letting God Himself give me the desires He wants me to have and letting Him fulfill those in His timing

WOW! Is it possible? YES! With GOD, all things are possible! What a joy when I do allow Him to do all that through me! On the other hand, what stress and frustration when I don't let Him! As I have said many times, "I can't do squat without Him!" Yes, He loves me unconditionally even then, but the stress that comes when I try to "do life" on my own just reminds me to get back on track and let God be God in and through me! What peace! Lord, let it be, even today!

Out of Africa...but Africa is Now in Me!

2011-08-25T04:58:00.002-04:00

Too much time has passed since I last posted on this blog six weeks ago. I must say that during that time I was privileged to have experienced a trip that changed my life and deepened my walk with God unlike any other. My missionary brother, Donovan Barron, was right when he told my daughter, Amber, and me that this would be an experience of a life time. So this post will be long enough to make up for all the weeks I missed!

My great friend, Carol Winkles, boarded a plane with Amber and me on Aug. 10 as we headed to Kenya for what proved to be a life-changing experience that we will never forget. We first stopped in Amsterdam for a layover where I was praying that God would show me where to plant the 4 Spiritual Laws tract written in English and Dutch. Everyone needs the peace and joy I have found in Jesus, but not everyone is ready or open to that. I did not want to just give it to anyone if they were not being stirred by the Holy Spirit. We met a young man on the plane whose family is from Holland; he was en route to start college there. As we were waiting to exit the aircraft, I gave him one and said, “Here’s a little gift for you.” He read the title, smiled and thanked me. He continued to read it. I said, “You can share that with your family here, too.” He thanked me again and said, “I think I will.” Praise God for little opportunities to plant seeds in Europe!

On to Nairobi. We stayed the first night at the Methodist Guest House, where we had our last hot shower of the whole trip! The next morning Bishop Shadrach Oloo, pastor of Agape Church in Nakuru, drove us and our host pastor, Zachariah Shahasi of Living Way Foursquare Church on our 2 hour journey to Nakuru. Since we had arrived in the dark the night before, this was our first time to see the sights of Kenya and start taking in the atmosphere of the culture. Wow! Poverty was to a new level. In America, there are some areas where there are slums, but for the most part you don’t see poverty. In Kenya, it is the opposite. Road conditions were sometimes so treacherous with the percentage of pot holes being 80-90% of the road. So many people walked leaving paths next to the road everywhere I looked.

We stopped at the Living Way orphanage on the way to Nakuru where they do not have electricity or running water. They gave us a “presentation” when we got there and sang glorious songs praising Jesus. We gave them a little lesson about God not leaving us and taught them a song. Then we got out a little 7” DVD player and showed the Jesus Film for children. They were glued to the screen. We passed out sock puppets (made by the Girls Ministry of the AG in Georgia) filled with goodies like stockings at Christmas. They loved it. Thus began my change of heart already. Never again will I take a toilet (rather than an outhouse with a hole in the ground) or a hot shower for granted!

We got to Nakuru at Pastor Zachariah’s house where his niece and friend were waiting to serve us. (They cooked for us every evening. I ended up loving most Kenyan food.) His house was probably considered upper class compared to the housing we saw on our journey. However, even then, water only runs 3 or 4 days a week. We often had to manually pour water in the toilet to flush it. It was either that or a trip to the outhouse to use a hole in the ground. To bathe, we boiled water and added some cold water in a pitcher to pour over our heads.

Saturday we went to minister at a breakfast for area pastor’s wives and women in the ministry. What a blessing to enter the room ahead of time where about a dozen of them were already worshiping and crying out to God to touch the meeting! We sensed God’s presence strongly. Originally I was supposed to speak there, but God gave Carol a message weeks earlier, so I told her to speak and that I would greet them. Amber danced to the Vicki Yohe song, “Your Presence Amazes Me!”; appropriate indeed! I prayed about what verse in the Bible to greet them with. It ended up that Carol had already gotten a prophetic word from God that she wrote down ahead of time; she used it to end her message. It started with the exact verse I used to greet the ladies! What are the odds? With God there are no coincidences! :) We had sweet prayer time with the ladies. We were able to bless the ladies with jewelry donated by ladies in America. We had just the right amount with enough left over to give to ladies who would host us for the duration of our trip...the exact amount in fact! We were also able to bless them with reading glasses that someone donated with eye charts to see what strength they needed. They were thrilled that they could now read and study their Bibles! The pastor’s wife who was the leader of the group told us afterward that 2 ladies shared with her that they had decided to quit the ministry, but because they attended the breakfast, they changed their minds!

Sunday was a great day of ministry as I was assigned to go to a different church than originally planned. Amber and I went to Agape Church as a “thank you” to Pastor Oloo for driving us. Carol ended up speaking at the Living Way church where I was scheduled to speak. God was definitely making the plans as the Agape church was a bit more “western” in worship with a combination of African, Swahili songs along with Hillsong-type English worship. Their congregation was just the right place for Amber to dance to Nicole C. Mullens’ “My Redeemer Lives!” They loved it and even had her dance it a 2nd time after I preached. I was totally amazed at my God as I listened to the lyrics of each worship song and excitedly told the pastor, “That song goes exactly with my message!” At the end of the service, I was honored to be able to pray for people in a prayer line. I saw broken hearts mended (that was the theme of my message), people baptized gloriously in the Holy Spirit, people giving forgiveness as they released those who offended them, and people receiving forgiveness from God. Awesome time! After the service, they took us in a room and served us a delicious meal of goat stew and rice followed by a serving of Kenyan tea. At the same time, Carol preached a message at the other church about facing your giants where 3 people gave their hearts to God and the altar was full of others giving their giants to God.

After our goat stew meal, there was no time to rest and prepare for the Sunday night service at Living Way where I found out the night before that I was preaching for. On the way to Living Way, I thought, “I’ll just preach what I did this morning.” I heard the Lord tell me in my spirit, “No. That was for Agape Church not Living Way.” I then was going through a file I grabbed with past sermons that I brought just in case I needed them. When we got there, I still was not sure which one I was going to deliver. Worship was already going strong in the big tent church with very traditional African worship--no English. God knew Amber’s song would not have fit in there. I finally grabbed the message I felt God wanted me to deliver, and I watched as Carol smiled real big many times and shook her head. Come to find out, I did not know it at the time, because I had not read her message ahead of time, but I ended up preaching about half of her message she gave that morning to the same congregation! Go God! :) Can you see already why this trip changed our lives? This was only day 3! We had 5 more incredible days ahead!

Monday was a day of rest for Amber and me, but Carol went with a pastor and his wife to do outreach in the slums of Nakuru. This pastor’s family live in and have a church right in the middle of the slums. She took the 4 Spiritual Laws tracks in English/Swahili and saw God move in mighty ways in people to whom they were able to minister. Many gave their lives to Christ. One lady that was addicted to alcohol was changed and did not want Carol to leave. Carol got an email since coming home from the pastor saying that many of the people they ministered to came to church on Sunday. Only God can truly transform a life and break strongholds of addictions! Christ truly transforms lives!

We were blessed on Tuesday to go on a Safari. Even then, we saw God orchestrating it. We thought we were just going to have a driver and us, but the pastor that took Carol to the slums along with another friend ended up going with us. It was a good thing, because our safari van got stuck in the mud, and the 2 guys who originally weren’t supposed to be with us got out and pushed it out. I could just imagine the 3 of us getting out with all the wild animals pushing a van out of the mud! Afterward, we treated the men to an all-you-can-eat buffet at a local hotel for just a little over $5 a person. While we were eating, Pastor Zachariah called and said, “Tammy, you have to leave now and go to this church where the pastor wants you to pray for his church.”

I said, “Can we go later this afternoon?”

“Oh no,” he responded, “He has been calling me for the last 2 hours. His church is all there waiting for you to give them a message. They have cooked a meal for you!”

“Are you serious??” I exclaimed, “We just ate a buffet! Can we go to your house first and change into dresses?” (I knew that in their culture, women were looked down on if they wore pants in church, especially if they were to minister!)

He said, “No, we don’t have time! I’ll explain to them that you just came from a Safari.”

We were then taken to a village called Pipe Line to a little church called Jesus Manifestation Foursquare Gospel Church. When we got out of the van, we were greeted by all these little kids who dressed up for our visit. We went into the little metal building church that held about 30 people where African worship was already going strong! They escorted us to the chairs of honor in the front. I didn’t even have my Bible. Carol got hers out of her back pack and passed it down to me. I prayed, “Wow, God! What message do you want me to tell these people?” He gave it to me on the spot! Titus 2:11-13. I said, “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all people. (pause for interpreter) It has appeared to us in America (pause); it has appeared to you in Kenya (pause) and that same grace has brought us together.” They then cheered! I kept going with the passage that talks about eagerly awaiting the blessed hope of the return of Christ. I told them I was amazed at how eagerly they were awaiting us, and how we need to all the more be eagerly awaiting Jesus’ return. I took them to the end of Revelation where Jesus promises to come one day and where it says “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come quickly, Lord Jesus!’ ” Carol then took the mike and exhorted them with a great message about God looking at their heart and how special they were. They had all the people come down to the front for us to pray for and then they took us outside for a special ceremony where they planted a tree in honor of their guests coming! WOW! I kept thinking, “What just happened?!” All that was topped with another meal that we had to eat so we wouldn’t offend them. God gave us grace to be able to fit in more chicken and rice!

The next day we loaded an African shuttle full of fellow believers and headed 7 hours away to Migori where we visited another orphanage and Carol and I both spoke for the National Foursquare Gospel Convention. The shuttle had seats that just covered our bottoms and half our thighs so more seats could be added. It was a tight fit, but full of joy as the passengers sang worship songs most of the way. We were privileged to stay with a lady named Pastor Ann on her plantation. We called her Aunt Jemima. We did not have electricity or running water. We had a kerosine lamp like the 1800’s. The hospitality was incredible. She and the 3 ladies who helped serve were so grateful to get the last 4 gifts of jewelry. They wore them with pride!

The conference was great. I think I had more fun preaching there than ever! I greeted them and told them that 25 years ago I married into a Foursquare Gospel family; that my father-in-law was a retired Foursquare pastor and my brother-in-law is currently a Foursquare pastor. Before I got up to speak, Bill had just texted me and told me he was fasting and praying for me and the conference, so I was able to then say, “My husband is not a pastor, but he is a mighty man of God, and he is fasting and praying for me and for this conference.” I think that helped them to receive from me more. God truly spoke through me as I encouraged pastors to keep going and encouraged the body that they, too, were ministers of the Gospel. Carol also did a great job the next morning. Someone asked her if she could come back and do workshops for the pastors in the future. I laughed as I remembered that when we were planning the trip back home she said she did not preach. She only ministered to women and outreach on the streets. I knew better. I told her she better be ready! As long as she has the approval of her husband and the people want her (so she doesn’t “usurp authority”), she has an open door to speak. I saw God’s call on her to speak years ago, and now she’s preaching in Africa!

Again, we were able to bless the pastors and others there with reading glasses and they were grateful. We were probably more touched than they were. There are even more details of the trip that I did not include. Besides times of ministry, we also had great times of laughter like no other trip. It was like the joy of the Lord was our strength the whole time. We were kept safe and healthy.

On the way home, we stopped in Rome, where I again prayed to God to let me know who to give the 4 Spiritual Laws in English/Italian. I gave it to one cashier at gift shop and she thanked me. She then told her fellow cashier, “Look what she gave me!” I told her, “You can have one, too.” They both seemed interested and happy to get it. At one point I had one more to give. I was going to give it to another cashier at another shop, but felt in my spirit that he was not ready for it. Amber told me she was thinking the same thing. Right before we boarded our flight home, we met this elderly lady in the bathroom. She carried a long conversation with me in Italian that I did not know what she was saying. I gave her the tract and told her it was for her. A lady in line interpreted for me. The older lady read the title out loud and exclaimed, “Grazie!” with a huge grin. Again, thank God for the opportunity to plant a few seeds in Europe!

What an experience! I am grateful to our families for letting us take 10 days away to go on this incredible journey. I will never be the same! Thank you, God for new perspectives that will affect my ministry forever! I was in a dry time in my spiritual walk before the trip. Now it’s like I’m swimming in the ocean! Lord, help me to remember that and hang on to it for the dry times that will come in the future.

Spiritual Warfare Prayer

2011-07-11T06:12:00.003-04:00

I posted this "Spiritual Warfare Prayer" from my book Loving God with All Five Senses a couple of years ago. It has been requested that I post it again. Click here to purchase the entire book in Kindle format for only $2.99. To get a hard copy, go to my website or amazon. (Legacy Ministries gets more funding if you get it through Legacy instead of amazon.) The book is good for individual or group Bible study.

"Thank you, Lord, for placing the Helmet of Salvation on my head. It will protect me against any thought-bomb the enemy tries to place in my mind. I will not take them on as my thoughts in the Name of Jesus! I place my thoughts in Your hands. Please forgive me for the thoughts I hold on to that are not of you. I ask you to change my mind set to be more like the mind of Christ. Thank you for transforming me by the renewing of my mind.

Thank you, Lord, for placing the Breastplate of Righteousness on me. It will protect my heart. Lord, I place all my emotions in Your hands. Help me to remember that You are with me regardless if I “feel” it or not. Please forgive me when I fear. Thank you that though my righteousness is as filthy rags, yet You have clothed me with Your righteousness because of what You did at Calvary!

Thank you, Lord, for placing the Belt of Truth on my waist. Please reveal any hindrance or lie I have been holding onto that would keep me from trusting You and replace it with Your Truth, oh Lord! Help me to let go of my perspective of the Truth and seek Your perspective knowing that Your Truth will set me free! Help me also to have a deaf ear to the lies of Satan and give me ears to hear what the Spirit says.

Thank you, Lord, that my feet are shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace. I am being prepared for the calling of God on my life to take the Gospel of Peace to others. Help me to remember that no matter what I go through, You will use the circumstances in my life, both good and bad, to prepare me for the destiny You have chosen for me. Thus I can have peace in the midst of the storm. Thank you that every step I take will be in Peace and I can take that Peace to people wherever I go!

Thank you, Lord, for putting within my hand the Shield of Faith, whereby I can quench every fiery dart of the wicked one. Help me to remember that Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen and that without Faith it is impossible to please You. Forgive me when I have gone forward in my own strength and abilities instead of totally relying on You. Help me to dwell in the Secret Place of the Most High where I will be protected from any onslaught of the enemy.

Thank You, Lord, for giving me the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God—the only offensive weapon. All the other armor You give me is for protection, and I thank You for just how protected I really am! This weapon is the only thing I need to combat the enemy. It is really an arsenal of many weapons that are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Forgive me when I fail to read and study Your Word when You have prompted me to do so. I choose to read Your Word, meditate on Your Word, memorize Your Word and use Your Word against the enemy in due time. Help me to not fret over what I will say, but to trust Your Spirit to give me just the right Word in the very hour I need it. I do not want to “debate” Your Word thereby casting pearls before swine, but I will speak Your Word to those who are hungry for it as well as proclaim to the enemy “It is Written!” Remind me also, that my enemy is not flesh and blood—it is not any person, including myself—but it is Satan and all the principalities with him. Therefore, I pray that You would remind me to not let corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And having done all, I will stand! Thank You that the battle is not mine, but it is Yours! Thank You for the victory in Christ Jesus who came to destroy the works of the enemy! In reality, the enemy has already been crushed under Your feet by your death and resurrection. He is therefore under my feet as I trust in You and let You dwell in me! I am more than a conqueror through You who love me with a perfect love that casts out all fear! And for that I will ever be grateful!"

"A Prayer for Our Nation" by Judy Roberts

2011-07-06T10:41:00.003-04:00

This prayer was written and prayed at my church Sunday by a dear friend of mine, Judy Roberts. I was so touched by it, I asked her permission to publish it on my blog. Thank you, Judy for being so led of the Holy Spirit to write this prayer for our nation as we have just celebrated Independence Day all across the USA.

We thank You, Heavenly Father, for the promises You have given in Your Word. You promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if Your people, who are called by Your name, will humble themselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from their evil ways, then You will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We give thanksgiving that all Your promises are, “Yes” in Christ Jesus and in Him, are “Amen!” through us to Your glory. May Your eyes be upon us today and Your ears attentive to our prayers, O Lord, God, and Creator of all that is: seen and unseen.

On this Independence Day weekend, we are thankful for freedom! We celebrate the freedom You have granted us from oppression. We celebrate and give thanksgiving for the freedom to worship You throughout this nation. We declare there is no freedom apart from You. We give thanksgiving for patriots who prayed, fought, and fell that we might be free. We give thanksgiving for founders and early leaders, who put their reliance and resolve on You. We give thanksgiving for the vast resources You have placed in our land. We give thanksgiving for the armed forces throughout the years, who have served and died for our freedom. We thank You, that in your great mercy, we have been protected from attempted terror attacks. We acknowledge it is only by Your hand this evil was prevented.

You have been immeasurably good and merciful to us ~ far beyond what we deserve ~ and so we humble ourselves before your throne this morning in repentance.

In Proverbs 1: 32 & 33, You have said, “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them and the complacency of the fools will destroy them, but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease without fear of harm."

In Proverbs 1:22 & 23, You have said, “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.”

We, as a nation, have misused our freedoms and celebrated independence from You and Your ways. We repent and ask Your forgiveness that You are not recognized as the source of all wisdom, provision, and freedom.
*We repent for our waywardness and complacency.
*We repent for our mockery and foolishness.
*We repent for being poor steward and for the misuse of your blessings and resources.
*We repent for worry and fear over bad news; for not trusting You to meet our needs.
*We repent that we celebrate that which is anathema to your Word and in your sight ~ that sin is celebrated; that holiness is despised.
*We repent for compromise!

Forgive us for allowing our culture to be ravished by the enemy and all that is unholy in Your sight. *We repent for our appetites; that we partake of entertainment and media that grieves your Holy Spirit.
*We repent that we have forgotten how to blush.
*We repent for not raising our children to fear You, to be discerning, for exposing them to unholy influences.
*We repent for disparaging marriage and for approving relationships that do not honor You.
*We repent for being a nation of liars; that the truth is not recognized or revered.
*We repent that we refrain from speaking truth about that which is sinful and about that which exalts false gods.
*We repent that we have not prayed before we vote.
*We repent that we have not humbled ourselves to pray for our nation and its leaders.
*We repent that we cannot be distinguished from the world by our words, actions, relationships, and appetites.
*We repent that we do not acknowledge You in all our ways, our decisions as a nation and as individuals.
*We repent that in our nation, we have devalued life. You are the author of life. Forgive us for killing Your children.

Forgive us for every thing, for every way, for every law, for every attitude, for every thought that does not honor You!

We are comforted by your promise in 1 John 1:9 that tells us if we confess our sins before You; You are faithful to forgive our sins and restore us to all righteousness. We require Your righteousness! We require Your mercy! And we seek Your mercy for the United States of America and for its citizens. We seek mercy for Your church. You alone are our substance, our hope, our forgiveness, and our freedom. You have promised to bless any nation that follows after You. We seek to be blessed!

Infuse our nation and it’s leaders with a holy fear of You, our Creator, our Source, our Savior. May our leaders, our president, congress, judiciary, state and local governments and citizens know the fear of their Maker. Cause our president, legislators, judiciary, to be stalwart defenders of our Constitution, which we believe was and is a gift from You for our nation. We pray You send a great awakening upon this nation, upon the leaders of government, religion, entertainment, education, commerce, and into every home. Give us God-fearing leaders in every realm of society, who seek Your counsel and forgiveness. Turn our hearts and minds to You. Cause us to know You and to follow Your ways; to speak truth and honor You.

Lord, You who gave us patriots who prayed, fought, who fell; founders and early leaders who put their reliance and resolve on You alone. Help us as a nation, as a people, to return to those roots You have blessed and will bless that we will be a blessed nation again. May You be celebrated and recognized as the source of all wisdom, all truth and of every freedom.

May we, as a nation, be a blessing to Israel, for your Word says that You will bless those who bless your chosen people. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

May morality be celebrated once again and that which celebrates immorality go out of business. May we have no need to pass laws to make abortion illegal, but may there be none seeking abortions. May there be no need to make pornography illegal, but may it die because of a lack of interest and awareness that it is shameful. May there be no need for lies, because our hearts are filled with Your truth that brings freedom, joy, and peace.

Cause us to be exceedingly thankful for the blessings You have poured out upon us that we become good stewards of them unto You. Awake us as a nation and as individuals! May Your Kingdom come in America! May Your will be done in America! And, above all, may Your people live first as citizens of your Kingdom ~ that You receive glory and honor. For there is nothing above You, our God and our King!

In the mighty name of Jesus ~ the only Way, the only Truth, the only Freedom,
Amen!

Don't Let Your Jokes Become Yokes

2011-06-11T08:50:00.004-04:00

It is true that laughter is the best medicine, but what about times when jokes bring about laughter at someone else’s expense? Have you ever heard someone cut another person down with a “joke” and then proclaim, “JUST KIDDING!”? More than likely, the jokester was really not kidding. He was probably trying to get across his message of offense. He may not even realize that what was in his heart of offense came out like arrows to the victim causing a yoke of bondage (not just for the victim of the joke, but more for the one who told the joke). Proverbs 26:18-19 (NLT) - “Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”

Another way of letting jokes become yokes of bondage is the use of sarcasm. The definition of the word “sarcasm” is “the use of irony to mock or convey contempt: his voice, hardened by sarcasm, could not hide his resentment.” The Greek word for “sarcasm” is “sarkazein” and it means to “tear flesh.” OUCH! We need to check ourselves before we open our mouths to use sarcasm. Do we really want to tear someone’s flesh? In the Hebrew culture of the Bible times, they often used word pictures to convey deeper meanings of words. The word picture for bitter words people say is arrows. Psalm 64:2-3 shows this truth: (NLT) “Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows.”

God is not pleased with this kind of “joking.” In fact, He lists that in the midst of a list of sins to avoid in Ephesians 5:3-4 (NLT): “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes--these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.” Going on to verses 7-8: “Don’t participate in the thins these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!”

If you have a tendency to offer “coarse jokes” at other people’s expense, pray about it. Ask God to show you the deeper wounds in your own heart that would cause you to lash out in sarcasm. Pray for God to reveal His perspective about what is in your heart and why the other person does things that grate on your nerves. He will show you things about yourself and about the other person that will help you to show kindness instead of shooting arrows with your words.

Forgiving God

2011-06-03T06:10:00.004-04:00

In the last post I talked about separating the actions someone does from him as a person. That will lead the way to "let him off the hook" so you can forgive him of the things he has done against you or the things he did not do that you feel he should have done. Let's take this one step further. What if we did that for God?

Too many Christians are so consumed with focusing on what God DOES for them that they forget to worship Him for who He IS. Maybe it is a time for a "self check" on this. When is the last time you got alone with God WITHOUT a prayer request list and just enjoyed His presence? That is probably a foreign concept to most people, but it is a very important question to pose. Think about any person you love. The closer the relationship, the more the desire to just be with him/her. You really don't need to be entertained; you just want to be with the person. Couples who have been married for years and have a close relationship can simply be together holding hands and not even have to talk to enjoy one another. God is not interested as much in what you can DO for Him as much as He in in just being with you. You reach a deeper level of intimacy with Him when you are more interested in being with Him than you are in what He can DO for you.

Yes, God wants to bless us. In fact, the Bible says that "it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." (Luke 12:32 KJV) However, what happens when we don't get our prayers answered the way we think they should be answered? What happens if we don't get the job we thought we should have? What if we don't get healed the way we thought it should happen? What if we don't see relationships restored when we think they should? If we don't separate what God does or does not do from Him, we will blame Him and get angry with Him. We get so focused on our situations and "needs" that we forget He sees the bigger picture and knows what is best. We forget that ultimately He has the last word and "He will cause all things to work together for those who love Him and who are called according to His purposes." (Romans 8:28)

We do praise God for what He does for us, but we worship Him for who He is. Don't get stuck in the outer courts just focusing on His deeds. Go on in to the Holy of Holies and worship God for who He is. You will then get all of who He is that includes what He does! Then when you receive His blessings, you will also know His heart. You will start to see the bigger picture and understand why God does or doesn't do things in our ways or timing. You will be like Moses instead of the Children of Israel. The Children of Israel knew God's deeds, but Moses knew His ways. (See Psalm 103:7)

I pray for God's wisdom on how to communicate this truth. I see many people who need to forgive God before they can go on the forgiveness journey and forgive others. WHAT? Forgive God? He hasn't sinned! That's right, but He has allowed things to wound us. It's when we can separate the things God does or does not do from Him that we can release God from the offenses we hold against Him and be free indeed from a root of bitterness that we may not even realize we had. We will then start seeing why He allows hard times and begin to actually thank Him for those trials that burn out all the "dross" of self-centeredness and draw us closer to Him.

Separation in a Positive Light

2011-06-01T06:36:00.003-04:00

Most of the time when we think of "separation," it is in a negative way. Division is often an occurrence that includes offense. Oh the other hand, there are times when separation is a good thing. One of those times is what I learned from Bruce and Toni Hebel in their new book Forgiving Forward. They teach that in order to forgive someone, you first have to separate his actions from him as a person.

That's what we ask God to do for us when we pray the Lord's prayer. "Forgive us our debts." When we learn to separate the person from his actions, we learn how to love the sinner and hate the sin. We need to remember that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:12 NKJV) The person that did an action (or lack of action) that offended us is merely a person. The source of the offense is truly the enemy of our souls, the devil and the demonic angels that follow him. That's not to say that we don't have responsibility when we commit a sin, but we are dealt with by God. We cannot truly deal with people who hurt us. We have to release them to God; He's the only One who can truly deal with them.

This act of separating the person from his actions not only helps us to forgive him from his negative actions, it will also help us to not put someone up on a pedestal when he does positive actions. Just as we remember that the negative actions someone does toward us comes from the true enemy, we also need to remember that the good actions someone does to us come from the Lover of our souls, God Almighty. If I do great deeds to help someone, I want that to point them to God, not me.

Wait on God and be Renewed!

2011-05-21T07:01:00.006-04:00

Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV) Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

When we go through "stuff," we often just plain get tired! We tend to get so wrapped up in what is going on around us with the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget the source of true and lasting strength. I often ask people who come to me and empty out all their woes, "Where is God in the equation?" I want to ask them the questions found in verse 28 in the passage above.

Nothing takes God by surprise! He is there to give you strength. It is the answer to weariness. To whom does He promise to give the strength? "Those who wait on the LORD." Some people don't want to take the time to do that.

The original Hebrew word for "wait" is "qavah." It means "to wait, look for, hope, expect." According to www.blueletterbible.com, this Hebrew word is an "active participle." Going on to tell about that, it states, "The participle represents an action or condition in its unbroken continuity, and corresponds to the English verb, 'to be' with the present participle. It may be used of present, past or future time." Unbroken continuity...the more you wait on God, the more your strength will be renewed.

Notice how it says that "it may be used of present, past or future time." If trusting in God becomes your lifestyle, you will live with renewed strength! Think about it...if you can think back and remember that you relied on God in the past and that He brought peace and joy even in the midst of trials, it helps you to rely on Him presently. It also helps you to plan on continuing to rely on Him in the future. That, my friend, is where fear and worry are snuffed out! Oh, yes, it's easy to get your focus off of God and lose your peace for a time, but God is so faithful! He is right there where you left Him ready to get you back on track when you turn your focus back to Him.

You will keep [him] in perfect peace, [Whose] mind [is] stayed [on You], Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

How do you do that? Spend time with God! Try waking up earlier in the day, taking a break in the middle of the day, or staying up a little later before bed and just spend time with Him...not just with a prayer request list, but just because you want to be with Him. Start thanking Him for His faithfulness. Ask Him what He wants you to do. He may put it on your heart to read and meditate on a passage of scripture. He may want you to journal. He may want you to pray specifically for a situation. He may want you to listen to praise music. Just be led of the Spirit and enjoy experiencing Him! You will start to find that you will know when to say "no" to obligations He does not intend for you to do, and you will have strength to do the things He has planned for you to do. Deep breath! Be refreshed and renewed!

A Call to Anguish

2011-04-30T21:04:00.004-04:00

I now have had at least 4 friends post this video with a clip from a message delivered by David Wilkerson. I must say, it has totally stirred me. I have been experiencing some of what he is talking about lately: anguish in intercession. When I listened to it, it dawned on me that that is exactly what I was experiencing.

I wrestled with God on the calling on my life. I wanted to go to the lost, but He wants me to minister to the Church. People cannot grasp that concept: a ministry to equip the believers. (You see, when that happens, believers can more effectively go out and take the Good News to people who don't know.) I don't have pictures of starving children to show people to get funding. My message seems to not pull anyone's heart strings to help us like some foreign missionaries. (Although, these days, foreign missionaries are suffering from lack of funding from the church...so sad!) How many times have I almost thrown in the towel? But I can't! When I think that way, God sends someone to give an encouraging word, give a sacrificial offering, or be set free in an Inner Healing Prayer Session. Then I know it's worth it all to keep going! This time, God used someone to post a video on facebook to remind me to keep going. WOW! After watching it, I was stirred to get alone with God and pour out my soul in anguish about the Church.

Rise up, Body of Christ! The enemy wants to distract you from what is important; he wants to make you lethargic; he wants to silence you; he wants to drain you of any strength physically or emotionally; he wants to give you so many things to do that you will not have time to pray or read the Word; he wants to keep you poor so you won't have any money to give, or rich and not caring to give. When we see his tactics, we will rise up and be stronger in Christ because of all that that has been thrown at us.

I thank God for David Wilkerson. For those of you who did not know, he died this past Wednesday in a car wreck. He has completed what God called him to do here on earth and is now enjoying the reward of Heaven. Now, it is up to us to carry the torch...will you?

Confident Compassion

2011-04-22T05:24:00.002-04:00

I woke up early this morning with the title of this blog ringing through my spirit. Think about it...confident compassion. What does that mean to you? If we have confident compassion, we will stand firm in the faith, yet not be judgmental toward others.

Some of us need more of the confidence. Others need more compassion. All of us need both the way God views each one, not the way man does.

CONFIDENCE
If we have confidence in our faith, we will not waiver. We will not question our salvation after we already have accepted Christ's sacrifice that He made 2000+ years ago so that we could have LIFE in Heaven for eternity and not an eternity in hell! (Yes, there is a hell, or there would not be a need for Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.) We will not stray from the truths of the Word of God. God warned us that more and more false teachings would arise. Confidence in His Truth will keep us from falling prey to those "itching ears" teachings.

Jesus also told us that as long as we are on this earth, we WILL have trials and suffering...especially as we see the Day of His return approaching. I don't know about you, but I sense trials increasing. We have to have God's confidence to stand firm through them all. I, myself, have been experiencing an intense trial in the last few days and now weeks. I can't explain it, but it has been through this trial that I have had a renewed confidence in God carrying me through. I have been emptied of any confidence in my self and filled with confidence that He is my strength. Praise God for the deeper level of intimacy with God that I have experienced while I lay prostrate, humbly at His feet. It was then that all anxiety melted into assurance that HE KNOWS what I am facing and HE WILL CARRY ME THROUGH! I'm CONFIDENT that His character will be built in me to a new level.

COMPASSION
Lest we forget what we are celebrating on this Good Friday, may I remind you that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is the ULTIMATE act of COMPASSION! Most people know, and can even quote, John 3:16. "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life." But, do you know the next verse? "For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." We need to remember that. All of us have sinned, yet God's grace reached down and rescued us--that is, if we let Him.

The more people come to me for Inner Healing Prayer, the more compassion God grows on the inside of me. He shows the root problem of why they sin. He then shows them truths that totally transform them and allow the to be free from the chains that held them captive. Before you start judging someone sitting in the pew next to you at church, know that you have NO IDEA where they came from or the situation they currently face.

Compassion does not mean we do not call sin sin. It does not mean we excuse sin and dismiss the need for confession and repentance. If it did, we wouldn't truly be compassionate, because we would be allowing the people around us to just keep going to the consequence of sin, DEATH. No! The Grace of God that brings salvation teaches us to say no to ungodliness! (See Titus 2:11-12.) Compassion causes us to pray and ask God how we can help others who are trapped. We cannot just haphazardly start going and preaching to everyone. With some, God just wants us to pray. With others, God wants us to act. He will let us know if we seek Him. Compassion causes us to be in a position of readiness to whatever the Holy Spirit nudges us to do.

Confident compassion. To me that is a tender heart that is protected by a wall of God's protection. When I think about this weekend's commemoration of Christ's death on the cross, where He bore all our sin (Wow!), and then knowing that He rose from the dead on the 3rd day bringing triumph over death (Wow again!), I start having confident compassion!

The Necessity of Solitude with God

2011-03-23T07:05:00.004-04:00

As things are moving forward with Legacy Ministries, God continues to remind me of the importance of getting alone with Him. That is why we are opening a prayer room for people to come in to get in the Lord's presence away from the busyness of everyday life. Starting April 1, we will be open at the Equipping Center for regular business hours of Monday - Friday from 9AM - 4PM. People can drop in anytime to the "secret place" in the prayer room and to our lending library to check out books.

There are many reasons why getting alone with God is so vitally important:

1. I never want my work for God to substitute for my intimate time with God.
2. I need to seek God's perspective on everything to lesson the stress my perspective (and others') brings.
3. How can I expect to hear from God if I don't take time to stop and listen?
4. I don't know want to go in my own direction. I may have some "good" ideas, but they are in vain if they are not God's ideas.
5. I don't know how to pray until I get alone with God and let Him pray through me.
6. My soul gets aligned to my spirit where the Holy Spirit resides instead of being so pulled by my flesh that is sometimes distracted by the cares of the world.
7. Just being in quiet in His presence without always praying my "list" is sometimes just what I need to be refreshed!
8. I need to be "poured in to" so I can go back out and "pour out His love" to those He sends me who need it.
9. Those things that distract me tend to disappear in His light!

The list goes on and on! I like the commentary that Brian Hardin said on the March 22 podcast of the Daily Audio Bible. (Go to www.dailyaudiobible.com to find out about this great resource!) He was talking about how many times we read in the gospels about Jesus pulling away from the crowd and getting alone to orient Himself to the Father. He went on to say,

"Is that component missing? Could that be why things seem so chaotic? Could that be why it’s a madhouse out there every day? Have we oriented ourselves to God? Because in doing so, we realign ourselves with the way things really are. And if we are living with the understanding of how things really are, then a lot of the circumstances that blow up around us and invite us to distraction each day, they don’t even matter. They don’t really even have any consequence. We’re just sort of addicted to crises management sometimes. Some of these things can just be let go; they just don’t matter."

GOOD STUFF!! I challenge you to look for ways to get alone with God this week...better yet, today! Let me know how it changes you! :)

Times of Refreshing!

2011-03-12T22:13:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but just the title of this post makes me want to be refreshed! It was recently brought to my attention where that saying is in the Bible. Let's look at it:

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord..." Acts 3:19

This says that times of refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord. Back up though...that happens after repentance. Only God can point something out in our lives that we are doing wrong and not leave us with a feeling of guilt and shame. In fact, when He does it and we follow through with genuine repentance, we leave with a feeling of refreshing!

Another verse says that it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4) When God gives us that "nudge" and lets us know what we say or do (or don't do) is not right, we should feel sorrow--not just any kind of sorrow, but the kind that leads us to repentance. Some people are just sorry they got caught. That doesn't lead you anywhere except in a perpetual cycle of making the same stupid decisions.

The choice is ours. When God points those things out that we need to stop doing, we can either:
A. Repent and experience times of refreshing right now
OR
B. Remain stubborn and suffer the consequences now and forever.

"But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." Romans 2:5

I urge you; pick A!

Wise Counsel

2011-02-20T06:19:00.004-05:00

Proverbs 17:27-28 (NIV)

The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.

Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.

The older I get, and the closer I get to the Lord, I realize that my "2 cents" is really not worth much. I used to think my "2 cents" was worth $2,000! I also got upset if others did not "get it" when I gave it. That in turn caused me to go "off at the mouth" even more than I did when I gave my opinion. Discernment? I thought I knew it all, but come to find out, I was just blinded by my perspective. With that came judgment and criticism.

One day I heard a sermon that talked about the difference between giving your opinion and giving wise counsel. I do not remember who the preacher was, but the message sure had a huge impact on me. I really don't remember details about the message, except that one major difference between giving your opinion and offering wise counsel is that you don't give it unless you are asked. People really do not want to know other people's opinion. They are usually stuck in their own opinion! At the point at which they ask for your opinion, that's when they care and will receive it better.

Another difference I have found between giving your opinion and giving wise counsel is that much prayer goes into the latter before it is delivered: prayer that asks God to give you a perspective check in your own heart as to why you hold that view and what motives go along with it; prayer that asks God to show the other person's perspective and anything about his heart; and most importantly, prayer that seeks God's perspective and discernment. Even if you do not know about the situation before you are asked to give your opinion, you can pray on the spot if you are supposed to give it and what you are supposed to say.

When this happens, what you have to say will be worth so much more than $.02 or even $2,000, because it will be God's words and love coming through you! You will not care about the credit, because you know where the wisdom came from. I say often to those who come to me for counsel, "I cannot heal squat! I can only take you to the only ONE who can!"

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Equipped for Joy Women's Conference video excerpt

2011-02-01T22:27:00.001-05:00

This is a video clip of my daughter, Amy Melton, speaking for the Saturday morning devotion time at our recent women's conference. I must say, she has a great future as an anointed orator!

A Whole New Heart for a Whole New Year!

2011-01-23T05:48:00.003-05:00

The 3rd Annual Legacy Ministries "Equipped with JOY!" Women's Conference has come and gone, but not without making a major impact in the lives of so many...including my own! Like one attendee said, "All I can say is 'WOW!". The hundreds of volunteer hours (literally...if not thousands!) were WELL worth it! In the words of one of the songs at the conference, "Lord, I'm amazed by You!"

My passion is to see people set free and equipped to fulfill God's call on their lives to intimacy with Him and service for Him. As I told the ladies in the closing session, my rendition of the verse that says "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" is "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you Himself!" How awesome to experience how wide, how deep, how high His love for us really is! That is the only desire that truly satisfies the deepest longing of our hearts--our love tanks! After that, our other desires will line up to match the desires He has for us to share that love to the hurting all around us. Then we will start to see those God-given desires fulfilled before our very eyes!

That has proven to be the case in my life this past weekend. God is a rewarder of those who deligently seek Him. He rewarded me by letting me see ladies soaking in the message Friday night about allowing Him to do heart surgery on us to heal those wounds that tie us to depression, anxiety, unforgiveness, etc. Then on Saturday it thrilled my heart to see the women writing diligently the dreams God has placed in their hearts to now go out and share that with others.

Thank you to all the volunteers who had anything to do with putting this conference together...the Table Topic facilitators, Breakout session teachers, registration, program, corporate sponsors, intercessors...the list goes on and on. What a team! What a privilege to be able to partner with Almighty God in His work to heal, restore and send out people to do His service! I know all on the team will agree with me that He gets all the glory! There is no way any of us could heal anyone, yet He chooses to use us as vessels to pour out His love to others. "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36)

Ladies, mark your calendar now for the 4th Annual "Equipped with JOY!" conference to be held on January 20-21, 2012! The theme will be "Making a Difference". Let me know if you want to go ahead and register!

A Fresh Start

2011-01-01T22:41:00.003-05:00

As I sit to write this post on the first day of 2011, I think about how God’s mercies are new every morning. If that is the case, then they are new this morning. Since this is the first day of the year, that means that they are new for the start of this year. It does not matter how your year went in 2010, you have a clean slate for 2011!

Let’s take a look at the verse from which we get that truth (Lamentations 3:21-26 NKJV):
“This I recall to my mind,
      Therefore I have hope.
      Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
      Because His compassions fail not.
      They are new every morning;
      Great is Your faithfulness.
      “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
      “Therefore I hope in Him!”
       The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
       To the soul who seeks Him.
       It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
      For the salvation of the LORD.”

Some of you may have gone through many trials in 2010. The way you look at your heartaches of last year will have much to do with whether or not you get out of the pit of despair the enemy wants you to stay in for this year.

What do I mean? If you look at 2010 with a “Woe is me” attitude, chances are you will expect nothing better in 2011, and you will probably stay in despair. On the other hand, if you do what Lamentations says and recall to your mind the many times God has brought you through, you will be well on your way to experiencing joy as you see God rescue you again and again!

Think of it like this. When you drive a car, you need to keep focused on where you are going, not where you came from. The rear view mirror is very small compared to the windshield on which it is attached. If you always look at the rear view mirror to see behind you, you will soon crash. However, if you glance at the rear view mirror when you need to, it could save you from a crash.

That is the way it is with our past. If we keep dwelling on the past, it could keep us from moving forward with the great future God has for us. On the other hand, if we allow God to show us glimpses of our past and show us His perspective, it can help us to be launched into His call on our lives. We will soon recognize that He was faithful to bring us through it all, and His faithfulness will see us through in the future.

Painting Pictures of Egypt

2010-12-23T08:01:00.004-05:00

The following is written by a good friend, Jennifer Hanson, who posted this note on her facebook page. I loved it so much, I asked her if I could re-post it here. Enjoy! (On a side note, Jennifer has received an assignment to go to Cambodia as a Missionary Associate. She is waiting to go until all the funds are raised. Please help me pray for her funds to be raised. If God stirs in your heart to give, please email me at tammy@legacyministries.info.)

A few weeks ago a question popped into my head. I've been pondering it a lot in the weeks since, and then, last night, to my surprise, my mother asked me the very same question. I took this as a sign to write a few words about it ;-)

Why did the children of Israel still turn to idols again and again after they had witnessed so many miracles from God?

An entire sea was parted for them so they could walk across on dry land and at exactly the right time covered their enemies. They received food straight from heaven that was not like any food found on this earth. It could only be gathered one day at a time or it disappeared. Then there were all those plagues that completely bypassed them, but attacked the Egyptians. They had a protection of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They saw people die from touching the ark of the covenant, people healed of leprosy, and the glory of the Lord on Moses' face when he would return from speaking to God.

But they still turned away. They still lusted after false idols. Why?

It's because the miracles aren't what it's really about. The miracles are meant to point to Him. When we lose sight of Him amongst His workings, then we start to become dissatisfied. We chase after other things to quench our thirst and satiate our hunger. How many times have I seen things that could only be explained by His power, and then I still doubt and worry the next time around? Miracles make us say "Wow! God is good!" in the moment, and they can serve to boost our faith... but it's so easy to forget in the days after.

In John 6, it talks about Jesus feeding the 5,000. In the verses after that story, the people kept trying to find Him, and force Him to be their king. Jesus knew this, and He was avoiding them. He even walked on the water to slip by them! They eventually found Him though, and He called them out. He told them that they weren't looking for Him because they saw God's power and compassion in miraculously feeding all of them. They were only looking for Him because they got some bread and ate their fill. Cool trick! They completely missed the point of the miracle. He told them that the true bread was Him. He said that His body that would be pierced for them contained the Bread of Life that would never stop satisfying. They didn't like this statement so much. They wanted more miracles. They wanted a king who would work some powerful, vengeful, magic and slaughter their enemies. Even some of Jesus' disciples (other than the 12) left Him after they heard this little sermon.

I believe that miracles happen all the time. I've seen too many things that can't be explained by anything else but a powerful God. I was born after 10 years of my parents hearing that they would never be able to have kids. My sister was born five years later. I've had people hand me large sums of money to go on missions trips hours before the fund raising deadline. My friend was recently in a car accident where he should have died, but he doesn't have a scratch on him. Just yesterday I met a perfect tiny little baby boy who belongs to a couple in low income housing, struggling to just get by. He was supposed to be born with a dangerous cist on his head. My sister prayed for him while he was still in the womb and he was born perfect. I've had God speak to me in dreams, I've had prayers answered exactly the way I prayed them, and I've had people pray over me and give me guidance from God about things and situations that they could have never known about on their own. I've been on missions trips where the presence of God fell so heavy I could hardly walk and when people gave their testimonies it was as though you could cut the anointing in the room with a knife. I've seen marriages restored, people healed, and even little things like money showing up when I'm at my very last dollar.

I have to remind myself though, that these things only point to the greater thing...the ability to have a relationship with the Great, Good, Loving, Compassionate, Merciful, All-Powerful, God who does them in His perfect wisdom. THAT is one miracle worth basing your faith on. That is the root of the Tree of Life. If I'm not connected to those roots, then I could still see all of those things I mentioned above, and then in the days after be blown away by the wind.

Have a Thankful Christmas!

2010-12-16T06:00:00.002-05:00

I am sorry that I have not even blogged since Thanksgiving! As I sit here and think about that, it is giving me something to blog about! The calendar says that Thanksgiving is over and the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparation has begun. That's the problem! We cannot be like the calendar...Thanksgiving CANNOT be over; it has to go on into Christmas.

Too many people have a hard time receiving. How would you like it if you gave your child a gift at Christmas and the child started saying you didn't have to do it; or that he didn't like it, and he wanted something different? How would you feel if he started comparing what you gave him with what you gave his siblings? You would really feel crazy if he started telling you that he did not deserve the gift! Here's a better one--what if he went on and enjoyed the gift without even acknowledging it or saying a word to you?

That is what many of us do to God! He blesses us with so many gifts all year long. How often do we stop and tell Him "Thank You!"? Can you stop right now and think of something you haven't thanked God for and thank Him? And the comparison game? SO many "saints" are playing that one! We need to stop comparing what others have and allow God to use us in our unique, special gifts He has given us. He's the Master Creator! He knows what is best!

The problem doesn't stop with not thanking God. Many times God uses other people to bless us and we forget to thank them. Recently God put it on my heart to bless someone who is going through a hard financial trial. I did this a couple of times. To my recollection, I never received a "Thank You". Now, I really don't need it, but I believe the recipients of the gifts needed to give a "thank you" for their sake. That might be the key that actually helps them out of their pit. Phillipians 4:6-7 says, "Don't worry about anything, but in everything, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace that passes understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus." (I added the italics for emphasis of the point.) It makes me wonder how many people I am doing that to. So now my challenge is to pray and ask God who you need to send a thank you note to! That's what I am going to do!

One time Jesus healed 10 men who were suffering with leprosy. (Luke 17) You would think that they would thank Jesus over and over, but only 1 came back to thank the Lord. Jesus acknowledged that only one of the 9 thanked Him. He then went on to tell that one that his faith had made him whole. The Greek word for "whole" is "sozo" which means healed spirit, soul and body. That means that not only was the man physically healed, he was also healed in his spirit and soul! His healing would last for eternity, while the others' only got the temporary physical healing. Wow!

This Christmas, have yourself a thankful little Christmas, and your heart will be light! :)

3 year old Jonathan conducting to the 4th movement of Beethoven's 5th Sy...

2010-11-10T07:12:00.001-05:00

OK, I'm deviating a bit from my normal sermon type exhortations. I just LOVE this video. God has truly gifted this kid! He is truly feeling the music. Incredible! Enjoy!

Are You Vulnerable or Tender?

2010-11-03T06:10:00.007-04:00

We all know that we face many trials in this life. Jesus warned us in John 16:33 (NKJV), “In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” The great news is that if we have Jesus in us, we, too, are overcomers. Sometimes we forget that! When we do, our hearts hurt. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) warns us to “...guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

I would like to look at two types of heart that can experience much pain: a vulnerable heart and a tender heart. Both are weak. The vulnerable heart is a negative weakness that attracts attacks, whereas the tender heart is a positive weakness that attracts God’s power. God was talking about the tender weakness when He said, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9 NKJV)

Let’s look a little closer at how being vulnerable compares to being tender:

As Christians, we all have times of vulnerability as well as tenderness. The enemy wants to take the tender places of our heart and make them vulnerable. God, on the other hand, wants to take our vulnerabilities and make them tender.

How do we pray for the vulnerable? We pray for them to repent. Why should they repent if others are the ones who keep hurting them? To answer that, you need to know what “repent” really means. The Greek word for “repent” is “metanoia.” “Meta” - to change; “Noia” - mind. So it means to have a mindset change. When you are vulnerable, you need to have a change of thinking to get your mind off yourself and on to God and others.

How do we pray for the tender? We pray for them to be protected. Because of the compassion from which a tender person operates, his heart is exposed and will be hurt. God does not want the tender heart to be hardened. He wants the tender heart to be protected. How is that going to happen? To answer that, let’s look at each line in Philippians 4:5-7:
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” This describes a tender heart.
“Do not be anxious about anything,” A vulnerable heart is the one that is always anxious.
“but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” That is how you receive a tender heart.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” That is how your heart will be guarded.

I challenge you to ask God to transform the vulnerable places of your heart into a tender heart. Then you can be a conduit of His power to others who need Him. Even when bad things happen, you will be confident that God will cause all things to work together for your good. (Rom. 8:28) Out of those times in the fire, you will actually be purified and prepared for the bigger call of God on your life to make a difference in the lives of others.

It Will Be Worth It All!

2010-10-24T06:04:00.003-04:00

As I said in the last post, I found out that there are two more English words that translate from the same Greek word for "passion." They are "affection" and "suffering." I blogged about affection last time. This time I want to blog about suffering.

Paul said in Phil. 3:10, "...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death..." Many people only quote up to the part about power of His resurrection, but you cannot connect with the resurrection until you connect with His death on the cross. Just remember, for every cross-bearing trial you go through, Sunday's comin'! You will be resurrected out of it in a state better than you were before it happened.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NKJV)

The Greek word for "working" in the scripture above is "katergazomai." According to Strong's, it means,

1. to perform, accomplish, achieve
2. to work out (i.e. to do that from which something results)
3. to fashion (i.e. render one fit for a thing)

Wow! You can probably come up with your own sermon out of that! Do you ever think that the trial you are facing is doing all that? Basically, what it is saying is that what you are going through is preparing you to be ready for the bigger call of God on your life! What are those dreams He has placed in your heart to accomplish for His glory? Count the costs! It will cost you some times of suffering. But GOD! In the end, it is worth is all!

Remember what Paul said in Romans 8:18 (NKJV),

“I don’t consider the sufferings to be worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

What is Affecting You?

2010-10-12T04:22:00.002-04:00

I did a word study on "passion" and found out the the same Greek word for "passion" also translates into "affection" and "suffering." More on the suffering part on a future post. This time I want to talk about "affection."

Think about it. You will be affected by that on which you place your affections. As with anything, that can be good or bad. If you have a burning desire for food, for example, chances are you will be affected not only in a mental way, but also in a physical way by gaining too much weight. As with any unhealthy addiction, the affects are numerous and far-reaching. Family members and friends also end up being affected by your affection.

Personally, I want my affection to be on Christ. To be a Christian is supposed to result in being Christ-like. If I set my affections on Him, that will start to happen. I will be transformed. Colossians 3:1-2(KJV): "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." That chapter goes on to say in verses 12-17, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

Colossians 3 goes on to talk about family relationships and how to treat each other. If your affection is on Christ, the affects will be positive. They, too, will be far reaching and start to affect family members and friends. Hopefully your loved ones will see the peace that only Jesus can give and want it, too. Unfortunately, however, some will be offended by the Christ in you. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NKJV), "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life."

Why does Christ offend so many? Peter puts it this way (1 Peter 2:6-9 NKJV), "Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, 'Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.' Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,' and 'A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.' They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..."

Keep praying for them, and keep your affection on Christ no matter what others do around you. When you truly get this, you will not be affected as much by what people do around you. You can be whole with peace and joy even in the midst of trials!

This is a Test!

2010-09-26T05:42:00.003-04:00

This is a test. This is only a test. For the next 60 seconds...scratch that...for the rest of your life...you will be facing situations that will test you on many different levels! How will you respond? Too many times we are distracted by the test itself to really make any progress toward getting through it. You may have to read that sentence again! It's true, is it not? We also get distracted by how other people involved in the situation are acting...or NOT! We get distracted by how we think God needs to intervene. Yes, sometimes God does intervene and takes us out of the situation miraculously. But, more times than not, He allows us to go through some things to help make us stronger. Think about it. If you are like me, you can think back on some trying times and remember that it was in the hard times that you grew the most spiritually.

In the film, Letters to God, by David Nixon, produced by Vivendi Entertainment, a little boy, Tyler faces a serious test when he battles cancer. Throughout this battle, he poured his heart out to God by writing Him letters. The letters ended up having such an impact on his whole community. At one point in the film he was bothered by the fact that he was made fun of at school. His good friend, Sammy, took him to her grandpa, Mr. Perryman, for advice. Mr. Perryman put on a costume and came out as the wise Dadooska. He told Tyler, "God has chosen you to receive the honor...the honor of being chosen as one of God's warriors. You are God's warrior...which means you can ride forth victoriously in truth, humility and righteousness. Even though you are sick, when people see how strong and brave you are, why it makes them take a look at their own lives. So maybe that's why they make fun of you. But, Tyler, there is a glorious truth, God's truth. And it is your job to point them to Him. If they turn to Him, they find the truth. Wouldn't that be a wonderful victory!" (I recommend you to see the film to get the full story. I love this movie!)

Christ Himself was tested to a degree that we will never know. Because of that, He makes the best foundation. If we place our faith in Him, we will always be secure with our lives built upon that sure foundation. "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." Isaiah 28:16 (KJV) In the New Living Translation, it says he who believes in the cornerstone "will not be disturbed."

That's what I want! I want to not be disturbed while being tested. I want to remember that God is making me stronger through it all. I want my faith and trust in God to grow, knowing that in Him I am always secure!

The Truth About "Sounding Boards"

2010-08-16T21:50:00.002-04:00

Many of us use other people as “sounding boards” to bounce off ideas and work through the difficult circumstances of life. Our “sounding board” confidantes can be very helpful when used selectively, and in a healthy manner. If you have a tendency to “vent” (in a positive or negative way) to someone, here are some guidelines for utilizing this important relationship in a godly way:

1. Remember that real guidance comes from the Holy Spirit.
Even pastors, teachers and wise mentors can “miss it,” but the Holy Spirit is always right. Learn to go to God first. Your sounding board should be consulted for confirmation, not for guidance that pre-empts your prayerful petition.

2. Make sure your sounding board does not have a leak!
Someone prone to gossip does not make a good sounding board. You need someone you can trust to be confidential. Examine the character of your sounding board friend before sharing the intimacies of your heart.

3. Make sure you are not just gossiping and griping!
Constantly spouting out negative opinions can lead to a critical spirit. Be careful not to allow your sounding board session to turn into idle talk and complaining.

4. Make sure your sounding board is mature enough to tell you the truth—like when you have sounded off too much.

Knowing when to stop sounding off will keep the person you are venting to from feeling like you are monopolizing her time. It will also keep him or her from taking on your burdens.

When you keep these guidelines in mind before sharing ideas and feelings with others, misunderstandings will be kept to a minimum. Good sounding boards can help you keep things in a healthy perspective. Also, some of those great ideas you bounce off someone may actually turn into reality!

'News from Legacy Ministries'

2010-07-07T17:04:00.001-04:00

Check out our July Newsletter. Even if you are not local, this can serve as a prayer list for you! :) Read also about ordering your copy of Loving God With All Five Senses in e-book or paperback. Simply click on the title of this post, and you'll be right there!

Grace Teaches Us to Say NO!

2010-07-07T06:18:00.003-04:00

Recently I had a discussion with some ladies about the increase of immorality all around us. I mentioned to them that if you want to walk in the Spirit, you're going to have to make an effort, because everywhere you turn you run right into something that is trying to draw you into living for the flesh. Example...I was sick when I saw a commercial while watching the local news that showed a new show that is coming out this fall that was full of sex scenes and deceptive actions in just a 60 second spot. blaaa!

One lady said, "Too many people think that because of God's grace they can go out and live however they want. They think He will just forgive them and then they can just go out an do it again." I responded, "They don't know what true Grace is, then. True Grace teaches us to say NO!" I mentioned this verse found in Titus 2:11-14 (NKJV),

For the Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

That's what I'm talking about! There is no lasting satisfaction in living to gratify the five senses of the here and now. True satisfaction goes beyond the five senses. That's why I wrote my book, Loving God with All Five Senses. (Go to www.legacyministries.info to order your own copy.) Yes, we can and should enjoy pleasures with our five senses. That's why God created them. It points to His awesome creativity--for lack of a better term! But if we get out of control feeding the cravings of our flesh, we are then distracted from genuinely tasting the deeper things that bring true and lasting gratification that God has for us in the Spirit. Here's another great passage from Galatians 5:13-25 about this subject:

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

I challenge you. Read that again! Would you rather have the works of the flesh that lead to death or the fruit of the Spirit that results in abundant life? I'm telling you that the peace and joy that comes with living for the Lord, with His GRACE that gives you the courage, strenth and desire to live a godly life, is available to everyone. Not only is it available, but it is offered to you right now! The price has already been paid!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life! John 3:16

Surrender to Him today and you, too, will experience wholeness. Who wouldn't take that offer?!

Embrace the Summer!

2010-06-28T08:22:00.003-04:00

The following is the July, 2010 artilcle I wrote for my column, "Sense"sational Musings for www.ithirstnw.net:

Oh yes, it’s summertime, and it’s HOT! It is so hot, sometimes I feel like I’m in a desert. Do you feel like that? How about spiritually speaking? Do you feel like you cannot sense the Lord’s presense? You know He’s there, but you cannot hear His voice, feel His embrace or see His hand.

May I suggest to you today to embrace the dry times? WHAT?! Yes, that is what I said, “Embrace the dry times!” Why? Because, when you do, that is what is going to help you to soak in more when God finally pours His rain on you and you sense His presence once again. That’s what David did when he was in the wilderness.

Psalm 63:1 - A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You [are] my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

On the flip side of that, I also suggest to embrace the times of soaking. When you do, you will be more apt to remember those revelations God blessed you with when you go through the next drought. That is what will carry you through.

We need to remember that God created dryness as much as he created water. He appoints the times and seasons in our lives.

Genesis 1:9 - And God said, Let the waters under heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Psalm 95:5 - The sea is His and He made it; and His hands formed dry land.

God will decide when the dry spell stops and when rain begins. He also decides when rain stops and dryness begins.

Psalm 107:33, 35 - He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground. (35) He turns the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

Embracing whatever season you are in will allow you to be ripe for discerning the plans and purposes He has in store for you. Many times when we experience God in incredible ways, times of spiritual drought seem to follow. However, what looks and feels like drought to us is something more. God is still working through that time whether we sense it or not. Remember, it was the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the wilderness after His water baptism. The enemy came it at the end and tried to take advantage of Jesus’ time of hunger after 40 days of fasting. He tempted Jesus, but Jesus did not fall for it. Instead, He remained focused and reminded satan what the Word said. The devil then left Jesus and angels came to minister to Him. His ministry was then launched.

So, I guess that means that dry times in our lives are actually blessings! Let’s take a quick look at times in the Bible when dry times were answers to prayer.

1. Noah’s family and animals were finally able to depart the ark and walk on dry land.
2. The children of Israel escaped a life of slavery and passed through the Red Sea on dry land.
3. The children of Israel crossed over the Jordan River on dry land to enter the Promised Land.
4. Jonah was spit out of the belly of the fish onto dry land and given a second chance after disobeying God’s call to Ninevah.

As you go through your summer, embrace it! Know that this season will soon be over, and God will take you through the next season with even more revelation because of what you are going through now. Rest assured knowing that this, too, shall pass!

Isaiah 44:3 - I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring.

He Loves Us!

2010-06-23T19:46:00.003-04:00

I have often thought about how I have actually physically felt the presence of God so strong at times in worship. There is no way I can explain to you how that feels. Yes, there are times when I don't feel anything and yet I go on and worship anyway, because I know that I know God is real whether I feel Him or not. We need times like that to strengthen our faith, because faith is not what you experience with your five senses. It is so beyond that. As Hebrews 11 says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Emphasis mine) However, I do thank God for the times that He so graciously has chosen to let me experience His manifest presence in my spirit, soul and body.

I saw a car recently that had bumper stickers that showed it was obviously owned by an atheist. Well, I say obviously, but on the other hand it also had stickers about being wickan, so I'm not sure how you can worship satan and still be an atheist. One of the stickers eluded to religions fighting over who has the best imaginary friend. When I read that I thought, "That person has no clue! There is no way God is imaginary. I have experienced Him! You can't tell me that anymore than you can tell me that the sun in the sky is imaginary!"

When I see this video I found on tangle.com, it stirs me to tears every time! Tears of JOY in my Lord, I must say! This young worship leader, Kim Walker (who recently married and is now Kim Smith) has a way of helping corporate bodies to enter into worship. I especially like what she says toward the end about experiencing the presence of God and how it changes you. Listen to this and see what I'm talking about. I pray you are as blessed as I am. (BTW, I tried to upload the video, but if it didn't work, just simply click on the title to this post and it will take you to the webpage with the video.)

'News from Legacy Ministries'

2010-06-14T16:17:00.000-04:00

Click the title of this post to read the latest newsletter from Legacy Ministries and read about ordering my newly revised book.

Love as You Love Yourself

2010-05-29T06:54:00.003-04:00

I actually wrote this in 1989. The only thing I added now that I am posting this in 2010 is the phrase "the older I get, the more I learn not to". It is encouraging to me as I read this I realize that those tendancies you are about to read about that I did so often are not much of an issue anymore. It must be true that with gray hair comes wisdom!

I must learn to love myself (not have a poor self image) before my relationships with other people reach their full potential. Of course I do not love the creation more than the creator (Rom. 1:25) Maybe I should say, I love Christ within me. There is only one God, but there are many Christians. Each one has a different personality through which Christ is revealed. The Bible says in Mark 12:33 to “love your neighbor as yourself.” How can we love our neighbor if we do not love ourselves?

This is different from pride. Pride means you think you are better than others. The truth is that deep down people with pride really do not love themselves.

I remember after I first got married; I wanted to change my whole personality. My self concept was suffering. You see, some might say that I’m very out-going. However, that is not always good! Even though my foot tastes awful, it seems I have chewed it down to the bone—the old “foot-in-the-mouth” syndrome! The older I get, the more I learn not to, but especially in times past I have told people what I think of something as if they asked for my opinion! I knew immediately that I should not have opened my mouth. I would come home, and Bill could tell right off; “What did you say this time?” Then there were those times that Bill was with me, and he knew I would say something I shouldn't’ so he gently nudged my knee with his hand to remind me to keep quiet. It saved me from a lot of turmoil. That started making me want to be like Bill instead of me. I was down on myself for weeks. Finally, Bill sat me down and talked to me. He said he married me for who I was, not so he could change me to be like him. He said that I had opened him up more than anyone else had ever done; never before had he been able to express his inner-most feelings. It was then that I realized the awesome miracle of our marriage. God knew what each of us needed, and He put us together to compliment each other and to be truly one in Christ! Oh yes, Bill still has to nudge my knee sometimes, and I have to ask him quite a bit what he is thinking, but we have a much more exciting marriage than if we were so much alike.

God made each of us uniquely perfect with our own personalities. Since we are born in sin (Rom 5:14, 17, and 3:23), we all have flaws in our personalities. The more time we spend with our Creator and other children of God, the more the flaws decrease. God takes out the tendency to gossip in the extravert and the evil thoughts that are not spoken in the introvert. It just takes spending time with Him in intimate communion and a sincere, repentant heart.

Time spent with other Christians is also very important. We compliment each other. Just as a man and wife are better together than apart—because one’s strengths are the other’s weaknesses and visa versa—so the church needs to bind together as one. Imagine how we would so encourage one another and bring out each other’s strengths if we all would gather together after following the first step of individual time with God. (Matt. 22:37-38) The best of every Christian's personalities combined would be so much more like Christ than just one person. Isn’t that our goal—to be like Christ? Let’s help each other—build each other up—never cut the other down. (Gal 6:2) Then the church will be “a glorious church without spot or wrinkle” at the time of Christ’s return. (Ep. 5:27) Glory be to God, the Creator of all!

The Trap of Comparison

2010-05-18T06:26:00.006-04:00

How many times do we not live to our full potential because we compare ourselves to others? There are two ways comparison happens:

1. Comparing our "strengths" to someone else's "weaknesses"--That would be called being haughty. "Haughty" is an adjective describing one who behaves in a superior, condescending, or arrogant way.

2. Comparing our "weaknesses" to someone else's "strengths"--That would be called having an "Inferiority Complex." To me that's when someone has an overdeveloped sense of being inferior to others. In other words, that seems to be all they think about! Believe it or not, having and inferiority complex is just as much pride as being haughty, because the focus is all about self.

Let's take a look at some examples of these in the Bible. First we'll look at someone who was haughty. Luke 18:9-14 (NKJV), Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You, that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Notice the Pharisee compared himself to another man, but the tax collector (or "Publican" as the KJV says) compared himself to a Holy God. Go back and read the last verse again and see just which one ended up being lifted up.

Next, let's think about Moses, our example of one who had an Inferiority Complex. God showed up to him in a very powerful, supernatural way in a burning bush that was not consumed. God asked him to go lead the Israelites out Egypt where they were in captivity as slaves. Moses kept giving excuses why he shouldn't be the one to go. “Who am I that I should go?” “But I am not eloquent in speech.” “Can’t you send someone else?” All the while, God was proving He would be with him. Read it for yourself in Exodus 3 and 4. Thankfully, God still used Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and turn the tide of history setting the stage for people of God to be delivered for ages to come. It was certainly not because of Moses' abilities, or should we say lack or fears?

My prayer is that when God nudges me to do something, He will remind me to look to Him, and not compare myself to others or focus on my lack of abilities. I need to remember, as Paul said in Philippians 2:13 that it is God who works in me both to will and to do for His good pleasure. If He has put a desire in me, He will give me everything I need to accomplish it. He has promised to complete what He starts in me. Thank you, Lord!

'News from Legacy Ministries'

2010-05-06T05:52:00.000-04:00

Click on the title of this post above to read the May Newsletter for Legacy Ministries and the Legacy Equipping Center. God is on the move! Your prayers, support and attendance at events is greatly appreciated as we go forward "...for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ..." Ep. 4:12.

Jump into the Cleansing Stream!

2010-05-04T06:00:00.008-04:00

What a weekend! I attended the Cleansing Stream retreat Friday and Saturday in Augusta, GA with a group from my church who have been going through a 12 week discipleship course to be cleaned out from the inside out! This is one of those things that cannot be explained but has to be experienced. It's all about the two things I am so passionate about....discipleship and inner healing!

There were hundreds of others who were also getting delivered from "stuff" that had kept them bound from that abundant life God wants us to have. The worship was amazing. At the beginning I entered the sanctuary with worship music going on that just stirred an expectancy of what God was about to do! As the weekend progressed, worship increased from people who were getting rid of all the garbage that was stopping them up from free worship...you can only imagine how free the worship was becoming as the weekend progressed.

God showed me some areas in my life that needed to be washed with His amazing Living Water that I did not even realize were issues. I have been walking through some trials lately, but they only served as primers to get me ready to be set free this past weekend! It is so true that God's truths will totally set you free! Now I want to offer this discipleship leading to diliverance at the Legacy Equipping Center this fall.

For those of you who are local, if you are interested in participating in Cleansing Stream at the Center, let me know. If you are interested in getting this started in your own church, click on the title of this post and it will take you to the Cleansing Stream website. You can see all about the ministry and hear some testimonies about what God has done in others through Cleansing Stream. Let me know if you start the program. I want to hear what God does! Below is a video of a testimony I got from the Cleansing Stream website.

Have a Cookie....or Not!

2010-04-11T22:57:00.002-04:00

(The following is the article I wrote for my monthly ezine column “Sense”sational Musings for the April, 2010 edition of www.ithristnw.net.)

One day the Lord gave me a vision in my mind’s eye. I saw a woman taste a chocolate chip cookie and throw it down in a fit of rage, obviously upset with what she tasted. When she did, crumbs shattered all over the ground. Then she tried frantically to eat the cookie, but it was difficult because of all the crumbs.

I inquired of the Lord about the meaning of this vision. What came to me was that the lady represented any one of God’s children. The cookie represented the lady’s false image of what she thought God was. When God did not do what she thought He should do, she threw the cookie down in anger and it shattered. We need to keep in mind that the cookie represented the lady’s image of God; it did not represent God Himself. God did not shatter, because that was not who He truly is.

I then saw many cookies--each on their own platter--on both sides of a big hallway. These cookies represented more wrong concepts of God. They are cookies, because everyone says "He is good." Some that have been around for a long time are crunchy. Others are fresh-baked and soft.

A crunchy cookie has been the wrong concept of God for a long time in a person's mind. A soft one is a new wrong concept of God that is fresh baked. When one eats of it and throws it down, the newly baked cookie doesn't shatter, because it is soft. Consequently, though the taste of the soft cookie does not satisfy, it is not as disappointing as the old cookie that shatters into crumbs and is harder to eat afterward. Trying to pick up all the shattered pieces only leads to more anger. I had the sense that the first cookie in the vision was a very old cookie from the batch and that God understood that.

The Lord was showing me that even though the lady in the vision was so angry with God, deep down she really desires Him, or she would not have tried to eat all the crumbs afterward. He knows that. She will find Him because somewhere deep in the recesses of her heart, she wants to.

When we find ourselves holding on to cookies and we are angry at God, we need to surrender to Him so that He can take our deceptions and replace them with truth. This will only happen when we turn to Jesus. We have to go to Jesus without any of the cookies--or crumbs--in our hands, because if we have them when we approach Him, we will still be looking at the cookies instead of genuinely seeking God to show us who He truly is. We can either lay down the cookies before we approach the Throne, or we can ask God to take the cookies when we get to Him. Either way, we cannot hold on to them after we get to Him and expect answers. Jesus IS the answer, and He IS there. However, as long as we hold the platter of cookies we will not be able to see Him, because our focus will be on the cookies instead of Him. We will find that as we surrender our platter of misconceptions to the Lord, He will then give us food from Heaven that will be better than any cookie we have ever tasted! Unlike cookies, His food has everlasting sustenance that brings us nourishment for specific needs we are not even aware we have. 2 Cor. 3:14-18 talks about the Jews having a veil over their eyes when they read the scriptures. They have the truth in their hands, but they cannot see it. The Bible then says, "Nevertheless, when one turns to Jesus, the veil is taken away! Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty!" FREEDOM!! He is FREEDOM--not just “good” like a chocolate chip cookie.

When we see Him as He truly is, love and true worship automatically flow out from the deepest part of us to God. Right now He reveals to us His character one concept at a time. Each time another false conception of God is taken away, we truly taste and see that He is good in that aspect of God, and it is everlasting! One day, when our corruption is overtaken by incorruption, and we are changed in the twinkling of an eye, we will see Him as He is--in His entirety--not one concept at a time, but every concept. 100% purity---and it is GOOD! It is then that we will experience everlasting FREEDOM forevermore!

You're Getting Sticky!

2010-04-09T06:00:00.002-04:00

I recently called a great friend to ask her to pray for a fellow pal who was going through tremendous trials. She said to me, "You're getting sticky!"

Thinking I had a bad phone connection, I replied,"You mean my phone connection is bad?"

"No," she said, "YOU are getting sticky! You're taking it on! Remember the 4 L's, Tammy."

"What are the 4 L's? Please tell me!"

"Love them. Listen to them. Lift them up. And LEAVE them to the Lord!"

Oh, Yes! She then began to pray the most refreshing prayer over me, and it was as if I could literally feel God lift the burden off me and begin to anoint my spirit with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

My prayer is that I remember to take time every morning to spend time with God for Him to apply that oil to my spirit so that I won't be sticky when people come to me to share their burdens. My desire is to do what Isaiah 61:1-3 says:

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to [those who are] bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

The only way that people are really going to be set free from the brokenness they come to me with is if I am so "oily" with God's anointing so they are not dependant on me. Believe me, I have seen time and time again that I am so not capable of setting anyone free! I can only take them to the ONE who has proven time and time again that He not only can but He will, and that is God! And what a privilege it is to take them!

So, are you one who needs to be set free? Are you ready to be released? Are you ready for God to reach down to that part of your heart that has been crushed and seemingly forgotten about and for Him to pour in that long awaited love? Just take a moment; close your eyes; take a deep breath of His love and let Him know you're ready! See what happens in the next moments; the next hours; the next days; the next weeks.

Are you the one who is getting sticky? Do you need to remember the 4 L's as you try to take others to the throne room? Let's do it! Memorize the 4 L's with me and ask God to do it through you.
Love Them
Listen To Them
Lift Them to the Lord
Leave Them with God! He is FULLY capable of taking care of them Himself! :)

Happy Resurrection Day!

2010-04-04T21:22:00.003-04:00

What a glorious day this is--the day we Christians celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour from the dead! Think about it; Jesus had more influence on this world than any other person in history. The whole calendar is based on His life. Many people from different religions think highly of Jesus. Some say He was a great teacher. Some say He was a prophet. Others think He was a great philosopher. And of course, we Christians believe He is God. Don't you think that with so much admiration for Jesus that there would be a shrine at His grave with flowers and incense burning 24/7? Well, the reason you don't hear of that is because He's not in a grave! He has risen! He has risen indeed! That's what sets Jesus apart from any other religious leader.

Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, is himself a proof of the Resurrection of Christ. Why else would someone who was so against Christ and His followers, to the point of persecuting Christians and even killing them, change his whole life to preach Christ and even be persecuted for the Gospel himself, if the proof of Christianity (the resurrection) was not proven to him? He wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 (NIV), "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also..." He went on to write in verses 12-14, "But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."

I'm with Peter when he wrote in 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV), "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you."

'News from Legacy Ministries'

2010-04-02T06:14:00.000-04:00

Click on the title to this post to read the April Newsletter for Legacy Ministries. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Spiritual Warfare Prayer

2010-03-20T15:03:00.003-04:00

It seems as though many people close to me are facing attacks from the enemy right now. I know that as long as we are on this earth we will face trials. Jesus promised that. That's one of His promises we don't like to face. He said, "In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33) The good news is that in the end, God's Word prevails over every attack of the enemy! In the meantime, we have to seek Him with our whole heart and receive His direction and Peace.

I have decided to take the "Spiritual Warfare Prayer" from my book, Loving God With All Five Senses, and post it for all you who are facing trials. It is based on the scripture passage from Ephesians the 6th chapter. I pray it will help you as you face those things that eventually will make you a better person.

"Thank you, Lord, for placing the Helmet of Salvation on my head. It will protect me against any thought-bomb the enemy tries to place in my mind. I will not take them on as my thoughts in the Name of Jesus! I place my thoughts in Your hands. Please forgive me for the thoughts I hold on to that are not of you. I ask you to change my mind set to be more like the mind of Christ. Thank you for transforming me by the renewing of my mind.

Thank you, Lord, for placing the Breastplate of Righteousness on me. It will protect my heart. Lord, I place all my emotions in Your hands. Help me to remember that You are with me regardless if I “feel” it or not. Please forgive me when I fear. Thank you that though my righteousness is as filthy rags, yet You have clothed me with Your righteousness because of what You did at Calvary!

Thank you, Lord, for placing the Belt of Truth on my waist. Please reveal any hindrance or lie I have been holding onto that would keep me from trusting You and replace it with Your Truth, oh Lord! Help me to let go of my perspective of the Truth and seek Your perspective knowing that Your Truth will set me free! Help me also to have a deaf ear to the lies of Satan and give me ears to hear what the Spirit says.

Thank you, Lord, that my feet are shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace. I am being prepared for the calling of God on my life to take the Gospel of Peace to others. Help me to remember that no matter what I go through, You will use the circumstances in my life, both good and bad, to prepare me for the destiny You have chosen for me. Thus I can have peace in the midst of the storm. Thank you that every step I take will be in Peace and I can take that Peace to people wherever I go!

Thank you, Lord, for putting within my hand the Shield of Faith, whereby I can quench every fiery dart of the wicked one. Help me to remember that Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen and that without Faith it is impossible to please You. Forgive me when I have gone forward in my own strength and abilities instead of totally relying on You. Help me to dwell in the Secret Place of the Most High where I will be protected from any onslaught of the enemy.

Thank You, Lord, for giving me the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God—the only offensive weapon. All the other armor You give me is for protection, and I thank You for just how protected I really am! This weapon is the only thing I need to combat the enemy. It is really an arsenal of many weapons that are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Forgive me when I fail to read and study Your Word when You have prompted me to do so. I choose to read Your Word, meditate on Your Word, memorize Your Word and use Your Word against the enemy in due time. Help me to not fret over what I will say, but to trust Your Spirit to give me just the right Word in the very hour I need it. I do not want to “debate” Your Word thereby casting pearls before swine, but I will speak Your Word to those who are hungry for it as well as proclaim to the enemy “It is Written!” Remind me also, that my enemy is not flesh and blood—it is not any person, including myself—but it is Satan and all the principalities with him. Therefore, I pray that You would remind me to not let corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And having done all, I will stand! Thank You that the battle is not mine, but it is Yours! Thank You for the victory in Christ Jesus who came to destroy the works of the enemy! In reality, the enemy has already been crushed under Your feet by your death and resurrection. He is therefore under my feet as I trust in You and let You dwell in me! I am more than a conqueror through You who love me with a perfect love that casts out all fear! And for that I will ever be grateful!"

'News from Legacy Ministries'

2010-03-04T07:45:00.000-05:00

Click the link above by clicking on the title of this post to read our March Newsletter. God is on the move! He is doing great things at the Legacy Equipping Center! Thanks for your prayers and support!

Ep 5 - Passage Lookup - New International Version - BibleGateway.com

2010-03-02T06:32:00.000-05:00

Ep 5 - Passage Lookup - New International Version - BibleGateway.com

I was stirred to go to Ephesians 5 this morning. When I read it, I thought "Wow! What if we all did what this says? What a difference that would make!" So, my challenge to you today is to go the the link (by clicking on the title of this blog post), pray and ask God to give you a desire to apply this passage to your life. Ask God to actually live this through you.

I would love to to know if this positively affects any of you. Please leave a comment and let me know! Go now and be immitators of God, bringing light to the darkness of this world!

Do WHAT?

2010-02-22T07:16:00.006-05:00

The Christian faith is full of paradoxes. What is a paradox? The first definition on dictionary.com is "a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth."

Think about it...

I am to die to my self in order that I may live.

I am to give so that I can receive.

I am to humble myself to God, and He will lift me up.

I have found all of these seemingly absurd statements to be very true. They are not easy to do in the natural, but once you can get past the natural and allow God to give you a supernatural desire, a life of satisfaction is the result. There is another paradox in the Bible that seems harder than any of them. We are told to bless those who persecute us. WHAT?!

Let's look at this closer...

Romans 12:14-19 (NIV) - "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary:
'If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Another passage says...

1 Peter 3:8-10 (NIV) "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,
'Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.' "

What if more people did this? How would the world change? That would definitely be walking out the talk. Jesus was our example. Isaiah prophesied Jesus, the Messiah's death many years before it actually happened when he wrote

"He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth." (Is 53:7 NIV)

Even in the worst of persecution, Jesus did not try to defend Himself. Yes, His accusers seemingly won the battle when they killed Him. However, three days later, look what happened! He was resurrected from the dead and conquered death, hell and the grave! I don't care what the enemy tries to do to silence God and His people. God always has the last word!

I recently told a friend this who is facing some crazy accusations that have gotten out of hand. She responded, "That's Jesus. He's God!" I replied, "Yes, but where does Jesus live?" She knew when she said, "In me!"

Lord, help us to look to You for our approval instead of people. Their unkind words will not hurt as bad if we do not need their approval. That way when they persecute us, we will have what we need to show them grace and repay their evil with good. Help us to show them Your goodness. May our actions be the seed that draws them to Your kindness which leads them to repentance. Help us to have the grace to release them to You, knowing that You can take care of the situation much better than we can!

'News from Legacy Ministries'

2010-02-04T12:31:00.000-05:00

Click the link to see our February Newsletter.
'News from Legacy Ministries'

God's Manifest Presence

2010-01-24T06:30:00.004-05:00

The 2010 Legacy Women's Conference "Equipped with JOY" has come and gone. It was INCREDIBLE! So many ladies received freedom from burdens that were weighing them down. It is hard to describe to someone who was not there how God's presence permeated the room.

It's that manifest presence I'm talking about. The kind that most people haven't a clue about. Think of it like this. God is omnipresent. That means He is present everywhere. So often we don't even recognize His presence. It is like camouflage. It's there all right, but it fits right in so we just look right through it. Besides the omnipresence of God, sometimes He allows us a window of opportunity of experiencing His manifest presence to those who seek Him. I call it the secret place of the Most High. It is like entering the throne room of God where peace and joy will flood your inner core. This is what so many people miss. Even most Christians miss out on this.

Thank You, God, for the privilege we ladies had at the "Equipped with JOY" conference to experience Your manifest presence. It was worth all the opposition we faced leading up to the conference when we all got together and basked in Your presence!

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

2010 Women's Conferece, "Equipped with JOY!" THIS WEEKEND

2010-01-19T06:22:00.000-05:00

What robs you of joy? What a great opportunity to get away and be refreshed with a good soaking of God's presence! Register today! Click the link for more information.

'Click the Share button to create links to this email on popular social networking and bookmarking size like Facebook, Twitter, and Digg.'

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T08:04:00.002-05:00

This was where we stayed last weekend…snowed in at my uncle’s mountain getaway without cell phone coverage or internet for five days! It was awesome! The kids got to sled…first time ever on a real sled!

Now, back at home on this Christmas morning before the family awakes, I am reflecting on the blessings God has bestowed upon our family this year. Like the opening lyrics to the classic carol, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, I am choosing to be named among the faithful who are joyful and triumphant!

Faithful – Full of faith! Faith is the evidence of things not seen. God has been so real to me through the years, that I don’t need “proof” that athiests are looking for…I am proof! Yes, it is nice when I read a report that science has found another “proof” that goes along with what we already know from the Bible, but that is definitely not what I base my worship on.

Joyful – Full of joy! Unlike happiness, joy is not dependant on what “happens” in our circumstances. This “joy unspeakable and full of glory” that the Bible talks about can be attained in the midst of the harshest of trials. In fact, that makes the joy all the more joyful when it’s tested by fire and comes out without even the smell of smoke! This joy can only be mine because God sent His Son that first Christmas day so that mankind could be reconciled to their Creator! Wow! No wonder we celebrate this season by proclaiming, “Joy to the world! The LORD has come!”

Triumphant – According to dictionary.com, this means “having achieved victory or success.” Now, I know I haven’t “arrived” yet, and I make mistakes daily, but the neat thing is that my “position” of triumph has already been sealed because of what Jesus did on the cross and in His resurrection! Colossians 2:13-15 (NIV) says, “¹³When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

YES!!! Let the celebration continue! Merry Christmas, friends!!

Continuing to Give Thanks

2009-11-27T06:20:00.003-05:00

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 107:1 (NKJV)

Thanksgiving Day has passed, but the reason we can be so thankful endures forever! What is that reason? God's mercy. Another verse says that His mercies are new every morning. Talk about second chances! We have offered to us a fresh start every day, if we'll just take it.

The whole chapter of Psalm 107 is a great read. It goes on to talk about redeemed, how before they cried out to God, they wandered aimlessly in a wilderness with hunger and thirst. However, when they finally cried out to God, He delivered them from their despair and fulfilled their deepest longing.

The chapter even talks about those who knew better, but rebelled against God. They were "bound in affliction and irons" because of their rebellion. Even then, when they came to their senses and came back to God, He "broke their chains in pieces" and set them free! That's mercy!

The next part of the chapter talks about fools drawing "near to the gates of death" and even then the Lord saved them when they finally surrendered to Him. Another Psalm says that a fool is one who says there is no God. I am so glad He is there at the point the atheist gives up and realizes there is a God. There's not only a God, but there's a Creator who loves him/her even when he/she denied Him and is more than ready to bring that true satisfaction that only comes through His free gift of redemption through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

As Christians, are we living our lives in such a way that desperate people are drawn to the Christ in us? Are we showing that unconditional loving kindness that loves and receives all--even those who deny Christ? Lord, help us to be ready to bring those who don't know You to You when they are ready to come, and not condemn or push them away! We need to keep in mind that we didn't always know that He was there for us either, but now we do, and it is GOOD! That's why we should be ready to share with others when they are ready to listen what verses 8-9 of this chapter say:

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Meet My Parents!

2009-11-11T05:58:00.001-05:00

This is a picture of my mom and dad, Lorene and Don Barron, on their recent cruise. Dad came home and shared what he learned at a workshop on editing and posting pictures online. This is my first attempt! It worked! You may see more pictures now!

Obedience - Better than Sacrifice

2009-11-05T04:06:00.004-05:00

Obedience is better than sacrifice. In my mind, the word sacrifice has two connotations. 1. (noun) a burnt sacrifice to the Lord (as in the Old Testament animal sacrifices), and 2. (verb) giving something up that is dear. Both of these meanings can be a precious aroma in God’s nostrils, but they can also be a stinch if 1. they are not necessary, 2. they are done by rote as a religious “duty,” 3. they are done to be seen of men and not God.

More is to come on this in the unit on obedience in the book I'm writing, God's Chain Gang: Links in the Chain to Freedom. Any thoughts on this from the gallery? I'd like your feedback on this. Please leave comments.

I will leave you with one thought about #3 about doing "sacrifices" to be seen of men and not God. If God wants others to see the sacrifice you make for Him, He will show them, but if you do it with that in mind, then it is not truly a sacrifice to God. It is just a performance to gain approval of men. Hmmm...much more on THAT in future blogs and in the book, too!

Meditation - the Key to Obedience

2009-11-03T06:44:00.005-05:00

This morning I felt that “nudge” of the Lord to wake up before the family. I knew He wanted me to do something. Was I to pray for someone, as that wake-up call often means? Was I to exercise and take care of my body I have been neglecting far too much lately? Was I to write something before the distractions of the day commence?

I prayed, “Lord, what do You want me to do? Why did you wake me? I want to follow Your leading. I want to obey You.” Obedience. For a split second I thought, “I’m so sleepy, and I don’t have clear direction as to what God wants me to do, so maybe He just wants me to go back to sleep!” No. I knew better. Then I prayed the scripture I so often pray, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart (and I added my actions), be acceptable in thy sight…” Why didn’t God included “actions” in that scripture? I think because if we truly take the time to meditate, we will automatically want to do what pleases Him. After spending time considering the Lord, His Word, His character, and His promises, we will know what He wants us to do.

When we act on impulse, we usually get into trouble. Granted, sometimes something happens in an instant that we have to act on immediately, but more times than not, we can take time to meditate on what God wants us to do before we act prematurely. Besides, if we have made it a lifestyle to meditate on God's Word day and night, then we will do whats right on impulse when those instances arise.

Meditation. It keeps us out of trouble! Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the whole Bible, is all about that. Verse 11 states, "Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." (NKJV)

After meditating on these truths this morning, I realized my act of obedience was to write this entry! This is going into my new book, God's Chain Gang: Links in the Chain to Freedom. You get the first sample! Please pray for me as I delve into writing this book. I hope to publish it in 2010. (Anyone want to pre-buy a copy?! :) )

Have a great day meditating on God, His Word, His character, and His promises!

Wilderness of Busyness

2009-10-20T05:42:00.002-04:00

5:29. That's what my clock radio said when I woke up just now with the words, "Early will I seek you," running through my head. I have been telling God that I need to invest some time with Him in the morning when there seems to be a halt to all the busyness. There's no time like the present, right? It's actually a present that I can give to God and that He loves.

I went to www.biblegateway.com and found that verse in Psalm 63. Before the Psalm begins, it says, "A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah." That already says a lot to me! Judah represents praise in the Bible. I want my life to praise God. From the rising of the sun until it goes down, I am truly thankful to the Lord, my refuge and strength. But, sometimes--many times--life gets so hectic, I feel like I'm in a wilderness of busyness. So much goes on around me that sometimes the remembrance of God's presence gets lost in the shuffle. As soon as I recognize that, I want to come back to sit at His feet!

Psalm 63:1-5
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

Join me today as we just pause and reflect on God's mercies that are new for us this very morning. As we seek Him, He will see to it that everything else will be taken care of. What security! What satisfaction!

Check out our October Newsletter for Legacy Ministries!

2009-10-08T10:18:00.002-04:00

Simply click the link below to see our October Newsletter for Legacy Ministries. See what God did in September and what is in store for October. Ladies, also see about our 2010 Ladies Conference.

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Inside the Storm

2009-09-27T20:47:00.005-04:00

I cannot believe it has been 20 days since I posted a new entry for this blog! I must say that I have been so busy I feel I've been in a whirl wind. Since posting I have spoken at two ladies retreats (Minneapolis, MN and Dawsonville, GA) and a Wednesday night service at a church (Riverdale, GA). Besides that I have been a long-term substitute teacher HS band director as well as continued house duties for the family and kept the Legacy Equipping Center going. Phew! Praise God a new band director has been hired, so I can get my life back!

During that time, God gave me a revelation about storms. I had never thought this before, but I felt that God was saying that He wants us in a storm. What?! Actually what I mean is that He wants us to be moved in the middle of the storm where there is peace in the storm's eye. What He doesn't want is the storm inside us!

Jesus said that in this world we WILL have tribulations but to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world. He also said that He has a peace to give us that the world cannot offer. Basically, what He is saying in those two statements is that we will have storms in life, but we can move into the center of the storm and have peace while the winds are hurling around us. We can also allow Him to speak to the storms inside us and say, "Peace, Be Still!" This kind of security only comes through Christ. I know you can have that in Christ, because I do! Experiencial truth! You can have it, too! Thank God, there is enough to go around to all the multitudes of people who will accept it! I pray you will experience His peace in the midst of your storms today!

Self-control - Two Different Ways

2009-09-07T07:05:00.006-04:00

As I was waking this morning, the thought came to mind that there are two totally different kinds of self-control. Of course the good kind is part of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galations 5:22-23.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Self-control in this context is not so much me controlling myself as it is me allowing the Holy Spirit to have control of myself. Notice where it is in the order of the fruit of the Spirit. If the other characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit are in order (love, joy, peace, etc.), then it will be so much easier for self-control to happen.

This kind of self-control only comes through the spirit. The other kind of self-control comes through the soul. What's the difference? Man has three parts. The spirit is that core of us that communes with our Creator. The soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions. Our bodies are what we are walking around in. When sin entered the equation with Adam and Eve, their spirits died. Since then, all of us are born in sin. So all of us have a void where our spirits should be until we are "born again" by having that spirit come alive within us when we accept Christ's sacrifice that actually reconciles us to God again. How awesome that Christ's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, actually comes in to make residence within us!

Before that happens, self-control happens in the soul--our mind, will and emotions. This is when it is more me controlling myself, my way, and has tendency to end up in seeking control and manipulation over others as well. What I see happening in this is that the will sinks down, and the mind and emotions rise to the top. When this happens, the person makes decisions with their will based on their thoughts and how they feel. The outcome can be disastrous! That's probably another blog post if we were to get into what influences thoughts which influence feelings. Let's just say without being transformed by the renewing of the mind (as Romans 12 says), self-control ends up being much more bondage than freedom.

If we look back up to the scripture listing the fruit of the Spirit, we notice that it starts with a "but." That is a conjunction. We have to see what precedes it to get the full comparison of these two types of "self-control." Let's look at Galatians 5:19-21:

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Wow! That's what self-control without the Spirit leads to, and that is bondage. Read over those two scripture passages again (Gal. 5:22-23 and Gal. 5:19-21). Which would you rather have? Which would you rather those with which you have close relationships to have?

How do we do it? How do we get the freedom of self-control that brings peace and joy and not live in the bondage of control and manipulation? We have to look at the verses that precede and that follow the verses we've already read. First, let's look at the preceding verses of Galatians 5:16-18.

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law."

Now let's look at the verses that follow all this by reading Galatians 5:24-25.

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

I pray that reading this post will help to spark a desire deep within the readers to want the kind of self-control that is from Galatians 5:22-23 and not the kind in Galatians 5:19-21. It's an awesome journey that leads to abundant life! One in which you can relax and take deep breaths of relief instead of hiperventalating trying to control your world!

One more thought...remember we are three parts? Spirit, soul and body? Well, our bodies benefit or suffer depending on which self-control you allow yourself to have. There are many reasons for sickness. I venture to say, though, that a big portion of our sickness is due to messed up thoughts, emotions, and wrong decisions. Remember? That's the soulish self-control. Sometimes we pray for people to be well, but we forget to pray for them to let go of the selfish kind of self-control so that they can be well! I pray that for you today! (and me!)

Time to Laugh!

2009-08-25T08:23:00.002-04:00

I'm branching out and joining this Blog Hop group. I'm new to all this, but from what I understand, this will link to many other blogs. This time we are supposed to list something funny. Everyone is invited to post comments that will make us laugh!

Here's my funny story for the day. When my oldest daughter, Amy, was 2, she was quite the talker indeed! She overheard me talk about a series I was teaching about the 7 Last Words of Christ. One day, out of the blue, she asked, "Mommy, when Jesus was dying on the cross, why did He say, 'My God! My God! For Pete's Sake!' "

Click here to enter your link in the blog hop and view the entire list of entered links...

Courage to Speak Up

2009-08-19T14:07:00.005-04:00

Today's post is written by a friend who came to our writer's group at the Equipping Center last night. The assignment was to write a devotional with a scripture, application, prayer, thought for the day and prayer focus. I thought it was great! Here it is:

Read Ezekiel 3:17-21

“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Ez. 3:18

How many times a day do you see someone who is very clearly doing wrong? Either hurting someone, stealing, vandalizing, lying – all these things seem to be more prevalent every day.

Now the tough question – how many times do you speak up and tell that person what they are doing is not right? Whether we hold back out of fear (especially of a stranger) or hold back because we love the person (and don’t want to hurt their feelings or make them not like us), we are still doing the perpetrator a grave disservice, possibly to the cost of his own life.

Lately I have begun to make people angry because I just can’t sit around and watch this happen anymore. I can’t enable someone to continue on in their sin by not saying “I see you, don’t you think God sees you, too???” At best, I am called blunt. At worst… well, I can’t write that word here. I just know that I don’t want anyone’s blood required at my hand. I have enough of my own transgressions to be held responsible for.

Prayer - “Dear God, give us all the courage to speak up in the situations that you lead us into. Gives us the wisdom of not only what to say, but how to say it and to only speak your will. Give us the integrity to speak only out of love and never out of judgment. Amen”

Thought for the Day - Think back to a time when you felt like you needed to speak up, but you didn’t. Maybe that was the Holy Spirit giving you a nudge. It’s called conviction.

Prayer Focus - Pray for the ones who do speak up and are persecuted for their courage.

Are You Riding On Coattails?

2009-08-10T05:53:00.004-04:00

From a very young age I have experienced God to be real in my life. I have the privilege of the Christian faith being passed down to me from both my father and mother's side of the family. Even so, I had to make a choice myself to accept God into my life. Those who just go through life on the coattails of their parents' faith (or anyone else's faith for that matter) without making it personally their own, end up falling away when the storms of life blow. The winds of opposition are so strong in this world that no one can keep a grip on someone else's faith to see them through. On the other hand, if that faith is ignited within their own heart, it doesn't matter where that storm may take them, they are firm and get right back up!

Legacy Ministries August, 2009 Newsletter

2009-08-04T07:50:00.001-04:00

Check out my latest newsletter by going to the link below!
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What is the Opposite of Love?

2009-08-03T06:25:00.006-04:00

Any thoughts on that question? Most would probably say "hate." I'm here to say I disagree. "Hate" is not the opposite of "love"...it is a by-product of the opposite of "love." I think the opposite of "love" is "self-absorption."

This might be contrary to the world's view of "love." To many, "self-absorption" is a synonym of the word instead of an antonym. Think about it. One might say, "I love ice cream." "I love to party." "I love sex." They "love" all those things because of what they bring to themselves. That type of "love" quickly leads to obesity, addictions, sexually transmitted diseases, depression (when they can't get what they "love"), and anxiety (when they do what they can to try to get what they "love.") Ultimately it could also lead to hate when one sees others with what he "loves," but he does not see them doing anything to help him get it. How futile! What ends up being a journey to get all the gusto for self (because after all, we only live once!), ends up leading to self-destruction.

True love brings freedom from that downward cycle of destruction. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." That's exactly what Jesus Christ did for us. He is our example. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren." (1 John 3:16) If we truly love others, we will put aside our desires and do what we can to give the other person what pleases them. Then, because we love them, we take pleasure in seeing them fulfilled. If they truly love us, they will do the same for us. Then our "self" ends up getting fulfilled in an unselfish way...with fulfillment and life instead of destruction.

I challenge you today to find ways to forget about yourself and show a random act of kindness for someone else. Think about your actions this week. See if you are acting out of "self-absorption" or unselfish, true love.

Summertime, and the Livin' is Easy!

2009-07-24T05:46:00.005-04:00

Can you believe it is all ready July 24? Summer is practically over. For my daughter, Amy, who just entered High School marching band, it is over. As I look back over the last couple of months, I am especially grateful for my family.

Three weeks ago, we took a vacation to the beach with the girls and my parents in-law. Cape San Blas, FL just outside of Port St. Joe on the Gulf of Mexico...if you like a place where the water is clear, the sand is soft and white, the shells are plentious but the people are few, you would love it there! It is so secluded that the closest grocery store, Piggly Wiggly, is 15-20 miles away! Our townhome for the week was about 20 yards from the pool and 30 yards from the beach. It was everything a vacation should be! I enjoyed my husband, girls and in-laws. We read books, took naps, swam, walked the beach, had bon fires on the beach at night and made s'mores, enjoyed quiet times with God, and capped it off the last night watching multiple 4th of July firework shows on the sea shore.

Last week my husband, Bill, and I were privileged to go off to a cabin in the North Georgia mountains while our girls were at different camps...all by ourselves for 4 days! We celebrated 23 awesome years as husband and wife. God had a theme going of seclusion, rest and relaxation for the second time within 3 weeks! Besides enjoying some great romantic times (of which I'll keep private!), Bill and I enjoyed the hot tub, walks in the mountains picking wild blackberries, naps, tubing down the Toccoa River, reading, and quiet time with God. When we got back, someone said to me, "You mean you're not tired of being with each other?" The thought had never even entered my mind. I thank God for blessing our marriage and being in the center of our union. Bill and I are so compatible and love being with each other. When one of us has "issues," the other just backs off and lets the spouse have space. It works!

As I blog about these two summer vacations, I am so thankful for the incredible time of bonding I had with my family. God blessed me with great family ties...both with our immediate family and extended family. I do not take that lightly. With God's help, we will continue the legacy of passing the faith along until Jesus comes again!

Is Harry Potter harmless?

2009-07-18T08:21:00.004-04:00

Some of you will probably disagree with this post, but if you are a Christian, I challenge you to pray about this and ask God if what I say is right. This morning I went to crosswalk.com to login and read my daily Bible reading on my journey to read the Word straight through. I was grieved when I saw a movie review for Harry Potter. I clicked on it hoping it would tell Christians to stay away from it. I was wrong. It actually was a positive review for the movie. I posted a comment. Here's what I said:

I want to know why the site I go to read God's Word posts a review for a Harry Potter movie. Harry Potter is a wizard. Some will say that it's harmless, because he practices "white magic" against the evil one who does "black magic." Doesn't satan disguise himself as an angel of light? Look what the Bible says...

"There shall not be found among you anyone who …practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you." Deut. 18:10-14

I don't want to have anything to do with what God calls an "abomination to the LORD". Do you?

As I post this in my own blog, I'm also thinking that I sure don't want my children dabbling in witchcraft. We need to pray that our children will be hungry for the Bible and want what pleases God.

It Comes With the Territory!

2009-07-09T06:49:00.003-04:00

Have you ever had a time when God was speaking to you about a subject and everywhere you turned you ran into it? It seems as though every sermon you hear, every book you pick up, conversations you have, songs you hear, scriptures you read from the Bible and even thoughts you have in your head are all about the subject. Well, that has been happening to me lately, and the subject is "spiritual warfare." I would have to be dumb to not see that God is trying to teach me something!

Of course we need a balance on the subject! On one side there are people who seem to look for demons under every rock. On the other end of the spectrum there are people who stick their head in the sand and don't even acknowledge the existence of demonic strongholds. To those in the first group I want to say, "Who are you magnifying--the devil or God Almighty?" To those in the second group my words are, "Wake up! There is a realm beyond what we see with the natural eye that is just as real (if not more) than what we experience with the five senses."

Yesterday someone asked me, "I keep hearing all this talk about expecting attacks of the enemy if you do anything for the Lord. Why does it have to be that way? Can't it be that I'm just protected and don't have to experience that?" I have been pondering the conversation ever since. In fact, I woke up this morning with some insight that might help answer that question.

Last week our family took a vacation on the beach at Cape San Blas, FL. We met a man who has just recently had a house built there. He told us that the house was built to resist hurricanes. The windows in the house are specially built to withstand a 2 x 4 board being hurled at them at 160 miles/hr. Why do they do that? Because they know storms WILL come, because that's where hurricanes hit--on the sea shore. It comes with the territory! If you don't want to weather through a storm, don't build a house at the beach! I don't know how much more a window like that costs than the standard windows that are in my house, but I can assure you that when the next storm comes, it will be worth the cost to the owner.

This reminds me of the what Jesus said in Matthew 7:

24."Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25.and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

To answer the question, "Do the storms have to happen if I step out and work for the Lord?" Yes! It comes with the territory! The enemy is not going to sit idly by while we are out rescuing the perishing. If you don't want to weather the storm, don't do anything to advance the Kingdom! The better question would be, "Can I be protected from storms and not be harmed just as much as if they didn't happen?" YES!! I'll give you an example...

Remember the three Hebrew children who were in exile in Babylon. They were warned that they would be thrown into the fiery furnace if they didn't fall down and worship a golden idol. Their response was, "Our God is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, but even if He doesn't, we will not bow our knee to anyone or anything beside the One True God!" (my paraphrase) So, they were wrapped with material to bind them and were thrown into the furnace. When they were in the fire, Jesus appeared with them. While they were with Jesus in the midst of the fire, instead of being bound, they were walking around free and not even hurt! They not only didn't burn up, but when they came out of the fire, the only thing that was burned up was the material wrapped around them to bind them! In fact, the Bible says that the smell of smoke was not even on them! Were they just as protected as if it never happened? Absolutely! Really, they were BETTER than if it never happened! Think of how much their faith had to have strengthened! Think of the level of getting to know Jesus they experienced that they would not have if they didn't have to go to the furnace. (See Daniel 3 in the Old Testament.)

Back to Jesus' words in Matthew. The wise man had to prepare for the storm ahead of time to be ready. You cannot just wait for the storm to come and then start building. How do we prepare? Hear what God is telling you and do it! Read His Word so you can know what He wants you to do. Spend time with Him in worship, prayer, Bible study. He knows what is ahead. He can SO prepare you if you just give Him the time of day to do it! You will start knowing His promptings and have a desire, no matter what the cost, to follow His lead.

Those who build houses on the beach have so many advantages. They get to see awesome sunsets over the ocean (or sunrises depending on which ocean); they get to experience times of relaxation laying out in the sun, or times of excitement riding the waves; they get to be lulled to sleep at night with the sound of the waves crashing into the shore; they get to find awesome shells as they walk along the shoreline. Bottom line: they get so many perks by living in the territory of the storms that is it well worth the sacrifice to be prepared for the storms.

God has proven that time and time in my life. A life of ministry for God can be hard...VERY HARD at times! However, the rewards I experience are so much greater than even the toughest times! God knows when we need respite times of rest off of the front lines. We need to take those times and allow Him to pour into us so that we will be ready to go back out to battle. Then when we go back to fight and we win with Him, He will also give us time to enjoy our winnings before going out again! Keep your eyes on Him and remember what God says..."Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle [is] not yours, but God's."

His Mercies Are New Every Morning!

2009-06-22T17:43:00.002-04:00

This morning I woke up before my alarm went off with the thought, "His mercies are new every morning!" I got up to go find out exactly where that is in the Bible. I found out that it is right in the middle of the book of Lamentations. Lamentations is a book written by the prophet Jeremiah that records his grief over the captivity of Israel. He grieves almost to the point of despair. However, in the midst of that despair, he recalls God's mercies and thus has hope. Look at the passage with me:

Lament. 3:22-32
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
[23] They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
[24] "The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"Therefore I hope in Him!"

[25] The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
[26] It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
[27] It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.

[28] Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
[29] Let him put his mouth in the dust--
There may yet be hope.
[30] Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.

[31] For the Lord will not cast off forever.
[32] Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.

So many times we mull over in our minds thoughts of how bad things are. With each toxic thought, we spin deeper into despair. That is exactly why this passage basically tells us to stop, keep our mouths shut and wait on God. Think about it, no matter how bad your situation is, you have not been consumed if you are still breathing and reading this blog! That's because of His mercies that are new every morning!

When you wake up tomorrow, think about this. Thank God for His mercies that give you a fresh start each day if you only accept it. Wow! Thank you, Father God!!

Graduation Send-Off

2009-06-14T21:58:00.002-04:00

I had the awesome privilege of hosting girls from the class of 2009 and their moms at the Legacy Equipping Center yesterday for a brunch. I gave them my testimony of being a Christian in culture shock at secular college. My pastor's wife and youth pastor's wife also encouraged the girls to stay strong in the faith when they go off to college or out in the work force.

I told the girls that when people go to college, something happens to most of them and they go absolutely wild! No curphews! No parents! No rules! Those who think like that end up with many regrets.

I encouraged the girls to stay strong in the Lord no matter who falls away around them. Yes, God's mercies are new every morning, and those who make bad decisions in college can be forgiven and restored in their walk with God. I have seen people in prayer sessions finally being set free from regrets they made 20-30 years ago in college. However, what a better choice to go God's way from the beginning of college and not have any regrets!

Let's take house cleaning as an illustration. If you spill food on the kitchen counter and let it sit there overnight, it will be harder to wipe up tomorrow. The longer you leave it, the harder it gets. Soon you will have to use cleaner and use elbow grease to get it off. You may have to use a scraper to get it off. It is much easier if you wipe it immediately. You don't have to work hard at all. Just get a wet rag and wipe. Now, you can get it just as clean either way, but which way would you choose? It's the same with our lives. When we make a bad decision we need to give it over to God quickly and not let it "sit" on our hearts making a crust that will have to be scrubbed.

I pray that the girls will remember that message when they are faced with multiple temptations that will hit them head-on at college.

EQUIPPED: Ready for Battle!

2009-06-03T05:59:00.003-04:00

That is the title of our VBS going on this week at the Legacy Equipping Center. What a blessing it has been! Just to see the excitement on the kids' faces as we learn about the Armor of God is worth all the many hours we have put into it. One mom told me that her son said, "I can't wait to see what part of the Armor we learn about today!"

We started at the top and are working our way down:
1st day: The Helmet of Salvation
Yesterday: The Breastplate of Righteousness
Today: The Belt of Truth
Tomorrow: The Shoes of Peace and the Shield of Faith
Friday: The Sword of the Spirit and a PARTY!

The kids made Gospel Bracelets and learned how to share their faith with their friends. They also made Breastplates of Righteousness out of brown paper bags and foil. They loved it! They learned lessons about doing what is right. I wonder who is getting more out of this, the kids or the workers! What a blessing to pour into young lives how they can put on the Armor of God and STAND STRONG! (Read Ephesians 6 starting in verse 10.)

Pray and ask God how to reach children in your life. According to George Barna, 85% of Christians in America come to Christ between the ages of 4 and 14. Wow! Do you want to reap a harvest? Consider children's ministry!

Daily Audio Bible....a MUST Listen!

2009-05-23T08:24:00.005-04:00

Some of you know that I am a big fan of the Daily Audio Bible. It is a daily podcast that has the Bible read (with nice music in the background) from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs read by a record producer from Nashville. If you listen every day, you will hear the entire Bible read to you in a year. Brian (the narrator) also gives his comments and prays after he reads. He also posts comments from listeners who call in prayer requests and praise reports. You can get the podcast downloaded to your mp3 player or ipod every day for free. You can also just go to the website and listen.

Today I heard a praise report at the end of one of the podcasts that you HAVE to hear! It is on the April 4th broadcast. (OK, I'm a little behind, but that doesn't stop me from getting it all!) It is one of the most exciting testimonies I have ever heard. As those of you who know me know, that's saying a lot! I've been in this journey with God a LONG time and have seen Him do MIGHTY things! I see it in the inner healing prayer room at the Legacy Center almost every day...people getting set FREE from addictions, wounds they've been carrying for years, etc. I say, "God, you NEVER cease to amaze me!!" Anyway, I'm not going to say anything more about this testimony you are about to hear...I'll let you hear for yourself.

Here's what you do:
1. Click on the title to this blog post to go to the Daily Audio Bible website.
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the home page where it says "Listen Now."
3. Click on the red box that says "Daily Audio Bible."
4. Scroll down to April 4 and click on it to listen.
5. Start listening! The testimony is about the last 8 to 9 minutes of the podcast. Those of you who are computer savvy and know how to drag the player to the end can start the player at the testimony, but I recommend listening to the whole thing. It's only about 30 minutes and you'll be able to hear what I'm talking about that happens on this daily podcast.

Listen and let me know if you get as excited as I did when I heard it!

Change

2009-05-21T03:41:00.003-04:00

What comes to your mind when you read the title to this blog? Are you facing change in your life? Are you changing? Is someone trying to change you? Are you trying to change someone else? Do you need a little pocket change to buy something? I looked up "change" on dictionary.com and couldn't believe all the sermons that await me! It intrigued me so that I decided to blog about it and link the title to this post to its definition. (Click on the word "change" above to read it's definitions.)

If you go to the link you will notice that there are 8 definitions for "change" as a verb used with an object and 9 definitions for the word as a verb used without an object. The very first definition under "verb used with an object" is "to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone." The 4th definition is "to give and take reciprocally; interchange." Think about that. God made each of us to be different. If we get stuck in our perspective, that way God created us to perceive issues, people, etc, then we will try to change others to be like we are. On the other hand, each of us has positive traits in which others lack that can have a positive influence on them for productive changes to be made in their lives. I don't know about you, but I personally don't want to change someone to be something that God did not create them to be. If they change to be just like me, they won't need me anymore! I like the 4th definition better. I want to view other people God brings to me in a positive light. I want them to see me in a positive light. Let's focus on each other's strengths and not focus on the weaknesses we would love to change. Let's give reciprocally to promote positive change and stop trying to force someone to live in a mold God did not create for them.

We all have people in authority over us and under us. This works both ways. If we try to force change in someone in leadership over us, it is a sign of rebellion. If we try to force people to change that answer to us in authority (employees or children), it is a sign of control and manipulation. Wow! Sometimes that is not our heart's intention at all, but that is what others perceive. Ouch! I am challenged now to pray that God will show me my perspective, the other persons perspective, and more importantly HIS perspective about how we are made and what needs to change. I want God to show me how to pray for the other person. I will then start seeing change in their life from the inside out and not because I forced it. I will also start seeing those things God does not want to change in them, because He did not make them for the change I want them to have. Then I will change! Remember that there are definitions for "change" that are a "verb used with an object" and "verb used without an object." A couple of definitions under "verb used without an object" are "to become different" and "to become transformed." I like that! When we spend time with God in close communion we can't help but to be changed. That change will be the way HE wants it...transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what that good and acceptable will of God is for our lives. The chapter in the Bible where that comes from (Romans 12) goes on to tell us that we are all different and we need each other. It warns us of not thinking too highly of ourselves than we ought (that someone has to change to be like us). The Apostle Paul also urged us in verse 10 of that chapter to "be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another."

Lord help us to seek You in this area of change. Show us how to love each other in spite of our differences. Remind us that what we think is a strength, someone else thinks is a weakness. That's because You created us to take care of different things in the body of Christ. Help us to respect that in others and trust you to bring the change in each of us that YOU want us to have...from the inside out...change that shows spiritual growth and the development of the Godly character You want in each of us. I pray You will use my personality to edify and build up those you place in my life and not tear them down. In Jesus' Mighty Name, AMEN!!

Mother's Day...What a Blessing!

2009-05-10T07:49:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there! Whether I am thinking about my own precious mother or my children, I smile with gratitude on this day! I am also blessed to have my 92 year old grandmother on my mom's side still around. In fact, today I get the privilege of cooking a meal for my mom and grandma. Grandma loves God with all her heart. She has passed that passion down to my mother, who in turn has passed it to my generation. I thank God for the awesome privilege of now passing that insatiable desire for God down to my daughters. (On a side note, I just looked up the word, "insatiable"...that's not the word I'm looking for, because it means "not satiable; incapable of being satisfied or appeased: insatiable hunger for knowledge". Hmmm....with God we DO get completely satisfied, yet we always want more! There is always more for us, and we never get a hang over! Any suggestions for a word I can use!)

This is a day I always count my blessings. I am one of those women who knows what it is to desperately desire a child. Bill and I walked through a season of infertility for four years. Our first child was born 8 years after we got married. Looking back, I wouldn't trade it. God taught me SO MUCH during that time. I learned how to wait on a birthing! That has carried over into ministry as well. Amy and Amber are such jewels! What a blessing they have been and continue to be to Bill and me! I will never take them for granted. Just remember, we can plan our life all we want, but God knows what's best! Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

When to Say "I'm Sorry!"

2009-05-06T23:06:00.004-04:00

When is it right to say "I'm sorry!"? When we make a mistake, disobey God, or hurt others we need to apologize for sure. God is pleased with a truly repentant heart. However, how often do we say "I'm sorry" over and over again? Why wasn't the first time enough? Do we think God will not forgive us the first time? Do we have a problem forgiving ourselves? We need to remember 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God forgives us the first time we ask forgiveness. When we do not forgive ourselves we are putting ourselves above God. God is God. If He says someone is forgiven, they are forgiven!

Another time we say "I'm sorry" when we shouldn't is when we apologize for doing what is right. This has been brought to my attention recently. If I have convictions to do what is right, I shouldn't tell someone "I'm sorry." We do not have to apologize for God. If He works through us, we should not apologize for it. We need to just obey His promptings and leave the rest to Him.

I've seen people apologize for acting in a way that their natural personality functions. That is not something to be sorry about. God made us all different to fill different needs. Of course we all have strengths and weaknesses. God will show us those weak areas of our personalities that we need to surrender to Him to bring maturity. When we fall into the weaknesses, then an apology may be in order, but we need to trust God that He will use those times to fine tune our strengths. We should never apologize for using strengths that others do not have. They need us! We need them! When we realize that, we will not be offended or feel that we have to always say "I'm sorry."

As Much as Lies Within Us...

2009-04-28T05:46:00.003-04:00

"If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18

That verse has been ringing in my spirit quite a bit lately. Another version says, "as much as lies in you..." I like that translation. Think about it. If we indeed are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), and if indeed we are filled with the fullness of God (Eph. 3:19), what if we allowed the God in us to shine forth in our time with other people? Wow! He is the Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6) Our problem is that we get in the way. We become self-absorbed, thinking about our own perspective without a thought of the other person's perspective, or more importantly, without a thought of God's perspective.

Let's think for a moment about what peace is. One might think it is the absence of strife, division or pain. Is that peace? No. Peace is not the absence of anything. On the contrary, It is the presence of something. Ultimate peace is the presence of God. There is nothing like the peace you can experience when you are in the manifest presence of Almighty God! The Bible says that it is a peace that "passes all understanding." (Phil. 4:6-7) If we remember that it is the presence of something instead of the absence of something, we will realize that we can have true peace in the midst of all kinds of turmoil around us. If peace were really the absence of strife, we would only have peace in the good times. In this world, that would sure limit how much peace we can have! Paul got it. That's why he could say in Phillippians 4:11, "I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content."

The enemy sure wants to rob families, churches, communities, schools, and workplaces of peace. We cannot do anything about how other people react to issues that arise, but we can do more on our part to bring peace to a situation. I challenge you to take this to prayer. Every day this week, start the day by asking God to help you to remember to take Him to people with whom you come in contact. Pray that you will line up with Him. I like to say, "Lord, I place myself under You today. Let people see You and not me. I want to be a conduit of your love, peace, and healing to everyone who crosses my path. Help me remember that I take You with me wherever I go!"

I would love to hear from anyone who takes this challenge. Please come back and leave a comment about how this changes things in relationships in your life. You will more than likely notice a change within you first. You will start to see that you can experience peace even if the other person is not showing peace to you. Prayerfully, they will start seeing the peace in you and want it for themselves. I also suggest to read Ephesians 4:20-32 and Romans 12 and ask God to help you put this to practice. May God's Peace become real to you today!

I thank God upon every remembrance of you!

2009-04-21T13:17:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I had the awesome privilege of going to 1st Assembly of God in Caldwell, TX to speak at a women's conference on Saturday and the church on Sunday morning and evening. It was like going to Mayberry! Now I understand totally what Paul meant when he said, "I thank God upon every remembrance of you in my prayers!" The people at 1st Assembly were so sweet! They showered me with love and received the word God gave me for them with joy. God's presence was so real in worship and during the messages. I will treasure that weekend for years to come. I thank God for the opportunity and I thank all of you at 1st AG! Get ready, God's bringing great increase your way! I look forward to the great reports. I look forward more to coming back and seeing for myself! :)

Feel free to click on the title to this post and see pictures of the conference in Caldwell.

Happy Resurrection Day!!

2009-04-12T16:46:00.005-04:00

"Jesus said unto her, 'I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' " John 11:25

This was the verse that God laid on my grandmother's heart August 4, 1955, the day my grandfather met his maker just two weeks after he made Jesus the Lord of his life. That morning, my Grandmother Barron was scheduled to speak for a women's meeting at a church. While she was in route to the meeting, she couldn't get John 11:25 off her mind, so instead of delivering the message she had prepared, she talked to the women about Jesus being the resurection and the life. Little did she know that my grandfather's flight had a fire in the engine and crashed at the same time she was with the ladies.

While Grandpa was going down, he recited the Lord's prayer over the radio to the control tower. Though I do not understand why his time to go was that day before I ever came into the world to meet him, I am so grateful to know he surrendered his life to Christ and that one day I will meet him in Heaven--all because of Jesus' death and resurrection on the third day that we celebrate today!

Only God knows the length of our days on this earth. On that same flight was supposed to be one of the superintendents of the Assemblies of God. He was told right before take off that he had a phone call and if he were to take it he would miss the flight. He chose to take it. God was ready for my grandfather to come home, but he had more for this minister to do on earth. Either way, it was all because of Christ's resurrection!

Praise God for a lifestyle of Christian living that reminds us that we have hope because of that day over 2,000 years ago when our Lord and Savior conquered death, hell and the grave! That's a whole lot better than bunnies, candy and eggs!

Grace and Peace be Multiplied to You!

2009-04-02T21:52:00.004-04:00

I had a dream recently that I was asked to speak to a large women's convention. When I got behind the mic, I exclaimed, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you!" When I woke from the dream I began to research that in the Bible. I found out that Peter opened both his letters with that exhortation in 1 Peter 1:2 and 2 Peter 1:2. He was writing to believers who were facing conflict in the form of persecution from outside the church as well as division from within the church. He put them in the right order because you cannot have peace until you have grace. Grace is God giving us the free gift of salvation that we do not deserve. That is what brings true peace!

With all the present-day conflicts we are facing, we will do good to delve into this a little bit deeper and see how it applies to us today. I researched the meaning of the Greek words Peter used for grace and peace. You're going to love this!

The Greek word for "grace" is "charis" which according to www.blueletterbible.org means:

1) grace

a) that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech

2) good will, loving-kindness, favour

a) of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues

3) what is due to grace

a) the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace

b) the token or proof of grace, benefit

1) a gift of grace

2) benefit, bounty

4) thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward

The Greek word for "peace" is "eirene" which according to www.blueletterbible.org means:

1) a state of national tranquillity

a) exemption from the rage and havoc of war

2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord

3) security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)

4) of the Messiah's peace

a) the way that leads to peace (salvation)

5) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is

6) the blessed state of devout and upright men after death

Wow! As I've been known to proclaim before, "That'll preach!" I want to proclaim that same blessing on you today, that all you just read be MULTIPLIED to you!

The Brain: What an Incredible Creation!

2009-03-22T21:46:00.007-04:00

Yesterday we had a workshop at the Legacy Equipping Center using a DVD series offered through James Robison's ministry, Life Today! The series is called Your Body, God's Temple. We watched the first 4 sessions by Caroline Leaf, PhD, author of Who Switched Off My Brain? I highly recommend this series and her book. I've linked the title of this post to the order form for this series.

Did you know that there is a place in your brain where scientists actually believe our free will is housed? When a thought comes into your mind, you have a choice. Will you reject it or accept it? Thoughts don't become a stronghold (good or bad) until you decide to accept it, meditate on it and act on it. I also learned that 87% of illness is attributed to our thought life and 13% is attributed to genetics and environment. Wow! That certainly motivates me to have a positive attitude and watch what I let my mind dwell upon.

Once a negative memory is implanted in the brain, it stays. However, God can heal us by giving us His transforming truth to cover that negative memory. Before the healing takes place, one can think about a memory and experience a great deal of pain. After God heals the individual, he can think about the memory but will experience peace and joy instead of pain.

I learned a great deal about stress from these DVDs. When we are stressed, the chemicals released in our brain that are needed in small amounts begin to be released in greater unhealthy quantities. That is why when you are stressed, you are more susceptible to colds, headaches, digestive problems, etc. Continued stress causes attacks on the heart and arteries, followed by the immune system and finally the brain. Stress in children has an even more negative affect than on adults. Dr. Leaf said that allowing your child to continue to be in stress for an extended period of time is a form of abuse. Think about our community and how much is expected out of our children. The homework level I've seen put on my daughters is at times extremely overwhelming, with levels of learning that I don't remember ever even learning when I was their age. Besides that, children have so many extra-curricular activities that are pulling them in so many different directions. And with half the marriages ending in divorce and the stress of parents in financial strains because of the economy, you know that has to add to the stress level in our children.

I am thankful that God's Word lets us know that we can have peace that passes understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory! We need to heed to that and teach our children to trust in the Prince of Peace. The answer to stress is allowing our thoughts to stay on God. We have to model for our children times when we pull away from the business of life and get alone with Him.

Isaiah 26:3 NKJ
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Are You Sure You're Willing?

2009-03-14T21:35:00.002-04:00

I had the privilege of attending 3 of the 4 nights of Bruce Wilkinson's conference on his new book, You Were Born For This! this past week at Operation Mobilization in Tyrone, GA. He will be back Monday through Thursday night this week, too. I highly recommend attending to those of you who are anywhere close to Tyrone! It is 6:15-9:00!

One of the things he pointed out was that God is not looking for willingness and availability; He's looking for action! His message was that you can be willing to your grave and still not do much for God. When Isaiah saw the Lord (Isaiah 6) he was changed. When God said, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?", Isaiah responded, "Here am I! Send me!" Notice he did not say, "I'm willing." He said, "Send me!" When you do that, expect God appointments!

I challenge you to pray each morning this week for God to send you. Keep a tally. See how many people God sends your way to show His love, peace, joy and freedom. When you do, your awe of God will be multiplied! You may just become addicted and ask God every morning! Come back and leave a comment. I'd love to know!

Willing Heart

2009-03-08T21:07:00.000-04:00

"Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart,..." Exodus 35:21-22

This is another verse that seemed to jump out of the page to me on my journey through the Bible. What would happen if all Christians would pray for a willing heart? No longer would it be 20% of the people doing 80% of the work in churches. A slow economy would not affect the ministries when people willingly give time, money and prayers. There would be a revival of lost souls coming to know the Lord!

A willing heart leads to deep inner healing in one who trades a hard heart for a soft heart. Not only that, but others will also be drawn to God as they witness the difference God is allowed to make in the person's life. I long for a willing heart to hear God's voice and do what He calls me to do. Lord, please soften our hearts!

Anointed Workmanship

2009-03-02T08:02:00.004-05:00

I have decided that this is the year I will not only start reading the Bible straight through, but this time I will actually complete it! Even though I am behind in my schedule, I'm not giving up! This morning I read something that goes along with the desire God has given me to encourage Christians that they are in ministry whether they are officially in the "clergy" or not.

"And Moses said to the children of Israel,
'See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship,to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze,in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship. And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver--those who do every work and those who design artistic works.' " Exodus 35:30-35

See how God gave special grace and anointing for Bezalel to be an artist? Imagine that...an anointing on designing, engraving, tapestry making and even an anointint on teaching all that! What is an anointing? It is when you do what God has gifted you to do at the time He calls you to do it. Remember that whatever you are called to do, God can give special blessing for you to get it done with joy, without frustration, and yet all for His special purposes! Then you can step back and say, "Lord, only You could have helped me accomplish that for Your glory. Thank you for the gift!"

Snow in Georgia!

2009-03-01T23:11:00.003-05:00

A little break from the "serious" blogging...

Can you believe it? It snowed about 4 inches or more at our house today! It's already melted, but the kids had a blast! They made a "gorilla" snowman and sledded down the hill in our yard. They're even more excited now, because since it's going to get in the 20's and refreeze all the slush, school is closed tomorrow! I'm so glad...more for Bill, my teacher husband. He needs a break!

It's nice to have one afternoon of a winter wonderland post-card view in our own yard! All this happened on March 1, no less! It's supposed to be in the 70's in a few days. Go figure!

Hurt Versus Suffering

2009-02-17T08:02:00.007-05:00

Has God ever asked us to hurt? Has He asked us to suffer? I've never really thought of this before prayer time with a friend yesterday, but there is not a scripture where God tells us to hurt. There are plenty of scriptures where he warns us that we will suffer. What's the difference?

I started a word study this morning on "hurt" versus "suffer." The Hebrew and Greek words for hurt are tied to evil, distress, calamity and adversity. Most of the verses that have "hurt" are actually God telling us that He will protect us against hurt. Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” In the Old Testament when the three Hebrew boys in exile would not bow their knee to the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to worship, he had them thrown into a fiery furnace. It was then reported to the king in Daniel 3:25, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." (emphasis mine)

Scriptures that warn us that we will have to suffer have a more eternal perspective. There are actually quite a few Greek words for "suffer," but the one used the most often is "pascho" which means - to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo. Jesus tried to tell the disciples before his crucifixion that he would have to suffer. He had to feel pain for us. He asks us if we are willing to share in that suffering so we can be more sensitive to the pain of others. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;” (Phil. 1:29) Our problem is that our finite minds get stuck on the suffering instead of the end result. When God asks us if we are willing to suffer for Him, the destination is not the pain. The destination is that JOY of eternity with Him on the other side of suffering!

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.” Romans 8:16-18

I challenge you to do your own word study on hurt and suffering. There are so many more scriptures on this subject. Next time you experience some pain, ask God for His perspective. When you learn to "dwell in the secret place of the Most High" during a time of pain, the enemy will not be able to hurt you. (Ps. 91) You will start experiencing a deeper level of intimacy with God that you would not have had without the time of suffering. God will prove Himself Faithful and True!

Word Check!

2009-02-10T03:56:00.003-05:00

This morning I was woken from a deep sleep stirred to pray for some dear friends and their marriage. As I sought the Lord on how to pray for them, I was prompted to go on a journey through the scriptures about abiding in His Word. My prayer is that this husband and wife would each have a tremendous desire for God's Word that will penetrate through the temptation to focus on the bleak outlook the enemy has for their marriage.

The book of John has so much to say about the pros of abiding in God's Word and the cons about not making room for His word. In John 8:31-32, Jesus tells us that if we abide in His word, then we are disciples and we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free. If that's true (and we know it is!), then why are so many Christians walking around defeated? Could it be that the truth we know to be right is being choked out by the cares of this world? I think of the parable of the sower and the seed. The seed that fell among the soil with thorns got choked out. Jesus said that the seed was the Word of God. He said that "he who received the seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." (Matt. 13:22) I don't want to be an "unfruitful" Christian. No fruit means no harvest of souls, but first it means no fruit of the Spirit in my own life that would in turn lead to a harvest of souls for His Kingdom.

So, today I challenge you to do a Word check. How much love do you have? How about joy? Peace? Patience? Kindness? Goodness? Faith? Gentleness? Self-control? If any of these are lacking, then you need to pray for a deeper desire to abide in His Word. Is it possible to have all these in the midst of adverse circumstances? Absolutely! I call it being in a God-bubble! It's like that movie from the 70's, "Boy in the Plastic Bubble." John Travolta played a boy that could not go outside of his house because the germs he could acquire in the world could kill him. Finally, they made a suit like a space suit he could wear so he could go out in the world and be protected from all the germs. If you start abiding in God's Word and allowing His Word to abide in you, you will find yourself in the midst of all the mess of your life, but it will be like you are in a protective bubble. Instead of despair, depression, or anxiety, you'll have faith, hope and love! I dare say that you will also start seeing that the circumstances that once weighed you down will start changing. Instead of the state of the affairs of your life influencing you, your new out-look will start influencing them! Relationships will be restored! Bills will be paid! Bodies will be healed!

Lord, thank you for your life-changing Word! I pray for a deeper desire for Your Word. Help me to abide in Your Word today. Even when I cannot stop to physically pick up the Bible to read, please remind me of a verse to meditate upon. I pray that Your Word will take root deep in my heart, in Jesus' Name! Amen!

Lighten Up! Going Deeper! report

2009-02-02T06:00:00.004-05:00

God truly showed up and showed out at the Lighten Up! Going Deeper! women's conference this past Saturday! What a kick off as the first conference Legacy Ministries has ever put on. Boy, did we ever have obstacles leading up to the conference! The enemy sure did not want it to happen! He lost, though! BIG TIME!!

Reports from attendees are starting to come in. One lady told me that she did not know what to expect, but she is so glad she went. She said that everything led to the next. Every song, speaker, testimony, etc. kept building up to the next thing all for God's purposes. Another said, "Your conference was awesome the whole day. Sometimes I get bored at other women's conferences, but not this one!" Yet another said,

"It took me a while to understand the "lighten up" part of the conference but once I did I think a shed a few spiritual pounds of judgement! Your style of communicating what God had given you was relaxed and oozed with love for God and His women. I would highly recommend this conference to those that are thirsty for more and want to experience freedom from past hurts and prejudices."

I am going to post some pictures on my website. You can get there by clicking on the title to this blog entry. If they are not there yet, check back. If any of you attended the conference, please leave a comment to this blog. I'd love to read what God did for you!

3 Day Devotional Posted Online

2009-01-29T22:26:00.005-05:00

I'm so excited that the Lighten Up! Going Deeper! women's conference will be here in less than 2 days! I challenged the registrants to join me on a 3 day fast of their choosing to prepare for what God wants to do in thier lives at the conference. I posted devotionals on my website for them to read each day of the fast. Day 1 - "What is Weighing You Down"; Day 2 - "Are You Willing to 'Let Go and Let God'?"; Day 3 - "Preparing to Go Deep"

Whether you are a participant of the conference or not, you may print the devotionals for yourself. You can get to them by simply clicking on the title to this blog post above. Feel free to then come back and leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from you. Please be in prayer for our conference. I'm sure I'll have great reports to blog about after Saturday!

Fasting -- Returning to a Foundational Discipline

2009-01-21T06:07:00.003-05:00

Fast. What comes to your mind when you see that word? Some might think of it in terms of speed. Others will think of not eating. Our society is so fast-paced that we often times don't have time, or don't take time, to even think about taking time out of our schedule to seek God on a genuine fast. As Christians need to get back to the discipline of fasting. It is becoming a necessity if we want to be stripped of clutter that keeps us from hearing God's voice clearly. Sadly, many Christians have never even fasted one meal. Are we not willing to sacrifice even one meal to find the heart of God?

As I prepare for our women's conference coming up on January 31, God is stirring me to fast. The theme of the conference is Lighten Up! Going Deeper! What better way to get rid of junk that weighs us down and prepare to draw closer to God than to go on a fast? I'm not talking about merely skipping meals to show some kind of "super Christian" label. I'm talking about seeking God. In fact, this time God is leading me on a different type of fast. Rather than going on a certain type of fast, I am to seek Him each day for what to fast that day. It might be dessert or it might be the whole meal. It might even be the computer! This way the focus is not on the fast itself, but it is on merely seeking God and learning to hear His voice more clearly.

Isaiah 11:3-4 (talking about the Messiah) says, "...He shall not judge by the sight of His ears, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with Righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth..." Jesus makes decisions with righteousness. Righteousness, right-standing before God, is extended to us. Prayerfully during this fasting time we will let go of some junk that has built up in our lives that keeps us from realizing that righteousness God offers to us. Then we will be able to make decisions with His direction--His righteousness.

Will you join with me on a fast? How many days? That's up to you and God. What will you fast? That, too, is up to you and God. I pray it will be a time that our focus will be on God and we will learn a new level of trusting God. Is. 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." May His perfect peace be yours as you seek Him!

BTW, I found a great blog post about fasting at my friend Julie Ferwerda's website. If you click on the title of this post, you will be taken to it.

Also, if any of you ladies in the Atlanta area would like to come to the Lighten Up! Going Deeper! women's conference, go to my website to find out more information or to register. www.legacyministries.info

Trust God...BYSSIW

2009-01-14T06:58:00.006-05:00

Lately it seems that God is bringing up the topic of trusting Him quite a bit. I know it's on our money (at least for now!), "In God We Trust," but do we? I have many friends who are going through circumstances of monumental proportions that consequently are bringing them to a test of their trust in God. The circumstances I know of include court hearings, cancer, wayward children, possible foreclosures, divorce, death of loved ones, and on and on the list goes.

One of my friends I am asking you to pray for, Dick Bowley, has a blog on which he journals his journey through leukemia. God is pouring through him as he writes his entries. I feel as though I'm praying for a miracle for my daily devotional author. He calls those of us who read the daily posts and pray for him his POP team (power of prayer). (You can join the POP team by going to http://www.carepages.com/carepages/DickBowley) I read it to see how to pray for him, but I find myself encouraged and ministered to each time. On today's entry, he retold the story of Jesus telling Peter who had just toiled all night fishing and catching nothing to launch out into deeper waters and cast his net. Peter responded with BYSSIW - Because You said so, I will!

Then I read a blog entry by another friend, Amy Woods, about the same subject. (You may read it, too by going to http://life275style.blogspot.com/2008/12/life-275-stylepsalm-275-that-is.html.) On the blog post, she talks about Psalm 27:5 -"For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." There it is again...a reminder that we can trust HIM! He is our only sure foundation TO trust. Thank God, we have Him!

As I go about God's assignments for me today, I will be praying for you and all my friends to be strengthened to go through the trusting test. Please join me in prayer for one in particular, my good friend, Claude Parent. He has recently found out that cancer that he got through once has returned. Thank you for joining with me to pray for wisdom for treatments, endurance for the race and healing for every fiber of his body.

Lord, all our hope is in YOU! We proclaim today that in You, and in You only, we place our trust!!

God Is Working When We Don't Even Know It!

2009-01-08T01:31:00.004-05:00

I think this is the first time I have posted on my blog for the second time in less than 24 hours. The reason is I am so excited about what God is doing in my life right now, I cannot sleep! It is 1:33 AM. Anyone who knows me knows I am not a night owl. I usually start shutting down at 9:30 or 10:00.

Rather than continue lying in the bed with a thousand thoughts racing, I decided to get up and go to www.crosswalk.com to read my assignment for my daily Bible reading plan. Today's scripture included the story about Jacob having the dream about the ladder going up to Heaven with angels going up and down it (Gen. 28). It goes on to say, And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: "I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it."

As I read I thought, "That's it! I know how he feels!" Lately God has shown me that He has been working when I did not even know it. I can think of recent examples about Him doing this concerning contacts about my book, Loving God With All Five Senses, my ministry (Legacy Ministries), and the 1st Women's Conference Legacy is presenting on the 31st of this month called Lighten Up! Going Deeper!

If you would like to see what all is going on with any of these things, I invite you to visit my website at www.legacyministries.info. Thank you for allowing me some time to unload some of my excitement so I can go to sleep now!

Pray for Gaza!

2009-01-07T06:23:00.004-05:00

This morning I went to www.crosswalk.com to read my assignment for the day in my Bible reading plan, and my eyes fell on a link about a Baptist Church being damaged in the midst of the bombing between Hamas and Israel. (If you click on the title of this blog, it will take you to the article.) As a born-again Christian so many thoughts race through my mind as I think about what is unfolding before our very eyes! Wow! Think of it!

Growing up I used to hear sermons all the time about the rapture of the church. I remember reel to reel movies being shown at church all about the Lord's soon return. Since then I have not heard much about getting ready for the Lord's return. Now things are changing. At least they better! All those things they used to preach about are actually happening, and they are increasing at an alarming rate. I don't mean to scare anyone. If your heart is right with God all this news should excite you. If you are not sure, it is time! (I recommend going to www.powertochange.com.) Remember, Jesus' return to take His bride, the church, to Heaven is our "Blessed Hope." (See Titus 2:13.)

Let this blog be a reminder to you to do as the Bible commands us and "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." The only way there will be peace is when the "New Jerusalem" is set up. That means when we pray for peace in Jerusalem, we are actually praying for the Lord to come! In the meantime, let us also remember to pray for the Christians in the area, like this Baptist church that happened to be right in the midst of the crossfire. We need to also pray for the Jews and Muslims to find the true Prince of Peace as we have. Jesus is the world's only HOPE!

New Year - Fresh Start!

2009-01-03T11:09:00.003-05:00

Can you believe it is already a new year? I'm looking forward to what God has in store for us in 2009! I'm so glad God gives us new beginnings. Now is the time to re-evaluate. How is my relationship with God? with Bill? with the girls? with fellow believers? with others? How do I manage my time? How much time do I waste? Where do you draw the line between relaxing and wasting time? Hmmm....so many questions go through my mind every January.

Here are a few things I'm going to try to follow through on for this year...

1. Give God first fruits of my time.
2. Pray for people as soon as God brings them to my mind.
3. When I win, I'll praise God; When I lose, I'll praise God! (This taken from the movie we watched on New Year's Eve, "Facing the Giants"...I srongly recommend this movie!)
4. Don't jump to conclusions as soon as something happens!
5. Keep hugging my family...one of my favorite things to do!
6. Get in shape. (Read my January column for more thoughts on this one. My article, "A Tasty New Year's Resolution" can be read at www.ithirstnw.net.)
7. Read the Bible through. I listen to the DailyAudioBible podcast, which I recommend: www.dailyaudiobible.com, but this year I also want to read straight through. I recommend www.crosswalk.com. You can register for free and have a daily reading plan with whatever version you choose. You check when you've read the reading assignment, and it keeps track of your progress.
8. Focus!

I could go on, but that's enough!

May God bless you as you re-evaluate at the beginning of another great year! Happy 2009!

The Gift of Love

2008-12-25T06:01:00.007-05:00

Here I am, up early Christmas morning before the family. Merry Christmas! As I was waking this morning, I started thinking of the many people who are having anything but a Merry Christmas. I began praying for them to focus on the Father's gift of Love more than on their own selves. The enemy of our souls so wants to distract us from that.

So many people are depressed, angry, confused, and/or anxious today--the day we celebrate the Prince of Peace sent as a light to our darkness. Most of these desperate people do not know that this gift of Love has truly been given to them. A gift does no one any good until they receive it. It doesn't matter who gave the gift. It doesn't matter what the gift is or how much it costs. If the recipient of the gift does not take the gift in their hands, open it and use it for it's intended purpose, it will continue to be useless. So today, I offer a prayer for all the lonely people. Yes, they are lonely if they have not received the gift of Love, even if they are surrounded by many friends and family. Father, I pray that today many will have eyes to see that gift of Love You have given them when You sent Jesus. I pray that many will not only see the gift, but they will embrace it and receive the Prince of Peace into their broken hearts.

Now for the many Christians who have received Emmanuel, God With Us, but are still depressed, angry, confused and/or anxious today, Lord please remind them Who is in control! They are doing exactly what the enemy wants them to do when they focus on themselves and all the issues that they think are causing their depression or anxiety. I pray that they would look within, but that they would look deeper within. I pray they would look deeper than the layer of the present circumstances of the mess in which they find themselves. I pray they would look deeper than the layer of the past memories of the many people who have let them down. Help them to see deep within that gift of Love they took in years ago--the gift that keeps on giving, if they will only keep receiving! I pray that they would stop allowing the enemy to rob them of the "peace that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:6) and the "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8) that they have in Jesus!

The Senses of Christmas

2008-12-09T10:18:00.009-05:00

I had the awesome privilege of speaking at the Peachtree City United Methodist Church Women's annual Christmas brunch on Saturday. It was a joy to see people from the past, including ladies whom I taught their children when I was a music teacher years ago and fellow teachers from my years at Huddleston Elementary school. Thanks goes out to PTCUMC Women for inviting me! Everything was beautiful and it was a delight to be there!

The topic of my message was "The Senses of Christmas." I used the article I wrote with the same title for my monthly column, "Sensesational Musings by Tammy Melton" for www.ithirstnw.net (BTW, you may click on the title of this blog post to be taken to the page to read the article...scroll down to the bottom.), but I added more about Christmas being a time to remind us to serve.

Christmas is the holiday above others that appeals to our senses. You can probably taste that hot spiced cider and feel the warmth it brings to your body and soul even as you read this! And as much as we may say we are tired of hearing Christmas music, imagine a December without it! As we gather for all our festive parties and church presentations, let's not forget the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus indeed left His throne of Glory to come experience the five senses for us that first Christmas day.

Why did he do it? He did it for us. “...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28) Jesus is the ultimate example of a true servant. (See Philippians 2:5-8) Servanthood is the opposite of selfishness. He gave it all. He gave His life so that we can have eternal life. We've all heard the saying, "Nobody's perfect!" That goes along with the Bible that says we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. The Good News is that God Himself, the perfect one, came to take our place. Now we get the best gift of eternal life! That's what Christmas is all about!

How do we thank Him? 1. by receiving the gift for which He gave His life and 2. by serving others as He served us. I encourage you to give money in the red bucket when you pass by a Salvation Army bell ringer. I encourage you to find someone less fortunate and bless them this Christmas. When we do, we will help to soften the hardness of hearts in a society that tries to push Christ out of Christmas.

Post Thanksgiving Ponderings

2008-11-28T06:29:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Yes, the day we call "Thanksgiving" in America is over for this year, but thanksgiving itself needs to abound within us every day of our lives. This should be a reminder for us to show an attitude of gratitude to all with whom we come in contact. God has stirred me to thank my children more when I ask them to do something. Even though they are to obey me, because I'm their mother, it is much more pleasant for all of us if I ask them pleasantly and respond with a loving "thank you." When we stop thanking people we start taking them for granted. I certainly don't want to take them for granted! (I learned that before they ever got here when I experienced years of infertility.)

It is important to thank people in our lives, but it is even more important to thank God. He is the source of our very existence! As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:57, "Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." When we spend that time with God in close communion, thanksgiving will automatically flow to others out of the overflow God gives us. It is a cycle: thanksgiving to God leads to thanksgiving to people which leads to thanking God for people which brings us back to God!

Focus on God keeps this thanksgiving cylce going and keeps the motives of our hearts pure. Focus on people will stop the process and choke out gratitude from our hearts. Why? Because God is pure and people are not. God is the only One who will never let us down. Even our closest friends and relatives will let us down even if they don't intend to. When we focus on people, we start dwelling on their weaknesses and how they let us down. That's when seeds of offense start to take root and bitterness begins to fester.

I received a Thanksgiving e-card that had the following scripture passage on it: Colossians 3:12-17, "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Notice verse 13 says that we must forgive. We have to if we want that cycle of thanksgiving, that brings peace and joy, to keep going. Hopefully Thanksgiving was a time that reminded us to do a gratitude check. This passage tells us a list of things to "put on" that will encourage gratitude. If while we do our post-Thanksgiving check we find more offense than thanksgiving, we may need to go up a few verses and find out what we have to "put off" before we can "put on" all the good stuff! I'll let you do that for yourself. The whole chapter of Colossians 3 is rich with awesome nuggets of gold! Happy mining!!

Emmaus: The Wow Factor!

2008-11-18T05:38:00.002-05:00

"Wow!" That's the word I kept finding myself saying while I was on my Walk to Emmaus journey in the beautiful NC mountains. It is one of those things that you cannot truly grasp until you experience it yourself. Before I went, I was asked what I hoped to get from my time at Mountain Top Emmaus. My response: "I pour out in ministry so much, I just want to be poured into!" That is exactly what happened!

What a joy to gather together with women from across the denomination lines to be set apart for 72 hours with our Lord! He certainly met us there! My two longings (being in His presence and seeing the body of Christ laying aside differences to come together) were more than fulfilled.

And my first day back (the 4th day, as they call it)...well, let's just say I certainly knew I wasn't on the mountain top anymore! Oh, yes, mountains of laundry and situations in ministry welcomed me home! Beside that, my body is tired. As one fellow pilgrim on the journey called it, I have "exhausted exhilaration!" That's OK, though, because I now know that I can operate on the overflow. When I get alone with my God, His Agape Love flows through me, cleaning me out and filling me up to overflowing. I now know that I need that overflow to keep going in ministry and everyday life without burning out.

I used to say that every Christian needs to do 2 things in their life time: 1. help start a church or ministry from the ground and 2. go on a short-term missions trip. Now I am adding a third thing: Go on a Walk To Emmaus journey! I recommend the Mountain Top Emmaus serving Western NC and North Georgia. To all those readers from Mountain Top, THANK YOU!! The love and service lavished on all the participants was such a physical example of Christ's grace to His beloved. We all come back renewed and ready to show that same love of Christ to weary believers and lost souls. Forward march!

Pause for Walk to Emmaus

2008-11-12T23:09:00.003-05:00

I'm going to a Walk to Emmaus retreat tomorrow through Sunday night. I've never been on one but have heard so many awesome reports about them from others. I'm ready! No phone, no computer, no tv. Believe it or not, that sounds good to me! As I was just sitting here waiting for my computer to boot up so I could post a blog, I picked up a New Testament and opened it up. The very first page I saw said, "Jesus Appears to Disciples on the Road to Emmaus!" No lie! God's so good!

You may want to read the passage for yourself. It is found in Luke 24:12-32. I noticed something interesting in verses 28-29: "As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them." Noticed how it said that Jesus "acted" like He was leaving. Then they "urged him strongly" to stay with them and He did. Do you ever feel like God is going away? Maybe He "acts" like that so that you will bid Him to stay.

I know I will have quite a bit to blog about when I get home. For now I want to leave you with the last verses of the passage that are my favorite: "(30) When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. (31) Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. (32) They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?' "

I look forward to revelation and burning in my heart as He talks to me on my Road to Emmaus this weekend!

Pray for our new president.

2008-11-05T22:24:00.002-05:00

I came across another blog by Lee Grady of Charisma Magazine that is a great prayer guide for our newly elected US President. I urge you to go to it and read, "10 Ways to Pray for Barak Obama" by simply clicking on the title to this post. I am also stirred to pray for unity within the church after the effects of this campaign has left scars in many. Let's all remember who is in ultimately in charge. God is! He is the only One who sees the whole picture of what's going on with the economy, the presidential office, congress, supreme court, etc. As I said in the last post, we must seek His face! Then we will start seeing others with different views as He sees them.

I leave you with a praise report about the elections that you may not have heard. In all three states (California, Arizona, and Florida) that had propositions on the ballet about marriage, the vote was to protect the constitutional amendment protecting the definition of marriage to be a union between one man and one woman!

We interrupt this program to give you a special report!

2008-10-30T05:24:00.006-04:00

Have you ever watched a program on TV and an announcer proclaimed, "We interrupt this program to give you a special report!"? That's exactly what I want to do. I want to get more feedback on my last post about Jesus stirring people and then give my thoughts about it, but I have to wait on that and blog what God is stirring in my heart this morning.

I woke up early (earlier than my flesh would have liked!) to that still small voice saying, "Seek My face!" I went to my computer and did a search in the Bible. Here are the verses I found:

2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Psalms 27:8 NKJ When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek."

Hosea 5:15 NKJ I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."

I know that right now in light of the US presidential elections, we HAVE to do this! It's not just presidential elections, it is elections for congress, laws to protect marriage, the unborn, and may we not forget the future justices of the Supreme Court that will make rulings on many values we Christians hold dear. I pray that God will stir His people (ahh, where have we heard that before?!) and draw us to seek His face.

Now I want to hear from you about what you think that means to "seek God's face" and why that is so important. Hopefully we'll have more people chiming in, so keep your posts somewhat brief. I look forward to reading what everyone says!

Jesus "stirs up the people."

2008-10-28T08:36:00.002-04:00

When I was reading the Bible this morning, something jumped out from the page at me. This time I want to get feedback from my blog readers, so please take a couple of minutes and send a response. The verse is Luke 23:5. The setting is when the people took Jesus to Pilate to get Him crucified. Pilate said that he found no fault in Him, but the people went on to tell Pilate why they thought he should be killed. The first argument they had was that Jesus "stirs up the people". This made them angry. What I want to know is what do you think that means and why were the people so angry about it?

Are We Listening?

2008-10-22T14:31:00.004-04:00

Recently I had a friend email me and asked me to pray about a situation she was facing. When I responded to her, I asked her if she had asked God about it. She replied, "No I haven't. I guess I really don't want to hear what He has to say, because I'm afraid He's going to ask me to do something I don't want to do." Well, at least she's honest!

I came across a verse in my morning Bible reading today that addresses the issue of not listening to God. It is found in Ephesians 4:17-18 in the New Century Version: 17.In the Lord's name, I tell you this. Do not continue living like those who do not believe. Their thoughts are worth nothing. 18.They do not understand, and they know nothing, because they refuse to listen. So they cannot have the life that God gives. Now I know this is talking about unbelievers, but it is a warning to us to not be as the unbelievers who refuse to listen. We all tend to fall into the trap of not listening to God--whether it be because of stubborness or because of distractions of this world. When that happens, we lack some of the fullness of life God desires for us to have.

May we stop and ponder these things. I pray that this is a reminder to you, as it is to me, to turn to God and let Him "speak" to us in the many ways that only He can....be it circumstances, through Bible reading, through other people, or in that still, small voice in our spirits. Even if there are times He asks us to do something out of our comfort zone, the end result will be joy and abundant life!

In Our Weakness, His Strength is Made Perfect!

2008-10-13T10:13:00.005-04:00

This past weekend my plans to attend a retreat with the ladies at my church were thwarted. Instead I found myself in the bed with an upper respiratory infection. I spent many hours in the bed. I know this is a reminder to slow down! There comes a time when our bodies finally let us know that we have to stop and rest.

During this time I have pondered the whole thing about being weak. It is times like this that I am reminded that in and of myself, I can do nothing! Then I remember the verse in 2 Corinthians 9 where God tells us that His grace is sufficient for us and that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Look at what the Message Bible says: 2 Cor. 12:9-10 - "and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."

Then I was taken to Hebrews 11, the chapter in the Bible that is known as "The Hall of Fame of Faith." This chapter lists such Biblical heroes as Noah, Abraham, Sara and others and how they had faith. In verses 32-40, the author of Hebrews goes on to say that there were many others that he did not have time to go into detail about but he listed some of the things they did that proved their faith. Look what he said they did in verses 33 and 34: "who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." Did you see it?! Right in the middle of the list of subduing kingdoms, stopping lions' mouths, and being valient in battle is what jumped out of the page at me: "out of weakness were made strong!" I think that point of faith comes when in our weak times, we stop and say, "Yes, Lord, I thank you for my weaknesses that remind me that I can do nothing without you. I surrender my weakness to allow Your strength to flow through me!"

Yes, I do thank God that He has touched my body and that I am out of the bed today, but I thank Him even more for the reminder of His strength that is carrying me!

Lord, I pray that my weakness will be an opportunity to excercise faith--faith that shows Your strength to those around me!

Hallelujah!

2008-10-04T07:20:00.006-04:00

A friend of mine recently brought to my attention that the word "Hallelujah" was the same in all languages. Imagine that! The word that literally means to praise Yahweh (Jehovah, God) is spoken by people from different nations, cultures, and languages. How awesome that will be when my Jesus comes again, and we all bow down and say in one voice, "Hallelujah!"

Too often we just say words in the Christian lingo without any thought of what it indeed means. "Hallelujah" is no exception. We need to stop and realize what we are saying when we utter "hallelujah." I think of the word, "hallowed." God is so holy! Now when I say "hallelujah," I think, "How holy, worthy and pure You are, oh Lord Most High!" It is so refreshing to be in His presence and allow Him to wash away our impurities! It draws me to want to be holy and please Him.

You might think that coming into the presence of the Most Holy God would cause feelings of guilt and condemnation. Yes, if we enter in focusing on ourselves and how miserably we have failed, we may feel that way. However, if we enter in focusing on how great God is and how much we just want to be with Him, we will feel nothing but Him drawing us to Himself and giving us a desire to surrender all that garbage in our lives to Him in exchange for His unconditional, totally forgiving love! With that comes a desire to be with Him more and live a life that will reflect His light to the darkness of this world.

Think about that next time you utter, "Hallelujah!"

Keeping an Eternal Vision

2008-09-24T15:05:00.007-04:00

I had the awesome privilege of attending the annual Servanthood Ministries Convention September 18-20 in New Boston, Texas. The theme of the convention was "Keeping and Eternal Vision." That is exactly what I was motivated to do as I left! I have such a desire now to look to God and let go of distractions.

I have been attending this convention since 2000, and I never cease to be amazed at how very real God's presence is manifested like a blanket of peace over the conferencees and like a geizer of joy springing up from within each individual heart. It is an experience that one has to be present to really know what I am talking about.

In ministry I get the feeling that I am pouring out to people as I share the love of God I have deep within. There comes a time when I have to pull away from the crowd and get alone with the Father as Jesus did to get poured into again. That's what God let me do when I went to the Servanthood Ministries convention. Thank God for filling my tank to be able to go out and pour into hurting people's lives even more!

One of the highlights of the convention for me was when a youth group from a local church ministered to the crowd with a human video to the song, "We Sing to the Nations." The young people had flags from different countries. The worship leader then got up and asked someone to hold the American Flag. The microphone was then open to anyone who felt led to pray for our country. I was one of the ones who went up to pray. I have been stirred to pray for the church in America for racial reconciliation, especially during this election. I asked a great African American friend of mine to come up to the stage. I then took her by the hand and began to pray for racial prejudism between whites and blacks in the church to be torn down. I then faced my friend, looked her in the eye, and said through tears, "On behalf of all the whites in the church, please forgive us!" She then took the microphone and said, "On behalf of my brothers and sisters, we release you from responsibility." There was more to the prayers, but bottom line, a real sincerity rang out from both sides, and the audience was moved and agreed with us in prayer.

Please join with me as we continue to pray for racial reconciliation in the church. Pray also that believers will wake up and set their focus on eternity! If they do, the racial issue will automatically be resolved!