Go Ye,

At work Friday, I noticed that the Dallas office was shutting down.  I called my manager and confirmed Austin did indeed close the office due to weather.  However someone forgot to call us and let us know. Everyone thought someone else had done the deed.  If I had not been clocking back in after lunch, I may not have noticed all the people who had clocked out, leaving 3 people in a satellite office, behind in the middle of a snowstorm.

Matthew 28:19 (KJV)

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

What if a person meant to be with you in heaven never gets there because you don’t share the good news? Are you expecting someone else to share with them? What if you are the one that was supposed to bring them to the Lord. 

I hope that if God brings someone into your path to share the good news, you don’t pass up the opportunity, thinking someone else will do it. 

What about your walk? What if the person who brought you to the Lord had hesitated and thought someone else will do it?

The verse says go ye, not some of ya’ll go.  That includes me and you. We all have a divine appointment to share the gospel.  Let’s keep our spiritual eyes open for that opportunity.

Hugs,

SJ

2 Corinthians 13:5

Greetings Dear ones.

Well apparently I ate something Wednesday that is now eating me. I had both a co-worker and my husband look at my face yesterday and go "Whoa, babe - whatcha' eat?" It was all on the right side of my face. Chris gave me meds that knocked me out for a couple of hours but there it was still there. Now comes the fun part of figuring out what I ate so that I don't do that again.

The funny thing is, it reminded me that as I examine my past week for what is now eating me, We need to do that with spiritual life as well. We need to look back and see what we did or didn't do. Is something eating you? Take stock and examine. You may be able to find an answer you weren't looking for. 

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB)

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-- unless indeed you fail the test?

Do people see Jesus in you?
It should be as visible to them, as the rash on my face.  smile emoticon
Have a great day,

SJ

Philippians 1:3

Good Morning Dear Ones.

You all have been with me yesterday. You were never far from my thoughts and near the surface of my mind. There had to be a reason God had you all near me yesterday. So I wanted you to know that I prayed for you as God brought you to my thoughts. 

Philippians 1: 3

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

If God brings dear ones to mind, stop for a sec and remember them. Lift them up in a small prayer. He brings them to our thoughts for a reason. We may not know why but He does. 

Have a blessed day today and know that I am praying for you when you are brought to mind. 

SJ

1 Thessalonians 5:1

Good Morning -

Here in North Texas we are iced in and have been doing nothing of real productivity. Chris being from Maine and from 33 years of living in Texas realized that some provisions for a possible "iced in" situation. He made sure there was dry firewood in the house. Dragged me kicking and screaming to Walmart to made sure we bought things we would need, food, paper goods, etc. He charged all the electronic equipment and made sure there was gas in all the vehicles. Well this is day two and I am now glad that I have hot coffee with creamer, breakfast stuff and warm fire. 

Are you being as prepared as you should be?

I Thessalonians 5:1

1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,a you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

SJ

Take time to pray . . .

I had such a day at work. Not from the outside but within! Where was all this animosity coming from? I just didn’t understand.

Why was my day taking a spinning spiral straight down the loo!! 

After I ended my day I had a conversation with the Lord on my way home.

“Where have You been all day?”

 “Why did You let them treat me that way?”

“Why aren’t You talking to me?”

It is funny, the answers came almost as fast as the questions did.

“I’ve been here all along, this is the first time in the day you’ve even spoken to Me.”

“Did they really treat you that bad or was it the way you perceived it because you were out of sorts? Did you stop and pray this morning? Did you even ask a blessing over the lunch you inhaled in 30 seconds?”

“I am talking to now you My child, if you would be still and listen.”

I spent my morning trying to be quiet and quickly leave the house.  I had not stopped to pray for His hedge of protection around me.   And yes I still throw temper tantrums with the Creator of the universe. The funny part, He still loves me. Calms the storm in His child, and holds me close to Him.  

Amazing!!!  I still forget to pray but I am glad to know He still is there even when I get too busy. I am glad to know He is never too busy for me.

Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth!”

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Lesson learned until the next time.  But I am afraid I am a slow learner, but I am blessed that God is patient.

Blessings,

SJ

Memories – our best comfort or our worst enemy.

Do you have a memory that gives you joy?

Or does it rob you of your joy?

Do you use your memories to keep you from repeating a mistake?

Or are you like many of us who allow memories of past mistakes keep us from going forward?

Psalm 103:11-12

11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

God has forgiven us and removed our sins.

However the enemy brings those sins to our mind and uses it against us, to stop us from using our gifts that God gave to us.

God gave us the memories so that we don’t forget His love and from where he has brought us.  However Satan takes those very same memories and tells us we cannot succeed, why would someone like us, be used for the good of God. 

One of my favorite Christian songs is by Casting Crowns;

“. . . . . And they laugh at me

Reminding me of all the times

I've tried before and failed

The waves they keep on telling me

Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"

"You'll never win!"

[Chorus]

But the voice of truth tells me a different story

The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"

The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"

Out of all the voices calling out to me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth”

If God can forgive me, I guess I better start forgiving myself.

Hugs

SJ

Study of Deuteronomy Day 4

Yesterday I talked about needing to see, today let’s talk about listening:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (Sh’ma)

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,

and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,

and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Listen.

In Hebrew sh’ma occurs 80 times in Deuteronomy. This emphasis on listening goes together with the title and theme of the book. The great events of creation, patriarchs, exodus, Sinai, and the wilderness are at an end. What remains now are the words; the story of what happened, and the commandments to be fulfilled. Israel’s job is to listen, to learn the story, and to do the commandments.

Let’s take a look at Deuteronomy 6:23

“And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that He swore to give our fathers.”  (ESV)

We have to leave our houses to get where we need to be; Church, work, market, dinner, friends, etc.

God brings us out of the wilderness to bring us to the promised land.  Sometimes we just keep wandering around.  God has a better plan. He wants to get us to the promise land, however we need to listen to His call.  He calls us from the wilderness to bring us into something better.

As parents we keep repeating things to our children, including the question “are you listening to me?”  We want them to listen to us so that they don’t repeat mistakes, to keep them from danger and to give them a better life than what we had.

If they would only listen!! Sometimes I would hear my Mom and Dad’s words come out of my mouth as I repeat them to another generation, lessons taught to me. I have been blessed, not only with Parents who took the time to make me listen but for daughters who would listen to me.  As I lose more and more of my hearing, I treasure what I can hear, because I know that the day will come when there will be no more that I can hear. But I can still listen with my heart, because He speaks to me with His words.