Christmas Carol Lullaby Poem

Christmas Carol Lullaby

Our Salvation and Song,

Emammuel, Prince of Peace, Ancient of Days,

Was welcomed that Christmas night,

With a lullaby Carol of Praise.

It came upon a midnight clear,

As faithful shepherds watched their folds,

The Angel's announcement of His Birth,

As prophet's bards foretold.

To ALL people~Salvation's joy,

Good and great,

The Messiah's coming now fulfilled

Inside Bethlehem's gate.

Suddenly, a multitude from Heaven's host appeared in that dark sky,

"Glory to God, on Earth Peace,

Goodwill~ to all men from on high!

As the angels praised, their anthems raised, for the Babe wrapped in a manger nigh,

This Song sweetly heard by His listening ear~ the First Christmas Carol Lullaby.

Robed in flesh by the Father, wrapped in swaddling by His mother,

Love, adoration, and glory, deserving of no other!

As the angels went away, their song still did ring,

Forever sounding forth the birth of The King!

Cradled in warmth in a manger did He lie,

Our Song of Peace~The Lord from on High!

Lovingly sang to~ the First Christmas Carol Lullaby!( M.H)

Christmas Carol Lullaby

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth ,peace, goodwill toward men."  Luke 2:10


 Isaiah 12:2 tells us that the Lord is our Song. That first Christmas night, God the Father chose to proclaim the birth of His Son with a Heavenly song-the first Christmas Carol. A Lullaby. 

 This song was a Proclaimation. The above verse in Luke 2 is the carol the angels sang to the Shepherds.  This was a birth announcement like no other! None of the royalty in the world has had such a herald as this! The KIng of KIngs, and Lord of Lords, sent a song to proclaim the Prince of Peace had come! But, this announcment was not just for the shepherds-it was for the whole world!  "For God so loved the WORLD..." JOHN 3:16, "For unto US a Child is born, unto US a Son is given..." Isaiah 9:6.  Goodwill and peace on Earth was sent to everyone-not just a select few!  His Son came to bring Salvation , life, joy, and peace! Only His Song could fill the void in our hearts then and now when we receive Him as Saviour! He brings His Song of Salvation to our hearts that will NEVER LEAVE US! It is eternal because HE IS! 

This Carol brought Pondering.  "And all they that heard it wondered at those things which the shepherds told them.  But Mary kept all these things and  pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:18 & 19.  No doubt Mary had been thinking that night about the visit she received from the angel Gabriel. She had no idea then when he told her she would give birth to the Messiah that it would have unfolded in this manner! The King of Kings being born in a stable? Questions of Why? How? and  What?  were probably going through her mind. Most mothers remember every detail of their children's birth, especially their first born. Mary was not an exception. She was taking in all of the events of that night, making mental notes of each one. She did not pass off the shepherds words as idle tales, but committed them to heart and pondered over them in her mind. She did not even have what we would consider a clean, decent blanket for Baby Jesus, and she may not have understood why at that time either.  She could have well complained about the situation, but she did not! It was ALL PART OF GOD'S PLAN and every detail fulfilled prophecy! Amazed by what they told, she soaked in every word of the Carol the shepherds repeated to her. She KNEW WHO JESUS WAS and was marvelling at this birth announcement as no other!

This song also brought Praise! " And the shepherds returned glorifying, and praising God for all the things which they had heard and seen, as it WAS TOLD UNTO THEM." LUKE 2: 20. The carol that sent the shepherds running toward Bethlehem brought praise from the shepherds when they arrived to see its herald right before their very eyes!!  But, have you ever noticed that in the words spoken by the first lone angel, there was NEVER an instruction to actually GO TO BETHLEHEM?  They were told the details of where the Saviour lay because God the Father KNEW the faithfulness of the shepherds and that they had been looking for the coming of the Messiah. He fulfilled the desire of these shepherds in choosing them to be His messengers! He chose those faithfully  serving Him to proclaim the Song from the angels and bring praise and glory to God!

Lastly, it brought Peace to all that heard it! It brought peace to the Baby in the manger. How? The Lord Jesus was 100%  God and 100% man! The Lord-side of Him could hear the Song AS IT WAS BEING SUNG  out in the fields, in His ever listening ear. This brought peace and comfort to His human side! Do we not sing to our crying babies to do the same?  Although SOME say Jesus didn't cry as a baby, He did. If not, at what point did He start? He cried when overlooking the city of Jerusalem and when he saw all of the people weeping at Lazarus' grave. A mother KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE between a cry for a need, and a temper tantrum. Just because a baby cries, DOES NOT MEAN IT IS SIN! IT is its only mode of vocalizing its need when it can't speak! Are we not instructed to CRY OUT TO GOD in our time of need when we can"t find the words to say? Tears are a language God understands. God  the Father sent His 
Son a loving Lullaby to strengthen Him physically and encourage Him in the work He had come to do. Did He not do the same in the wildnerness after Jesus was tempted, and in the Garden of Gethsemane, when angels were sent to minister 
to Him? No doubt they brought Him "a word from Home" to strenghthen and encourage Him!  

The Song brought PEACE to Mary in that it calmed all fears and questions she may have had that night. Momas: Think back to your first child. Remember all of the 'fears' and careful choices made, keeping other people away from the baby, keeping them spotless? Can you imagine how Mary felt wrapping the Lord in swaddling clothes and laying him in hay in the manger, in a barn, full of animals? What grace the Lord gave her as a mother! It confirmed to her that all of the happenings of His Birth had gone according to the Father's Will and were not mistakes. God had kept His Promise to her.

It also brought peace to the shepherds in knowing that the long awaited Messiah had come and they could literally SEE THEIR SALVATION! Verse 20 says they glorified and praised God for all the things they had seen and heard that night! It was a PERSONAL song to them!

Just as the angels sang so long ago, God's goodwill and peace are still ringing forth today! Jesus, OUR SALAVTION AND SONG, STILL SPEAKS PEACE  to all who will hear Him. Do you have Him as the Carol of your heart this Christmas? If not, you can. Listen to that still, small voice singing to your heart. Accept His message of forgiveness and peace, and receive HIS GIFT OF SALVATION  this Christmas! If you already have this Song, herald forth His praises today, just as the shepherds did so long ago! May the Lord bless you with a Merry Christmas!

Thank You, LORD!!!

  "Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and HIS truth endureth to all generations." Psalms 100:3 & 4.

These verses came to mind when I was thinking of this week of Thanksgiving. Usually the first things that we think of, that we are thankful for, are material things. No doubt, we are all thankful for our homes, food, clothes, etc. But what about the spritirual blessings from the Lord? Ephesians 1:3 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." The fifth verse of Psalm 100 listed above gives us a list of some of those spiritual blessings.

First, we can give thanks to the Lord that He is GOOD! "For the LORD is good;" Ps. 100:5.  Psalms 107:8 says, "Oh that men would praise the Lord for HIS GOODNESS...". He is good, where we are NOT! "...THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, no not one!" Psalm 14:3. "For I know that in me (that is my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing;" Romans 7:18. It is this goodness of God that led us to repentence unto salvation!! "....the GOODNESS OF GOD leadeth thee to repentance?" Romans 2:4. His goodness sought us out with a call of the Spirit to be saved! Because of His Goodness, He has made us His people as only He could! "Know ye that the LORD He is God:it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture." Psalm 100:3. Praise the Lord for HIS GOODNESS and His call to Salvation!

Secondly, we can thank the Lord for His EVERLASTING MERCY! " His mercy is EVERLASTING.." Psalm 100:5. The Lord in His Goodness gave the call to repentance for Salavtion, but on top of that, He made it EVERLASTING! "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,.." Exodus 34:7. "Who remembered us in our low estate: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER!" Psalm 136:23. When His Mercy forgave our transgression and sins, it was FOREVER, and He will remain beside us for eternity! "Let your conversation (life) be without covetousness/ and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE!" Hebrews 13:5. Thank the Lord that His Mercy endures forever and that He will never leave us on this pilgrim way!  

Lastly, we can thank the Lord that His Truth endures to ALL GENERATIONS! "..and His truth endureth to all generations." Ps. 100:5. "Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." Psalm 119:89. " Thou shalt keep them , O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." Psalm 12:7. The Lord's truth, or Word, is just as good 100 years from now as it is today! We can teach them to our children, as instructed in God's Word, to keep them in the way which they should go. If we have nothing else to give them on the day that we leave this earth to go to our heavenly home, may we leave HIS WORD as our heritage to them! "Thy testimonies have I taken as an HERITAGE FOREVER: for they are the rejoicing my heart. I have inclined mine heart to perform they statutes alway, even unto the end." Psalm 119:111 & 112. "For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth forever. Praise Ye the LORD." Psalm 117:2.

This Thanksgiving, let's remember to thank the Lord for all of the spiritual blessings He has bestowed upon us! Praise Him for His Goodness, Everlasting Mercy, and Enduring Truth! "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His Goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men. Let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy." Psalm 107: 1&2 May the Lord richly bless you and your family this Thanksgiving!

Losing Your Life!

Most of us have a lot of our daily information and activities that revolve largely around a computer or smartphone of some kind. Personal information, picutres, business info, etc. are connected to the use and function of these devices sometimes more than we realize or like to admit. But what happens when they crash, or are even hacked? Well, I found out this last week! My computer was attacked by a suspect Kryptolocke, or either FBI Virus. We were told by the warning on our screen that all of our files, pics, etc had been encrypted. Basically, they had taken all of our info, turned it into code form, and were holding it ransom. We had three days to pay $300 or we would lose our info forever. Talk about invasion of privacy-right into our living room!  We had lost all of our "life", or daily way of operations, for day-to-day communication, all personal info, some of my husband's preaching messages, and my ONLY WAY TO TYPE MY BLOG! The only way we could get our computer running again, is for SOMEONE that knows HOW to REDEEM OUR PROGRAMS,, AND RE-FORMATING THEM! This got me thinking....

We have to LOSE OUR LIFE, in order to gain SALVATION! Jesus said in Matthew 10:39, " He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that LOSETH HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE shall FIND IT." We have to see ourselves and lives as LOST before the LORD BEFORE we can be saved. We have to be LOST before we can be FOUND. Just as my computer was held captive by the hackers, WE have to realize that we are lost in our sin and need to be recovered from the enemy that has held us captive, under sin's curse! If we don't, we will not see the NEED  for SALVATION! We HAVE to LOSE our sinful lost state, and we FOUND by the Saviour. Just as we have to have our devices REDEEMED by the one who knows the answer for the "CLEANING OUT" of the viruses infecting them, we have to give all of our LIFE to the Saviour! He ALONE CAN CLEANSE US! "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE FROM DEAD WORKS to serve the living GOD?" Hebrews 9:14. 

We have to lose our life to find something NEW! We will have to have some things replaced that we had used before on our computer that were old, due to them being broken, and being translated, or encrypted, into a form we cannot use.  Is this not what happens when we are saved? Jesus takes our broken pieces, translates them into something NEW, and put them back together for HIS GLORY, so we can operate according to HIS WILL. " Who hath delivered us from the power of darness, and hath TRANSLATED us into the kingdom of his dear Son;" Colossians 1:13. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature, OLD things are passed away;behold, all things are become NEW." II Corinth. 5:17. 

Lastly, we have to lose our life to find something BETTER! I was upset that I lost a lot of good pictures I had taken, mostly of the children. My husband said, "You may end of with some even BETTER ones of them!, " trying to help encourage me. That got me thinking too! Sometimes we think or look back at what we have given up or lost as far as material things we had, ambitions, etc. But, if it is for Christ's sake, we WILL gain or receive something BETTER! "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a BETTER hope did; by the which we draw nigh to God." Hebrews 7:19. ".. by how much also he is the mediator of a BETTER COVENANT, which was established upon BETTER PROMISES." Hebrews 8:6.  " ....There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, FOR MY SAKE, and the gospel's But he shall recieve an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." Mark 10:29 & 30."I am crucified with Christ;nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20. If we lose, or die to our own desires and make His OUR OWN,  we will find a better way for our lives-HIS WAY! "He must increase, but I must DECREASE." John 3:30.  "If any man will come after me, let him DENY himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:25.

WE have to lose OUR life to find Salvation, Something New, and Something Better. Jesus is the ONLY ONE that can cleanse, redeem, and restore us to new life for Him. In order to FIND TRUE LIFE, we have to LOSE OURS and make it HIS! "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT." Matthew 16:26.



Making a Difference...

How many times have we sat back and said, "Somebody ought to do something about that!!" Whatever the problem or controversy was, it may have had us moved, mad, or majorly disgusted! But, what did we do about it? Did we stop to think that WE could possibly help MAKE A DIFFERENCE to the situation? As a child of God, what can we do to help others or ourselves with problems and burdens? The answer is easier than we might expect: HAVE COMPASSION!

My pastor , when I was growing up, Dr. Verdie Edwards, always told us that compassion is simply defined as "love in action." We can tell someone that we care or love them, and it seem as vain repetition, until we actually SHOW that love! Compassion BRINGS action. When we see the lost, it should MOVE us to GO!
"GO YE into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. " Mark 16:15. Christ gave this command, NOT SUGGESTION, to ALL OF US, to GO! When we go out, we need to go in love and COMPASSION toward those that are without the Lord. "..Such as were some of you: BUT YE ARE WASHED.." II Corinthians 6:11 a. We can have compassion on the lost because we were in the same shape at one time as well! WE have been there! We KNOW where they are! This should move us to GO even more so! "..GO out into the highways and hedges and COMPEL them to come in, that my house may be filled." Luke 14:23. The Lord DID NOT tell us to beat people over the head or condemn them! He said Compel! This is the equivalent of PLEADING with. How can we expect someone to listen when we don't LOVE? Most people don't need someone to tell them all that they have done wrong _they know just as we did!  They need to hear WHO CAN HELP THEM AND CHANGE THEM! There is NO EXCUSE for us NOT SHOWING COMPASSION to the lost when we used to be lost ourselves! " ...and to brotherly kindness, charity. ... But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, AND HATH FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS PURGED FROM HIS OLD SINS!" II Peter 1: 7 & 9. Compassion should be what drives us to GO make a difference to the lost!
 
Secondly, we can make a difference when we GIVE from compassion. " But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of COMPASSION from him, HOW DWELLETH THE LOVE OF GOD IN HIM?" I John 3:17. "Mine eye affecteth mine heart..." Lamentations 3:51. What we see should make us give from compassion. The Lord told the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37, and how he GAVE from compassion. "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he HAD COMPASSION on him." vs. 33. The Lord said a certain Samaritan. This means it was not just anyone, but a specific Samaritan that had compassion. It was this one "certain" person that the Lord would use to help the "half dead" man, vs 30. Just as the Lord had a "certain" person to help this man, we have a "certain" person that only we can make a difference to! I may be able to reach someone that you may not be able to, and vice versa. Pray everyday for the Lord to put in your path, just as He did the Samaritan's, the people that He wants you to show compassion to. Reach out to them in compassion, GIVING TO THEM what the Lord would have you to give. Not just material things, but the SPIRITUAL as well! That IS THE GREATEST NEED THEY HAVE! "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is SIN." James 4:17.

Lastly, we should not GRUDGE because of compassion! "Grudge not one against another, brethren...". We should not hold a grudge against our Christian brothers and sisters, or the world! If we don't forgive them, we will not be forgiven! (Matthew 18:33-35). We should forgive them in love and compassion when they have wronged us, or others, for Christ's sake! "And be ye kind one to another, TENDERHEARTED forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32. We can make a difference to our brothers and sisters in Christ by loving them and encouraging them when they have stumbled. We can make a difference by "turning the other cheek" to the world when we are attacked. We never know how our reactions can be used to speak to the lost about their salvation! "Finally, be ye all of one mind, HAVING COMPASSION one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing:..." I Peter 3:8 & 9.

 We can make a difference today by GOING, GIVING, AND GRUDGING NOT. May God help us to do so ALWAYS out of COMPASSION! "Of some HAVING COMPASSION, MAKING A DIFFERENCE!" Jude 23.

There's Hope! (Poem)

 There's Hope for you 'cause there was HOPE for ME!
Once I was blind, BUT NOW I CAN SEE!

 

 Hear the LORD calling, "Come Unto ME!

"My Rest FREELY given and
A Home for YOU in HEAVEN!" 

 BY HIS OWN BLOOD,

 PAID IN FULL-
Oh, How Marvelous!
Oh, How Wonderful!

This YOUR SONG can ALSO BE! 

 SALVATION IN HIM ALONE!

 

PLEASE!__

 

 MAKE SURE TODAY THAT HEAVEN IS YOUR HOME!

His Voice (Poem)

A Voice that spans the years-

Reaching Past, Present, and Future

For people of all the Ages to hear.

Speaking into existence the worlds and all Creation,

Calling out a People to be His own blessed nation.

That same Voice that thundered from Mt. Sinai

Speaks today-still and small, when the Saviour draws nigh!

Proclaiming the birth of Jesus,from Heaven above, His Son;

Well pleased with His Beloved, The Only Begotten One.

Crying "It is Finished," Sin and Death now defeated,

Buried and Risen Again!-at the Father's Right-Hand now seated.

Speaking today in hearts,  through His Holy Word,

Salvation freely given, until all sinners have heard.

Soon His Voice will call all His children away-

Oh, Rapturous Thought!

Oh, Glorious Day!

His Voice at both Judgments-

Reward or Verdict proclaim-

Joys of the Lord or Eternal Death and Pain.

"Behold, I make all things new,"

On His Throne to reign all eternity to come.

"True and Faithful" are His Words-

Praise God! "It is Done!"



My Source of Strength.....

 

Everyone's physical strength differs from person to person. Most of the time, it depends on your bodily frame, how well you take care of yourself, or it may even be determined by how often you are sick. Everyone is NOT the same, and some can't be as strong as others. But, praise the Lord, SPIRITUALLY there are no limitations to our strength-all because of Jesus! This is because He is our Source of Strength!

 

First, He is our Source of Strength for Salvation. Since we cannot save ourselves, it is fully through His strength alone. "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; HE also is become my salvation."  Isaiah 12:2. The Lord made this truth plain and simple for us to understand. He could not have said it any clearer than that! He is the strength of our salvation and is our salvation! It is as eternal as He is! Since He is eternal, so is our salvation! "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us!." Hebrews 9:12. Our source of salvation is eternally strong through His precious blood that will NEVER lose its power!

 

Secondly, He is our Source of Strength for Service. Serving the Lord day after day, month and after month, and year after year can become tiring to us physically because we are human. But the source of strength for this service is the Lord Himself! "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. STRENGTHENED WITH ALL MIGHT, according to His glorious POWER, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." Colossians 1:10&11. When we are weary in body and mind, He is the inner source of our strength that  renews our spirit and keeps us going for Him!"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (bodies), that the exellency of the POWER may be OF GOD, and not of us...For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inner man is renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:7& 16.  "But they that wait upon the Lord, SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 " ...for the joy of the Lord is your STRENGTH."  Nehemiah 8:10c. Our source of strength in service, to keep on keeping on, is the Lord Himself!

 

Lastly, He is our Source of Strength FOR Strength! We cannot live our daily lives for the Lord without His strength and help. "...The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1b. "The Lord is their strength , and he is the saving strength of his anointed." Psalm 28:8. Since He is our strength for living, we have an unending source because He is always with us. It is always available to us at anytime or moment that we need help, which is ALWAYS! " ... I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5b. Knowing that our supply of strength is never-ending, we can boldy say, " I can do ALL things through Christ which STRENGTHENETH me!" Phillipians 4:13.

 

As news reporters quote their "sources" when giving the news, I am happy to quote my "SOURCE", God's Holy word, that our ETERNAL SOURCE gives us strength for Salvation, Service and Strength to live for Him! In Christ Alone is our strength for ALL things!

 This song, "In Christ Alone" by the Booth Brothers is about Christ being our Source of Strength. I hope it is a blessing to you as it was to me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Till the Storm Passes By...

 

This Pilgrim Way has many storms and problems, 

 Man-born of woman-few of days and full of troubles.

But as God's child, we will not have to walk alone!

He tenderly loves and cares for His Own!

As I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death,
This way seems dark-my soul in distress!
Unsure what lies ahead in this fearful place,
Be not far from me O, Lord,
My Strength from thee,  PLEASE haste!
Feeling alone as the shadows draw nearer me,
"Peace," speaks the Master, "I will NEVER leave thee."

Onward we go-not turning aside,
Lift me up forever-In the ROCK I will hide!
Holding my hand, leading by waters still,
Comfort from the Shepherd,
Completely trusting HIS WILL!

HELPED! CALMED! STRENGTHENED!
Ready through this storm to pass_
Darkness starts to fade_
His Lamp lighting my path!

How long will this shadow hover in the sky?
Makes no difference now, since the SAVIOUR IS NIGH!....
I'll call on His Name..... 'til the storm passes by!


 

Ain't Nobody Got Time For That!!!!!

 

Yes! I went there! We've all heard this popular saying, thanks to the internet and social media. Everyone is busy these days, doing many things that are of necessity. But, what about spiritual things, Christian? As a child of God, there really is no way to separate the necessities FROM the work of the Lord. What are we SUPPOSED to be doing? And, what do we really not have time for?

 

First of all, we don't have time for SLEEPING. No, I don't mean physical sleep, as that this is how the Lord made our human bodies. We have to get rest in order to function. The Lord even told His disciples to "come ye yourselves apart into desert place, and rest a while..." Mark 6:31. What we do not have time for is spiritual SLEEP! "..knowing the time, that now it is HIGH TIME TO AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP: for our salvation is nearer than when we believed." We have been rocked to sleep, most of the time unknowingly, by the devil's rocking chair, and been unconscious toward the spiritual tasks at hand! "Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids... How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." Proverbs 6: 4, 9-11. Sometimes we fall short of the job the Lord would have for us to do because we become so consumed with worldly things. As the verse said, we can become as a vagabond that travels or wanders with nothing, or a thief (armed man) that has nothing, if we don't stay vigilant in serving the Lord. We will lack substance in our spiritual lives. We can be coasting through our daily lives and not realize that we haven't accomplished anything for the Lord that day. Days become weeks, weeks become months, and months become years, and still NOTHING has been done for the Lord. "AWAKE to righteousness, and sin not; for SOME HAVE NOT the knowledge of God: I speak this to your SHAME." I Corinthians 15:34. We ALL NEED TO WAKE UP! Souls are at stake!

 

Secondly, we don't have time for SLOTHFULNESS! Romans 12:11 says, "NOT SLOTHFUL in business; fervent in spirit: SERVING THE LORD;". We are to be fervently serving the Lord, not laxidazy, or lazily. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye STEDFAST, UNMOVEABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Corinthians 15:58. We should give full energy to the things of God. Did He not give His all for us? Just as Christ was always preaching, may we " do the work of an evangelist.." " Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold I say unto you, LIFT UP YOUR EYES, AND LOOK ON THE FIELDS; FOR THEY ARE WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST." John 4:35.II Timothy 4:5. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17

 

Lastly, we don't have time for SLACKNESS! "And whatsoever ye do, DO IT HEARTILY, as unto the Lord, and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward.." Colossians 3:23 &24a. We should give the utmost care and attention to serving the Lord. If it is done half-heartedly, it's slackness. "See then that ye WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY, not as fools, but as WISE. REDEEMING THE TIME, because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17.  Dr. Aiken used to always give us this example at Bible college-To walk circumspectly, he said, was like a cat walking along a picket fence, knowing that on one side was a pit bull, and a Doberman pincher on the other! Get the idea! If we do what we want to do, pleasing ourselves, we are liable to get in a lot of trouble, fall on our faces, and thus hinder the cause of Christ! We should also abstain from slackness because the Lord is not slack! " The Lord is not SLACK concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." II Peter 3:9.

 

Ain't nobody got time for spiritual SLEEPING, SLOTHFULNESS, OR SLACKNESS!  WE need to WAKE UP, GET BUSY, AND WALK THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW! "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and WE ARE NOT SAVED!" Jeremiah 8:20. Think back to that time, O Chrisitan, when you were not saved!  God help us to remember that it's only by His grace that we are saved today! "WALK IN WISDOM TOWARD THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT, REDEEMING THE TIME." Colossians 4:5. "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."Matthew 25:13

 

The Anchor Holds

 

Most of us have heard of the song "The Anchor Holds." Very good song! But, there is more to our "Anchor" than it holding us in place! This Anchor is HOPE! Hebrews 6:18-20 tells of the HOPE that we have in Christ.

This hope is first of all a STRONG CONSOLATION! Hebrews 6:18_" ....we might have a strong consolation,......the hope set before us:". The meaning of consolation is "comfort that is felt in times of disappointment." The Lord IS called THE COMFORTER & CONSOLATION in the Bible! He IS OUR ANCHOR OF COMFORT AND CONSOLATION! "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26. Luke 2:25 "...waiting for the CONSOLATION of Israel:". Only He can give us the Comfort and Consolation that we need while here on this earth!

Secondly, this hope is a REFUGE. "...who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" Heb. 6:18. "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a REFUGE from the storm," Isaiah 25:4. Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my REFUGE and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust." This Anchor of HOPE is OUR REFUGE! Jesus wants us to seek Him for help as the FIRST PLACE to turn to in the storm, or distress! "God is our REFUGE and strength, a very present help in trouble!" Psalms 46:1.

Thirdly, our Anchor of Hope is THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL! "Which HOPE we have as an ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus..." Hebrews 6:19 & 20a. If our Anchor is sure and stedfast, we should be too! He is the one that holds, or keeps us! "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Corinthians 15:58. Keeping our HOPE, the Anchor of our Soul, as the basis of our being, we can be sure and stedfast! "Thou wilt keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3. "Rejoicing in HOPE, ..." Romans 12:12.

Jesus, our HOPE, is the Anchor of Strong Consolation, Refuge, and Anchor of the Soul! In the storms of life, may we remember our Anchor is WHO comforts, protects, and keeps us! "Now the GOD of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in HOPE, through the power of the Holy Ghost!."Romans 15:13. "....God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, WHICH IS OUR HOPE." I Timothy 1:1. The Anchor Holds!




 

You Can't Beat That With A STICK!

We have all heard the saying, "You can't beat that with a stick!" But, while listening to a Sunday School lesson, a new meaning came to mind for this phrase!
 
In the book of Numbers Chapter 17 is the account of Aaron's rod that budded. A disgruntled band of Israelites, lead by a wicked man named Korah, had tried to intrude into the office of the priest, which was reserved for ONLY the one ordained of God. This man and his followers were then killed by the Lord. The Lord then instructed Moses to give a testimony to Israel, showing that the tribe of Levi was the ordained tribe to do the office of the priesthood. Moses was told to take a rod, from each tribe of Israel, and write their name on each one. He then laid them up in the tabernacle of witness over night. When Moses arrived in the morning, he found that Aaron's rod had budded, had blooms, and also blooms WITH ALMONDS grown on them! The Lord had shown to Israel that the tribe of Levi, and Aaron's family, was HIS CHOSEN to perform the priestly duties. It was later placed in the Ark of the Covenant to be a perpetual reminder to Israel that God had chosen this family to do so. When this rod is looked at closer, we see a type of Christ.

First, this was THE MEDIATOR'S rod. It was God's chosen to be the High Priest, offering prayers for the People. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." Hebrews 7:25 & 26. Jesus Christ is our ONLY MEDIATOR in Heaven at this very minute, praying for His children!
 Secondly, it was MARKED with the Aaron's name. Aaron's name being on the rod left no room for doubt as to whom the Lord has chosen as the High Priest for His people. Aaron's name means, Exalted and Strong. In Zechariah 6:12, the Lord is called "THE BRANCH". Aaron's name was a clear foreshadowing of Jesus, THE BRANCH . "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. The Lord clearly told who the Messiah would be, and there was no room left for doubt. Jesus name was foretold in the Old Testament as well, Isaiah 9:6&7, Isaiah 7:14.

Thirdly, this rod MADE buds, blossoms, and fruit. This rod was ALIVE, whereas the others remained dead. Jesus said, "..I am the way, the truth, and the LIFE...." John 14:6 "I am the RESURRECTION, and the LIFE: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall live:" John 11:25. This rod budded, was in bloom, had fully developed blooms, and even yielded almonds. This displayed all of the stages of life and growth at one time, or COMPLETE FULNESS. "For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power;" Colossians 2:9&10. He was God in the Flesh! This rod was also a clear type of His Fullness as well!  The fruit that was produced, almonds, also was significant. Almonds are ready for harvest in January and February. They are THE FIRST FRUITS that are harvested every year! The Bible clearly states that Jesus is the first fruits of God. "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the FIRSTFRUITS of them that slept" I Corinthians 15:20.

The miracle of Aaron's rod that budded was more than just a miracle! It clearly told the Israelites who the Lord's chosen High Priest was to be. It was chosen to be the Mediator, Marked for clear indication, and Made to produce fruit in its fullness. After its revelation to the nation of Israel, it was placed in the Ark of the Covenant as a perpetual testimony of God's chosen. Jesus Christ, after giving His Life on the Cross, rose from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of God in heaven. He is a testimony against the world in the true "Holy of Holies" in Heaven as our perpetual High Priest. All of the other sticks, or rods, could not compete, or beat Aaron's rod. There is no comparison with our Lord as well! Korah's naysayers , "Couldn't beat Aaron (THAT) with their STICKS!"

 

 



It Is Well

Yesterday, the Lord blessed our family once again with a baby! Walker River Berry was born to my brother and sister-in-law! Although life is a miracle that only the Lord can give, the Lord truly gave them a miracle. According to doctors, they were not supposed to be able to have him. But, the Great Physician "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." (Gen.2:7).
  In the book of II Kings 4:18-37, is the account of the Shunammite Woman. The prophet Elisha had stayed at her home in prophet's chamber she had made him. The Lord had promised to bless her with a child for taking care of the man of God. She didn't believe him at first because she wasn't supposed to be able to have children. But God was true to His Word as He always is, and gave her a son. He went to the field one day with his father, then came to him with pain in his head. He sent him home, by another lad to his mother. Then he sat on her knees until noon, and died. The mother laid him on the prophet's bed and closed the door on him and went to the man of God. She told her husband she needed one of the young men and one of the donkeys to ride to the prophet. When he asked why, said replied " It shall be well." The prophet saw her coming afar off and sent his servant to see what was the matter. She replied "It is Well." She went on to Elisha and told him in grief what had happened. Elisha went with her to the child, but sent Gehazi his servant ahead of them to lay his staff on the child. But, nothing happened. Only when the prophet went in the room with the child, prayed unto the Lord, stretching himself over him 2 times, after pacing back and forth in the room, did the life of the child return! The child sneezed 7 times and then Elisha called his mother. God had blessed her faith in believing that the Lord had heard her prayer: that He would raise her child from the dead, because He had promised him to her. The Lord used her in a great way as a witness to His Power and His blessings on His children!
 
The Lord gave these verses to me, my sister-in-law, and brother when they had tried for years to have a child. After much prayer, the Lord DID BLESS THEM with a daughter. They later learned that she was very sick. We claimed these verses the Lord had specifically given and waited on the Lord. He blessed Olivia, their daughter, and them with her short life of almost one month. We didn't understand why, after the Lord gave us those verses. All we knew is that He HAD, and that HE is ALWAYS true to HIS WORD! Looking back, we now see what the Lord did through Olivia, and the lives she touched. Her passing resulted in the salvation of our nephew! We may not even know all that the Lord did through her life until we are in Heaven one day! But, the Lord was not through working! They stayed faithful to the Lord, giving HIM ALL THE GLORY! Within one year, the Lord blessed them with a daughter in working out only what He could, through adoption. Then within another year, He blessed them with TRIPLET BOYS! Then to every one's amazement, the Lord ONCE AGAIN blessed this year with a son, that they were not supposed to be able to have! The Lord had remained faithful to the promise He had made them, just as He did to the Shunammite woman! All of these last 4 years of knowing that "It shall be well", now _"It IS WELL!" The Lord has blessed their faithfulness and honoring Him, and blessed as He HAD PROMISED! ONLY OUR SAVIOUR COULD DO WHAT HE HAS DONE! ALL GLORY GOES TO HIM!

Has God made you a promise? HE WILL NEVER GO BACK ON HIS WORD HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF! Stay faithful to the Lord. God ALWAYS honors faithfulness and HIS WORD! IN HIS TIME, HE WILL WORK! Then you too can say, "It is WELL!"

Preserves!

Harvest time is near. Crops will be brought in soon. This reminds of the end of every summer, when we (my brothers, sisters, and cousins) would help shake down the pears from my Granny's pear tree. Then, we would help her make pear preserves. We LOVED doing this! We had fun shaking the limbs and filling the buckets with pears! We would help wash them, and I don't know how many were eaten that never made it to the kitchen! Thinking back on this and the process that she used to create the preserves, made me stop and realize- CHRISTIANS ARE PRESERVES! They are a great type of what the Lord has done and IS doing in our lives!

Recipe for  Pear Preserves: 

1.  The pears have to be harvested FIRST! "Then saith he unto his disciples, The HARVEST truly is PLENTEOUS, but the labourers are FEW; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that HE will send forth labourers into His harvest. We have to be brought in, or saved, first! If you are not saved, you can be right now! Call on the Lord for salvation and HE WILL HEAR! He is not willing that ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE! ( 2 Peter 3:9). If you are saved, now it is YOU THAT MUST GO AND BRING THEM IN,  as our Saviour instructed. The fruit MUST be brought in to be preserved!
2. When the fruit is harvested, it is gathered together with all of the other fruit! When we are saved or "brought in from the fields of sin," we are instructed to join together with our new family in the Lord. "Forsake NOT THE ASSEMBLING OF YOURSELVES TOGETHER, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; AND SO MUCH MORE, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25. We need to be together to help each other and grow stronger spiritually through exhorting one another. There has to be more than one pear to make a jar, or 'FAMILY' of preserves! They depend upon each other to get the job of filling the jar DONE! I Corinthians 12:12-31.
3. After they are brought in, they have to be washed. Just as the dirt and soil from the earth is washed once they are harvested,  we have to be washed as well. The Lord cleansed our hearts when we were saved, but once we are saved, we have to rid ourselves daily of our sins and leave our "earthliness" or "worldliness" behind. The Lord cannot use a dirty vessel. "That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD!" Ephesians 5:26. "And such were some of you; but ye are WASHED, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." I Corinthians 6:11.
4. The pears are cut into pieces or slices. NO WE ARE NOT LITERALLY CUT INTO PIECES! But spiritually, this would mean that we die to self! Just as the pear is lessened in size when it is sliced, so should we be lessened of self as we draw closer to the Lord. "HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE!" John 3:30.
5. Next, the pears are placed in a pan or bowl, and covered with sugar to soak in it over night. Once we have been cleansed and die to ourselves daily (I Corinthians 15:31), we need to soak and absorb the "sweetness" of the Lord's Word. "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;" Colossians 3:16a. " How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
6. After soaking, the pears are cooked on the stove slowly. This softens the pears and creates the preserve jelly itself. The Lord will place us in the spiritual fire and heat as well, to prepare our hearts, so we can be used. "But He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalms 51:17.
7. Then, the pears are poured into a jar and a SEAL is placed over the top of the jar and the top ring of the jar secured over it. This SEAL is what actually preserves the fruit. "In whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED,  ye were SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT of PROMISE." Ephesians 1:13. At the moment of salvation, we are SEALED with the Holy Ghost, which is the earnest of our salvation, Ephesians 1:14. We will be kept until He gathers us home to heaven as PROMISED in  John 10:28 &29 " And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND. My Father, which gave them me, is GREATER THAN ALL; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
8. After all of the jars are sealed, they are gathered together into the storehouse. "Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:12. "....and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we EVER BE WITH THE LORD." I Thessalonians 4:16a&17.

Have you been harvested into the Lord's storehouse? If not you can be. He does not want any fruit to perish! "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED." Romans 10:13. Don't wait. Today is the day of Salvation! The Lord could return TODAY! Then you can say "The Lord shall PRESERVE thee from all evil: He shall PRESERVE thy soul. The Lord shall PRESERVE thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore." Psalm 121: 8.



He's Still In The Boat!

 The Lord first gave me this thought 10 years ago while at a friend's house for the weekend, from Bible college, and it has been in my journal. This past Sunday, our preacher preached on this very same thing-same passage and even the same title! So, I think this is the one the Lord wanted me to write today!(And no, I'm not giving you HIS outline! (haha)).  I love how the Lord speaks to others about the same thing He has spoken to us about!

Mark 4: 35-41 gives the account of Jesus and the disciples as they were in a boat crossing over the Sea of Galilee. The Lord had just sent away the multitude and instructed the disciples to enter into a boat. He gave them a PROMISE. "And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, Let US PASS OVER unto the other side." vs. 35. When the disciples entered the boat and Jesus WITH THEM, He clearly said THEY WOULD make it to the other side! When we accept the Lord as Saviour, HE HAS PROMISED "....I will NEVER leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5. Once we have entered the boat, THE OLD SHIP OF ZION, of salvation, He is there to stay with us! There is nothing that we can do to lose it, as it is HIS SALVATION-HE ALONE HAS SAVED US!. We had nothing to do for it-it was a GIFT. We were made HIS CHILD! Just as you can no more change the fact the you ARE YOUR PARENTS' CHILD, so can we not be taken out of God's family (Galatians 4:5). Once we are saved, He is FOREVER WITH US, and He will be where HE SENDS US!

After the Promise, came the Predicament. Seemingly out of nowhere a great storm arose. The Sea of Galilee is known for its strong storms that pop up because of it's geographical location.  It is nestled between two mountain ranges, at lower elevation, in essence making it a "valley." It is a prime area for the cooler air coming off the mountains and mixing with the warmer air over the water to produce storms. Is this not where the storms of life hit us? They had just been on the mountains with the Lord preaching to the multitudes, and now they were down on the water in the valley. Sometimes we can see the problems coming afar off, and sometimes we are blind-sided by them. They appear out of nowhere." They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. For He commandeth , and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble. " Psalm 107:23-26.  The disciples may have been taken by surprise by the storm, even though they were skilled fishermen and had fished many times in this Sea. All of us have gone through trials before, but sometimes we are still shaken to our core by the next one that comes along. Why is this? It is because we are human first of all, and secondly because the Lord is trying to help us grow. Our faith needs strengthening. He wants us to ALWAYS DEPEND ON HIM! He is the One that has allowed them to come and IS IN CONTROL of them.

Even when it seems that He is nowhere to be found, HE'S STILL IN THE BOAT! HE HAS NOT GONE ANYWHERE! The Lord was in the back part of the ship asleep. Did the Lord care that the disciples were struggling in the boat against the storm? Yes! "Casting all your care upon Him; for HE CARETH FOR YOU!' I Peter 5:7. In Mark 4:38, I see His PILLOW. The prophets before Him slept on stones for pillows, which was a picture of resting  on Jesus the ROCK, or the Promise! He was in FULL CONTROL, AND KNEW THEY WOULD REACH THE OTHER SIDE, JUST AS HE HAD PROMISED THEM!  He had given HIS WORD, OR THE PROMISE, to the disciples, and knew that they would be fine. The Lord Jesus wanted them to rest upon that PROMISE as well.  

The disciples went to Jesus with their PLEA. As the waters were beating the ship on the outside, so were the waters coming IN as well. Isn't this what happens in trials? We face problems from without AND within! Outside we fight the world, and inside we fight spiritual battles! Verse 37 says that the boat was full. How many times do we fill that we are "maxed out," and cannot take anymore? We come to our wit's end. "They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.  THEN THEY CRY UNTO THE LORD IN THEIR TROUBLE, and HE BRINGETH THEM OUT OF THEIR DISTRESSES!" Psalm 107:28. We wants us to come to the end of ourselves, and admit that we have to fully rely on Him! He is our strength and salvation, Psalm 27:1.

When they made their Plea to Him, JESUS BROUGHT PEACE! "....Peace, be still! And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." vs. 39. When we cry out to the Lord of a contrite spirit, He will deliver us! He wants us to come to HIM FIRST in the storm, NOT AS A LAST RESORT! He is waiting for us to come to HIM as the disciples did. "Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and HE bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still." Psalm 107: 28 & 29. The Lord asked "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have NO FAITH?"vs.40. It's ALL ABOUT FAITH IN HIM AND HIS PROMISE!

After the Peace came their Puzzlement! "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" vs. 41. "Then are they GLAD because they be quiet; so HE bringeth them unto their desired HAVEN." Psalm 107:30. How the Lord amazes us also when He answers OUR prayers! Our faith is strengthened and as a result, we SHOULD GIVE HIM PRAISE. "OH THAT MEN WOULD PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS GOODNESS, AND FOR HIS WONDERFUL WORKS TO THE CHILDREN OF MEN." Psalm 107:31.

Rest in His Promise today if you are in a Predicament. Rest on the Pillow of His Word. When we bring our Pleas to Him, IN HIS TIME He will speak Peace. Praise the Lord Jesus today for His Wonderful works to us, His children! Remember-HE'S STILL IN THE BOAT!







Being "Prepped!"

If you know me, you know that I have not been a stranger to the science of medicine. Besides the fact that I have undergone surgery 12 times, I have always loved the field of medicine! I was going to college to be a surgical technician before the Lord called me into full-time Christan service. This was to learn of the position in the Operating Room that assists the Surgeon in preparing the tools and tables they would use during the procedure, and delivering them to the doctor. The doctor would have his certain protocol to follow, and everything would have to be in the order HE wanted it to be. Nurses would also PREP the patient to get them ready for the doctor to be ABLE TO DO the procedure. As I was reading my Bible the other day, I read a verse in Ezra-7:10 that made me think about this- "For Ezra had PREPARED his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." Just as a patient has to be PREPARED, OR PREPPED, before the physician can perform the operation, so do WE have to PREPARE our HEARTS before the Lord, our GREAT PHYSICIAN, in order for HIM to do a work.

The first thing that has to be done to the patient is sterilization, or to be CLEANSED. They are scrubbed with Iodine type solution to cleanse the area that will be worked upon. Without doing so, infection is sure to set in. Every precaution is taken to keep this from happening. Sin is our heart's infection, and before the Lord can work in our hearts, they have to be cleansed. We have to be cleansed for salvation first of all. "....unto HIM that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," Revelation 1:5. "That HE might sanctify and CLEANSE it with the washing of water by the word." Ephesians 5:26."And such were some of you; but ye are WASHED, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified..." I Corinthians 6:11. Only after we are cleansed for salvation can the Lord use us for His Work. But, as HIS children, we have to DAILY keep our hearts clean and prepared before the Lord. If we regard sin, or infection, in our hearts, the Lord cannot work. "If I regard iniquity in my HEART, the LORD will not hear me." Psalm 66:18. We need to make sure to keep short accounts of sin. We need to ask God for forgiveness as soon as HE smites our hearts after we have sinned. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sin, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to CLEANSE us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:8&9. Once we are clean before the Lord, our hearts will be PREPARED for the work to begin.

The patient is also PREPARED and put into constraints. This is to protect from further harm if the patient moves or wakes during surgery, BEFORE the doctor wants them to. If they move their arms or legs during the work, they will further hurt themselves and slow the work that is being done. We need to do the same to ourselves! We need not to move before the Lord wants us to in HIS PLAN for us! He will not hold us down out of force, but HE wants US to "Be STILL and know that I AM GOD..." Psalm 46:10. Paul said in II Corinthians 5:13-15 "For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God; or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of God CONSTRAINETH us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; And that He died for all, that they which live SHOULD NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, BUT UNTO HIM which died for them ,and rose again". Paul declared that it was for the love of Christ that they withheld , or kept themselves from doing what they would want to do, or say to others. It was simply to allow the Lord to lead and work. If we get ahead of the LORD'S PLANS for us, we can ruin what HE is working to accomplish in our lives for HIS GLORY!

Lastly, the patient is put to sleep with anesthesia. The patient in essence is resting while the doctor works. In order to "be still and know" that HE IS GOD, we have to PREPARE to REST IN HIM while HE WORKS! "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST." Matthew 11:28. "REST in the LORD and wait patiently for HIM.." Psalm 37:10. The change in us can only come as the Great PHYSICIAN is allowed to do HIS WORK in us.

Are you "prepped" today? Have you been cleansed, constrained and comforted in His REST while He is working in your life? May we ever keep ourselves PREPARED for HIS WORK!  "....PREPARE YOUR HEARTS unto the LORD, and serve HIM ONLY..." I Samuel 7:3.

What to Put On Today?

 

The question that most people ask every morning-"What will I wear, or put on today?" The weather and my mood are usually the determining factors for me! But, more importantly than the question of physical clothes I put on, I should be concerned with "What Spiritual  Clothes will I put on?"

 

When we wake up in the morning, we are wearing pajamas, as we call them, or "night clothes." These are the clothes we were wearing when we were supposedly "DEAD to the world." We take them off once the Sun has risen, and the NEW DAY starts. This is what happens to us spiritually as well when we are brought from death to life, from the darkness to the light, when we are saved. We are no longer DEAD in our sins and in the darkness, but ALIVE unto Christ, the SON and TRUE LIGHT OF THE WORLD! We are no longer of child of the darkness, but a child of the light! Just as we leave our "Grave clothes" behind when the Lord saves us, we need to take them off every morning when we awake. Even though we now have a new nature, our spiritual, we still have our old nature, or our flesh, to deal with. We have to daily PUT THEM OFF!  "MORTIFY (OR KILL) therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:...... In the which ye also walked some, when ye lived in them. But now ye also, PUT OFF all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have PUT OFF the OLD MAN and his deeds." Colossians 3:5,7,8 &9. Daily we need to determine to take off our clothes of the night, and put on our day clothes, so that we are prepared to live and work for the Lord. 

 

 Usually our night clothes show more of our physical body, or more of our self. Our day clothes SHOULD cover more of us, so that the world see less of us.(That's a whole different blog post in itself!) So should it be with our spiritual clothes. We should purpose to "die to self" and let the world see more of Him. " ...I die daily." I Corinthians 15:31. "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30.

 

Not only do we have to PUT OFF grave clothes every morning, we have to PUT ON our GRACE clothes. "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by GRACE ye are saved.)". Ephesians 2:5. "And have PUT ON the NEW MAN, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of HIM that created him." Colossians 3:10. "PUT ON therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;......And above all these things PUT ON charity, which is the bond of perfectness." Colossians 3:12& 14.Once we have put on our Grace clothes in the morning, we are ready to walk in His way and do what He would have us to do for Him. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we SHOULD WALK IN THEM." Ephesians 2:10.

 

Once we have determined to PUT ON the Grace clothes provided by the Lord, we are ready for His service. Is this not what He has left us here to do? May the Lord help us to not be guilty of INDECENT SPIRITUAL EXPOSURE! One day, we won't have to worry about these Grave clothes, or our flesh, We will be before Him in our ROBE OF WHITE-Revelation 19:8 "And to her (church) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF SAINTS!" So, today may we purpose to "PUT ON the new man, which after God is created in righteousness, and true holiness." Ephesians 4:24.  "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" Ephesians 4:12.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Dead Weight

 

Ever felt like there was just something holding you back, or keeping you from reaching a goal? Have you felt like you have been dragging something along with you and slowing down progress? You may be carrying DEAD WEIGHT!

 

This is exactly what happened to the children of Israel, and I do mean THE CHILDREN! After Moses had brought them out of Egypt, and sent 10 spies into the Promised Land to view it, only two brought back of report of faith-Joshua and Caleb. The other eight gave an "evil report" Numbers 14:37. Because of their sin of unbelief, or lack of faith, all adults over the age of 20 were punished to die in the wilderness for 40 years! They could not enter the Promised Land. Only their children could! They had harmed themselves, each other, and most importantly, their CHILDREN! This is what the sin of UNBELIEF can do to us! It acts as a DEAD WEIGHT- its halts, hinders, and hurts EVERYONE!

 

HALT! That is exactly what the nation of Israel did when they heard the report of the eight unbelieving spies! They stopped their journey forward and froze DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS! They gave no heed to the report of FAITH given by Joshua and Caleb! Instead, they listened to the lie of the other spies. Just as in I Kings 18:21 when Elijah asked the people "how long HALT YE ", they were HALTED BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS! They chose to not have FAITH in the Holy One of Israel! This in turn led to their own doom. In Numbers 14, they murmured against God, blamed HIM FOR THEIR TROUBLE, and even accused HIM of allowing their children to become prey in the wilderness! In reality, THIS IS WHAT THEY HAD JUST DONE! THEY WERE NAMING THEIR OWN SIN! How many times when things go wrong, all of our OWN ACCORD, do we start to complain, blame someone, and then accuse them of inflicting the hurt? Just as the children of Israel, we will blame our sin of UNBELIEF on the Lord, others, and then blame the Lord for the hurt WE have caused! Anytime we choose the route of NO FAITH or  NOT TRUSTING in the Lord, we will halt the work of the LORD! Just as the people were punished to die in the wilderness over 40 years, walking in circles, so will we run go 'round and 'round!

You can't advance when you can't see, through they eyes of FAITH, where you are going! Just as sand in the eyes will cause you to stop until you get it out, so you can see clearly, so will sin in your Christian walk! Get it out of there so you can keep on walking in the way the Lord WANTS YOU TO GO!

 

They were HINDERED! The adults that didn't believe were not hindered. They were halted! Their chance was gone, verdict passed. They were literally DEAD MEN WALKING, OR DEAD WEIGHT!  The ones that were hindered were the BELIEVING! Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Caleb, and all of the children of Israel, 20 years and under, were HINDERED from entering the Promised Land! They were now off schedule from when the Lord had wanted them to go in! This same thing will happen today if we don't trust in the Promise the Lord has given to us! The Lord had told them they WOULD HAVE THE PROMISED LAND, all the way back to Abraham's day. So, this was not news to them! It was known by all just as well as we know where the local Walmart is! They just chose to ignore the Promise, which hindered the ones that gave it heed! The faithless kept the ones that wanted to go forward, believing in the NAME OF THE LORD, from doing so. How about us? When our church wants to go forward, are we the first to agree or object? When our spouse shares with us a desire the Lord has placed on their heart, do you listen or cut them off? When our children tell us of the thoughts the Lord has given them, for plans to follow HIM for their lives, do we encourage, or discourage? Instead of being a hindrance, we should be a HELP! We should encourage our church to keep moving forward! We should pray, being a true HELP MEET with our spouse about the desires from the Lord! We should guide our children with godly counsel from the scriptures and pray daily for them, even if it isn't what WE WANT FOR THEM! HELP and not HINDER TODAY!

 

Lastly, their faithlessness HURT! It hurt not only themselves, but ALL of those around them! Moses was hurt from being turned and wanting to stone him. The spies were hurt in that they were not believed and stopped from fulfilling the desire to take the land then! The children were hurt, in that they were forced to wander in the desert for 40 years, being 60 years old before they could finally make it home! But, most of all, it hurt the heart of God, when HIS CHILDREN didn't obey HIM! He wanted to bless, and instead had to chasten. He had promised untold blessing in reward for obedience, and instead had to give severe curse, or punishment! Our lack of faith does the same thing. Are we living on tidbits of blessing instead of by the bucketfuls? Is our lack of faith in the Lord's Promise to open the "windows of heaven" Malachi 3:10, keeping us from receiving God's abundant blessing for obedience to His Word? Most of the time, we inflicting our own wounds! No Faith is not working, No faith is not growing. To sum it up, No faith is no blessing! "But without FAITH it is impossible to please HIM; for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE that HE IS a rewarder of them that diligently seek HIM." Hebrews 11:6. Does this mean "name it and claim it?" NO! It is faith in what He has promised to give, and what we NEED, that we will receive! We are hurting ourselves, our family and our church when we don't have the faith the Lord wants us to!

 

Don't HALT! Keep on going! Don't HINDER! HELP the work of the LORD! DO NOT HURT! Help Heal! Let the Lord work in your life, family and church! "...lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ." I Corinthians 9: 12. Get rid of THE DEAD WEIGHT of NO FAITH! "..let us lay aside EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN that doth so easily beset us.." Hebrews 12:1.