Glad to be in the service

Glad to be in the service, Glad to be in the service,
Glad to be in the service one more time
He didn't have to let me live,
He didn't have to let me live,
Live to be in the service one more time

I'm glad to be in the service, I'm glad to be in the service
He's blessed me with my health, and then He's blessed me with my strength
And I'm glad to be in the service one more time.

Matthew 4:11 (New International Version)
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

I read a marvelous article by Ann Mary Clement which stated : “Jesus uses the verb ‘to serve’’ diakonein’ to identify his mission, and to describe what he expects of his followers (Lk 12.37, 17:X, 22:26-27). In his life he served many people but besides Jesus only angels and women are listed as the subject to this verb, and angels and women minister to Jesus himself (Mk 1:13: Lk 22.43, 8:3; Mt 8:15)” http://www.womenpriests.org/scriptur/clement.asp

And I thought, WOW. I am truly glad to be in the service, glad to be subject of the verb diakonein.

Luke 8:3 NIV
1After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him,
2and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;
3Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

I am so happy to be one in service of Our Lord. I am happy to be counted as one of those who “thought it not robbery” to be subject to the Great Commission.

I’m not a theologian so I do not argue the author’s point of view but I do appreciate her statements. I do believe it is important for women to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they read the Word of God. I believe it is important for women to seek out several points of view so that they can truly become discerning disciples of God.

Matt 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

So many of us have allowed ourselves to be beaten down by words of discouragement. So many of us have discounted the value of the services we provide.

Mark 15:40-41 (New International Version)40Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

Be “Glad to Be in the Service“. Be happy to be counted among those who serve our Lord.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Our Model Prayer

Many of us are unsatisfied with our prayer life. We look to others who just seem to have all of the right words to say at all times. We are inspired when they pray but we just don’t know what to say ourselves.

Sometimes this results in a reluctance to pray at all, especially in public.

Even the disciples, who walked with Jesus Christ on a daily basis, seemed to have doubts about the appropriate approach to prayer.

Luke 11:1 (New International Version)
Jesus' Teaching on Prayer
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

Most of us have committed the Lord’s Prayer, the Model Prayer to memory. This prayer becomes more fulfilling when we explore the magnificent wholeness in these simple words.

Matthew 6:9-13 (King James Version)
9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Our Father, your father, my father. We have been given the right, as children of God, to come directly to him in prayer. Before the time of Jesus we were obligated to go to priests to intercede for us in the holy places. No layman was admitted on penalty of death. Now, Jesus himself has told us that we can directly say “Our Father”.

Which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. We acknowledge the greatness of God. We acknowledge that he is above all and we gladly give him the highest praise. .

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
We establish in our prayer a good order of things. Our first priority is to God then to our earthly concerns. It is for the glory of the Father that we pray. We know that His will is supreme. We know that things work out best for us when we submit to his will.

Give us this day our daily bread. God has promised to meet our needs when we put first the kingdom.
In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. This is accomplished in our model prayer. In our model prayer we seek first to glorify our God knowing that He will meet our needs.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors..
We take responsibility for the fact that we have sinned. We take responsibility for the fact that we have fallen short of the mark. We have debts owed to the Father and we need His mercy.. But how do we treat folks who have trespassed against us? How close are we to following his command in Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Are we anywhere near the mandate in Luke 6:31 to Do to others as you would have them do to you?

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil God has promised in (1 Corinthians 10:13),
13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

God does not take Satan out of the equation. What he does do is give us the resources to deal with him. He gives us His Word. He gives us His Holy Spirit. He gives us the path to deliver us from evil. He gives us The Way.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Our “Model Prayer”. A beautiful gift from Jesus himself.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY

Psalm 23 (King James Version)
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

I thank God that He provides new eyes to see old truths on a daily basis. Most of us learned this Psalm as children. I know it was my favorite as a child because of all the protection and comfort it offered.

This morning I was listening to a minister on television who commented on the fact that, although we are promised a walk through the valley, some of us chose to live in the valley of death.

Some of us just won’t let go of adversity. Some of us keep revisiting old hurts and disappointments even after God has delivered us.

Many times we run back to our uncomfortable “comfort zones”, the places that are familiar to us, because our faith is not big enough to hold onto the promises of God.

Perhaps it’s time to walk through the valley of the shadow of death secure in the knowledge that God is with us.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Sweet Hour of Prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

There is such a call on my heart today to remind us of the comfort that is available to us in the gift of prayer. Sometimes when we are in the middle of strife we lose sight of the protection that is ours just for the asking.

Remember that prayer has only to be sincere, not complicated.

Matthew 14 (New International Version)
30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

This prayer by Peter was answered, not because it was eloquent, but because it was sincere!

As a matter of fact, Jesus counsels us to avoid repetitious prayer.

A prayer can be the “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9–13, Luke 11:2–4) which contain all of the elements needed for heartfelt prayer. A prayer can be a song that speaks to the desires of your heart for closeness to God. A prayer can be a dialogue with the Holy Spirit who knows the desires of your heart.

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

For peace in your life, start and end your day in the glorious presence of Our Lord through prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Isn’t it great that this greatest of gifts is free.

My God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Joy in Studying the Word!

Psalm 46 (New International Version)
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

We are studying the Psalms during our Sunday School Preparatory Classes and I am so excited. The Psalms are a source of comfort in times of trouble. The Psalms enrich prayer and praise time. The Psalms provide examples of confession and repentance. The Psalms are awesome gifts to the believer, a pathway into the presence of Almighty God.

2 Timothy 2:15 (King James Version)
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Our Sunday School Preparatory is a time when we study the lessons which will be presented the following Sunday.

It is such an interesting concept. We meet on Monday night for an hour and study the scripture presented in the lesson, background scripture, historical context. This is a time to learn the who, why, when and what that will be in the upcoming lessons. We get excited about follow-up study at home for special clarity. We explore practical applications of the lessons learned. This is a time for the Living Word.

"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.

If you are bored reading the bible, if you find the bible confusing, find a good teaching ministry and discover the excitement of the Word of God in your life. Open the door for the Comforter and avail yourself of this wonderful gift.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Pray or Panic!!!

Sometimes you are just having “one of those days” a day when everything you plan just isn’t happening. You plan to go to the bank first thing in the morning only to discover that it’s one of those holidays you forgot because you have to work. You plan to finish that report and discover that an important piece is in your desk at home. Normally you would laugh when you discover that the blue shoes that perfectly match your suit are really the dark brown ones that don’t match anything.

But today isn’t a day you feel like laughing about anything. Every little annoyance is greatly magnified. You feel as if you should just go back to bed and start over but that isn‘t always an option in the real world.

This sounds like a set up for having a bad day. Oh, but we have choices.

We can decide to let this day just spiral down to a very dark place or we can decide to put a stop to this nonsense right away!

Matthew 6 (New International Version)
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Wow! Just stopping for a moment to review this morning in a different light can put this whole day into a new perspective. What among these little annoyances is worth ruining a whole day? What is there here that can’t be fixed or just ignored at this point?

Will I let every contact that I have for the rest of the day be soured by these little blips?

Psalm 118:24 (New International Version)
24 This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

This is a brand new day. This is a day when I can notice that there is a beautiful blue sky outside and it’s cooled off enough that I can enjoy sitting outside on my break. Oh, and there is a bird family that decided to make a home just outside my window and I can hear their joyful song. And on it goes. It is amazing how many reasons we have for joy when we refuse to give our day over to despair, anger or hurt feelings. How trivial the things that were about to ruin my whole day seem in contrast to the joy of the Lord!

Lamentations 3:22-26 (New International Version)
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

We are given a “memory scripture” every week at church. These are the little nuggets that we can call on when life is tough and we need the comfort of the Word. It’s amazing how well it works.

Just remembering that there is comfort and protection for my spirit in the Word gives pause to every destructive thought. It doesn’t take a long time to choose to pray rather than panic but it can have long lasting rewards.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

A Day of Opportunity

When you wake in the morning you don’t know every opportunity and challenge you will face during the day. The best way to be prepared is to arm yourself with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (New International Version)
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

How wonderful it is that our God has provided easy guidelines to get us through any day.

13Therefore put on THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

BELT OF TRUTH
No matter who or what you have to deal with during the day, if you are reinforced with truth you have no cause to fear. I teach my grandchildren that one of the benefits of a truthful life is that you have no need to remember which lie you told to whom. You can approach everyone with ease of mind and concentrate on the here and now instead of the cumbersome task of weaving a plausible web of deceit. The most lasting problem is that a person, once known a liar, has a very difficult time being believed even when telling an obvious truth.

BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Righteousness means coming to any situation knowing that you are right with God and man. This is in no way that self-centered attitude that some associate with the religious. You can only be right with God with a sense of humility. God teaches us to approach our brothers with gentleness and patience.

2 Timothy 2 (New International Version)
22Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
24And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
25Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

There are some folks who are just natural peacemakers. Some of us have to stay prayerful and make an effort to stay in a mode of peacemaker. One of the benefits of being a peacemaker, rather than a peace breaker, is that a peacemaker inspires confidence even in the minds of enemies. How much easier your day will be when you are not met first with an air of suspicion in all of your dealings.

Matthew 5:9 (New International Version)
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

SHIELD OF FAITH

16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

We approach every day armed with a shield of faith. We have faith in the promises of God. We have faith that we can receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit when we stay rooted in the Word of God. Faith provides a sweet assurance in the love, grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior.

“When you have come to the edge
Of all light that you know
And are about to drop off into the darkness
Of the unknown,
Faith is knowing
One of two things will happen:
There will be something solid to stand on or
You will be taught to fly”
Patrick Overton

Hebrews 11:1 (King James Version)
1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

HELMET OF SALVATION AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We protect our heads, our minds, with the helmet of salvation. We avoid getting tossed about with all the foolishness of the world by staying grounded in the Word of God. We approach every day secure in the knowledge that our salvation is assured.

Ephesians 4:4-6 (New International Version)
4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Father, God, we begin each day first acknowledging all You are in our lives. We give You the first fruits of our day in prayer, meditation and study of Your precious Word. We know that there will be trials, even for the faithful, but that we are ready to face every trial secure in the protection of Your Love.

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Face this and every new day armed with the BELT OF TRUTH, the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, the THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, the SHIELD OF FAITH , the HELMET OF SALVATION and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Daily Pleasures, Freely Given

Psalm 19 (New International Version)
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

Are you one of the fortunate ones who can truly enjoy the majesty of a perfect sunset? When you look into the skies do you appreciate the wonder of the order of the heavens? I live on the west coast where sunsets are a daily gift from God and I say “Thank You, Lord!!!”

I am not a poet but the words of the Psalms are often the songs of my heart. This one of those times.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

Many times we see laws and rules as prohibiting. We must keep our speed within limits to minimize the damage we do to ourselves and others in case of accident, we must stop at lights so that there is order in traffic, we must honor the rights of others in many ways.

11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

When we obey the Laws of God we afford ourselves a sweet peace. We start to understand the meaning of John’s words “4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4: 4-7(New International Version)

I acknowledge my absolute need of the help of the Holy Sirit in my daily life to keep me from sin. I acknowledge the ease with which I can slip into some unseemly thoughts even though I’ve gotten much better at controlling unseeming behavior.
I must daily pray:

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Check out a sunrise or sunset on whatever horizon God has given you. Enjoy the majesty of Our Lord in the daily pleasures that are freely given.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Praying the Scriptures for Your Children

I received a wonderful gift from my pastor yesterday. It was a fact sheet entitled “Prayer Power: Covering Our Kids With His Promise!” which was featured on the 700 Club on April 22, 2002.

This fact sheet was a summary of a book “Praying the Scriptures for Your Children,” by Jodie Berndt.

The author uses actual scripture. Inserting the child’s name to personalize the prayer. An example is: “I pray that (your child’s name) would continue to live in Christ, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as he was taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” from the scripture of (Colossians 2:6-7).

Colossians 2:6-7 (New American Standard Bible
6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

This could be a powerful tool for both the child and the adult, especially when the adult shares the scripture and the process with the child. I feel as if I have been given a new eye with which to see scripture, an eye for helpful tools for my grandchildren, an eye for opportunities to share the Word in a whole new light.

I love praying for my children and grandchildren. We believe that we are privileged to have the Word to guide us in our daily lives and active prayer for our loved ones is a part of daily living. Scripture says

25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Romans 8:25-27 (New International Version)

All saints have the privilege of interceding on behalf of their loved ones. All saints have the benefit of the Holy Spirit in prayer and in meditation. I know that my prayers are answered when I ask to be an effective prayer warrior for loved ones. I thank God for yet another way to worship and praise Him.

May God enrich your spirit. May God bring you peace and fulfillment.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!