The Day History Changed Forever

Oh what love God showed to each one of us on this day - He became flesh and willingly gave his life and endured such suffering, beyond what any of us can comprehend, so that we might be reconciled to Him and have the hope of being with Him for all eternity!

Thank you Jesus, for so great a love - for taking the punishment for my sin, so that I may live a life here, filled with the presence of your Holy Spirit, and when it's my time to leave this earth, KNOW without a doubt, that I will live in your wonderful presence for time without end.

May each of you have a blessed Good Friday, and let your hearts ponder all that the Lord did for us on this day.

Janelle

The Rolling Thunder

Today I was woken by the wonderful sound of thunder and rain....there's something about storms that intrigues me, and we sure have needed this rain here in Florida!

It brings to mind the song, "How Great Thou Art" , where it says: "I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thou power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How great thou art, How great thou art. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How great thou art........How GREAT thou art".

With that said, I found a passage in Psalms where David speaks of this very thing - the power of our Lord, and how the He reveals himself to us through nature.

Psalm 29

"Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.

The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord twists the oaks, and strips the forest bare.

And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as a King forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace".

May you be blessed this Sunday.....

Janelle

What's in a Name?

Did you know that God actually refers to Himself in the Bible with other titles than God or Lord? There are many Hebrew names that are linked to the specific circumstances of how God is revealing His power and glory to His people. The Lord's name stands in for His purpose, reflecting His qualities,character and attributes.



Today I want to share some of these names with you. I found a few of them written down in the back of my Bible, but have happened upon a website from which I took my opening statement, and also gives additional Hebrew names for the Lord, along with the characteristics of those names. All quotes in italics are taken from this excerpt I found online.
© Beth Rimstidt 2007 Permission is given for non-profit use of the information from this web page provided it is accompanied by the citation:
Used by permission of Beth Rimstidt www.child-bible-lessons.com



1. Jehovah-Rophe - God our Healer (Psalm 147:3) "He heals the broken in heart and binds up all their wounds". God wants to heal not only our sicknesses and physical health but also our emotional health or even our 'land' can be healed.
'Rapha' means restoring something to it's normal state.

2. El Roi - the God of seeing(Hebrews 2:18) - "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted". We use this name if we are seeking God to open our eyes and reveal to us that even though men may not see our good deeds, God sees it all. El Roi means God sees the afflictions or suffering of His people and if we humble ourselves and call on Him, He will come to our aid.

3. Jehovah-Sabaoth - The Lord of Hosts(Isaiah 36 - 37)the Commander to the Angelic Host and the Armies of God. We may call on Jehovah-Sabaoth if we have lost all hope and are defenseless and in trouble, feeling trapped like we have an army of enemies surrounding us on all sides.

4. Jehovah-Jireh - God our Provider (Philippians 4:19) - "And my God will surely supply everything you need, according to His riches found in Christ Jesus". Because God always provides for our needs at the appropriate time. Abraham named the place on the mountain where he was ready to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac "The Lord will Provide", because at the last moment God provided a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac.(Gen 22:1-19)

5. El Shaddai - God all sufficient - This could be used in unison with Jehovah-Jireh because God supplies all our needs at the prescribed time according to His riches and Glory in Christ.

6. Jehovah-Nissi - The Lord our Banner(Song of Solomon 2:4) - "He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love". This often refers to the banner of God on the battlefield. His banner over us signifies His presence, His power and His provision.

7. Jehovah-Shalom - The Lord our Peace(Romans 5:1) - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ". The way we gain God's peace over our lives is by trusting Christ and obedience to His commands which results in a 'wholeness' in our relationship with God and with others. Sometimes this is called a 'peace that surpasses all understanding'.

8. El Elyon - The most high God(Psalm 57:2) - "I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me". God is sovereign which means that God is in charge of the entire universe ALL the time. God is so in control of our lives that nothing can happen without His permission. No fortunes, evil dictator's plans or worldly circumstances can thwart His plans.



Some additional names:

Adonai-Jehovah -- The Lord our Sovereign

El-Olam -- The Everlasting God

Jehovah-Elohim -- The Eternal Creator

Jehovah-Tsidkenu -- The Lord our Righteousness

Jehovah-Mekaddishkem -- The Lord our Sanctifier

Jehovah-Shammah -- The Lord is Present

Jehovah-Rohi -- The Lord our Shepherd

Jehovah-Hoseenu -- The Lord our Maker

Jehovah-Eloheenu -- The Lord our God

Now that I've re-read and delved into scripture to study these names (some of which I wasn't familiar with) I can see more clearly as to why the Lord directed me to post about His names today. You know the old saying, "preaching to the choir"? - well today, that's exactly what I'm doing...........I needed to "hear" this as much or more than anyone! I needed the Lord to remind me of WHO HE IS, and who I am IN Him!

Blessings,

Janelle

Only Two More Days Until My Give A Way

Well Spring is officially here today, and I'm excited about drawing for the name of the winner of my Prim Frog on my Selling Blog on Sunday!

There's still time to get your name or to tell your friends to get their names on my mailing list, to be eligible for the drawing.

Happy Spring! :)

Here's a thought for you today, spoken by the Lord after his resurrection:

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed".

John 20:29b

Who Do You Resemble?

Most of us can say we look like our mother and/or father - that we have some of the same features and personality types as our siblings; I can look at certain parts of me and see resemblances to my mother, and then other parts of me resemble my daddy. I have the same type of humor and personality as my daddy, and even enjoy the same things in life that he did. But the question today isn't about how much we resemble those we have earthly relationships with - it's about how much do we resemble our Heavenly Father - the Lord...
The following is an excerpt from The Queen and I: It was part of my Bible study from the book of Esther - It's Tough Being a Woman.
"When, because of your faith, your life too becomes perceptibly different; when your reactions are quite opposite to what the situation seems to call for and your activities can no longer be explained in terms of your personality; that is when your neighborhood will sit up and take notice. In the eyes of the world, it is not your relationship with Jesus Christ that counts; it is our resemblance to Him".
Now as believers, our first and foremost goal is to have a deep and loving relationship with the Lord - it's our everything! But how well do each of us reflect our relationship to him, so that those who don't know him, see HIM in us, therefore making them have the desire to know Him?
This really opened my eyes - how much do I look like Jesus? Do I react the way He would? Do I treat others as He does? Do I see others through His eyes?
My prayer today is that my relationship with the Lord will grow deeper, and that the more time I spend with Him in prayer and in His word - the more I'll resemble him.

Feast of Purim

March 15 - what the world views as "The Ides of March", but it is so much more than that - especially for me.

This date was acknowledged in the Old Testament in the book of Esther, as a day of celebration. There had been a plot - a holocaust against the Jews, much like what we saw happen in Europe in the 1940's. Queen Esther, with the help of her Uncle Mordecai, helped uncover this plot to wipe out their people, and it was completely turned around to become a day of victory and celebration for the Jews. They conquered those who were opposed to them, and the Lord tells us in Esther 9:21 - "Have them celebrate annually on the 14th and 15th days of Adar (March for us), as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month of when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration".
9:28 - "These days should be remembered and observed in every generation, by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendents".

I'd read this book many times, but it wasn't until after my dearly beloved Daddy went home to heaven, that I read it with a whole new perspective.
You see, my daddy DIED on March 15, 1984. This was surely a day or mourning for me that lasted many years. Each year I would fall into deep depression at the emptiness at the loss of this man that I adored. It's hard to believe that tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of that horrible event.

I had no idea how I could ever turn this day of mourning into a day of celebration, as it states in Esther 9. What could possibly occur in my life that would bring about such a change?

Nineteen years after my daddy went home to heaven, I got my answer, and this is how the story goes:
In December 2002, I met Bill, and when he proposed to me, he said it was up to me to pick a date for our wedding. I quickly found a calendar and checked to see what day of the week March 15 was going to fall on in 2003 - SATURDAY! Perfect- I could have a real wedding, with all the kids and grandkids!
When he asked why I picked "The Ides of March" to get married on, I was able to explain to him what that date meant to me, and also tell him the story from the book of Esther.

My sweet husband to be made sure that this was the most special day of my life. He took care of all the arrangements for the wedding, and I got to pick out the most beautiful bridal gown I'd ever seen - I was getting a wedding in a chapel, and a gown to boot - something I didn't get the first time around.

So tomorrow I will surely remember my daddy, but it won't be the day of sadness and emptiness I had felt for 19 years - it will be a day to celebrate a new man in my life; a day of happiness....or as it says in Esther - "a day of sorrow turned into joy, and a day of mourning turned into celebration".

My Precious Daddy - see you in Heaven!

March 15, 2003 - Mr.& Mrs. Bill Hurt

Forgetting the Past

In thumbing through my Bible this morning, looking for something to share from God's Word, I came across this passage from the book of Isaiah.


Isaiah 43:18 - 19 - "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert, and streams in the wasteland".


I think all of us at some time or another, tend to cling to, or hold onto things of the past - why we do, is the question. The Lord is telling us in the above scripture, that He wants and desires to give us and to show us newness of life. He even makes a way for us in times that are hard, but we have to let go of the past, and trust him with today, and with the future. Most of the time, the things we hold onto seem hard to let go of - they're familiar - they deceive us into thinking they are a safe place to hide emotionally. They've taken up permanent residence in our hearts and in our lives, and holding onto them aren't benefitting us at all, but hinder us in our emotional and spiritual growth.


Past hurts undealt with, paralyze us - if not dealt with, those hurts turn into anger and unforgiveness. Once unforgiveness takes a solid place in our hearts, it turns into bitterness, which the Bible says in Hebrews 12: 15 - "See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many". The Greek word for bitter is the same word for manure or dung. Think about manure - it's waste - something to be expelled from the body.


Manure is also used as a fertilizer, so although that can be beneficial in growing beautiful flowers, food and such, in this case, it's use is of no benefit whatsoever. Fertilizing this root causes it to take hold of every area in our life, bringing troubles and defiling many. It can and will affect every relationship in one's life, choking out God and His word, His plan for our life, It can and will destroy every relationship in one's life, if not dealt with.



Don't let another day go by without giving these things of the past to the Lord. Let Him heal the hurts, and guide you to a new life, full of His grace.



Janelle

Perfect Peace

I am so thankful and so grateful to all those friends and family who since hearing the news of Dude's upcoming deployment in December, have prayed and will continue to pray for Dude, as well as for me.
The Lord gave me this scripture this morning, as I continue to go to him more frequently about having complete peace about this.
He says in John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not be afraid".
I also read in Isaiah 26:3 - 4, another familiar passage, that has a whole new and fresh message for me - "You Lord, will keep in perfect peace, him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal". The Hebrew word for the peace mentioned here, translates into " a full, genuine well-being".
You might be in a place in your life when you too, need to know the peace that passes all human understanding. We all face different trials and tests of faith throughout our walk here on earth, and I pray that these passages will speak peace into your heart as they have done for me.

Blessings,
Janelle

Psalm 71

In thumbing through my Bible in search of something to share today, I came across Psalm 71, and it says exactly what I know someone needs to hear right now.

Psalm 71: 17 - 21

"Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,

and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God,

till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.

Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things.

Who, O God, is like you?

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again;

from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

You will increase my honor and comfort me once again."



I know that this psalm rings true in my life, and our Lord has been faithful to bring me up "from the depths of the earth" many times.

I pray today, that if you are in a place of sadness, sorrow, loneliness or heartache, you will turn your heart towards the Lord, letting him bring you up to where he is - a place of love, comfort and healing.



Blessings,

Janelle

Giving Our Firstfruits

In these tough financial times, many are cutting back on things - even believers in their giving to the church.

Jesus says in Luke 6:38: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you".

This past Sunday when I was preparing to write out a check to put in the offering plate, I asked the Lord what did he want me to give. The amount he spoke to me was going to be a stretch for us this week, but I willingly did what he asked, knowing that he would be faithful in his promise of being Jehovah Jireh - my provider. What I wasn't expecting though, was how soon he would show himself in that way!
When I got home from church and finished with brunch, I decided to lay down for a nap, and when I woke up, I came to check my email, and there were two orders in my inbox! After sending an invoice to one, I got an immediate payment. I wrote an email of thanks to this customer, and at the bottom of each of my sent emails, I have a signature that includes links to my website, Etsy, and the TDIPT Mercantile. Within minutes, this same customer that had gotten my email of thanks, had gone to the link to my items on Etsy, and had purchased yet another of of my pieces!

All I could do was say, "Thank you Jesus" over and over again. The total amount that I received just from that one person, was the amount I'd given in church and an overage of the very same amount!

And it just gets better! I sold two items on Ebay yesterday, and again, just kept thanking the Lord for his goodness and faithfulness.

I then listed another item on Etsy, and within minutes of listing it, I received another email saying that I had an order from there that included not only the just listed item, but another one along with it as well!

I'm not telling you any of this to brag, but to encourage you to be faithful to the Lord in your giving - He will prove to you, his faithfulness in his promises from his Word.

I'll close with this passage from Malachi 3:10: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. "TEST ME IN THIS", says the Lord Almighty "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit", says the Lord Almighty.

Trust in the Lord, and especially when you are tempted to cut back on your giving to the church. He will honor you for your obedience, and will reveal himself as Jehovah Jireh - our wonderful and faithful provider.

Have a blessed Tuesday!



Janelle

God Doesn't Call Us to Perfection

Perfection - something we all strive for, but in reality - it's something that we will never be able to accomplish here. There was only One who did, and He doesn't call us to perfectionism - He calls us to do what He asks with a willing heart, and he will use that to His glory.

I am writing on this subject today, because it was part of my homework from the class on Esther.

Let me give you some background on the scenario. Esther was a Jewish girl who had been put into the position of the Queen of Persia. An edict had been declared by the king's right hand man, to eliminate all Jews - a holocaust, much like what Adolph Hitler carried out. Her uncle, Mordecai, said that she must go before the king to beg for mercy for her people. The law at that time was that if anyone were to go to the king's court without being summoned, it was a death sentence. The only way to avoid that certain event, was if the king extended his royal scepter.

Esther fasted and prayed for 3 days, along with all the Jews, and after those three days, she donned her royal attire and dared to go into the King's presence.

Now from the notes in the workbook, Beth Moore gives her input as to what she thinks might have been running through the mind of the Queen.

"Esther did what she needed to do, clearly the will of God, but not as one perfectly collected and confident. Beloved, do we believe that the only way to do something acceptably is to do it perfectly? God is more aware than we of just how much He requires of us. He knows how hard it's going to be for us.

God has opened my eyes to the stronghold of perfectionism through loved ones who share their struggle. It's not only painful, but it can be debilitating!

Do you struggle with perfectionism and perhaps could use a little ministry? Do you feel if you can't do something to perfection, you ought not bother? Do you frequently feel pressure to perform tasks that will result in applause? When you blow it, do you wait a long time before trying again? Do you feel the need to always make an "A"?

Perfectionism is a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as being unacceptable.

I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't do our best. I'm simply saying that sometimes just surviving certains tasks without falling apart is our best and in those times God is not ashamed of our performance. He's proud of us for fighting overwhelming human emotions to do His will. God isn't interested in our stellar performance, but in our hearts. He loves our willingness and obedience despite our insecurities."

Beth continues with this story from someone in her own life, and I think there are many of us who could say that we know of a similar situation in either our own life, or in the lives of others.

"I know a dad who videos all his gifted son's athletic events and then hardly gets through the front door of their home bedore he sits the boy down - still covered in sweat - to view and critique his performance. The kid is in middle school, for crying out loud. Can't a touchdown still be a touchdown even if the boy tripped his way across the goal line"?

That lesson hit home with me, because there are times when I struggle with doing some things to perfection - mine usually is in the dolls and such that I make. I am my own worst critic, and worry myself about whether or not the recipient of my creations, sits there and critiques my work as harshly as I tend to do. I need to let go and realize that I'm just me - I'm going to give my heart into each creation, and make it to the best of my abilities. No, it's not going to be perfect - and what I've really got to come to fully realize is that neither is anyone elses!
We all struggle with this to some degree in one or more areas of our life. God wants to free us from that. It's not worth the consequences that come with the stress of perfectionism. It can wreak havoc on our health, our relationships, and in our emotional and psychological well being.

We need to remember that in the eyes of our Lord - we are perfect in Him. He's not concerned if we look or act perfect - if our homes don't look like something found in a magazine - if our children don't look or act perfectly at all times. He's interested in our hearts. PERIOD!

Search your heart and ask the Lord to show you areas in your life where you struggle with this, and ask Him to free you from this burden. It might not be an easy or immediate deliverance, but He will be right there with us every step of the way, strengthening us with each and every step we take to our freedom.



Janelle

A Call to Be Courageous

In our Beth Moore class on Esther yesterday, the topic was around FEAR. The study this week is an exhortation to be courageous, as Esther was, when going to face the king on behalf of her and the other Jews throughout Persia.

Some of the notes regarding fear were:

• I am the biggest obstacle to myself in overcoming


• There is no denial in courage - you need to look your fears flat in the face and you don't deny it, but rather, you deny its power over you!
• You may be one brave decision from the most important turn in your entire path...
• The most common command in scripture is: "Don't be afraid"
• We tend to cherish fear and/or hide behind it
• Don't be motivated by fear!
• The enemy - Satan - knows our fears and he's all over it!
• "What If" = "I Fear"....the "what ifs" in life, usually don't even happen

I don't know of a single person who couldn't benefit from this lesson on fear - we all have them, some moreso than others, but any fear is in contradiction to God's word - he says in I John 4:18: "There is NO fear in love. But perfect love drives out ALL fear"

Let us be strong and courageous in facing our fears and come to the full knowledge and trust in the Lord that NO MATTER WHAT....God is ALWAYS with us, and will see us through...

Janelle

Take No Thought for Your Life

Today I'm posting from my devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest", by Oswald Chambers.

He says, "A warning which needs to be reiterated is that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, will choke all that God puts in. We are never free from the recurring tides of this encroachment. If it does not come on the line of clothes and food, it will come on the line of money or lack of money; of friends or lack of friends; or on the line of difficult circumstances. It is one steady encroachment all the time, and unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the standard against it, these things will come in like a flood.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:25, "Take no thought for your life". "Be careful about one thing only", says our Lord, "your relationship to Me". Common sense shouts loud and says, "That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink." Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first.

"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." How much evil has begun to threaten you today? What kind of mean little imps have been looking in and saying - Now what are you going to do next month - this summer? "Be anxious for nothing", Jesus says. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the "much more" of your heavenly Father.



This all goes along so well with the series of teachings our pastor has started off the new year with - "In God We Trust".

This past Sunday's notes said:

1. Do not put your trust in yourself - Proverbs 28:26

2. Do not put your trust in your own wisdom and understanding - Proverbs 3: 5 - 7

3. Do not put your trust in money - Proverbs 11:28, 18:11

4. Do not put your trust in your own planning - Proverbs 21:30, 16:9

5. Do not put your trust in man's approval - Proverbs 29:25



This sermon really hit home with me, as well as the devotional today, as I am guilty of all the above at times. My prayer is that my faith in God's faithfulness will be strengthened, and I will look to Him more each day, to fulfill the promises He makes about meeting all our needs.



Have a blessed Tuesday...

Janelle

A Time for Prayer

After a few days of bitter cold here in Florida, it was so nice to have a spring-like day in the mid 70's today!
I haven't posted in quite a number of days, as I've been in prayer many hours of my days, for my precious son and others who are going through some trials that needed some serious time before the Lord.
Sometimes when in intercessory prayer, one feels the burden that the ones they love and are praying for are feeling. No different than any other kind of warfare as we know it, spiritual warfare does take its physical toll, but worth every minute of it when you finally get a break through and the peace of the Lord for that situation.
Thanks to all my friends who have been in prayer not only for my son, but for me to have the physical and spiritual strength as I went before the Lord with prayers and petitions.
I was also very blessed today to have a dear friend ask me for guidance in teaching a women's Bible study in her church. As soon as she sent the request, I knew immediately what to send to her - a study I'd done on my own some time ago when I was going through a rough time and needed to know "I'm somebody". The title I gave to that teaching that the Lord took me through was called, "I'm God's Treasured Possession" - something we all need to know without any uncertainty! I pray that she's able to use what I gave to her, and that many women will find their place and know who they are in Christ.
I pray you are having a wonderful weekend!

Janelle

The Atonement for Our Country

Today I was looking for a scripture that I was going to share about inward beauty, and in looking for it, the Lord directed me into a U-turn to another scripture that I think needs to be said to all, and it is found in Colossians 2:8.
"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ".
Our eyes as a country need to be set on God, and not on man. Our eyes need to be set on the grace and atonement for everyone through the blood of Jesus, not on the election of a black man, to try to right the wrongs of the past in our country.
I never tippy toe around the issues that I feel strongly about, and I'm sure not going to start now!
The world's principles, which is mentioned in this passage, haven't seem to do too much for our country, as we have followed it's principles and now stand in the greatest economic downfall of our time. Lawyers, bail outs and a liberal congress cannot better ourselves as a nation, but as it says in II Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land".
That's the only answer for our country, and the only LOGICAL answer, in my opinion. Man's solutions have failed us, and it's time to turn this country back to it's Judeo Christian principles it was founded on.
And I'll stand on this soapbox til Jesus comes if I have to, and NOT apologize for it!

Altering Our Hearing

Today I want to share from my devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. I love this little book, because it leaves room to journal in the margins, and with each year, I see the different things I've written down that I want the Lord to do or change in my life.
Today's entry is about "The Voice of the Nature of God". In his opening statement, Chambers says, " When we speak of the call of God, we are apt to forget the most important feature, viz., the nature of The One who calls. The call is the expression of the nature from which it comes, and we can only record the call if the same nature is in us. The call of God is the expression of God's nature, not of our nature. As long as I consider my personal temperament and think about what I am fitted for, I shall never hear the call of God. The majority of us have no ear for anything but ourselves, we cannot hear a thing God says. To be brought into the zone of the call of God is to be profoundly altered".
Throughout the years that I've been journaling in the side margins of this book, there is a constant thread of thought I've written down - "help me to hear you better Lord, and to be obedient to whatever you ask of me".
Well, that's easy to say, but I know there have been times when I've not followed through as I should have. Then comes the feelings of guilt and failure. The Lord doesn't want us walking around like that though, and he is always willing to give us yet another chance to fine tune our hearing of his voice, and gives us more opportunities to act on his call.
Remember, the nature of God is love, mercy, compassion, grace, generosity, patience......and if I (we) allow ourselves to really focus on who God is, all his holy attributes, and that he knows what is best for any situation, it will enable us to be more easily receptive to follow him in anything he asks of us.
I know that when I go out to do my running around today, that there will be some kind of opportunity for me to exhibit the Lord and all his goodness, to someone. My prayer is that my hearing him speak to me about that opportunity, will be fine tuned and productive.
Have a blessed Friday, and a great weekend ahead!

Janelle

All That and a Bag of Chips?

I just finished my homework from my study on Esther, and it sure puts things in perspective.

The book starts off with a description of King Xerxes - he was said to be the most handsome, the tallest, and most powerful man of that time. He didn't earn his wealth - he just happened to come from a gene pool, to where it was all handed down to him on a silver platter.

In this first chapter, it tells us about this party he threw in his palace for 180 days for all the military officials and nobles of the day, and THEN when that one was over, he threw yet another party for seven days for "those who were the least to the greatest in all the kingdom" - can you imagine attending a party that lasted that long? As Beth Moore states in our study, " imagine how exhausting a 7 day party would be, particularly after the drama of tearing through our closets, trying to decide what to wear. Think of how our feet would kill us because we'd choose cute over comfortable shoes".

This Xerxes loved to flaunt himself and all that was his. He thought he was "all that and a bag of chips".

Verse 4 says, "He displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty". Again, Beth Moore reminds us that the words 'splendor, glory and majesty' are words that should be attributed to God alone. I would suggest you read Psalm 49: 6 - 20, to see the fate of those who attribute those words of praise to themselves.

One last thing I want to share from today's homework is this: "Our culture's mountain-high piece of the pie premium on riches is not so different from ancient Persia's, and the wealth around us can become as intoxicating as Xerxe's royal wine".

I know I have been guilty on many occasions to be jealous of the homes, clothes and other material things of others. What we see on the outside doesn't always reflect what's going on inside the lives of the people who seem to have it all; many times they have all those things as a means to try to fill a void in their life that only God can fill. I know, because I was that person once - I had the big house in the desired neighborhood; the paid for Mercedes in my garage; unlimited spending on credit cards that were paid off each month; more clothes than I could ever wear - many with tags on them as I'd donate them to Goodwill or some other charity because "they weren't in style anymore".....

What a pitiful and empty person I was. Thank God for the events in my life that brought all that crashing down! I ended up losing everything I owned, and gaining a LIFE! It wasn't until I was alone and broke and had nothing of material worth to my name any longer, that I actually realized how blessed I was, because I then had a new life in Christ. I was learning an invaluable lesson on being content in any and all situations.

I pray that God will use this to speak to you about some area in your life as well....I'm so thankful that I am able to be a part of this study of "Esther - It's Tough Being a Woman", and that God is showing me what kind of woman he desires for me to be...

Have a blessed Thursday...



Janelle

For Such a Time as This

Today is my second week to go to the Bible study on Esther, and one of the passages from chapter 4 is: "And who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this".

Esther had been appointed queen, and her people (the Jews) were under the threat of total annihilation by an evil man named Haman. It was her cousin Mordecai who said these famous words to her, as he was pleading with her to go to King Xerxes to beg him to deliver the Jews from this holocaust.

Had Esther not gone to the King for mercy towards her people, God would have found another means to accomplish this, but she was faithful to God and to her people, and deliverance came to them.

We can apply this verse to our own lives as well - the Bible says that as believers, we are a part of God's royal family. We are called to stand up for those who are being persecuted, for those who are oppressed and lost, and the blessings we recieve from the Lord in our obedience to that call are without end.

If God asks us to do something, and we fail to obey him in it - whether it's for fear of looking silly, or any other reason, then we rob ourselves of a blessing. He will find someone else to carry out His will, but when he asks us to do something - it's because He knows that he's arranged everything and prepared us in every way to carry out the task, or He wouldn't have asked us in the first place!

Don't rob yourself of the blessings of obedience - what might seem silly or makes you feel like you're not capable of doing what the Lord has asked, is actually a lie from hell, in an effort to thwart God's purpose. That will never happen - God's will is always done - no matter who He uses. Let him use you today!



Janelle

He Has Shown Me

Today I'm reading in the book of Micah, which can be found near the end of the Old Testament. Micah was a prophet, and his name meant, "Who is like Yahweh"? Yahweh meaning: the sacred name of God; the self-existent one.
Micah answers the question of "what does God want or expect from me"? He says in Chapter 6: 8, " He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require from you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God".
What does it mean to act justly? Isaiah tells us in chapter 1:17 : "Learn to do right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow".
Jeremiah also tells us in chapter 22:3: "This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor, the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place".
The last part of Micah's answer to us says that we are to walk humbly with our God. Back to the book of Isaiah, chapter 57:15, God himself tells us through Isaiah, how he lives right here with us, exactly where we are, if we choose to let him be Lord of our lives: "For this is what the high and lofty One says - he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ' I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite'.
Again we see a reference to the holy and sacred God, Yahweh. And to think that He wants to be a part of our life - to have daily communion with us and walk through our lives here with us - it is astounding if you just sit back and think about it! He will teach us to act justly; he will give us mercy and show us how to give mercy to others; and he will walk with us, guiding our way.
I pray that I become more merciful - to extend to others, mercy instead of judgement - to make a difference in the life of someone who is oppressed and alone.
As we begin another week, I pray too, that you will ask Yahweh - the holy God - to walk with you and teach you to be a humble servant.
Blessings - Janelle

January 10 - A Very Special Day

There are two reasons why January 10 is a very special day in my life.
First, it was my Mamaw Willis' birthday. She's the beautiful lady to the right, who I honor on my page. She was my Paternal grandmother, and a beautiful woman of God. Her name Sarah, means Beautiful Princess - thus the reason I named my daughter after her. She exuded the love of Jesus to not only we grandkids, but to everyone she ever met. I never heard ONE word come out of her mouth that wasn't uplifting or positive in some way - she was never critical towards anyone, but would find something good to say.
You know that old saying, "If you don't have anything good to say, say nothing at all"? Well, my Mamaw lived that statement.
She went home to heaven in 1978 - I'd just turned 20 and gotten married. Thank God we drove up to Memphis to see her after we got back from our honeymoon, because she died just a couple of weeks later. I so look forward to seeing her in Heaven!
Another wonderful thing about January 10 is that on this day in 2005, I was at home and channel surfing on the television. I stopped on The 700 Club, as there was an interesting story about a woman who'd been suffering back pains for years, and God healed her.
Well as I watched this amazing story, in my heart and in my head I was saying, "why not me, Lord"? I'd been having problems with my siatic nerve for over 20 years and had terrible pain daily, and especially at night when I'd try to lay down and go to sleep - there was no relief. If you've ever had siatica, you know what I'm talking about.
So after this woman's story ended, Pat Robinson and the other lady who co-hosts the show, said they were going to pray for the needs of people. When they began to pray, Pat Robinson said, "There's a woman out there in the television audience who just watched that story, and has said, 'why not me, Lord'?
Let me tell ya, my mouth DROPPED when I heard that! He then said, "The Lord has heard you, and is telling me to tell you that right now, He is completely healing a pinched nerve in your hip that has been causing you siatica for years - you will never have this again".
I felt this warmth down my left leg and the pain was GONE! I sat there crying and thanking the Lord - still in shock that the word he'd given to Pat Robinson was SO specific to little ole ME!
I immediately called Bill and told him when he came home from work, there was a tv show that was going to re-air, and he HAD to watch it with me. He was even more shocked than I was I think - he wasn't raised in a church that believed in healing, much less someone getting a Word of Knowledge from the Lord. I think on January 10, 2005, my husband then began to believe in such things.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

Thank you Jesus, for your unfailing love to me.... Janelle