Content or Discontent

     It's always a good thing to take a personal inventory after criticizing someone else! After spending time with someone that's never satisfied with what they have or where they are it is a good time to check yourself! Ok, am I always praying or asking for something else or to be somewhere else? Am I content, like Paul in Philippians, in my circumstances? Do I spend more time asking or more time saying "Thank You"?
     Nothing is as satisfying as giving to someone that truly appreciates your gift or your efforts and nothing quite as disheartening as being with someone that is never satisfied. When I reflect that feeling back into myself, I question which am I? Am I only appreciative of the new and different? Only the best? I can only imagine the hurt that I have cast upon my Heavenly Father by not appreciating what He has put in my life and where He has placed me. I'm not talking about the things we bring into our life by our own will, but the things that He has given us.
     In our own will we can draw a lot of problems to ourselves, but that is our own doing, and to blame God for them is wrong and a whole different subject. Now I'm focusing on what I am, yes, I am short, yes, I need to wear glasses to see well, yes I tend to pack on pounds more easily than take them off, yes, my energy is limited and yes more of my life is behind me than ahead of me. those are things that are from God. Because I do have pounds that I need to take off is my own doing! I can exercise and eat wisely but I don't always do that, obviously! Anyways, This is not about the things in my life that I have caused, it's about being thankful for what God has done!
     I do need to wear glasses, Thank You Lord for my glasses! How sad it would be to go through life not being able have my glasses to help me see clearly! Thank You Lord that even though my energy is limited You have sent a loving husband that helps me cheerfully in all things! Thank You Lord that I have lived a good life with many people that I have had as family and friends and for the exciting future that You are laying out before me! Lord forgive me for dissatisfaction, please remove any covetous spirit, please help me to grow in contentment with the things you have given me.
     Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

Superheros

     A lot of people watch super hero movies and focus on them....I was in church one Sunday and singing praises and Jesus told me that He is THE SUPERHERO (yes sometimes when I'm praising I'm not just singing, I'm talking to God and sometimes He's talking to me!)....I didn't really know why He was telling me that but it made me smile and I told Lane, "Jesus said He's THE SUPERHERO" and since then I've called Him that when I'm praising Him........since then I've realized why He told me that. But now I have a question for you, Who is your favorite Superhero? 

The Importance of the Father

     Recently there has been a lot of focus on the role of the father in the house, even from Christian experts. While I spent time with God this morning I received the teaching that we are missing the point. Father's have always been in and out of families, during war times it has always been the mother left raising the children and during the depression the father's were out looking for work...even traveling far and wide to try to find a job. The point we should be focusing on is that whoever is left at home to raise children, has to be teaching them about God and His commandments. It is more important that a child's Heavenly Father be part of their life even than their earthly father. 

Walk the Walk!

     This is an idea that's been running around in my thoughts ever since my foot was broken and then healed through prayer. From the way that it's been brought back to me, I'd say it's an idea that I'm supposed to write about! So here goes~ 
     When I broke a bone in my foot, it was on the outside edge of my foot. I wasn't able to step flat on my foot and started walking on the inside part of the ball and heel, kind of rolling my foot inwards. After my foot was healed and I could walk on it normally, I seemed to still walk on the inside edge. I had learned to step flat on my foot hurt and to avoid that hurt I walked differently. I have had to force myself to walk on it normally! I have had to block out the message that it was going to hurt if I stepped flat on my foot! 
     Do you think that's the way people are in other areas of their lives? When we were sinners we walked in a certain way and then we were cleansed and we still walked the same way we did as sinners? Maybe we have to force ourselves to walk in God's grace?
     What exactly this means in each person's life I'm not sure! But maybe it means we have to start recognizing that we are healed from the previous things in our lives? The divorces, addictions, abuse, abandoned and such are no longer part of our lives, we have to start making ourselves walk as children of God? We are new creations! He has started a good work in us! But if we walk like we're still the abused, still the addicted, still the abandoned then what good has it done to have been made new? 
     We have to learn to trust each other, to be open and not hide ourselves away! We have to walk and live as people that have been made "whole". Take our eyes off of our previous hurts and move on! We are whole, we are strong, we are capable, we are strengthened through God's grace and mercy! Block out the voice that says "You can't do that, it will hurt!", step out in faith and live in the healing that God has given you. 
     If you haven't received your healing yet don't wait! But it's a whole 'nother issue if you still have healing that needs to happen. Some things God works on, bit by bit. Sometimes it's an immediate happening. His ways are high above ours, so I don't even try to explain this! But remember and meditate on God's word that says "The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds." Isaiah 53:5b

     Let me come back to the point of this, when you have been healed, don't let old habits or attitudes make you walk like you did before. Step out in the new creation that you are! Let your light so shine before people that they know you have a God that heals! and that you are one of His children! 

Hello!

     At our prayer meeting Wednesday a lady spoke something about her family that I believe could apply to God's family. Yep, another Christian article! But I am consumed by God, so please bear with me!
     She asked for prayers for her family but she also spoke of the church body as her closer family. She said she loves her children and grand-children, she prays for them, calls them, checks on them encourages them and does everything she can for them, but they never come to see her and only call her when they need something.
     Is that our relationship with our Heavenly Father? I sincerely hope not! But I believe in a lot of cases it is. We don't visit Him, we don't stop by to say "Hello!", we don't call Him unless we need something.
     I know grown children with their own families get busy, but is it because we are busy or are we just self absorbed? How much effort does it take to stop and say "Hello Heavenly Father, I love you!". If we were getting a text message from someone we'd be sure to stop, read it and text back. Take time to say "Hello!" to God, He's waiting to hear from you and His heart is hurt by your neglect. Just saying~

One Person's Testimony is Another Person's Prophecy!

     Have you ever heard that your testimony can be someone else's prophetic word? I had heard it before, but I was able to experience it recently in my own life! I have shared that I had a broken foot diagnosed by a doctor, it was prayed for and healed. Thank You Lord! That is my testimony part.
     At our church I was drawn to our entrance way one Sunday morning, when I heard voices before time for church to start. I saw a young boy, named Austin, that was around 12 years old. Please forgive me if I have the age wrong, I'm not sure how old he is, but he was sitting in the foyer, with his foot wrapped up and with crutches. I asked him what had happened and he said he had a broken foot. I shared with him that I had had a broken foot but it was prayed for and healed! 
     As God would work things out we had a guest speaker at our church that Sunday that after speaking called people forward for prayer and ministry. I saw Austin making his way forward on his crutches, I started smiling and praying! 
     Austin patiently stood there on his crutches waiting to be seen behind the taller men that were being prayed for and eventually was able to move forward. The minister prayed and asked if he believed he was healed and he said "yes", then moved to the side on his crutches, I wanted to see him walking right then! ....but the next Sunday, at the very beginning of church Austin walked(without crutches!) to the front of the church and shared that he had been taken back to the doctor again and after the examination was told that there was now nothing wrong with his foot! Thank You Lord! 
     I'm don't know that my words to Austin caused him to go forward or that they caused him to say he believed he was healed, but maybe they were seeds planted? What I am saying is that we need to share with each other what God is doing in our lives, we need to encourage each other! We need to stir each other up in God's goodness!
     One person's testimony is another person's prophecy! 
   

What Does Revival Look Like?

     We pray for "Revival", we want Revival, we cry out for Revival....are we ready for Revival? A few weeks ago I asked if we really want "Revival", now I'm going to ask another question. Are you ready for it?
     Do you think a Spirit of Revival being poured out into our lives, our church, our city, our nation would change our lives? How do you think it would change it? What do you think Revival looks like? 
     If you don't like going to church often you may not like Revival? If you don't like prayer, you may not like Revival, if you don't enjoy praise, ...you probably won't like Revival! 
     Revival is about God, it's His people living completely for Him and His purpose. Are you ready to do that?