God's love

Yesterday was youth Sunday at our church. The service was awesome, and I was so proud of our young people. The Spirit really started to move, and people were going to the alter. I started feeling like I was on the outside observing, and not really a part of what was going on. I was also feeling lonely as it is really hard to get together with other women as our families need most of our time. Just when I was having the lonely thoughts someone came up to me to tell me God wants she and I to know that we don't get the crumbs but that God loves us. She and I both struggle with feeling like less than a Christian because we don't speak in tongues and doubt whether or not we were filled with the Holy Spirit when we asked. God spoke to both of us that day to encourage us to trust in Him, and not worry that we don't look and act like other people. Sometimes God moves on us in quiet ways. She also went on to say that she wants to get together and play games or something. Only God could have know that I was feeling so lonely.

God's love is so amazing. I wasn't asking for anything but God decided to minister to me anyway. He knows what we are thinking and feeling and ministers to us in our place of need. God is so good!

Don't shut the doors

Last night Dr. Mark Rutland preached at our Sunday night service. What a powerful message! He talked about God being bigger than any problem that can possible happen in life, but he also pointed out that God is bigger than the wonderful events that take place in life. He admonished us not to shut the doors of our hearts and our church to the world. It is so hard to comprehend just how big God is and to understand that nothing takes Him by surprise. Oh, we all know it in our heads, but do we REALLY believe it in our hearts? I know I am trying to really get this and it may take a lifetime.

Dr. Rutland used the following scripture:

Isaiah 6:1-8

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In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

The thing that struck me the most is that Dr. Rutland explained that although this sounds like a very eager person who thinks he qualifies for the job, when you read this passage in the original Hebrew it actually reads more like, "Look me over and see if you can use me." That is much more humble, but although Isaiah recognized his unworthiness, his lack of ability, his faults and shortcomings, he also recognized that God is bigger than all of that. Isaiah made himself available. He simply asked God to look him over and determine whether or not He could use Isaiah. That is what God wants. People that are available. God is bigger than our shortcomings. He can find a place to use each and every one of us. What a blessing! God is so big and powerful He can do anything, and do it alone. BUT HE CHOOSES to use us. HE CHOOSES to bless us with the opportunity to share in His work. So you know that He could keep on creating human beings but He decided to allow us to have a part in His creation process and allow us to procreate? God is so gracious and compassionate. If you have not been serving our Lord ask Him today to look you over and see if He can use you. Tell him, "Here am I, send me!" You will never regret it as you enjoy the blessings that come with serving and getting closer to God our Father as well as helping one another. Don't ever shut the doors. You may be open to hurt and trials but you will also be open to receive blessings and joy!

Here are the lyrics to a Keith Green song called "Here am I send me":

Oh Lord, there's just so much to be done.
Oh Lord, so many souls to be won,
Oh Lord, this world is falling apart,
Dying for love from a broken heart.

Here am I, send me, though there's really not that much I can do.
What I have seems so small, but I want to give it all to you.

Oh Lord, you said the harvest was great,
But Lord, looks like the workers are late.
It's getting hard to understand,
How they ignore your great command.

Here am I, send me, though you said the ones who labor are few,
Still my heart hears the call, and I wanna give it all to you.
Oh, to reach the ones nobody does,
Give up my pride and even work in the mud,
I wanna be like those who spilled their blood,
And gave it like water to you.

Oh Lord, there's just so much to be done.
Oh Lord, so many souls to be won,
It seem this world is falling apart,
Lord won't you send me?

Oh Lord, there's just so much to be done.
Oh Lord, so many souls to be won,
Oh Lord, this world is falling apart,
Crying for love from a broken heart.

Here am I, send me, though there's really not that much I can do.
What I have seems so small, but I want to give it all to you.
Here am I, send me,
Though you said the ones you've chosen are few,
Still my heart hears you call,
And I wanna give it all to you.

How Big is God?

I read a story about a little girl who, on the way home from church, turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, the preacher's sermon this morning confused me."
"What was confusing?" the mother asked.
The girl thought for a moment and said, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are, Is that true?"
"Yes, honey, that's true," the mother replied.
"He also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?"
Again the mother replied, "Yes."
Well, said the girl, "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn't he show through?"

God's Provision

God has done it yet again! He has provided us with a second vehicle, and boy what timing! I really need a vehicle this week. The neat thing about this is that in college Darin wanted a Chevy Blazer, and this is what God provided. And the year of this truck is about the year Darin would have gotten in college. Darin is so tickled with the fact that it is a blazer, so it is such a blessing that God not only provides for our needs, but He even picked out a vehicle that would really bless my hubby! Now when we go camping we will have room to store our stuff. You should have seen us traveling to Jekyll Island this year to camp. The poor kids were covered in massive piles of stuff that wouldn't fit in the trunk. We can also fit home improvement items in this blazer which is timely because we are replacing windows and we will be putting in a laminate floor. God is so good and I am so thankful to Him for loving us so much!

Audience of One

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (NIV)

Anyone serving God in any capacity really needs to sit down periodically and ask themselves if they are really serving God or man. Am I seeking to uplift myself and look good to others or am I seeking to do God's will? Recent events have challenged me in this area and I tell you what, it is really humbling to have to totally submit yourself to God's scrutiny. To be able to let go of something you love to do, however can be hard until you realize that if that thing or ministry or person is really in God's hands then there is nothing to worry about. I had to realize that if I was holding on too tightly or not wanting to let go, that meant that it was all about me, not about God. So when we are called to do something for God we all need to work at it with all our hearts, seeking to please God not man.

Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (NIV)

Also, to take it to the next level, we are first accountable to God then the people in authority over us. I am learning to take this even one more step further. We are all human, and we all make mistakes. But the next scripture encourages us not to pass judgment on each other, to make a decision not to put a stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. Well, what I am learning is that our leaders are not only human like us, but because they are accountable to God first, I need to leave them in God's hands and trust that God is in control no matter what. Our leaders will make mistakes, but they will also lead us in God's perfect plan, taking us into deeper spiritual truths. God will deal with them to both reward them and to help them through their mistakes just as He will with me. We are all one body and satan is looking hard for ways to separate us in any way he can. We all have to be so careful and be willing to tell each other that we are letting satan get his toe in the door so that he can all shut those doors and not allow any victories for satan.

Romans 14:12-13 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. (NIV)

We're Back!

I am so excited! I just got word from our mechanic that our Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is ready to be picked up! We will be a 2 car family again! God is so good. I feel blessed just to have one car, but God blessed us with this second car through a Christian family we know for free, so we have been overly-blessed having 2 vehicles. But I missed her while she was gone, and wondering if she was dead. But no longer! We will once again have the freedom to go where we please, do what we want, and not have to burden our friends with the task of bringing us to church on Wednesday nights. But I tell you, that is another area where I am blessed. We have such wonderful people in our church! I really have not lacked anything I need, including a way to get to church so I am blessed all the way around! Thank you God!

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost (1874–1963) TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

The Christian walk is just like this. We are called to walk the path less taken, but straight and true. But along the way it is so hard to find my way and be sure I am doing just what God wants me to do. I know that in order to have true peace and fulfillment I need to be seeking to do what God has for me to do. I sometimes rely on my own strengths and abilities, choosing to do things that seem logical. But I have to re-evaluate and ask myself, "Is this really where God wants me?" I have felt confused lately as I try to figure out just what God has for me to do, when I can across an encouraging scripture.

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'this is the way, walk in it.'" Isaiah 30:21

God is here all along I just need to be patient and seek Him until I can hear Him. I know that He will guide me if I am willing to truly seek His will. Until I know that I have new marching orders from Him I will continue to do what I believe He has called me to do until I can hear Him tell me owtherwise.

Michael W. Smith - Above All

God is God and that means that is is indeed above all. I think that this is an awesome praise song that really helps me see God for who He is. Praise God with me.