GOOD BY 2013, HELLO 2014

In just a very short time, we will be once again saying good by to another year. 2014 is just a couple of hours away.
How was your year? Good? Bad? Mine was filled with both. I lost a friend, who died suddenly in her sleep, leaving behind a husband and two young boys. Tragedy struck our country many times through violence and natural causes. And yet, there were also many blessings for our family. My mother-in-law came close to death, but the Lord's will was to keep her here a while longer with us. Our vehicles continue to run and take us where we need to go. My husband and I celebrated 17 years of marriage. God has blessed our church and our missions tremendously. I could go on and on with the list.
Sometimes, through our humanness, all we can see is the sadness and trials that we have gone through during the year, and, yes, I definitely agree that some years are much worse than others. But God has given us this promise: "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."~ Isaiah 43:18-19. If things seem unbearable right now, lean on God. He can make a way through this barren wilderness that you are travelling through. Read and study His Word. Talk to your Heavenly Father and unburden your soul. Let those tears flow. If we are honestly listening, He will give us guidance. Sometimes, though, things get so hard that we can not concentrate on what we are reading. The words seem like nothing. But still read. Your mind will remember. Psalms is a good book to read when you are feeling sad, in despair or depressed. King David, the main author of Psalms, knew all about these feelings. Something that we can learn as we read the Psalms is that God cares for and loves us. We may feel like we are in the deepest pit, but He will never leave us or forsake us. 
It sounds too easy, doesn't it? I have been there with the same thoughts. But when the peace of God truly touches your soul, it really is as Philippians 4:7 describes: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." It does pass all understanding!
So, has this past year been a little rough? Remember that God is there to lean on. Did you mess up any? Don't feel bad! We all have to some degree. But God wants to do a "new thing" in your life! Commit your ways to the Lord and He will guide you. If you fall, He is always there to pick you up again. Determine to do your best for your Lord and Saviour.
I hope that you have a wonderful and blessed New Year! Don't forget to start the year out right with prayer and dedicating it to the Lord!
Beth :-)

ARE YOU WILLING?



I love Christmas time. It's my most favorite time of the year! I always tell my oldest son that God knows how much I love Christmas, and that is why He gave him to me at Christmas time. He was almost born on Christmas day, but came on the next day, December 26th.
As I read about the circumstances that surround the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, several things jump out at me.
One thing that really comes through is the willingness of both Joseph and Mary to do what God called them to do, even though it meant alot of hardship, shunning (on Mary's part) and sacrifice.
When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, she was "a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, " (Luke 1:27). During the Jewish "espousal" period, the man and woman were considered married, but had not yet consumated the union. So, when Mary was found to be with child, of course everyone, including Joseph, had thought her to have been unfaithful. This was a great shame in their society (unfortunately and sadly, quite different from ours today!). And yet, Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Luke 1:38. She was willing to sacrifice herself and life to do what God was asking her to do.
The Bible tells us that Joseph was a just man. When he found out that Mary was with child, and knowing that this baby wasn't his, Joseph did not want to make a public example out of her, but decided to "put her away (or divorce her) privily" Matthew 1:19. But an angel visited him in a dream, explaining everything to him, telling him not to be afraid to take her as his wife. Did Joseph question or hesitate? No. He got up and did as God asked him to do.
Is there something that God is calling you to do? Are you willing, no matter what the cost? What is He calling you to do? Why are you hesitating? What is holding you back from following what He wants you to do? Pray and seek His face. Search the Word of God. Have those prayer warriors help you pray that you might find God's will for your life, and that you would have the strength to follow through. Don't forget, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phillipians 4:13. He will not call you to do something that you can not handle. It may not be an easy thing to do, but we must do what God is asking us to do. He will see us through!
Have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)

STOP THAT GOSSIP WHEEL!

My friends, PLEASE don't get caught up in the gossip wheel. It is so easy, I know! Even if we're just "listening" and not repeating, you and I are just as guilty as the talebearer.
It is well said in a Spanish proverb, "Whoever gossips to you will be a gossip of you." Don't think that the tongue that is "slicing and dicing" the person who is the topic of the present conversation won't do the same to you later on.
The Bible says so much about gossiping. God is serious about this! Psalms 101:5 -  says, "Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer." Wow! That is serious!
James 3:1-18 describes the tongue so well. It tells us that even though it is a little member, it can kindle a great fire.
Gossiping will also hurt our Christian testimony. I once heard an evangelist say that Christians will call eachother with something juicy that they have heard about someone and say, "Now, I'm only telling you this so that you can pray about it". It's gossip! If you feel the matter needs prayer, then simply pray about it, don't spread it.
When the gossip wheel rolls our way, we need to stop it right then and there. If you find that you have a hard time not getting caught up in the situation, then AVOID where you may hear it-the break room at work, certain people or group of people, etc.
Today, let's give our tongues and words to the Lord, that whatever we say will please Him.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving from our house to your! God has been and is so good! Look around. You'll find blessings everywhere!
Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 26

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;"~ Colossians 4:2

 

Are you a born-again Christian and in charge of people, whether it is at your place of employment, your church, school, volunteer activities and so on? Did you know that we are told to pray for those under us? Colossians chapter 4 starts out with the Apostle telling "masters" or, in this day and age, the supervisor, boss, controller, teacher or whatever position puts one in charge of others, to be "just and equal" with their servants, or those who work under them. Why? Because those in charge of others also have a Master, One Who is in heaven to whom they are under and answer to. Those in charge need to be consistent, fair, keepers of their promises and so on.
If we read verse two as continuing on from verse one, those in charge of others need to pray for those under them. Yes, even that difficult one! This verse also goes for all Christians. We need always to be praying. Have you ever known someone who looks like they are constantly talking to themselves, but it turns out that they are having a conversation with their Saviour? They are continuing in prayer. Keep the communication open between you and the Lord. Now, I don't mean that it has to be spoken out loud all of the time. God hears the silent prayers of our hearts as well. You know, if we are always talking to the Lord, whether silently, quietly or out loud, it doesn't leave much room for other, sometimes regrettable things, to come out of our mouths.
Today, how about working on opening up and talking with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ? Before long, you'll find out how sweet and wonderful it is to have Someone Who will listen. He is just waiting for us to talk to Him. God created us to desire fellowship with Him and with each other.
Don't forget also to pray for and deal justly and equally with those put under our authority.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)

GOD'S TEAR BOTTLE



“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears in thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” Psalm 56:8.

One day, I cried. It was a good cry. It was a cleansing cry. Feelings that I had been holding onto for years suddenly just came out. I was watching a wedding video. The song that always grabs at my heart, "Butterfly Kisses", was playing as the bride and her father were sharing a special moment. Memories suddenly came back to me-my parents' divorce, my father telling me that he couldn't attend my wedding, the strokes and cardiac arrest that my mom suffered and we didn't know whether or not she was going to make it through (she did, praise the Lord!!), even when my oldest child need stitches above his eye.....These memories and more suddenly surfaced and I allowed myself, FINALLY, to cry.
You see, I am one of the oldest of six children (I have a twin brother who is four minutes older than I). I have always felt that I had to be the strong one in situations where everyone else was falling apart. I did not allow myself the option to cry, even though I wanted to very badly. I would just push those feelings deep down inside.
Dear readers, this is not healthy. God gave us tears for several reasons, and one of those reasons is to release emotion. Some people even cry when they're happy.

Did you know that God has a bottle for your tears? The Psalmist tells us so. God knows when we are sad. He listens as we unburden our hearts to Him. He puts our tears into His bottle to let us know that He now holds our sorrow and that when things seem so out of control for us, He is still in control. This tells me that I can go before the Lord and pray, talk and cry unto Him, and He will hear me.

How about you? Is there a burden or sadness that is weighing heavily on you? Do you need to cry? It's alright. Male or female, we were all given tears. Give it to the Lord. Cry out unto Him. Shed those cleansing tears. Fill God's tear bottle. He is waiting.

I hope you have a blessed day!

Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 21

"For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."~ 1 Timothy 4:4-5

I am on a diet right now. Yes, yes, it is VERY hard to get back into healthy eating habits. It's even harder to restrict the chocolate candy that I love to snack on so very much.
In our text above, the Apostle is telling us that we are not limited to certain foods. We can eat it, as long as it is received with thanksgiving. Always say a prayer over your food, thanking God for what He has provided.
At the time of this writing, there were certain people who had left the faith and were telling others that one could not be justified and holy in God's eyes unless they followed a list of man-made rules such as not marrying or not eating meat (vs 3). The idea was that if man made great physical or mental sacrifices, then God owed them blessings or miracles. That is wrong. We cannot manipulate God into giving us what we want. This was also a way to show people how "holy" or spiritual they were.
It also was a way of trying to work their way into heaven. My friends, there is no other way into heaven except salvation through Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."~ John 14:6.
How about you? Are you trying to get into heaven on your own accord? You can't do it. Jesus came so that we might have life. He sacrificed Himself on the cross and rose again so that we might have a way into Heaven. All you have to do is call upon His name, confess your sins and turn your life over to Him. That's it. Why not today?
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)


 

OH, THAT TONGUE!



Does anyone know what this is? This is called a seam ripper. It is my best friend when I sew. Why? Because when I sew a seam or stitch wrong, I simply use the sharp end to remove it. I also use it to open old seams when I am recycling old jeans, skirts, etc, into purses or new skirts. Did you notice the red ball just above the point? This is to prevent you from ripping the fabric around the seam. Sometimes this doesn't help, however, and I have been known to slip and rip the fabric next to the seam. Now I have a hole to fix, too! Just great. This usually happens to me when it's late at night, I'm tired and I have been sewing for a while.

Our tongue can be like this seam ripper. Very sharp and pointed. Words that are formed and fall from it can cut and wound the person that it is aimed at. It's no wonder that the Bible tells us that it is "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison". (James 3:8) This verse always draws a picture to my mind of a snake and how quick it can strike with its often deadly fangs.
As with the seam ripper, our tongue can rip apart and sometimes cause a big hole in someone either spiritually, mentally or both. The mending afterward is often a difficult process. Often, the scars will remain for a lifetime. Please remember, once those words have left our mouth, they cannot be taken back. I always tell my children to taste their words before they spit them out. In other words, they should think before they speak.
My constant prayer for myself is as the Psalmist said, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." (Psalm 141:3) Even King David had problems with his tongue! I have found this verse to be very helpful as I am one who is very prone to speak before thinking!
As hard as we try to do right, we all have times where we will say something that we shouldn't. After all, we are only human. That is why we have Jesus! If this happens, confess it to Him. Then, go to the person that you have offended and try to make things right.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day.
Beth :-)


 



30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 20

"O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people."~ Psalms 105:1

Let everyone know how good God has been to you!

 

                                                           A Thanksgiving Prayer

Thank you Father for the blessings you've given this day
Help us to remember, Thou has shown us the way
And give us strength to help those in need
Never letting us forget, Thy merciful deeds
Keep us in Thy tender loving care
Save us, O Lord, when we are in despair!
Give us grace as we walk through life.
Inspire us to seek our brothers amid the strife
Victory in Thee will be our guiding star.
In courage we march not caring how far
Now we ask for the most important thing.
Grant us salvation to escape death's sting.

 

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!

Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 18

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body: and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."~ Colossians 3:15-16
Good morning, everyone! I hope your weekend was good! The weather was great here, and, as always, I enjoyed time with my husband and boys!
Today, our thankful verses come from Colossians, which was written by the Apostle Paul.
The Apostle tells us that we are to let the peace of God "rule" in our hearts. When we let something rule us, we are giving it complete control. We need to give God complete rule of our hearts and lives. When we let go of self, and let God lead, there will be peace in our hearts. We can not have this peace if we are fighting Him about different aspects of our lives.
How can we let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom? By studying His word and hiding it in our hearts.
I have always liked the last part of verse 16. Did you know that when we are singing hymns and spiritual songs, it uplifts our mood and souls? When I was growing up, my mom would always have Christian music playing every morning when she woke us up. Why? She said that the first song that you hear of a morning will be what sticks in your head the rest of the day, which is very true. I have also found that when I am teaching Children's Church and my pupils seem to be somewhat rowdy, I can put on a children's Christian song CD while they are doing crafts, and they quiet right down. They even start singing to themselves.
Is there something in your life that you haven't turned over to God? Have you given Him complete control of your life? I am one who is bad about wanting my way, because I sometimes think it is better. But it isn't. God knows the plans that he has for each of us. We need to trust Him, then be willing to do His will.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 16

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 15

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;"~ 1 Thessalonians 1:2

Good morning, everyone! Today's verse finds the Apostle Paul writing to the converts in the Thessalonian church. He was letting them know how thankful he was for them, and that he was always praying for them.
How about us? Do we pray for and thank God for the people in our lives? It's easy to pray for those that are nice to us and that we get along with well. But....how about that difficult person? Believe me, I know about this all too well. Guess what? I found that when I pray for those that I find difficult, or are giving me a hard time, I start seeing them in a different light. Jesus commands us in Matthew 5:44, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;". Does the situation miraculously change? Not always. But I change. Also, how you react to this person may have an affect on whether or not they come to know our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Your life may be the only Bible that person is reading. It's a tough assignment, but with God on your side, you can do it!
Everyone comes into our lives for a purpose. Whether good or bad, we need to thank God for them and pray for them. Lift them up-always.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day.
Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 22

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."~ 2 Corinthians 9:15

 

 



We all love receiving gifts. With Christmas right around the corner, my house is buzzing with certain little boys wondering what they will receive. A gift can brighten an otherwise bad day or make someone feel special.

But, what is this "unspeakable" gift that the Bible says we should be so thankful for?  It is the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, the gift of God allowing His one and only Son to come to earth in the form of man, die and rise again that we may be with Him in Heaven. When something is described as unspeakable, it is meant that it cannot be expressed in words. I could not imagine offering one of my sons!
For those of us who have accepted this great salvation, I don't think that we really understand the wonderfulness of what we have received. We won't know fully until we reach Heaven. We do, however, know the joy and peace that comes with putting our trust in Jesus. I am often overwhelmed when I think about it. I do indeed find it "unspeakable", and I am thankful for such a wonderful gift that I know I didn't deserve!
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)
 



30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 6-14

Good morning, everyone. Wow. I missed a lot of days! I apologize. Life got busy for me between our Ladies Retreat and sick children. I am going to catch up today:
DAY 6: "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:"~ Psalms 50:14
DAY 7: "Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness."~ Psalms 30:4
DAY 8: " Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime."~ Daniel 6:10
DAY 9: " But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."~ Jonah 2:9
DAY 10: " But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."~1 Corinthians 15:57
DAY 11: "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."~ 2 Corinthians 9:15
DAY 12: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."~ Phillipians 4:6
DAY 13: "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:"~ 1 Timothy 4:4
DAY 14: "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan."~ Luke 17:15-16

Just searching for and writing down these verses gives me a new attititude of thankfulness towards my God! Each has such a powerful message in them. But today, I would like to talk about Luke 17:15-16, which is in the story of Jesus and the ten lepers. Now, this is not a parable, but an actual event that happened. Luke 17:11-12 tells us that Jesus was travelling to Jerusalem. As He passed through Samaria and Galilee, He entered into a village where ten lepers called to Him from afar. The reason that they did not come near to Him was due to the fact that, in those days, once someone was found to have leprosy, they were considered unclean and had to live separately from others.
Jesus heard their cry. Isn't awesome that we have a Saviour Who hears us when we cry unto Him? He told them to show themselves to the priests. They were healed as they were leaving. Such an amazing and wonderful miracle to be healed of leprosy. But guess what? Out of the ten, only one, who was a stranger as well as a Samaritan, came back to thank Him. Only one, and he did it with a loud voice!
We can look at the other nine men and judge them. We wonder how they could not even have turned around to thank Jesus for what He did for them. But wait! How many blessings and wonderous works does He bestow upon us, every day, yet we forget to thank Him? Do we take these for granted? There is always something to be thankful for. How about a special healing? For example, as a pastor's wife, I have seen many who have come home with a diagnosis of cancer. They would have the church pray for them. When they went back to the doctor, the cancer could not be found. Now, sometimes, instead of giving glory to God for the healing, it's easy to fall into the mindset that maybe the doctors "misread" some tests and made a mistake in the diagnosis. We forget to give credit where credit is due.  God healed them!
Today, how about taking time to think about what God has done for us, then thank Him? What blessings are we taking for granted?
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 5

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

The first thing that a lot of people think when they read this verse is, What? How can I give thanks in everything? How can I be thankful for what is going on right now or has happened in my life? I used to think the same thing, until I re-read the verse.
This particular verse does not say "for" everything give thanks (although there are many other verses that do), it says "in" everything give thanks.
It is so very easy to get discouraged, I know. In all of our circumstances, though, God knows what we are going through. Sometimes He allows us to go through life storms and trials because it is to either get our attention if we have "drifted" from Him, it is to make our faith stronger showing us that we need to rely more on Him and less on ourselves, maybe it is to be a witness to some unsaved person or weaker Christian friend who is watching how we handle the situation (our life is the only Bible some people read), etc.
Did you know that gold is not pure until it goes through the refiner's fire (1 Peter 1:7-9). This process separates other elements and impurities from the gold. The Bible compares us to that. He has a reason and a purpose for all that happens in your life. Sometimes, though, we do get desperate, and want to see the other side of the storm that we are going through. Just remember, He is the master of the storm! Remember when Jesus was in the boat with His disciples during a terrible storm? All He had to do was speak, and the winds were calm. He sees the end results that we don't. I had to learn to thank Him for what I was going through. I thanked Him that He knew where I was. I praised Him that He is all-knowing and all-powerful. Guess what? When I started doing that, my attitude changed. Did the trial that I was going through miraculously end? No, but when my heart changed, I saw the situation differently.
Are you going through a life storm or trial right now? Your Lord and Savior knows all about it. Talk to Him. Thank Him for what is happening. You're not alone in this.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 4

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."~
Colossians 2:6-7.
In verse 6, the Apostle Paul was reminding the Colossians that as born-again believers (meaning that they had accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour), they were to "walk ye in Him", meaning that they needed to let Christ be at the head in all that they said or did. They, and we, do not need to be conformed to this world, but transformed by our salvation in Jesus Christ. Everyday, we need to walk in Him, showing the world a difference in our lives. Many Christians still look and act like the world. How can we lead an unsaved person to Christ when they do not see any difference?
Whenever I read "rooted and built up in him", I always think of a tree, with it's roots growing deep in the ground. A tree's roots anchor it to the ground, keeping the tree straight and upright. The roots are also how the tree gathers it's sustenance and water. For a Christian, reading their Bible and following what God says, keeping a healthy prayer life, attending church faithfully and trying to live as Christ-like as they can are just a few ways to make sure that their "roots" are firmly planted. Did you know that the nutrients taken in by the roots are vital for the advancement of the tree's growth and development, as well as repair? The Bible is our life map which gives us just that in our Christian life. This will also keep us "stablished in the faith".
Of course, "abounding therein with thanksgiving"! I am thankful for the salvation that I have received through the death, burial and resurrection of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day!
Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 3

Bran Made Tags

 

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 2

Good Saturday morning, everyone. Today is Day 2 of my 30 Days of Thankful Verses.
Today, I chose:
"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 15:57.
We have victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ, and I am so very thankful for that! There is no other way into Heaven, except through Jesus (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). He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
How about, friends? Can you join me today in being thankful for such a wonderful salvation? Has there been a time when you gave your heart and life to Jesus? If not, why not today? You'll never be sorry.
I hope you have a blessed day!
Beth :-)

30 DAYS OF THANKFUL VERSES-DAY 1

HI, Everyone! Yes, it's November 1, 2013. The holiday season is almost upon us.
Is it just me, or does it seem like the stores skip right over Thanksgiving and jump into Christmas? It's crazy. We should always, always remember to give thanks, especially to God!
Well, today I would like to start my "30 Days of Thankful Verses". Did you know that the Bible is just full of verses about giving thanks, being thankful and thanksgiving? I myself was surprised when I did this last year.
So, here is the first verse:
"O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever."~Psalm 107:1
We serve an awesome God. He is good, all the time. Aren't you thankful and glad that His mercy does endure forever? Lamentations also tells us that His mercies are new every morning: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."~Lamentations 3:22-32. He is a God of second chances. If we fail, we can approach Him and He will receive us and forgive us.
He will never leave us or forsake us. What a promise. People will fail us, we will fail people, but God will not. AMEN!
I hope you have an awesome and blessed day!
Beth :-)

HAS YOUR CHRISTIAN JOY BEEN STOLEN?

Guess what? The devil is a thief! He will try to steal your Christian joy through things and circumstances. A lot of times, we allow him to! Yes, even I have been there. At one time I was so angry and bitter because I have to work outside of the home to provide our health insurance benefits as our church does not (my husband is a pastor). My bitterness and anger grew so big and out of control that it was affecting every aspect of my life-family, church, etc. First of all, the Bible says, "Be ye angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."~Ephesians 4:26.
Is it wrong to get angry? NO. Let's read the verse again. It says, "Be ye angry, and sin not..." It is not wrong unless we do something we shouldn't along with it. In my case, it was my bitterness. Friends, bitterness will eat you alive, literally. If we are truly born again Christians, we need to learn to bring the "old man" under subjection. It isn't easy.
Once Satan steals our joy and we have allowed what is happening to overwhelm and take over, he moves in for the kill and tries to completely destroy you, your relationship with God, family and friends. John 10:10a says, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:" When someone breaks into your house, they are not there to make things better. They want to steal your possessions. They often destroy your house in the process and sometimes someone may even be killed. But wait! John 10:10b says, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." There is hope. Jesus is there to bring you back. He offers abundant life.
Is there bitterness or anger in your life? Bring it to the Lord. Pray, leave it at His feet and don't pick it back up. Find a Christian (pastor, friend, counselor) who you can talk to, pray with and can help you through. It is definitely not an easy road to embark upon. Sometimes the bitterness and anger goes very deep. Healing often takes time and the devil will certainly try to keep opening up old wounds. We are not promised an easy life, but we are promised a Saviour Who will always be there for us.
I will pray for and lift you up as well.
I hope you have a blessed day!
Beth :-)

DARKNESS AND LIGHT

The Lord has laid it on my heart to say something and I have got to say it because I cannot believe how many of my Christian friends actually approve of Sleepy Hollow, which is a new television show. I'm hearing a lot about this new show, so I decide to look into it. Many people, including some of my Christian friends, are excited and have been talking for months about it because some of the scenes were shot right here in New Bern, NC.
Guess what? After only 2 minutes into the trailer, I knew definitely that this is not something a Christian should be watching, endorsing or proud to be a part of. I saw graphic violence and gore, killing, heads being cut off, etc. The occult and witchcraft are also mingled in. The Bible says:
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" Ephesians 5:11a.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."2 Cor 6:14,17.
The Bible also has somewhat to say about witchcraft (King James Bible Online).
Are we Christians so desensitized to sin and the occult that we readily accept and participate in it? Friends, the spiritual and demonic world is definitely real (Ephesians 6:12-13). It is not to be taken lightly. We are in a continual spiritual warfare. We are not to have any part of this darkness, but, as soldiers of the Lord, we are to fight it.
Also, our Christian brothers and sisters in other countries are losing their heads for their faith, and we are over here being entertained by that same thing on a television show. I just don't understand.
My heart is so heavy for my fellow Christians who have been drawn into the blindness that they have allowed Satan to put on their eyes. I feel a special burden for today's young people. Media (electronic and written) has such a strong influence on many of their lives, which Satan knows and uses well.
My dear readers, will you please join me in lifting this up in prayer? Or, if this has spoken to and convicted your heart, won't you ask the Lord for forgiveness and for guidance in your life? We need to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) to fight this constant battle. We do not have to fight it alone. If we are truly born-again Christians, we have Jesus on our side!
I hope you have a blessed day.
Beth :-)

ENVY, STRIFE AND MOM

Envying and strife are not of the Lord, they are of the devil (James 3:14-17)!The devil absolutely LOVES to attack a Christian home. The Bible says that he, "as a roaring lion,walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." He wants to devour and destroy your home and family. And, ladies,who better to start with than mom? Who sets the mood in the house, really? Mom does. If we are bitter and moody,our house is unhappy. I'm first in line needing a change! How short I fall many times. Lord, please forgive me! Help me to be the wife, mother and woman You want me to be.

Have a blessed day!
Beth :-)

PAPERCRAFT MEMORIES

I just had to share with my readers. I found another blog that offers free, personal use WORDart and printables. All scripture used is KJV.
It's Karen over at Papercraft Memories. I am loving her designs. She will even make personalized gifts and cards.
You might want to stop on over and see what she has to offer!
Have an awesome and blessed day!
Beth :-)

PAPERCRAFT MEMORIES

THE WEAVER BY B.M FRANKLIN

THE WEAVER

My life is but a weaving

Between my Lord and me,

I cannot choose the colors

He worketh steadily.

 

Oftimes He weaveth sorrow

And I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper

And I, the underside.

 

Not till the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Shall God unroll the canvas

And explain why.

 

The dark threads are as needful

In the Weaver’s skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned.

 

-Benjamin Malachi Franklin-

 

 



KEEP PRAYING

My sons, Nathan and Samuel both have the nasty cold that's been going around, although not as intense as I have seen others have, so for that I am so very grateful!
This mommy is at the point of exhaustion, however, as nights of broken sleep are catching up with me. Prayers are greatly appreciated!
James 5:16 says that, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Well, last night, when I heard Samuel, my youngest, start coughing, I was too exhausted to even  lift my head from the pillow, let alone fervently pray. So, I prayed, "Lord, you know how tired I am, too tired to even pray like I want to. Please hear and quiet Samuel's cough." You know what?? Yes, you guessed it! Samuel's cough quieted down. We have an awesome God! I give Him all honor and praise!
Don't stop praying for whatever it is you are praying for, even if you are at the point of exhaustion. Have an awesome and blessed day!
Beth :-)

LABOURERS INTO HIS HARVEST

Labourers are needed for the fields-not just in another country, but right here where you live. We all know someone who needs the Lord, who needs an encouraging word, who needs someone just to say that they will pray for them. Will you go? Are you willing? Jesus can use you.
Have a wonderful and blessed Sunday!
Beth :-)

A MOM'S JOB IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT!

"Moms, never think your job is of insignificance. You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, training them up in God’s fear, minding the house and making your household a church for God as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of Hosts.”

Charles Spurgeon