Today, as I awoke to another day of work, I stumbled in to my "spot". And as usual, I have to steel myself against the interruptions that come. This is "my quiet time" and I must guard it, as I know if I don't seek God early, I'll not get to see Him at all! My days are so busy.
I began my prayer time, really kind of thinking "When will He answer all of these needs? And, is it worth this time and effort?" Then I realized God knew my thoughts, so I just said it out loud to Him. "Lord, are you there? It feels like you're not listening so why am I working so hard to get here in my spot if you're not going to help me in a way where I can really see that it's You?" Then, I knew He was there, He's always there. It was just my focus that was off. But still, when will I see the miracles that I am praying for? I needed personal affirmation that He was there, and that He loved me. Today. So, I told Him that.
I went on to my Bible time and the Lord showed up.(Thank you Lord!)
Hebrews 13:5-6
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
I got the message. He was there, and I had to wait on Him for His timing to see my miracles take place. These verses spoke to me loud and clear: "Hey, Valerie, be content! I am here, and I will never leave!"
So, just because I'm fighting my flesh, or failing Him in some way, and He feels like He's a million miles away, He isn't. He's right beside me, and He's working - at His pace, not mine! I'm so glad that knowing the Lord doesn't depend on my feelings, because they change daily, or hourly! :o) It depends on His faithfulness, which never waivers, at all!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
She's Looking for the "Precious Life"
In just about every church we've been a part of, we have dealt with the wicked sin of adultery. I suppose it isn't discussed very much because it is of a delicate nature. I am not going to be crass today, but I believe all of us women - Christian women - need to be on guard. Notice that I stated that this is happening in our churches. Of course it is rampant in the world. It goes on everyday, unrestrained. But why in our churches? Do we not realize that Satan wants these types of sins to pervade the Church more than anywhere else? If he can fell a Pastor, evangelist, youth director, missionary, deacon, or Sunday School teacher with this heinous sin then hasn't he accomplished so much more harm on the cause of Christ than if Tom Cruise is brought down by this sin? Don't we already "expect" to hear of such wickedness in Hollywood? But Church? Nah, those are "Christian people."
I know this isn't a popular topic, and I hope I don't lose good friends for writing about it, but I don't care. I'm tired of seeing Christian homes destroyed by sensual lust right in the church pew! It's so wrong, and so avoidable...if we listen to Scripture.
Proverbs 6:26 says For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
Notice that last part, "the adulteress will hunt for the precious life." That means that she sets her eyes on the prize! She goes for the person with a reputation. If you have been a godly wife to your husband, then he is happy. If you have bragged on him and encouraged him, and loved him, then he is confident. These are the qualities the adulteress wants. She wants someone who is confident, but she doesn't want to marry and build her own man up, she wants one who's already "assembled" so to speak.
Now, I'm a blond, but I'm not dumb. I have a sixth sense about people, and especially women, that I believe all women have!It's something our husbands just don't have. You've heard of "women's intuition"? Well, I believe it's the Holy Spirit if you're saved, but there is something that we women have that helps us to protect our families. We need to listen that "voice" that's telling us when something isn't right. I've been able to warn my husband that some woman, or teenage girl, doesn't have the right motives. And he has always stepped back and said "You know, I believe you're right! I wouldn't have seen it if you hadn't said something."
I have invested almost 10 years in my marriage, and I pray I get about 30 or 40 more! But if we're going to make it that long, then I need to guard my family from the adulteress who's hunting for the precious life - mine! I understand there are some men who go searching for that sort of thing, and that is just as wicked. But I see the warning about "the strange woman" so many times in Proverbs! We need to do our part to protect our homes from the wreck and ruin that Satan would love to see take place in our families - as Christians. Let's stop and listen to that voice - and keep Satan out of our marriages!
Oh, and by the way, while we're on guard against other women, let's be sure that we don't dress or talk like the "adulteress" ourselves! I never want a lady to be uncomfortable with how I carry myself in the presence of her husband! With God as our helper, we can safeguard our homes!
I know this isn't a popular topic, and I hope I don't lose good friends for writing about it, but I don't care. I'm tired of seeing Christian homes destroyed by sensual lust right in the church pew! It's so wrong, and so avoidable...if we listen to Scripture.
Proverbs 6:26 says For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
Notice that last part, "the adulteress will hunt for the precious life." That means that she sets her eyes on the prize! She goes for the person with a reputation. If you have been a godly wife to your husband, then he is happy. If you have bragged on him and encouraged him, and loved him, then he is confident. These are the qualities the adulteress wants. She wants someone who is confident, but she doesn't want to marry and build her own man up, she wants one who's already "assembled" so to speak.
Now, I'm a blond, but I'm not dumb. I have a sixth sense about people, and especially women, that I believe all women have!It's something our husbands just don't have. You've heard of "women's intuition"? Well, I believe it's the Holy Spirit if you're saved, but there is something that we women have that helps us to protect our families. We need to listen that "voice" that's telling us when something isn't right. I've been able to warn my husband that some woman, or teenage girl, doesn't have the right motives. And he has always stepped back and said "You know, I believe you're right! I wouldn't have seen it if you hadn't said something."
I have invested almost 10 years in my marriage, and I pray I get about 30 or 40 more! But if we're going to make it that long, then I need to guard my family from the adulteress who's hunting for the precious life - mine! I understand there are some men who go searching for that sort of thing, and that is just as wicked. But I see the warning about "the strange woman" so many times in Proverbs! We need to do our part to protect our homes from the wreck and ruin that Satan would love to see take place in our families - as Christians. Let's stop and listen to that voice - and keep Satan out of our marriages!
Oh, and by the way, while we're on guard against other women, let's be sure that we don't dress or talk like the "adulteress" ourselves! I never want a lady to be uncomfortable with how I carry myself in the presence of her husband! With God as our helper, we can safeguard our homes!
Monday, November 5, 2007
The World was not Worthy
There are so many great truths in Hebrews! I love the verses that are well known. Hebrews 4:15 & 16, 10:25, 11:1,6 are a few. Of course, most Bible-believing Baptists know all about Hebrews 11 - "The Hall of Faith" it has been called. It is an amazing chapter! It chronicles the lives of great Old Testament Christians beginning with Abel, telling of the sacrifices they made for the cause of Christ. And yet, they never saw the promise of a Savior fulfilled! They believed in Him, yet they never saw Him. But they didn't just believe in Him the way people do today, with lipservice only. Some lost everything, some died for Him.
These passages always make me get a lump in my throat...they are so convicting.
Hebrews 11:36-39
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
I am such a wimp! And if you're honest, you probably are too. How can I complain about the trials I am facing? And believe you me, I am queen of the complaint kingdom! The Bible - God's Word- says of these great Christians, "(Of whom the world was not worthy:)" Wow! God values faithfulness. He values loyalty. These folks simply trusted Him and kept going even though it cost them the ultimate sacrifice in some cases...their lives, and God said the world wasn't worthy of them.
Hebrews 11:6 says But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. To please the Lord we must have faith in Him and realize that He rewards us for seeking to know Him more.
These passages always make me get a lump in my throat...they are so convicting.
Hebrews 11:36-39
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
I am such a wimp! And if you're honest, you probably are too. How can I complain about the trials I am facing? And believe you me, I am queen of the complaint kingdom! The Bible - God's Word- says of these great Christians, "(Of whom the world was not worthy:)" Wow! God values faithfulness. He values loyalty. These folks simply trusted Him and kept going even though it cost them the ultimate sacrifice in some cases...their lives, and God said the world wasn't worthy of them.
Hebrews 11:6 says But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. To please the Lord we must have faith in Him and realize that He rewards us for seeking to know Him more.
I believe that if these great Christians could die for Him, then I surely could live for Him. With His help, I want to be faithful to Him till the very end.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
I Needed That!
Boy, I sure did need these verses that I read today. I wanted to share them. I hope they help you today as you serve the Lord today.
Hebrews 10:35-36
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Sometimes I lose my confidence that things will turn out right, but that's because my confidence is misplaced. I need to be confident that He will keep His Word! I can't be sure of much in this world, but I can be sure of Him! And, yes, I need patience! Thank you, Lord, for Your wonderful Word!
Have a great Sunday as you worship Him "in Spirit and in truth"!
Hebrews 10:35-36
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Sometimes I lose my confidence that things will turn out right, but that's because my confidence is misplaced. I need to be confident that He will keep His Word! I can't be sure of much in this world, but I can be sure of Him! And, yes, I need patience! Thank you, Lord, for Your wonderful Word!
Have a great Sunday as you worship Him "in Spirit and in truth"!
Saturday, November 3, 2007
A Sense of Urgency
I read some many years ago a book entitled Life As Viewed from the Goldfish Bowl by Beverly Hyles. She wrote about life as a Pastor's wife, including some of the pitfalls to which many a preacher's wife become victims. If you are in the ministry, I highly recommend this book. In the book, Mrs. Hyles talks about going to God each day with a sense of urgency. We never know what each day holds for us, and we need to be as close to Him as possible so that whatever does happen, we have the help we need close at hand. I know that God is with us always if we're saved, not just if we have our daily devotions. However, be honest, if you had a good friend that moved away, and you never wrote her, called her or visited her, would you call her for a loan if you were in a tight spot financially? I wouldn't dream of it! If I didn't care to keep in touch with her during my good times, why would I dare ask a favor in harsh times?? That would take a lot of nerve!
Now think about your walk with God. Do you talk to Him daily? Do you hear from Him by reading His letter to you each day, the Bible? Is your life going great right now? Good! You should thank Him for making that possible. Are things a bummer? Then talk to Him about it. Maybe you haven't kept in touch with Him like you should, but go ahead and tell Him you blew it. He's there waiting to restore you.
I've recently seen in the national news a story about Fred Phelps, the pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. He is a preacher of hate, and he just lost a law suit to the sum of $11 million for picketing soldiers funerals. We lived in Topeka and witnessed his church's hate first hand. I don't find Fred Phelp's god in the Bible. I believe John 3:16! God loves America - He loves you! Is He just? Yes. But He cannot hate. If you haven't been what you should be, don't be afraid to go to Him now. He is hoping you will come back!
I don't pray and study my Bible like I should, but I do feel a renewed "sense of urgency" to get to it sometime in my day. I need to know He's close
to me as I face each new day.
Now think about your walk with God. Do you talk to Him daily? Do you hear from Him by reading His letter to you each day, the Bible? Is your life going great right now? Good! You should thank Him for making that possible. Are things a bummer? Then talk to Him about it. Maybe you haven't kept in touch with Him like you should, but go ahead and tell Him you blew it. He's there waiting to restore you.
I've recently seen in the national news a story about Fred Phelps, the pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. He is a preacher of hate, and he just lost a law suit to the sum of $11 million for picketing soldiers funerals. We lived in Topeka and witnessed his church's hate first hand. I don't find Fred Phelp's god in the Bible. I believe John 3:16! God loves America - He loves you! Is He just? Yes. But He cannot hate. If you haven't been what you should be, don't be afraid to go to Him now. He is hoping you will come back!
I don't pray and study my Bible like I should, but I do feel a renewed "sense of urgency" to get to it sometime in my day. I need to know He's close
to me as I face each new day.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Here I go... again!
Yes, it's that time again! Time for Valerie to fall prey to the ever present desire to feel sorry for herself!! "Haven't you blogged about this before?" you ask? Yes! Yes, I have! But, obviously, I haven't arrived, so here I go again!
I have been in the "depths of despair" as Anne Shirley once said, and I really hate it when that happens! Things have been so busy and tiring lately and I just keep holding out hope that the Lord will send us some added faithful folks to church, or a huge offering (hey, it could happen!) that when it doesn't happen, I slip off my comfy plateau and into that bottomless abyss of self-pity. Forgive my transparency here, but why try to hide it? I'm sorry if this shocks or disappoints anyone, I think most of you already know how "full of faults" I am. If you didn't, well, you do now.
But, you needn't fear, for the Lord has lined me out...again!
When I need encouragement, He's there. When I need correction, well, He's there then too! Today, He helped me out. I didn't deserve it. He should have scolded me through His Word, but He is so longsuffering. Instead, He encouraged me today.
Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
I heard someone say that the Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. That's a perfect analogy! It's like when you're running a marathon (not that I've ever run one, but I have a good imagination!), and you are just ready to say "Forget it! The finish line is too far! I'll never make it!!!!" But then, someone runs along 'side you and gives you a cup of water, or Gatorade, and pats you on the back and says "Good job! You're doing great! Almost there!" And then, you get a second wind and even speed up a little. That's how it feels. We're in Texas, and it's a great place, but the Devil fights here just like anywhere else! The work is slow but steady, and sometimes, it feels like the finish line is just too far away...we'll never make it. I'm reminded of Psalm 89:46 where David asks "How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever?" That's how I feel sometimes. Like it will be forever!
When I feel this way, I have the Bible to help me. Have I told you how I love God's Word? And I need to love it more.
Here are some ways it helps me:
It Counsels me - Proverbs
It Cheers me - Psalms, Philippians, Hebrews and many others.
It Corrects me - The Whole Thing!
It Comforts me - Psalms and much of the New Testament. Psalm 34:18 has been a particular comfort to me.
So, if you're feeling that "What's the use?" kind of feeling about your work for the Lord, like I do sometimes, then take heart! God sees, and He doesn't forget your work and labor of love. His Word is there to come along 'side you, pat you on the back and offer you that much needed drink of Gatorade and the encouragement that "You're doing great. Just keep going..."
I have been in the "depths of despair" as Anne Shirley once said, and I really hate it when that happens! Things have been so busy and tiring lately and I just keep holding out hope that the Lord will send us some added faithful folks to church, or a huge offering (hey, it could happen!) that when it doesn't happen, I slip off my comfy plateau and into that bottomless abyss of self-pity. Forgive my transparency here, but why try to hide it? I'm sorry if this shocks or disappoints anyone, I think most of you already know how "full of faults" I am. If you didn't, well, you do now.
But, you needn't fear, for the Lord has lined me out...again!
When I need encouragement, He's there. When I need correction, well, He's there then too! Today, He helped me out. I didn't deserve it. He should have scolded me through His Word, but He is so longsuffering. Instead, He encouraged me today.
Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
I heard someone say that the Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. That's a perfect analogy! It's like when you're running a marathon (not that I've ever run one, but I have a good imagination!), and you are just ready to say "Forget it! The finish line is too far! I'll never make it!!!!" But then, someone runs along 'side you and gives you a cup of water, or Gatorade, and pats you on the back and says "Good job! You're doing great! Almost there!" And then, you get a second wind and even speed up a little. That's how it feels. We're in Texas, and it's a great place, but the Devil fights here just like anywhere else! The work is slow but steady, and sometimes, it feels like the finish line is just too far away...we'll never make it. I'm reminded of Psalm 89:46 where David asks "How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever?" That's how I feel sometimes. Like it will be forever!
When I feel this way, I have the Bible to help me. Have I told you how I love God's Word? And I need to love it more.
Here are some ways it helps me:
It Counsels me - Proverbs
It Cheers me - Psalms, Philippians, Hebrews and many others.
It Corrects me - The Whole Thing!
It Comforts me - Psalms and much of the New Testament. Psalm 34:18 has been a particular comfort to me.
So, if you're feeling that "What's the use?" kind of feeling about your work for the Lord, like I do sometimes, then take heart! God sees, and He doesn't forget your work and labor of love. His Word is there to come along 'side you, pat you on the back and offer you that much needed drink of Gatorade and the encouragement that "You're doing great. Just keep going..."
Thursday, November 1, 2007
You Are My Bright Spot in the Day
As a stay at home mom, I am never off duty. Right now, as I sit a the computer, I could be called upon to referee an argument, clean up a spill, change a diaper, and well, you know what I mean. It's taxing. It hardly ever lets up. I home school two kids, so that adds a whole new "job" to my already lengthy job description. I have to have a "bright spot" in my day. Sometimes, I work hard and promise myself I'll take a moment to eat a brownie and read a book, or sometimes, I promise myself a walk, or to put my feet up and enjoy one of my faves...Andy or Lucy! Lately, my bright spot has been doing what I'm doing now, blogging! I really enjoy sharing thoughts, ideas, news and views with you. I really enjoy hearing from you. I've been able to keep in touch with friends like never before since I became a "blogger".
It's been really crazy here lately. Laci is sick with yet another ear infection and some sort of rash??? Leslie is, well, being 2 all the time! We've had lots to do at church, so I haven't been able to enjoy my little "mini-vacation" (blogging) as much as I'd like to. But I still take a break of some kind each day, even if it's only five minutes. Why? Because I need a bright spot! I need something that makes me smile. If you don't have a "bright spot" each day, you should get one! It gives you something besides cooking and laundry to wake up to each morning! I guess you could say that you are my bright spot each day - you make me smile, and everyone needs a smile! :o)
Oh, and by the way, thanks for making me smile today!
It's been really crazy here lately. Laci is sick with yet another ear infection and some sort of rash??? Leslie is, well, being 2 all the time! We've had lots to do at church, so I haven't been able to enjoy my little "mini-vacation" (blogging) as much as I'd like to. But I still take a break of some kind each day, even if it's only five minutes. Why? Because I need a bright spot! I need something that makes me smile. If you don't have a "bright spot" each day, you should get one! It gives you something besides cooking and laundry to wake up to each morning! I guess you could say that you are my bright spot each day - you make me smile, and everyone needs a smile! :o)
Oh, and by the way, thanks for making me smile today!