pause 'n ponder

OPEN MY EYES, LORD

I WANT TO SEE JESUS

TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH HIM

AND SAY THAT I LOVE HIM

OPEN MY EARS, LORD

AND HELP ME TO LISTEN

OPEN MY EYES, LORD

I WANT TO SEE JESUS

obedience

In God’s Word, there’s a lot about obedience.  Somewhere I read that Deuteronomy 11:26-28 sums up obedience as ‘Obey and you’ll be blessed.  Disobey and you’ll be cursed.’  Well said..

Jesus said the Christian life is a life of obedience.  If I don’t do His will, I can’t obey.  If I don’t trust, I can’t obey.  If I don’t believe, I can’t obey.  If I don’t have faith, I can’t obey.   If I don’t love, I can’t obey.  If I don’t repent, I can’t obey.  If I don’t forgive, I can’t obey.  

I believe it all begins with ‘If I don’t do His will, I can’t obey’.  I have this link bookmarked:  It’s well written. (Better than I could do.)

http://www.cru.org/training-and-growth/classics/10-basic-steps/6-obedience/

The greatest discovery I have ever made concerning how to know the will of God involves the following:

• Fully surrendering my life to the Lordship of Christ
• Living a life of obedience in the power of the Holy Spirit
• Maintaining my first love for our Lord

Many Christians are trying so hard to discover the will of God that they lose the joy of the Lord and leave their first love for Him.

But all we need to do is abide in Christ, maintain our first love for Him, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, and we will be in the will of God. So as you continue to walk in the Spirit, He will guide you in making the most important decisions of life. He will also guide you in the daily, moment-by-moment decisions and actions of your life.

Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus says, "When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth...and he will tell you what is yet to come" (John 16:13). So the key to knowing God's will is to be obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit of truth. If you are willing to trust and obey God and live a holy life, God will reveal Himself to you and direct your steps as a way of life.

reflective reads

''The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life’,  A.W. Tozer, (1897-1963)

What Tozer calls ''personal heart religion'' can grow only from reverent meditation on God. And Tozer's own bestselling classic, The Knowledge of the Holy, is immensely encouraging. In straightforward and readable language, Tozer describes the attributes of God and shows how understanding them (''knowing the holy'') can help you grow in the Christian life. An excellent book for personal devotions and for preachers.

http://www.christianbook.com/the-knowledge-of-the-holy/a-w-tozer/9780060698652/pd/69865?event=AAI)

*Yet if we would know God and for other's sake tell what we know we must try to speak of his love. All Christians have tried but none has ever done it very well. I can no more do justice to that awesome and wonder-filled theme than a child can grasp a star. Still by reaching toward the star the child may call attention to it and even indicate the direction one must look to see it. So as I stretch my heart toward the high shining love of God someone who has not before known about it may be encouraged to look up and have hope.

*What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

Sunday songs

There’s a Christmas song, 'Sweet Little Jesus Boy', I haven’t listened to in a number of years.  The first time I heard it, I loved the way it told the story of Jesus’ birth.  I found it on YouTube sung by Kenny Rogers, Casting Crowns, Gladys Knight, Rebecca St James, Larnelle Harris, and Mahalia Jackson.

According to William Simon, editor of the Reader's Digest Merry Christmas Songbook, Robert MacGimsey composed this song after walking past crowded speakeasies in New York City on Christmas Eve, 1932.  It was published in 1934, its style similar to African-American spirituals.  Intended as an art song, it became one of many spiritual songs. Most recordings take liberties with the lyrics, some adding entire verses. The initial 1934 copyright was allowed to lapse. 

'Sweet Little Jesus Boy'

Sweet Little Jesus Boy

They made You be born in a manger.

Sweet little Holy Child,

We didn’t know who You was.

Didn’t know You come to save us, Lord;

To take our sins away

Our eyes were blind, we couldn’t see,

We didn’t know who You was.

Long time ago, You was born.

Born in a manager low.

Sweet little Jesus boy.

The world treat You mean, Lord;

Treat me mean, too.

But that’s how things is done down here,

We didn’t know ‘twas You.

You done showed us how,

We is trying.

Master, You done showed us how,

Even when You’s dying.

Just seem like we can’t do right,

Look how we treated You.

But please, sir, forgive us Lord,

We didn’t know ‘twas You.

Sweet little Jesus Boy

Born long time ago.

Sweet little Holy Child,

And we didn’t know who You was….

obedience is as obedience does

Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Now is the moment for the Spirit of Christmas…

The joy of giving, the smiles of children, the music of bells,

The twinkle of lights in crisp evening air,

Warmth and love of family and friends, sharing of special memories…

The gentle Spirit of Love that falls quietly upon all of mankind,

Seeking the single day of celebration bringing Peace upon the world.

Merry Christmas… and may God bless us, everyone.

Liz S (1990)

Christians speak up!

I posted this on Facebook today:
 
I am a Christian. I believe in the Holy Bible. I believe every single page, and every single word is the Word of God Almighty. I believe every single word is absolutely accurate and true. Every single word. Period. 

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB)
 
Phil Robertson has it right! And, Satan doesn't like it one bit.

♥

I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

3 John 1:4 NLT

Sunday songs

The author and composer of ‘Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus’, Helen H. Lemmel, relates that one day, in 1918, a missionary friend gave her a tract entitled “Focused.”  The pamphlet contained these words—

“So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness.”

These words made a deep impression upon Helen Lemmel. She could not dismiss them from her mind. She recalls this experience following the reading of that tract:

“Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody. The verses were written the same week, after the usual manner of composition, but none the less dictated by the Holy Spirit.”

(Adapted from Kenneth Osbeck)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This has always been a favorite hymn of mine.  When times are tough, I only have to turn my heart and my soul and my eyes to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, and I will feel His comfort and peace.  (And then I will hum this song over and over and over and over again.) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus’ 

Refrain:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

Oh soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness to see
There's a light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Refrain

His words shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell

Refrain

Oh soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness to see
There's a light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

☆•*¨**•.¸¸

When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2 NLT

quick quotes

~Patrick Henry~

It can not be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government 

to restrain  the people, it is an instrument for the people 

to restrain the government - lest it come to 

dominate our lives and interests.

The Bible is worth all the other books 
which have ever been printed.

*¨**•.¸¸♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥

This morning, as I lay on the couch, staring out the door, I found myself deep in thought.  So deep, I wasn’t sure where I’d gone.   Maybe in the mountains, in a cozy cabin, warm fire burning, with the love of my life.  Maybe in the world outside my door.

It’s a very gray day.  Dreary.  It’s wet and soggy from the rain.  The trees are almost naked as the last of the leaves float down to the yard, joining the carpet beneath. Squirrels are up to their usual antics, curling their bushy tails as they dance and prance about snatching every bird seed they can.  They fly from deck to rail to limb to arbor.  But they will never know how much I enjoy them.   

Birds are pecking away at the feeders, devouring both seed and suet. They are skirting across the deck, hopping around, flying to a shrub and back again, looking for a free spot at the table.  (Thankfully, they seem oblivious to the chatter and the swooshing tail of the cat inside.  Or sometimes at the kitchen sink.) They sing, they chirp, they speak, they call, they tweet, they squeak, they chat, and yes, they twitter.  They gather around and flap about in the bird bath.  But they will never know how much I enjoy them.

I’m fascinated.  Make no mistake. The world outside my door is enchanting.   I take many pictures, trying to capture the unmistakable beauty of the world outside my door.  

On this misty, gray, dreary day, I’m actually quite content.

who was lottie moon?

I have attended a Southern Baptist Church all of my life.  I grew up knowing about Lottie Moon - the namesake of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions.  She was much like today's missionaries. Lottie was a hard-working, deep-loving Southern Baptist who labored tirelessly so her people group could know Jesus.  

Lottie wrote many letters home, urging Southern Baptists to greater missions involvement and support. One of those letters triggered the first Southern Baptists' Christmas offering for international missions.  By 1888, Southern Baptist women had organized and helped collect $3,315, enough to send three new missionaries to China.  In 1912, a severe famine came to China.  People everywhere were starving and Lottie gave her food to the people.  Lottie became sick and boarded a ship to the States to recover.  She died on that ship on Christmas Eve, 1912.  On Christmas Eve.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

In 1918, Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) named the annual Christmas offering for international missions after the woman who had urged them to start it. 

*** ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!***

In 2013 Southern Baptists celebrated 125 years of annual giving to support international missionaries. More than 3.5 billion has been given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, whose namesake inspired the first collection of gifts in 1888 so the world might know Christ. Then, as now, every penny you give to Lottie Moon supports missionaries as they share the Gospel overseas.   

June 5, 2013 RICHMOND, Va (Erich Bridges)  —Southern Baptists gave $149.3 million to the 2012 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions.

The 2012 Lottie Moon offering, finalized June 5, totaled $149,276,303.72. It surpassed last year’s offering of $146.8 million by more than $2.4 million and marked the third-highest amount given in the offering’s 124-year history.

thankful

So, what is Thanksgiving?  Is it just another holiday?
   

Is it a time when family and friends come together for a meal, eat way too much, talk, share, laugh, reminisce, take a nap, play football, watch the parades, get ready for Black Friday?  Or maybe the meal is rice and canned beans?  A peanut butter sandwich? 

But, what about... The homeless man?  The hungry child with no food.  The widow down the street?  The family living in poverty?  The mother in jail?  The young orphan longing for a family?  The baby dying from cancer?  The one who has no family?  The one who has lost everything?  The pregnant teenager alone and scared?  The boy who is abused?  The man who is unloved?  The one who has given up on life?    The soldier fighting overseas?  The frail man in the nursing home?  The wife who is beaten?  The one without a job?  The parents who can’t afford a coat? The lonely couple across town?   

Now, imagine each of these are you.  Okay, how thankful would you be?  Honestly.  Seriously.  

Tomorrow is Thursday...Thanksgiving.  Many us will overindulge, many of us will go hungry, many of us will be all alone.  What about me?  Tomorrow, I’ll be with family, sit in a comfortable chair, enjoy the Thanksgiving meal, maybe take a nap, check out the sales papers. 

Personally, I can count my many blessings one-by-one into eternity.  Shouldn’t I be a blessing to others?  Share the love of God to others?   It stabs my heart when I know, especially as a Christian, this is not how Jesus wants me to be.  This is not who Jesus wants me to be.  

And Jesus said... 

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ 

41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons, 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 

45 “And He will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 

Matthew 25:34-45 NLT

?

once upon a time............

Sometimes I think about upcoming events or changes pertaining to me, my loved ones, to others, or to the world. I may be anxious about some things, such as a dentist appointment, or the results of my cholesterol test. Others, I eagerly look forward to experiencing or witnessing, like a vacation, a visit from family, or watching a baseball game.

Time can slip thru my fingers if I pay too much attention to tomorrow instead of embracing today. Whether it’s nice or dreadful, joyful or miserable, it is today. Today is a gift, given to me from the Lord. I ought to be thankful for the opportunities and experiences I receive today.

With every tick of a clock, the past is gone.  Just as quickly, the future is gone.  As quickly as time marches on, can I honestly say I embrace the present or reflect on a contented past or look to the future with hope and peace?  Not always.  Just a fact of life...

When I was online recently, I came across this: “Amidst fear, we have peace beyond understanding; amidst sorrow, we have joy unspeakable; amidst trouble, we have every comfort and consolation; amidst uncertainty, we have the blessed hope.”

 

I don’t know the origin or author, but these words take negative emotions and give the positive responses offered in Christ. No matter what happens, today or tomorrow, God is in control of my life. I gladly embrace my gift of time today!

We often spend too much of the present anxious to reach the future, and when we get there, what do we do? We wonder where the time went. Author: Unknown

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)

i am a wretch

Do you know what a wretch is?

Basically, a wretch is someone who (is)(a):

 

bully, bad, black sheep, bum, cheater, coward, criminal, delinquent, derelict, despicable, disgrace, dishonest, felon, fool, fraud, good-for-nothing, hoodlum, immoral, incorrigible, ingrate, liar, looser. lowlife, miserable, outcast, outlaw, rotten, scoundrel, scum, sinner, swindler, tramp, vagrant, varmint, vile, villain, wicked.

 Whoa Nellie! That’s a boatload list for describing a wretch!  Okay, seriously now.  Many of those words describe me.  But, by the grace of God I am saved.  As the old, well-know hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ says: ‘That saved a wretch like me.’

I am a sinner and I will always be a sinner.  It’s not quite this simple, but Jesus died to take away my sin.  I've been a Christian for many years, yet it’s still hard for me to wrap this around my head and around my heart.  I know this for sure: ‘For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 

John 3:16 NLT

God, the Creator of everything that is, loves me.  Me.  Out of all the billions or trillions of people that have ever lived on this earth, God knows me and loves me and has saved me.  Me.  Wow...   And amazingly, Jesus would have died on the cross if I were the only person in the whole world that believed in and accepted Christ as my savior.  Wow...  

Be a sinner and sin strongly, but more strongly have faith and rejoice in Christ.
Martin Luther

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.♪♫•*¨*•♫♪

Happy 5th Birthday Hudson!

I love you more than all the legos in the world!

Nana

eagle's wings

He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:29-31 NLT
I love these verses.  They create a beautiful picture in my mind......

I’m not the most patient person.  I’m sure of it.  I want to get up and get on with it.  I may feel this way, but that’s not the way it is.  Most of the time I have little energy or gumption to charge full speed ahead.  I do a lot of waiting around, doing what I can do, doing what I absolutely have to do, not feeling like doing much of anything. Nothing.  I can blame fibromyalgia or the herniated disc, yet there are things I can do.   Key thing, yet there are things I can do.  I’m not the most patient person.

Waiting.  Watching and waiting to see how God will use me to encourage others.  Waiting can mean looking forward to something or waiting with anticipation or waiting and hoping. Waiting.  Yes, waiting to see what God is going to do.  Patiently.  Not so patiently.  Waiting.

When I get discouraged waiting to be feel better, I get frustrated.  I get tired of doing nothing.  But, face it, I have no idea what God’s plans are.  He has a purpose.  He prepares.  He encourages.  He strengthens.  I know it is in His time.  At some point, I know God will use me in a most unexpected way.  I just have to patiently wait.  In the mean time, there is plenty I can do.  And, I don’t have to wait.  I can grow as a Christian.  I can spend more time talking to God.  I can study His word and learn and apply His truths.  I can reach out to others. Yes, I can do something.

quick quotes

Charles R. Swindoll ~ on Joy

Joy is a deeply felt contentment that transcends difficult circumstances and derives maximum enjoyment from every good experience.

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.

The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice...it is a positive attitude we choose to express. It is not a gift delivered to our door each morning, nor does it come through the window. And it is certain that our circumstances are not the things that make us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will never laugh again.