God Gifts

Yesterday on the farm

"Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him is no variation or shadow cast by turning. By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the first fruits of His creatures." (James 1:17-18)

        My sweet Phillip and I consider the farm a generous gift from Father God. Along its riverbank, beside the fishpond, and on the trails through the woods, we thank Lord Jesus over and over and over again.
        In Paul's first letter to Corinth, chapter 12 teaches that according to His will, the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to those Jesus saves. First Corinthians 12:7 of The Message reads: "Each person is given something to do that shows who God is."

                                                      wisdom
                  knowledge
                                       faith
         healing
                                                         miracles
  prophecy
                           distinguishing of spirits
                                                                         tongues
        interpretation of tongues
service
                     teaching
                                            exhortation
                                                                      generosity
                  leadership
                                              mercy

                               (Spiritual gifts listed in 1 Cor. 12 and Romans 12)

            O Christian, let us share our God gifts with others today and introduce them to the Giver of all good gifts! 

"Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God."     
                                                                               ~Leo Buscaglia~

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Words

My grandmother's high school senior portrait, 1916

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens
    and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
    producing seed for the farmer
    and bread for the hungry.
¹¹ It is the same with My word.
    I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
    and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
¹² You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song,
    and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
¹³ Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up.
These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name;they will be an everlasting sign of His power and love.” (Isa. 55:10-13)

       Written words. Only recently have I come to recognize the countless numbers of written words woven into my daily tapestry. The genesis of my storybooks was a handwritten letter by my grandmother in 1955. The foundation of the Bible studies I teach and devotional website I maintain are written words. Most importantly, the primary source for instructions, encouragements, wisdom, and discipline I receive from God is His written Word - the Holy Bible.
       In Isaiah 55, the Lord describes the fruit of His Word applied: a life of increased joy and peace. Got joy and peace? Want it? Consume more of His written Word!

"Listen to Me, O my people...open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things!" (Psalm 81:8a,10b)

          

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Alabama's Blustery Day

Our Little Fishpond today

"The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him." (2 Chron. 16:9a)

         Yesterday, a mere two inches of snow wreaked havoc along the highways and byways of Alabama. Everyone has unique stories to tell about wrecked cars, stranded kids, or hours in traffic, but every story I've heard has ended the same: "Thank You, Jesus!" 

My story:

          My dear friend, Jane, and I were in Bible study at the N. Avondale library when the librarian told us that road conditions were rapidly deteriorating. Because Jesus placed a trail of good Samaritans along our way, we made it safe and sound to our warm homes...9 hours later.
         Good Samaritan #1: the nice man that told me to put my Volkswagen Beetle in low gear to make it up the slippery hill.
         Good Samaritan #2: the young man at the gas station that gave us directions back to the freeway.
         Good Samaritan #3: my sweet husband, Phillip, who stayed on the phone with me for almost two hours coaching me on which roads to take and how to drive in icy conditions. 
         Good Samaritan #4: my hero son, Ben, who drove his 4-wheel drive Jeep for hours and hours and hours up mountains, around stalled cars, and out of ditches to rescue not only Jane and me, but also a young couple who'd been walking on hwy. 280 for 5 1/2 hours, a gentleman that needed to get home to heart medication, as well as, his own sweet, pregnant wife, Gabbi, and a co-worker who were stranded at work.
         Thank You, Lord Jesus!

"Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds...You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is Your unfailing love, O God. All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings." (Psalm 36:5-7)

         

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His Rod and His Staff

Frozen Road on our farm, 2014

"The Lord is my Shepherd...Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil. For You are with me. Your rod and staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:1,4)

         The equipment of a shepherd is normally limited to two instruments: his rod and his staff. The rod is the primary weapon of defense against predators for himself and his sheep. Whereas, the staff serves as a tool in caring for the sheep - to guide or rescue the animals entrusted to him.
         It's a bit melodramatic to say that I'm walking through the valley of the shadow of death; however, I am maneuvering a valley of uncertainty concerning a health issue. This past weekend, I stumbled, allowing those pesky little demons of worry and dread to nip at my heels. Then came my Shepherd!!! 

He wielded His rod:

Stay alert, Jill! Watch out for your great enemy! The devil is prowling around this valley attempting to devour you! Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith! Remember that Christian sisters all over the world are going through this same kind of trouble. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

He stretched forth His staff:

Jill, do not despair! Believe you will see My goodness in the land of the living! Wait patiently for Me. Be brave and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for Me. (Psalm 27:13-14)

             O Christian, are you walking through a troubled valley? Stay close to Jesus, your Shepherd. Search His Word for His protective rod and comforting staff. For He will lead you beside peaceful streams and renew your strength. Your great Shepherd will guide you along right paths, which bring honor to His name. Surely His goodness and unfailing love will pursue you all the days of your life, and you will dwell with Him forevermore! (Psalm 23:2-3,6)        

           

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 20

My Dan, 1993
(At Devils Tower: 867 foot, mountain of igneous intrusion rock in the Black Hills of Wyoming)

"I tested you at the waters of Meribah - Selah" (Psalm 81:7c)

              Over these 21 Days of Prayer, I've meditated on, pondered, considered, contemplated, thought about, and chewed and chewed and chewed Psalm 81 - particularly verse 7. The Scriptural genesis of the "waters of Meribah" named here is found in Exodus 17 in the account of the wilderness journey of Moses and the children of Israel. The story goes -

             "At the Lord's command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sin and moved from place to place. Eventually, they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. So once more the people complained against Moses....tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses,...'Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?'
              Then Moses cried to the Lord, 'What should I do with these people? They are ready to stone me!'
             The Lord said to Moses, 'Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile...I will stand before you on the rock at Mt. Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.'
             So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out...Moses named the place Massah (which means 'test') and Meribah (which means 'arguing') because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, 'Is the Lord here with us or not?'"

            I'm 57 years old and have heard the rock water fountain story since nursery school, but I've NEVER recognized the position of the Lord during that miracle! Almighty God was BEFORE Moses and ON the rock! SELAH (REST)!!!

            O Christian, do not fear, doubt, or complain! May the Holy Spirit reassure you today, free you from doubt, give you great confidence, strengthen you, and enliven you with understanding that, in whatever desperate need you face, Almighty God is BEFORE you and ON the resolution of your great need!

"Sing for joy to God our strength...you called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from where the thunder hides...I am  Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it...I would satisfy you with honey from the rock!" (Psalm 81:1-16)

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 19

My sweet  Rebecca's family
 (A day at the children's museum, 2013)

"God is within her; she will not be toppled. God will help her when the morning dawns." (Psalm 46:5)

           While praying for Rebecca yesterday, I found this verse above tucked in the middle of the Psalm which promises that God is our refuge and strength, a Helper who is always found in times of trouble. Although the "her" of verse five is literally the holy city of God, the Lord used His living Word to reassure this storm-tossed mother that He dwells within my daughter, she will be okay, and He is helping her. 
           It's praiseworthy to realize that as morning dawned yesterday, Rebecca's intense pain began to subside, and even though joints remain swollen and mobility is taxing, the tides appear to have turned toward healing.

"Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry! For Yahweh, the Most High, is awe-inspiring, a great King over all the earth!" (Psalm 47:1-2)

          O Christian, ransomed by the Lord Jesus, know that His Holy Spirit lives in you (Rom. 8:11), you will not be toppled by your troubles (John 16:33), and God will help you (Heb. 13:5-6) when the morning dawns: "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the BRIGHT MORNING STAR" (Rev. 22:16)!

          

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 18

My Rebecca, age 2, 1983

"Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob. Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and harp. Blow the ram's horn at new moon, and again at full moon to call a festival!" (Psalm 81:1-3)

           In Psalm 81, Asaph calls percussion, stringed, and wind instruments into symphonic praise of Elohiym - Almighty Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Have you ever stopped to consider that, at creation, God placed an orchestra within each one of us - percussion hands, stringed vocal chords, and wind or breath of life - so that we might praise Him? Mankind was designed to give glory to God in the good times and in the difficult ones.
           Today, my baby girl is 500 miles away from her mother's arms in a bitter-cold city buried under snow, and she's very sick. What's a mother to do?!?!? 
                                         
                                         Praise God!!!

            Care to join me? It's what you were made for!

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even thought the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights!" (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 17

Campout at Eberhart's Pond, 1993
(My brother, his kids, Phillip, our kids, and me)

"...I tested you at the waters of Meribah." (Psalm 81:7c)

    
           The past couple of weeks,  I've camped beside Lake Meribah on a survival of the "faithful" test. 

Faith trial #1: 
Discover a small "something" in your body that's not supposed to be there and then maintain God's peace and trust in Him while you wait to learn what "it" is. 
(check - accomplished)

Faith trial #2: 
Experience one of your children having the sudden onset of bizarre physical symptoms and continue to maintain God's peace and trust in Him as you wait to learn what's going on in her and yourself.
(Okay, Lord, this is harder than I thought it would be. I need Your help, please!)

Contestant, "do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you [pass the test]; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand!" (Isa. 41:10)

Thank You, Lord Jesus!

             Is your faith also being tested at Camp Meribah? Let's trust the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. For Jesus Christ, who is with us, is FAITHFUL - a refuge, strength, and very present help in trouble!

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 16

My kids at Rebecca's wedding, 2004

"Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy." (Proverbs 27:6)


                   I was pleasantly surprised last week to learn of Martine Bates Sharp's review of my storybook, Secrets of Shiloh, in the January 16th issue of The Alabama Baptist. Sandwiched between her gracious compliments like "the book is well written with an engaging story" and "I would recommend it for older children", however,  lay a short stack of constructive 

criticisms: "too good of a story for a book this length", "the story leaves feeling cheated", and "too short."
             After a slight wince, I thought, Hey, she makes a good point and offers wise counsel worth heeding! I think I'll try it! So, today begins the amplification process of Hoot Owl Hollow, the next storybook, to Hoot Owl Hollow, my first novella!

             Dear friend, when criticisms or corrections come our way, let's choose to embrace the opportunities to grow and glow for Jesus!

"My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. It's the child He loves that He disciplines; the child He embraces, He also corrects." (Heb. 12:5-6, The Message)   

                   

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 13

My Ben (age 3) and my Dan (age 1), 1986

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." (Gal. 6:7)


             When Dan was a toddler, sometimes he got pushed around or down by big brother Ben. I'd warn Ben, "You better be careful, Ben, he'll grow up one day!" And I chuckle every time I remember when one day arrived.
             My boys were probably around 19 and 17 when their wrestling match ended with Ben pinned to the ground by "little" brother Dan who would not let him up. Ben yelled, "Mama, make him stop!" 

L-R - "big" brother Ben, "little" brother Dan, and friend, Brian, 2004

             What "seeds" are you sowing today? Be careful! A day of reaping will surely come!

"For the one who sows to his flesh will from the fresh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the [Holy] Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life!" (Gal. 6:8)

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 12

My rough (really rough) sketch of Hoot Owl Hollow

"It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."(1 Chron. 14:15)


               I'm working on a third Christian storybook for families, Hoot Owl Hollow. This very rough sketch is vastly different from the beautiful, watercolor paintings by Cami Monet Webb and Donny Finley in The Schoolhouse and Secrets of Shiloh.

               In a recent devotion by Os Hillman, I was reminded that God is magnificently creative with novel game plans that may differ from past strategies. When the Philistine army made a raid on the valley of Rephaim, David inquired of the Lord saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines?" Then the Lord answered him, "Go up, for I will give them into your hand" (1 Chron. 14:9-10).
               Just three verses later, Scripture records that when the Philistines made yet another raid in the valley, David inquired of the God again, and God said, "You shall NOT go up after them; circle around behind them and come at them from in front of the balsam trees." David did just as God had commanded him, and they stuck down the army of the Philistines (1 Chron. 13:14,16)!
                In Bible story after Bible story, we learn that King David never lost a battle. The key to his success? He inquired of the Lord and then obeyed God's commands. David refused to assume God's instructions, but instead, sought and followed the Lord every single time!

               Whether I am to sketch the illustrations for Hoot Owl Hollow or not, I don't know. However, I resolve to inquire of the Lord before each step and obey whatever He tells me to do, in Jesus' name!

                My friends, I urge you to also inquire of the Lord in each and every one of your endeavors and do just as Jesus Christ commands you to do! For He is able, through His mighty power, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or even imagine (Eph. 3:20)!

               

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 11

My Ben, Rebecca, and Dan
(In those teenage years, 1990s)

"The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter...You did it! You changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about You! God, my God, I can't thank You enough!" (Psalm 30:5b,11-12 - The Message)

       Just one glimpse of my boys' hairdos in this picture tells you what season of life we were in - those teenage years! I can so relate to the psalmist's nights of crying eyes out and, I might add, gnashing of teeth. Jumping Jehoshaphat! Raising teenagers is NOT for sissies!
       I certainly made many parenting mistakes in those years, but one right thing I did was pray to the One who is able to change wild lamenting to whirling dancing! (I remember the Lord encouraging me, "Jill, did you know that I'm even stronger than a teenager's attitude?")
        From 1 John 5:14-15, I learned: "This is the confidence which we have before Him [in prayer], that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from [Jesus]!" I figured what better way to pray God's will than to pray God's very WORDS: Scripture!

Exert from my journal during those years:
         O Father, I pray that my children will walk in truth (3 John 4). Lord, please make them lie down in green pastures, lead them beside still waters. Please restore their souls. Guide them down paths of righteousness for Your name's sake (Psalm 23:2-3). Father, in Jesus' name, please help them NOT be conformed to the ways of this world, but transform them by the renewing of their minds, so that they may prove what Your will is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect (Rom. 12:2)!

          And over time, He did it! Jesus exchanged my groans for glory! and my wild ones for Christ followers. I'm about to burst with song! I can't keep quiet about Him! God, my God, I just can't thank You enough!

O Father, today I intercede for my readers whose souls are groaning. Be the Lifter of their hearts and heads, Lord Jesus! Please put new songs in their hearts and laughter in their mouths. Help them trust You and wait confidently on You as You work their trials for good and glory! In Jesus' name I pray! Amen and Amen!!!

               

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 10

Delana, Carolyn, Ann, and me
"Armor of God" skit, Valleydale Baptist, 1990s

"The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side." (Psalm 121:5)

           In some of the places I teach the Bible, the spiritual darkness is so strong that, at times, I become physically weak. So, I've learned to wear God's armor and to enlist faithful prayer warriors to cover my back. (I recently heard of one ministry that requires their workers to have at least five people covering them in prayer as they serve.)

          Trained soldiers never step into battle absent of weapons and protective gear, and wise Christians should never attempt ministry unequipped and uncovered. The Apostle Paul admonished the church of Ephesus, "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God's armor [truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, God's word, and prayer] so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil...Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will be standing firm...And pray...ask God to give [you] the right words so [you] can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the Good News [of salvation in Jesus] is for [everybody]" (Eph. 6:10-20)!

           So, ladies and gentlemen, let's put on God's armor, ramp up the prayers, charge into the darkness, and carry the light of Jesus Christ to wounded souls!

O Lord, I pray that my readers and I will go forth boldly into places of spiritual darkness and tell Your Good News of never-ending life by Your grace through faith in Jesus Christ! May the fragrance of Jesus linger everywhere we go! In Jesus name! Amen and amen.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing!" (2 Cor. 2:14-15)

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 9

My mother and me, 1978

"I relieved his shoulder from the burden; his hands from carrying the basket." (Psalm 81:6)

              After an audition, a "call-back" is good news; but after an annual check-up, I confess that for me a "call-back" incites fear and trepidation - especially since my mother died of breast cancer.  On Friday, when caller I.D. showed my doctor's office "calling back", I thought, O brother! Sure enough, I need to return to the women's diagnostic center for further evaluation.
              There I was, standing at an emotional cross-roads of Worrying Way or Trusting Trail, when I believe the Lord lovingly whispered, "Jill, you've carried this burden too long. I want you to trust Me and face your fear." And thanks be to God, I'm peacefully strolling down Trusting Trail. 

              What about you? Are unknown circumstances tempting you to worry? Then please understand that Jesus is worthy to be trusted and able to help you overcome those fears!

Thank You, God, for relieving my mind and replacing fear with Your peace that surpasses understanding. Lord Jesus, please help my readers to also trust You in their potentially worrisome situations. In Jesus' name! Amen and amen!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives!1

View 21 Day of Prayer live at:
www.churchofthehighlands.com
M-F @ 6:00 a.m. CST
Sat. @ 9:00 a.m. CST
Sun. @ 8:00, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. CST

1 BECAUSE HE LIVES. Bill Gaither, 1971.

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 6

My Rebecca and me, February 1982

"Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks. You cried to Me in trouble, and I rescued you; I answered you from where the thunder hides and tested your faith..." (Psalm 81:6-7)


         Even though our "little" girl lives five hundred miles away, she knows that her daddy and I are just a phone call away. If she's in need, we will do everything and anything within our power to meet that need.

         For those of us in relationship with Father God through faith in His Son, Jesus, we live just one prayer away from help! Are you in trouble today? O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, call your Daddy! Tell Abba Father your need, and then TRUST Him to work on your behalf for His glory! But REMEMBER, His thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways His ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God's ways higher than your ways and the Lord's thoughts higher than your thoughts (Isa. 55:8-9). Therefore, stand firm in faith in the One who loves you so much that He died for you!

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 5

Rebecca's family at my grandchildren's piano recital, Dec. 2013

"Blow the ram's horn at new moon, and again at the full moon to call a festival!" Psalm 81:3


        I mentioned in an earlier post that one highlight for me over the Christmas holidays was playing piano duets with my grandchildren. From the countless verses on musical instruments and songs recorded in the Bible, I believe we can safely conclude that music with His children is a highlight for God as well.

        In the Old Testament, trumpet calls issued one of two commands: either to gather or to march. According to the Blue Letter Bible Commentary on Psalm 81, "when the people of God were gathered together...they must be told that they had business to do, [likewise] we do not go to church to sleep or be idle; no, there is that with the duty of every day requires, work of the day, which is to be done in its day."

       Today requires me to drive to the Foundry Community Center where I will teach the Bible to the precious people of Bessemer, Alabama. In the fall, God focused our lessons on evangalism: bringing lost souls into salvation in Him. This semester, I believe Jesus has instructed me to equip the saints for the Christian duty that every day requires!
       Let us listen to God's trumpet calls to first, gather together in praise and worship of Jesus, and then, march into a dark world as instruments of His light in Jesus' name!

(Special note to those of you in my Wednesday small group: the pretty Christmas dress that my granddaughter is wearing in the picture above came from our dear friend Cynthia! O how we miss sweet Cynthia but rejoice that she is home with Jesus, healed and singing His praises!)

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 4

21 Days of Prayer Meeting today

"Sing for joy to God our strength; shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. Raise a song, strike the timbrel, the sweet sounding lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet...For...the God of Jacob!" (Psalm 81:1-4)

           Above, the picture quality may be unimpressive but the heart of this picture is grandiose! I laughed out loud today as I followed a line of cars down hwy 119 and into the church parking lot at 5:53 a.m. - yes, in the morning! I thought, Lord Jesus, this is crazy! - thousands of people, in this day and age, going to a prayer meeting before sunrise, and on a work day to boot! 
           After our Dan came home from Iraq, he accompanied us to a Wednesday night service where cars were backed up all the way to the freeway, like it was the Super Bowl, trying to get in Church of the Highlands. I remember Dan saying, "What is up with this church?!?!"
           And the answer is: JESUS! He's "what's up" at Church of the Highlands and in the hearts of her people!

O Jesus, I pray that all around the globe this day that Your church will sing for joy to You our strength and raise a song of praise to You, our Savior, Lord, God, and King! 

View Prayer Services live at:  www.churchofthehighlands.com
M-F @ 6:00 a.m. CST
Sat. @ 9:00 a.m. CST

           

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 3

My precious family (hubby, kids, grandkids, granddogs, and me), Dec. 2013

"Listen to my words, Lord; consider my sighing...In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice; at daybreak, I bring my requests to You and wait EXPECTANTLY!" (Psalm 5:1,3)

           I love this family picture - all 14 of us. Fourteen? you might say. One, two, three, four...(you probably counted 11 people and 2 dogs, which adds to 13. BUT, #14 is all snug as a bug in a rug in Gabbi's belly. We are EXPECTANTLY  waiting for Colton's debut in May.)

           In yesterday's post, we read in Psalm 81 that God pleads with His children to LISTEN to Him. How comforting it is to learn in Psalm 5:3 that God LISTENS to us - everyday Jesus hears our requests.

           O child of Almighty God, bring your requests to His throne room through pray today, and then wait EXPECTANTLY for His answer, because surely He is listening!

Two smiles for the day:

Our "crazy" shot

Our "mad" shot

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21 Days of Prayer - Day 2

My "snow-bunnies" (grandkids), Dec. 2013

"Listen, My people, and I will admonish you...if you would only listen to Me!" (Psalm 81:8)

          With icy road conditions predicted, last night, I made the decision to participate in this morning's prayer service online instead of driving to our church at 6:00 a.m.. Obviously, I listened to man over the Holy Spirit, because Birmingham roads were clear!
           Every January and August, my church, Church of the Highlands,  observes a season of prayer and seeking God. Thus far, Jesus has faithfully guided me to a particular Bible passage to "chew" on during the 21 days. This January, that passage is Psalm 81 - specifically today: verse 8 and the words listen and admonish. 

          Various Bible translations render the word admonish as "instruct" or "warn", but Thomas Nelson's Biblical Cyclopedic Index defines admonition as "wise words spoken against evil acts!" I love that definition! 
          To me, a great example of God's admonishment or God's wise words spoken against evil acts is found in Eph. 6:10-11: My children, be strengthened in Me and in My vast power, and put on My full armor so that you can stand against the tactics of the devil.
          
           How can you hear God's admonitions, i.e. His warnings and instructions? LISTEN! God made it very clear in Psalm 81:8: "If you will only listen to ME, then I will admonish you!" And how do you listen to God? By reading and obeying His own words: the Bible!

O Father God, I pray that today my readers and I will sit in Your Presence and LISTEN to You through Your Word! I pray that we will hear and heed Your admonitions. O Lord, You are an awesome God, Father, Savior, and Teacher. I love you with all my heart. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen and Amen!

21 Days of Prayer:
www.churchofthehighlands.com
M-F @ 6:00 a.m. CST
Sat. @ 9:00 a.m. CST

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Better Than Gold and Silver

The Lovely Family, 2007
(Back Row: David and Tammy)
(Front Row: twins Collin and Caroline)

"The law of Thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces." (Psalm 119:72)

        In a Bible study years ago, I met a lovely, young lady - beautiful in both appearance and heart. Although, I'm twelve years her senior, we are close friends and share an extraordinary love for Jesus and His Word.

           I encourage you to check out Tammy's new blog, "Better Than Gold and Silver" - a website devoted to the study and application of God's Word. Visit Tammy at:

http://betterthangoldandsilver.blogspot.com/

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success!" (Josh. 1:8)

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A Wide-Open Heart

My joyful granddaughter after scoring her first soccer goal, 2012

"I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you up...open your mouth wide and I will fill it!" (Psalm 81:10)

       Normally, taking down Christmas decorations makes me feel a bit melancholy; but not this year. In anticipation of the upcoming "21 Days of Prayer and Fasting" at Church of the Highlands, melancholy has been replaced with joy and expectation! I can't wait to hear what God will show me and teach me!

To learn more about the live, online 21-day prayer services, visit:

http://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/

"Call to Me and I will answer you and will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know!" (Jer. 33:3)

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New Year's RESOLVE

"Time with Daddy"
My grandson and son-in-law

"But [as a teenager] Daniel resolved [in his heart] not to defile himself..." (Dan. 1:8). [As an old man], he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously (Dan. 6:10b)."

RESOLVE: determine, make up one's mind, decide firmly on a course of action.

        Many of us will make New Year's resolutions today; but  very few of us will truly resolve in our hearts, like Daniel, to stay the course.

What if...

          we resolved in our hearts to spend time with Jesus everyday in 2014 - talk to Him through prayer and listen to Him through the Bible: His Word - and then do whatever He tells us to do?

Then...

          2014 would be a phenomenal year! Trouble free? Of course not! Blessed? Yes, guaranteed! 

"How blessed is the man [or woman] who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers." (Psalm 1:1-3)

                  

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