How About A 'FAITHLIFT?'

Each time I sit down to write 'a little something' here, I have ample ideas about what to share.. But, I desire to write what the Lord God Almighty is desiring me to convey.. This morning, PSALM 103 blessed me SO much that I am confident it's what I need to speak about... The title I've chosen for today says it all!! --"Praise the Lord, O my soul-all my inmost being, praise his holy name!"-Don't forget his benefits-- FORGIVENESS, HEALING, REDEMPTION, COMPASSION, SATISFACTION, YOUTHFULNESS, JUSTICE, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS--- for starters! Please take time to read and digest just some of how the Lord tells us about more of his true nature through all HE does for us! In fact, I am reminded of JEREMIAH 9:23-24 in which He declares He delights in exercising kindness, justice, and righteousness! Today, may we all relish more of his character as we welcome HIM to express more and more of his nature in/through/to us!!

CHOOSE SIN or, CHOOSE HIM!

HELLO to all who have time to read this! Please join me as I consider just what a responsibility we each have... It is simply the oppotunity to choose life within the intentions and desires the LORD has for us or, not to do so. Not much discussion or deliberation is needed. We have been given the privilege of determining how our days, weeks, months, years, and lives will be lived out. The LORD states his intention to bless us as we welcome and yield to HIM but somehow, most of us find ourselves 'forgetting,' or neglecting? to ask Him how we can best honor his presence here on Earth with/through us.. UGH! For now, let's just know HE has plans to prosper us - to give us hope and a future as He also desires us to truly KNOW Him personally.. For, He takes delight in being the God who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness. (paraphrases from JEREMIAH 29:11 and 9:23-24) I'll close with a saying I saw recently.. Basically it says the length of our life is not as important as the amount of LIFE we live in the days we do have here..Any Christian reading this knows JESUS is The WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!

To the PHONE or, to the THRONE?

BLESSINGS TO ALL WHO MAY READ THIS- Much has happened since my last post so I am choosing between several titles which have 'come to mind,' during my recent events. Basically, all of the 'happenings,' present me with the choice to go to 'phone' or, to the THRONE! I trust many of you can identify with our innate desire to 'tell someone' almost any time something seems uncomfortable, intimidating, or otherwise threatening to our 'comfort zone' in life.. Those of us who have my temperament seem to do 'best,' if we 'talk it out,' almost immediately. Others of you out there are likely to 'shelve it,' at least for awhile.... Well- recently, I heard a speaker propose we be more ready to take it to HIS THRONE of GRACE, than to any person at first. Oh, how true that is! In fact, I am writing this today to solidify my commitment to doing so more readily. How about any of you 'out there?' I just read a comment in Reader's Digest that goes along with this topic... It confirmed the point that FAITH is better than mere BELIEF since a belief is acquired when one accepts something someone else has thought about. Those of us who know the JOY of direct access to the throne of the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, rejoice in approaching the KING of KINGS without fear of rejection or pain. We live lives which confirm how Forsaking All, I Take Him (FAITH) lifts us out of all disconcerting moments in our lives. In fact, we rejoice in having our feet set upon a rock, giving us a firm place to stand after He has delivered us from muck and mire!(of emotions, etc.) (PSALM 40:1-2)
I could go on and on, but I'll close with a 'funny' I heard in a recent theatrical production.. My referring to those moments in life which can cause us some discomfort, reminded me of a character who said, "I'm not afflicted with any denomination," when, she was really wanting to say, "affiliated!" Of course, the script was intentionally written the way it was delivered! It takes a lot to get me to 'belly laugh,' and this playwright succeeded! May none of us find ourselves afflicted by 'religianity,' but find ourselves to be more yielded to HIS love for/through us each day as we boldly approach His throne of grace, mercy, justice, righteousness, and SO MUCH MORE! Blessings to all!

Delight in 'De' LIGHT!

I don't know why it's taken me so long to realize this poignant pun, except to know the LORD was saving it for 'such a time as this!' As I led a group of 'senior saints' through Bible passages about experiencing the radiance of the LORD recently, I finally stated, 'We get to 'delight in de'LIGHT!' As Moses descended off Mt. Sinai, his face shone brightly and he didn't even know it --- Why did it? He HAD SPOKEN with the LORD! WOW!(Exodus 34:29) Later, we saw how JESUS was transfigured before Peter, James, and John! His face shone like the SUN and his clothes were white as light! Oh, how I'd loved to have been there in person!(Matthew 17:2) Finally, for now, I will refer to John 17:22 where Jesus prays for us about how the GLORY he'd received from his FATHER would now be received by us as He's given it to us so we may dwell together in unity!
I don't know about any of you 'out there' in cyber-space (some of you are known by me personally and I do treasure each of you!), but as I covered the other passages related to the radiance of our LORD being available and intended for/through each of us, I became more DELIGHTED and 'my' seniors loved watching as HE expressed himself through me.. In fact, 'EXHILLERATED', might be a more accurate adjective for my state of being at that point.. We are empowered to be the light this world needs to see as they stumble without our Lord in their beings! We are to be visibly spreading the hope we have in Jesus so they can be attracted to HIM and to the glory HE wants to show to them as they can receive deliverance from despair and so much more... I'd like to close with Psalm 37:4 which reminds us we get to 'DELIGHT OURSELVES IN THE LORD SO HE CAN GRANT US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART...' When he is on the throne of our lives, our desires will correspond with his desires for/through us! Blessing to all who read this!!

Presence of Illness/ Absence of God?

While spending 5 hours traveling on a bus with many teenagers today, I was struck by the thought that people just might think God is not where illness is. Something I was saying to another chaperone caused me to think about this. Quite readily, I thought of Paul's 'thorn in the flesh,' (probably of a physical nature), as well as Job with all his boils! Of course, our Lord was with them both in spite of their 'illnesses!' Much more pleasantly though, I recalled a statement made by someone at the assisted living facility where an extremely dear friend of mine spent her last couple of cancer-ridden years--"When Sandra moved in, PEACE moved in with her!" I cannot think of any more 'telling' fact to substantiate my convictions about the presence of our Lord, even in the presence of conditions of any sort. My message to anyone of you 'out there' is one of hope and assurance -- Please don't feel forsaken or threatened when/if some sort of malady or condition comes upon you... The LORD loves to be glorified as we are carried by HIM, allowing others to see HIM through us. Afterall, we ARE the body of Christ as well as the temple in which the LORD dwells. What wondrous realities and reasons for living! I trust someone will say of me one day, "When Sheila entered the room, PEACE came in with her." SOLI DEO GLORIA or, TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!

TWICE INVITED or, CHRISTLESS=CRISIS

As I've begun to study the book of ISAIAH in the Bible this year, I've been blessed to discover how the LORD issues a wonderful invitation to his people 'right off the bat!' How wonderful it is to know He wants us to reason with Him.. 'Come, let us reason together- Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow...If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land, but if you resist and rebel...' ( taken from ISAIAH 1:18-20 "). HE lays out our options! Not only that, but a chapter later, his people are told, 'HE will teach us his ways so we may walk in his paths.' Isaiah then invites the Lord's people, 'Come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.' I don't know about any of you 'out there' in cyber-space, but I am absolutely thrilled to be invited to choose a life living in a personal, growing relationship to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For over 42 years now, I've been welcoming his teaching as I desire to walk in the LIGHT of HIM... I choose a life that is not CHRISTLESS, so it is not CRISIS living. Anyone missing out on the joy of knowing and walking with the LORD in an intentional manner, is truly in a crisis of their soul. (deprived of all HE intends mankind to know of his grace, mercy, compassion, patience, and, SO MUCH MORE!) The choice is yours, because HE wants us to choose to welcome HIM within. 'Blessed' wishes to all who read this! Call 1-888-NEED HIM A real person will speak with you!

SINFESTED

Today's title came to me recently while considering just how easily we seem to be 'duped' into tolerating increasing, imposing, sinful attitudes and actions. I am speaking of this on a very GRAND scale from within our own individual self to nationally and even all across humanity. The Bible states in Jeremiah 17:9- "The heart is deceitful and beyond cure." Then later in Jeremiah 35:15, it tells us we must each turn from our wicked ways and reform our actions." This sounds quite strong to any of you who might not be in a personal, loving, LORDSHIP relationship to HIM, but, IT is the truth... Unfortunately, most all of humanity is 'content?' to simply become accustomed to life as it is sinfested with much that deprives them of God's intended best. Currently, I am watching as marriages of 20 and 30 years are 'on the rocks.' I am also very aware of just how easily our living conditions can become all too cluttered with undesirable 'stuff.' How does this happen? What is causing the relationships to collapse or the accumulation of the 'stuff' of life to become intolerable? Frankly, it is our refusal to acknowledge how easily we become infested with something we are blissfully 'unaware' of .. Sin's nature is to 'wish away' possible problems.. (Just like us homeowners when we begin to suspect unwanted 'critters' in/near our home, etc.. Or, like those who ignore physical issues which really need to be addressed, etc..) Dear readers- I urge you all to look around and within (a conscious act of your will) as you invest some time guarding against SINFESTATION.... Gotta go for now-- Blessings to all!