MY WILL, OR HIS WAY?

Usually, the question to ponder would be, "My will, or his will?' Well, I've been realizing how considering his WAY can be more helpful to me... Even JESUS had to do this... Just what do I consider to be 'his WAY,?' you are asking yourselves.. HE is showing me at least two components to it.. OBEDIENCE, and ASKING IN HUMILITY coming to the forefront in importance! Moment by moment, I must choose to trust and obey, for there's no other way to be 'happy' in JESUS...For me, this obedience means 'having no other god before HIM!' Also, I must constantly be willing to ask for, and receive HIS POWER for overcoming, and being set free from the 'chains that seek to bind me!' In fact, I have been recruiting some prayer power from two sets of saints I fellowship with this week. The constant battle with 'my' flesh can lead me to discouragement at times but I am learning to 'ward it off' by humbly 'upping the amps' on prayer support for this matter...  I was reading 2 blogs yesterday when I noted how we all MUST humbly call on our LORD for even the most seemingly 'insignificant' matters... HE is always ready, willing, and certainly, ABLE to do all we ask, to HIS GLORY!!  Finally, I am reminded of Satan's garage sale where all of his 'goods' were for sale at the same price except for DISCOURAGEMENT.. It was priced higher because, "It's my most valuable tool since most don't recognize it as mine!" he says!                       I also realize I should be thankful for my battle being with an internal foe that I have seen defeated often, and not with the dilemma of a long-term illness threatening a loved one, etc.. I can testify though, to the way HE CAN, and DOES, carry us throughout similar times.. It's HIS WAY! (if we LET Him!)

Women of Fate or, Women of Faith?

Recently, I was with a group of ladies when something was said to the effect of us not being subject to 'fate.' I wholeheartedly agreed while saying something to the effect of, 'That's because we are women of faith!' Needless to say, I like to play with words so I couldn't resist turning these phrases into a blog title.. So, here you have it!! One key thought I've been 'sitting on' for awhile, is about how it bothers me when people say their faith saved(s) them, thus seeming to give the act of believing/receiving the actual power of saving them when, in reality, it is/was the redemptive act of Christ's shedding of his blood, thus sacrificing his life as atonement for my sins, that SAVES us. FAITH should not be personified. I've always comprehended FAITH as Forsaking All, I Trust Him. This states that it is an act of my will.. a determination to, and commitment to, trusting HIM, no matter what! I like an older chorus which says, "To hear with my heart, to see with my soul... to be guided by a hand I cannot hold.. To trust in a way that I cannot see... That's what faith must be!!" (In fact, I recall singing this as I drove a bus of campers around a tight horseshoe turn on a one-way mountain road!!!) Well, that's about all for now!! Join me each and every day as I count my blessings while TRUSTING HIM as entirely as I know how at this point in my walk with our Savior!! 

HE Did It AGAIN!

Being a blogger is SO MUCH FUN because it gives me somewhere to share some of the most interesting moments in, or aspects of my walk with my LORD JESUS CHRIST.. So, just what DID HE do for me (us) again? Well, these past 2 evenings we have needed to be a ferry-ride across Puget Sound in Edmonds, WA for our daughter's wedding rehearsal and the wedding itself! When the festivities ended, we exhausted ones headed down to the ferry dock in Edmonds. BOTH NIGHTS, we were the last car to get onto a ferry just as it was ready to depart.. ABSOLUTELY NO WAITING was needed!! Some of you 'out there' may not be able to identify with the life of ferry travelers, so let it suffice to say that we were truly DELIGHTED as we counted our blessings of having made it onto those 2 ferries with the obvious 'I'M GOING TO POUR OUT A BLESSING ON YOU,' coming from our wondrous LORD! I am becoming accustomed to watching HIM as HE 'pours out blessing upon blessing out of the fullness of his grace!' as is stated in JOHN 1:16. Many of us know JOHN 3:16 but way before that verse, JOHN recorded the LORD'S intention to give us reasons to 'COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS! NAME THEM ONE BY ONE!'   Finally, for now, I'd like to record one of the other expression of his love for us related to the wedding... More than a week or two prior to the wedding, the weather was looking like it would not be nice for an outdoor ceremony.. So, many dear ones began praying fervently, so you know HE answered! We has gloriously clear skies, warm (almost HOT!) temperatures, and a breeze to keep us from being TOO hot!! Isn't God great and good?! (ALL THE TIME!) BFN

COURAGEOUS ONES!

Not long ago, a movie called COURAGEOUS came out after being preceeded by the playing of it's theme song frequently on the radio..It still gets air time so it must be inspiring many out there..  I, personally, have had a moderately 'hard' time with this whole concept of the NEED to be courageous since my temperament simply TRUSTS my LORD to know what is best and how to bring it about.. Words like 'RISK' and 'COURAGE' have not registered in my soul until recently... Now, I will tell you what it took!! 

While camping this summer, I took a 'sneak peak' at the Gospel of MATTHEW since John and  I will spend 30 weeks in it with Bible Study Fellowship (Google it!) this school year... I was amazed at how familiar texts I've read MANY times in the past, were seemingly JUMPING right off the pages at me! This is truly a wonderful aspect of the WORD OF GOD.. It is LIVING and ACTIVE!! I finally saw COURAGE in action as I noticed 2 individuals early in the book.. One was a LEPER.. the other was a ROMAN CENTURION.. Talk about 2 kinds of people unwelcome near HEBREWS! Obviously, lepers were NOT to mingle near healthy people! Then, of course, there were the ever-present Roman 'watch dogs,' who were no Hebrew's favorite company.. WELL, they both desired 'the touch of the Master's hand,' so to say. THUS, when He came near, neither of them was intimidated, but both showed instant COURAGE and DETERMINATION in order to access JESUS! Neither showed shame at their need, and both TRUSTED they would not look like fools!! The 'BOTTOM LINE' to this lesson for me is.. THERE IS JOY IN KNOWING I AM WELCOME IN HIS PRESENCE!!  As they experienced his nearness, COURAGE  arose within, causing them to not care about being unwelcome, or seeming to be 'inaapropriate,' or, should I say in today's terms, 'POLITICALLY INCORRECT!!?' What area do you want to watch JESUS work wondrously in? Are you thrilled to be near HIM at all times?                                   Here is the text in case you have time to read it..    

MATTHEW 8:1When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A man with leprosy^a came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

The Faith of the Centurion

5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6“Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

7Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

8The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith...13Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

One other principle I uncovered in this early preview was, AUTHORITY is awesome! The centurion knew it, Jesus had it, and we are children of his.. soldiers in HIS army.. AUTHORITY over the adversary is ours if only we appropriate it!!  I am still like a pre-toddler (a little shaky!) as I grow in my realization of this!! Spiritual 'muscles,' like our physical ones, only develop through use and practice!! Blessings to all.. Because HE LOVES US!! Sheila

"Down and out" or, LIFTED UP?

Two images come to my mind immediately as I type 'LIFTED UP'... ISAIAH 40:31 is the beloved verse which inspires us as we consider being lifted up on the updrafts which eagles soar in/on.. They make no effort to fly and seem peaceful as they are there!! We all love those times in life when we KNOW we are one of 'them,' experiencing the goodness of our LORD as HE is supporting us in times of peace, warmth, contentment, and more!  The other image I have is the initial one behind this post.. The well-known FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND delights us as we read, 'IT WAS THEN I CARRIED YOU,' as Jesus' response to our query regarding the single set of footprints as opposed to the two sets seen at first..! Yesterday, I shared with some of those I was singing for and with, just how we all have this choice daily!! Will we insist on being 'down and out,' (discouraged, frustrated, resentful, or other feelings) over whatever is causing us duress, or, will we welcome HIS desire and ability to CARRY US.. LIFT US UP ... so we may be freed from the morass our enemy sets to 'trap' us in?! CURRENTLY, on contemporary Christian radio stations like spirit105.3 (website) and KLUV? stations, the #1 song is HELLO, MY NAME IS... by Matthew West.. I absolutely love how it declares, HELLO, MY NAME IS  'CHILD OF THE ONE TRUE KING'... No more 'name' of REGRET or DEFEAT, which the song starts with!! Today, will you delight in being LIFTED UP and CARRIED as a CHILD OF THE ONE TRUE KING who DELIGHTS in doing so for you?? Hope so! I sure need to remember to welcome his doing so many times a day as I face battles with my flesh.... UGH! But, PTL.. He never leaves me or forsakes me! (HEBREWS 13:5)

'NEXT OF KIN'.. TO THE TRINITY!

AS of the arrival of the new prince in England, some of us may be thinking thoughts like.. “Well, he’ll never want for anything!”.. or, “ Will he ever have a normal childhood?,” etc.. I find myself being somewhat glad to never have been assured of full accommodations being made for my every ‘need.’  (and much more?) since that would come with many restrictions ‘for my protection and welfare.’  But, then again, I stop to remember that I am FULLY PROVIDED FOR, and that I am a daughter of the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!! What do I mean by saying full accommodations and arrangements may not have been made to meet all of my needs??? OOOOPPPSSS!  If I recall correctly, ‘My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus!’(Philippians 4;13) The wondrous facts about this are how ‘My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest of foods,’ and ‘The LORD is my shepherd.. I shall NOT WANT!”(Psalm 63:5 and Psalm 23:1-2) Come to think of it, I am very glad to be HIS daughter on earth since I have not/will not be too overly protected/sheltered, except by the very BEST who KNOWS what I truly need!! Being one of the LORD’S children entitles me to an eternal inheritance, along with peace, hope, joy, assurance, mercy, grace, and SO MUCH MORE!! Are you one of the ‘KING’S KIN?’ HOPE SO!!

Titus 3:4-7 ..when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

If you’d like further info, read on as I share some confirmation of what I’ve stated.  Ezekiel 44:28 "'I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.” (Did you know we are all called priests?... YES! Some research I did yielded this information from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia which totally concurs with how I comprehend this wondrous truth!  ‘In ancient times it was held that men in general could not have direct access to God, that any approach to Him must be mediated by some member of the class of priests, who alone could approach God, and who must accordingly be employed by other men to represent them before Him. This whole conception vanishes in the light of Christianity. By virtue of their relation to Christ all believers have direct approach to God, and consequently, as this right of approach was formerly a priestly privilege, priesthood may now be predicated of every Christian. That none needs another to intervene between his soul and God; that none can thus intervene for another; that every soul may and must stand for itself in personal relation with God-such are the simple elements of the New Testament doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.’ Of course, we all know this is because JESUS IS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST so we can boldly approach the Throne of God!. HEBREWS is full of this truth! He is our intercessor FOREVER!! HEBREWS 10:19-25 presents this so well!

JUST BLOGGIN'!

I desire to convey to any/all of you ‘out there’ just how much it means to me to be one who has chosen to welcome THE LORD’S intentions for, and through me. As I spent hours this morning reading, and responding to a blog which shares a mother’s experiences as she watches her young daughter fighting against AML (leukemia of a really tough kind!) for her life, I realized there are some of you ‘out there’ who express gratitude for the times I do a  post. So, although I am not currently being carried in HIS  ARMS OF GRACE through any particular ‘threat’ to ‘my comfort zone,’ I can write as one who testifies to his wondrous ways of doing so since I have been graciously supported and sustained  through at least 2 major times of potential darkness. All I know is how GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS. I remember how a statement in a book about a very severely, and lengthily tortured believer in China contains a statement which still blesses me as it ‘blows me away!’ The suffering one relates how he wouldn’t trade all those times of torment for ‘better circumstances,’ etc.. The reason he gives is something like this.. “FOR, YOU SEE, IT WAS DURING THESE TIMES MY JESUS WAS NEAREST AND DEAREST TO ME!” The bottom line when it comes to suffering seems to be.. We will all face some of it so we get to decide how close to let Him be to, and through, us at these times..(I think of the time my family and I did a sand ‘sculpture?’ which showed the 2 sets of footsteps turning into only one.. The caption on the final picture/sculpture? said, “It was then I carried you!”)   My acquaintance with the AML-fighting daughter is really gifted of the LORD as she has continued to pour out her soul for over 19 months now via cyber-space! Today, I read how a medical student came across the blog while researching AML..(www.conglomerationofjoy.com) This student was moved to a renewal of her relationship to The LORD, which she’d believed to be lost forever!!! HOORAY! So, I just decided to return to the blog address HE’S given me to share the wonders of HIM through!! May each and every one of you rejoice greatly as you count your blessings and read some more posts I should be getting ‘out there’ to all of you…Because HE Loves Us! Sheila    BTW.. WELCOME, newer readers! Please let me know you are ‘out there!’