Beware of the No Carb/Low Carb Diet

No, I am not going to give dieting advice!  NOT what I do here!
Stay with me and my line of thinking (again you are going to see how my brain works!)

but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” John 6:32-33

Ah, now you see where I might be going!

We are so very diet conscious in our Western culture today...it permeates everything....our advertisements, our menus give calories...even the drive-thru menus!  It is on a majority of the magazine covers as you stand in line at most stores!  

IF only our spiritual diet got as much attention! 

Imagine headlines reading "Did you get your daily dose of "Bread" today!"

or commercials talking about all the benefits of consistent  and frequent spiritual workouts!

John Chapter 6 is all about the bread!  It starts out with the feeding of the five thousand with BREAD and fish. John 6

The next day Jesus was talking to the crowds that had followed Him.

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” John 6:26-27

He admonished them/us to not work for those things that are unsatisfying and have no lasting value.

 

So our spiritual diet really should be an all bread diet!

 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” John 6:50-52
Weren't they missing the point?!  They were focused on the wrong thing....and taking Jesus literally instead of figuratively. 
 They were angered that someone could claim they could give life forever....only God could do that.  What they were missing was that Jesus WAS God!
We don't want to miss that!

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."  John 6:35-37

Don't be hungry or thirsty again! Come to Him and He will not send you away!

Let's start our BREAD and WATER diet today! 

2x4 Moment

First of all let me apologize....I did not get this up yesterday!  Incase there was someone just WAITING to read yesterday morning! 

I thought I would share again another bit of my testimony from the women's conference.  Several women seemed to be able to relate to my account of my "2x4 moment"!

The God I know gives answers when God knows we need them. We have to recognize them as answers, though they may not be what we want or anticipated, or when we wanted.  I remember another time I talked out loud to God ….

I was about 13 weeks pregnant, when I began to have some spotting and after conversations with my doctor. I headed to the hospital for an ultrasound to confirm what I was pretty sure was true….a miscarriage.  I had to drive myself…my husband’s job at the time was on the road so he was going to meet me there.  But it gave me that alone time in the car to talk with my Friend. So in my conversation with God  I pleaded for an answer, knowing logically that there may never be a reason.  But in my grief and tears I was desperate for an answer as to WHY?  So desperate I even gave Him a deadline!  (I knew then that I was pushing it)  My due date was June 18^th (1996) so that was what I told the God that was my friend….”by my due date You are going to give me an answer as to why this is happening.”  So every day I poured over my bible in my devotion time, and though some days the scripture was pertinent and spoke to me, it was NOT my answer as to why I lost our 4^th child. On June 18^th as I did my devotion the scripture that day nearly knocked me over….I call it one of my 2x4 moments…you know, that moment when it seems like God has smacked you up side the head with a 2x4!  Some people call them their wake up moment, their Ah Ha moment…..God cant be that subtle with me!J

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7

It might not seem clear to you, but to me on that day, the day that was supposed to be my due date, the day I gave God as a deadline; It was that 2x4 BAM!

It was not the answer I had been pouring over scripture for….I am not sure what I thought I was going to get as an answer as to why…but I got all I needed in that verse….Be STILL and wait patiently and in Gods time. And since, I have had peace with the loss, and have tried to minister to those who suffer similar loss…and years later we discovered a genetic anomaly that has affected one of our 3 children, and we wonder if it hadn’t affected our 4^th, far more severely, so that it wasn’t possible for it to survive.  BUT what ever the reason, I need to…

He says, “Be still, and know that HE IS God;
    I will exalted [HIM] among the nations,
    I will exalted  HIM  in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

 But I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation.
My God will hear me.   Micah 7:7 (HCSB)

I need to rest in Him and Trust and that was a lesson need many times in my life.

Hopefully you spend time with your Dear Friend...enough time that you may have experienced a moment when God got your attention!  And I am sure there are some who don't need to get the "smack" to get their attention!  But my prayer is this, when God shows you something.....that you allow it to make an impact.  You allow it to change you, change the direction you or your thoughts were going.  I am grateful God loves us enough to want to get our attention and He will do it, sometime subtle  and sometimes not so subtle.
Praying for your 2x4 moment!

oh you gotta know ..oh the God I know!

I just spent the weekend part of a woman's conference! A room full of women singing and worshipping together.   As well as learning about this God we know!
I had the humbling privilege to be one of the speakers and I do not know if or how God will use any part of what I said to touch someone's heart or life, BUT guess what.... it got me!
It was a bit before the first part of the conference,  which was Friday night...my night to speak.
I was running through what I was planning on saying...which God had given me months before!
(here is an excerpt)

I knew He was someone who I could talk to at any time…and did! When ever I had the opportunity, where ever I was…at that time we lived on a farm that was on a dirt road about ¼ ..½  mile from town…we could walk to school, church, the library, my grandparents.  So when I had the opportunity to walk without my siblings I would chat away with my Friend! One day I came upon someone crossing the end of our road.  They smiled at me and looked around, for the other person to acknowledge, then walked away quickly! J That didn’t deter me, I have always talked out loud to God any chance I get. Once I had children talking out loud in the car didn’t look so much like talking to “myself”J

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 13:15-16(HCSB)

He is our Savior and our Lord but He is our friend and He desires communication with us. 

So now I find myself in the car alone!
Satan was doing his darndest  to suck any joy he could from the conference or any woman who was going to be a part....so at that moment alone in my car....it was ..."hey you are going to tell 150 woman that you talk out loud to ME ... and that hasn't  been happening!"  I cleared my thoat, and .... "You are right,  here I am....I need the JOY, MY joy protected.  This whole conference needs a hedge around it!"  And so on and so on.  My out loud conversation continued.  It felt good to talk and hear the sound of our conversation. It centers me, clears my mind from all the other distractions when I talk out loud to Him. Nothing...NOTHING was going to take HIS joy from me or from this conference!

I think that we were put to the test. ...when there were glitches, incidents, change ups, ungodly thoughts and feelings, .....were we going to be true to the words we were saying and singing?!

"Nothing ever could separate us! No failure, no weakness, no doubt in my mind, no prison around me could keep You outside, no not even death, can pull me from Your arms!" Notihing Ever Could Seperate Us (Citizens Way)

Or
"You can't add a single day by worrying, you'll worry your life away. Oh, don't worry your life away.  You can't change a single thing by freaking out it's just going to close you in. Oh don't let the trouble win.  You may feel alone, but you're not on your own! " Sparrows by Jason Grey

"I've got JOY down in my soul, I'm gonna take it everywhere I go, not going to worry 'bout what I don't know, I'll be alright as long  as I've got JOY here in my heart wavin' like a torch fightin' off the dark, in the jet black night I'm gonna see the stars. I'll be alright as long as I've got
JOY! JOY!  JOY!" Joy by Johnny Diaz

and we threw our "hands up, worries down!"
"What was I waiting for? I came alive when I let go.
All I had was a broken heart then He held me in His arms." The God I Know by Love and the Outcome

My hope (and I do believe) that most women there, including myself, were able to "let go" of all the joy sucking moments that surrounded them and give their brokenness to Him and feel "held in His arms"!
and walk away knowing the GOD I know!!!

and IF you would like to hear Victory Baptist Praise and Worship Team doing a few of theses songs!

Here and Now Women's Conference Worship

I pray today YOU KNOW the GOD I KNOW! 

My Life, My Message

I read a statement a while ago that was something about, "my life is my message".  I am sorry now I didn't write down a reference, but it struck me so strongly at the time I thought I would remember all of it! (RIGHT!)
I DO remember why I jotted the one line down and how God spoke to my heart when I read it!

OUCH! was my first thought.  Is MY life a good message....a message that points others to God?

My life on Sundays? When I go teach Sunday school, do the PowerPoints for our praise team, sing those worship songs LOUD!
On Mondays when I have ladies bible study in my home? The message is probably good.

BUT what about my life, when I get no sleep, I feel lousy.  Or I wake up late and can't squeeze in my quiet time. The money in the bank is all but gone and there are still bills to pay. Someone hurts my feelings.  My to-do list is longer than my to-day.
My spouse isn't being as supportive as I would like.
And some of you can have even tougher what ifs....

What kind of message is my life THEN?!   
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

So I need to make sure that what is in my heart is what should be reflected not just to those around me, but reflected back to God!

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
If Christ's Spirit is in us then we need to act like it!

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:16

He desires a visible manifestation of the changes He has made in our lives.  Fruit.....and I know I have used his scripture several times.....
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.     Galatians 5:22-23
I pray this verse often, that I can have ALL the "fruits" in one day!

I pray this often as well.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.      Psalm 51:10
because only God can take what is not honoring in my heart and replace it with a pure heart, one that reflects Him!


 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.         Romans 5:1-5

SO no matter what "yuck" we have going on we have HOPE because of God's love in our hearts.
That is what needs to be reflected!  That LOVE and HOPE!

So let what you do and say today reflect Christ in YOU! 
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.     Matthew 5:16

And may my life be a message that pleases my Lord and points others to Him!
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.      Psalm 19:14

AMEN!

Be Still and See

Reading the story of Jesus walking on the water and then calming the waves struck me a bit differently the other day.
Mathew 14:22-33

When Jesus came walking out toward His disciples while they were in the boat being buffeted by waves, they did not recognize Him, they thought He was a ghost.
Then when He says...."Hey relax, it's ME!" (my paraphrase!) Peter says, "well if it is you then I want to come out there too!"
Still the waves are rocking the boat and once Peter realizes that he begins to sink under the water and he cries “Lord, save me!”
AND THEN....
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31
THEN...
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.  Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:32-33

Do you see the THEN.....after the waves calmed THEN those who were in the boat worshiped.
They saw Him for Who He was and worshipped Him.

In the calm we can see who He is....
but in this world it hardly ever seems calm.....BUT remember IF we have His Spirit in us ...one of the "fruits of the spirit is peace!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,... Galatians 5:22

Jesus also tells us in John 14:26-27
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
He gives us HIS peace!  So even if we find it hard to have peace we can rest in the knowledge that He has given us His peace.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:13 we are told to..... 
Live in peace with each other.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.     Hebrews 12:14
If WE create the calm around us (with the peace that Christ has given us) then THEY will see Him for who He is ....and can worship Him!

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Matthew 5:9

Today let's create peace all around us so that everyone we come in contact with can see HIM!!

Until next time.....Christ's love and peace be with you!

Random Acts of Kindness

I wonder, is there really such a thing as "random acts of kindness"  at least for those of us who are followers of Christ?

We are CALLED to perform acts of kindness.....SO that means that they aren't random right?
Stay with me.....

IF we have Christ in us then we have His Spirit in us....

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,  gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25

and as God's we are to "wear" kindness, like putting on a comfy sweater.
 Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,  Colossians 3:12

The parable of the Good Samaritan is very clear about showing kindness.....not randomly, but when it is right in front of us.  click on the link to read the whole parable.

Luke 10:25-37

as does the Sheep and the Goats

Matthew25:31-46

But what about when it might not be needed......

as Christians even if kindness is not needed it is necessary!

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6

We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. (NLT)

Paul also says in Philippians 1:20-22

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.

LIVE as CHRIST!  And Christ showed kindness where ever He was, to who ever He came in contact with.

So today, this week, show kindness where ever you are to every one you meet and remember you are doing what you have been called to as a child of God!  and I believe it is why we are are here!

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 (HCSB)

Kindness and love to you until next time!

From the Bottom of My Heart

You have heard this before I am sure...."Thank you from the bottom of my heart"  "I love you from the bottom of my heart"

Now, I understand the sentiment behind the statement, but you know me...it got me thinking!

I am so grateful that JESUS loves me with His WHOLE heart!
and I am to love Him with ALL of my heart!

The definition of this statement is "with sincere feeling"....
and that IS how the Savior loves us,

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  1 John 4:10

with such sincere feeling that He made a way for us to be saved from our sins!
Christ loved us so much He gave up His life!
and we are called to follow God's example....
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:1-2

The whole chapter of  Ephesians 5  is how we are to follow God's example, and instructions for Godly living! I encourage you to click on the link and read it for yourself!

And since we know that God loves us with His whole heart, we are motivated, compelled, called to love Him with all of ours!

Notice that in Deuteronomy 4 it says SEEK Him with all your heart.....
 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

and then goes on in chapter 6 to say LOVE Him with all your heart!

 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.   Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9

And this is such an important concept that Jesus himself quoted this old testament scripture passage.

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”         Matthew 22:37-40

So if we love God with ALL of our hearts, we love like He loves then......

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11

How is that for a plain, clear statement! 

If you want to know what that love looks like I encourage you to read scripture, study the life of Christ.

Read 1 Corinthians 13 for a pretty complete list of what love should look like.

as well as Galatians 5:13-26

I pray that as you read God's word you will given opportunities to show His love to others.

I hope as you read this you know that I write these with LOVE and PRAYERS for YOU!

I LOVE you with my WHOLE heart!