Emmanuel - God With Us

I love how God works.  I don't know why it still amazes me that I can turn to a familiar passage of scripture and the Holy Spirit reveals to me something new.  Today I was reading in Matthew, Chapter 8.  You know the story the one where Jesus calms the storm.  But today it was not the calming of the storm that God wanted me to see, it was something totally different.  Walk with me through the words of the 23rd verse.  'And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.'  Now you may not see the big deal in this, but it made me think about how many times when a storm begins to rage in my life I cry out to the Lord as if He is far away instead of realizing that He had actually gone before me. In fact, the storm was a part of the very path God had led me on.  Simply by following the Lord,  I encounter a storm.  Not because I am going in the opposite direction but because I am allowing Him to order my very steps and lead me wherever He wants me to go.  That's good news to me.  It further strengthens my belief that because I have God I am never alone.  So why do we panic?

We panic because of our limited human perspective.  We do not rely enough on God's divine interpretation of our circumstance.  Yes, we say all the right things.  "It's going to be okay.  God is going to work it out."  We even quote scriptures.  'And we know that all things work together for the good of them who love the Lord and are the called according to his purpose'---Rom. 8:28.  But do we believe them in our soul?  And before you answer, remember that God knows your most innermost thoughts.  Our journey of trust is about finding out who God really is and serving Him in spirit and in truth, with out whole hearts.  Not giving in to the spirit of doubt that tries its best to creep in.  Its about always knowing that God is with us.  He is Emmanuel!  It's about realizing with certainty that nothing that goes on in your life surprises God.  He is simply giving you another opportunity to praise Him in the midst of your storm. It's okay to ask the Lord to help you when you are going through a rough patch.  He so designed it that when we are at our weakest moment, He increases strength.  All we must do is trust Him.   

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thou who made me and knows all about me.  Lord I come to You today thanking you for your presence in my life.  I thank you because I know that I don't have to worry when the storms of life begin to rage in my life because in You I find safety.  I shall not be afraid of the terrors by night nor the arrows that flieth by day. I can dwell in my secret place with you and there I shall find peace that surpasseth all understanding.  I know that no matter what it looks like You have the final say.  Thank you Lord for being my rock.  In Jesus'  Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

God Specializes

An interesting thought I would like to share with you today.  Did you know that you do not have a need that exceeds God's power?  The God I serve specializes in making the impossible possible.  All you have to do is your part by having an action-verb faith.  Not a 'faith' that is in word only but continuously believing in God to always act on your behalf and in your best interests.  This is especially important during those times when you cannot see past what is more than two feet in front of you.  Let's take one more look at the Israelites.  They were so close to their Promised Land yet never entered.  Hebrews 3:19 sums up why?  "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."  God had delivered the children of Israel time and time again.  They experienced His many miracles all throughout their journey of trust.  They received the Word from Moses and Aaron.   They had example after example of men of faith....Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Caleb just to name a few.  Yet whenever a choice had to be made either to have faith in God or rely on their own strength, they chose the latter.  It was never enough.  Sound familiar. 

How many times is God going to have to show us who He is for us to believe Him in all circumstances?  Why do we inflict hardship on ourselves through our unbelief? Why is it so difficult to trust God completely?  Instead we put our trust in man.  We trust our jobs, our bosses, our banks, our 401k's to see us through a difficult time.  We put down our sword and take down our shield.  All under the pretense that we can figure things out ourselves.  Well I don't know about you, but my speciality is not in the impossible.  My speciality, most times, is to make a mess out of things.  Even though I feel like I am putting forth my best effort to figure out the situation, the moment I stop trusting God and take back control, that is my first step in making a mess.  Why not leave it in the hands of the one who specializes in the impossible?  He can do what no other power can do. 

Whatever it is that you may be going through today, only believe.  Trust God to do what He does best.  When you are sick you go to the doctor.  You don't try to cure yourself.  Often times if there is a prescription involved you have to take the medication for at least ten days.  This is done so that whatever is ailing you is completely removed from your system.  My problem is that I always stop taking it too early as soon as I start to feel better and sure enough that illness creeps right back on in there.  Had I listened to the physician then I wouldn't have had to go back in for a repeat visit on the same issue.  I didn't trust that what the doctor told me would be to my benefit if I would only believe and follow the instructions given.  The same thing holds true for the Master Physician.  He has given us the prescription to heal all our ailments, to handle any situation.  Our broken hearts, our depression, our anxiety, our stress, our worries, any sickness or disease.  All we have to do is trust Him.  Have faith in Him and believe that what He has said in His Word will come to pass.  We have to hold on to God's unchanging hand.  He knows what is best. God specialize in whatever it is that is bothering You.  His has the power to handle it.  Keep trusting and believing.  He can work it out.  And while you are waiting on Him to work it out, praise Him today. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank you Lord for this day.  At a time when certain things around me seem impossible, I am so glad to know that I serve a God who specializes in the impossible.  I know that at my weakest moment I can always turn to You.  I am exercising my faith and believing that all things will work out for my good. Help me to continue to abide in Your Word and turn to you for guidance in all things.  I know that when I seek You first and Your righteousness all these things will be added unto me.  In Jesus' Wonderful name I pray Amen. 

Be Careful What You Pray For

As long as I can remember I have been fortunate to be surrounded by strong women of faith.  I remember being younger and praying that I could have faith like that.  I didn't realize what came along with that prayer.  No one ever told me to be careful what you pray for.  Now that I think back I realize that I only saw their lives from the outside looking in.  I heard their prayers in prayer meeting and Bible study.  I remember being able to go to them and asking them to pray for me, knowing that they would be able to get a prayer through.  I remember sitting with them and listening to their individual stories and how God delivered them.  It made me want to know the God they served on the same level and if possible, have an even deeper relationship with Him. 

I often hear people say that they want to increase their faith.  I wonder if they really know what they are asking.  I know I didn't. Little did I realize that meant that I was going to have to go through some things to get to the place He wanted me to be.  There are no clear paths to victory.  Our hope is not in how fast we get to the Promised Land.  Our hope is that God is with us while we travel.  This journey of trust has been a good one.  Because my faith has increased along the way, I am ready to run on and see what the end is going to be.  If I had not been through anything then I don't know if I would be able to say that.  I thank God for my journey.  What about you? 

We have got to learn, as Christians how to praise God in the midst of our circumstances.  We have to learn to have a heart for prayer.  Most importantly we have got to learn to believe God for what we ask for.  Have you ever prayed a prayer and then only half believed that it would happen.  I have.  I didn't stand firm on the promise written in the Word in Psalms 34:17-19,  'The Lord hears the good man when he calls to Him for help, and saves him out of all his troubles. The Lord is close to those whose heart is breaking; He rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. The good man does not escape all troubles - he has them, too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one'.  And then it goes on to say that 'I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid---John 14:27.  Had I remembered the prayer I had prayed at such a young age I would have realized that all these things were just a part of God's plan for my life and an answer to my prayer.  I might have thought back then that the road to faith was an easy one but I have learned that it is actually a journey and one that can be enjoyed.  You just have to keep the faith.  Don't be afraid to enjoy the journey!  And always remember to be careful what you pray for if it is in God's will it will come to pass. 



Most Gracious Heavenly Father, 

At this particular time in my life I see clearly the hand You have had on my life, leading, guiding me and directing me into all things.  I recognize that even in the most trying times of my life You were there.  There have been times I may have strayed away from Your guidance in an attempt to get to a place of peace more quickly, not standing on your Word.  Please forgive me Lord for I know that true peace only comes from You.  Help me to understand that there is not a prayer that I pray that You don't here and not only do You hear Lord, you answer.  Thank you for that.  Thank you for the  confidence I have in knowing that all things will work out for my good.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.

O Give Thanks

On this day of Thanksgiving I just want to leave you with one thought...if it had not been for the Lord.  Sure many of us have not had the best year but when you stop and think about how worse off you would be if the Lord hadn't extended His hand of mercy and afforded us great grace.  If God Almighty hadn't protected you from dangers seen and unseen. I know that there are times when it is easier to focus on the bad instead of the good, but the time has come to do something different.  I know that as a Christians I don't think enough about the goodness of the Lord. Even the trials that He allows us to go through have a purpose and the end has already been defined.  All things are going to work out for our good---Romans 8:28. 

The scripture tells us in I Thessalonians 5:18, 'Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]'.  Let me just give you a list of the things you can always thank God for: for electing, redeeming, regenerating, adopting, pardoning, justifying, and persevering grace. For the Holy Spirit that dwells in us that protects us from ourselves.  For the sending of His only Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins.  Every time I think of the sacrifice that was made, I am prompted to give thanks.  The life of a Christian should be a constant life of joy.  We are not to despair as those who have no hope.  We always have hope.  We serve a God that knew our ending before our beginning and because of that we should always be rejoicing.  Christians are the only ones whose afflictions and blessings serve as a benefit.  Most times it is those very afflictions that are on the path to our blessings.

Today I just want to challenge you, because I understand that there may be those out there who may be having a difficult time finding something to be thankful for, take an honest look at your life.  Think about the times you know that God has been 'a very present help in the time of trouble'---Psalms 46:1.  Look around you and observe His hand over the entire earth.  I have learned that when you learn to thank God even for the bad, He rewards you with good.  He gives you peace and joy, those things that no matter what the world can't take away. 
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I just want to take a moment and say 'thank you'.  You have been so good to me that words I can't even put into words how grateful I am for all that You have done.  But for Your grace and Your mercy I would not even be here today.  Help me to share Your message of hope to those around me by giving thanks always in every circumstance.  I know that this is Your will for me.  In Jesus' Name I pray Amen. 

Give An Account

College is a very interesting place.  It is usually that place where you first experience freedom away from your parents.  No more rules.  No more curfews.  You finally get to do your own thing.  One thing I have observed is the hunger they have to belong.  Most of the students I talk to were raised in the church.  But the sad part about it is that when they are approached with alternative religions or even questioned about what they believe in, their mind is easily swayed.  Now you might expect this from a college student but what about someone who has been in the church for twenty years and when asked the basis of their Christianity, they can't even explain their foundation.  The Bible tells us in I Peter 3:15, 'but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect'. 

These are trying times we are living in.  There are churches open in every kind of name under the sun.  Turn on your television and there are motivational speakers who have the title Minister telling you things to make you feel good but not arming you with what you need when trials and tribulations come.  Not only that but they are raising up a generation with a 'what can I get from God' mentality.  I do believe that the blessings that God has promised us should be preached.  My only problem with that is that I believe the whole Bible should be taught.  I would love to only hear about the good things God has in store for me but I also want to hear the other side of that two-edged sword.  The part that is 'piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart'---Hebrews 4:12.  So what do we do about this?  How do we make sure we are prepared to defend our Christianity?  It is not good enough to say "that's what mama or daddy told me" or "That's what the preacher said in church on Sunday".

'Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth'---II Timothy 2:15.  Each of us must spend personal time in the Word allowing God to show us things that pertain to our lives.  We must study so that when we are approached by people that ask us, "How do you know that you are saved? Why do you go to church every Sunday?  Why do you give the church ten percent of the money you work so hard to earn?  Who is God?  Why Jesus?", you will be able to answer with confidence, standing firm in your faith.  You will not be swayed by any doctrine.  The more you read the Bible, the more you see the consistency of Christ.  It becomes your first source in times of crisis.  You can't go through life depending on others to tell you what you believe.  You have got to know it for yourself. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I confess that I need to spend more time in Your Word.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am saved but I also know that there are times that I am a lazy Christian, wanting always to be spoon-fed the Word, instead of spending personal time in communion with You.  Thank you for the gift of Your Word and for the gift of Your Son.  Give me boldness in speech when asked to give an account for the hope that is within me at all times.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

The Peace of God

"I am free. Praise the Lord I'm free!  No longer bound. No more chains holding me.  My soul is resting. It's such a blessing.  Praise the Lord, Hallelujah I'm free! The lyrics of this song have great sentimental value for me.  It is the song that was sang at my grandmother's funeral by my aunt. Because of my grandmother's long term illness, this song was very appropriate because she was indeed FREE! 

It is ironic that during a twenty-five minute drive home today I heard four different songs all with the word FREE in the title.  These songs gave me a twenty-five minute praise and thanksgiving celebration in my car when I stopped and thought about what those words meant to me at this point and time in my life.  Without sharing too many details, I will simply say that 'today I find myself at a place of peace'.  I no longer have those lingering periods of doubt that cause my emotions to become so out of whack that I sink into a depressed state of mind.  I now have the weapons necessary to fight against those attacks from satan.  I know how to pick up my Bible and let the Lord lead me to a verse that immediately calms my anxiety.  I know how to call upon some very dear friends of mine and ask them to stand in agreement with me in prayer.  For the scripture says, 'Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven'---Matthew 18:19.  The Word also tells me 'not to be anxious about anything, but in everything in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus'---Philippians 4:6-7.  I recognize the value in always carrying my sword.  It just isn't acceptable anymore for me to wallow in self-pity and feel sorry for myself and the situation that I am in.

Let me share with you what I have noticed in my own life.  My relationship with God is the most valuable relationship I have.  Without it none of my other relationships work.  Over the years as I spent more time in communion with Him, the chains began to fall of.  That old sinful nature didn't have as much control over me as it used to.  I learned to accept the person God made me to be.  I learned to love myself and by loving myself no longer allowed others to treat me any kind of way.  I learned to love others with the love of God.  A love that includes forgiveness so that I will be forgiven.  Although there are many other things I have learned, these were some of the most important things I learned that helped to bring about a peace in my life that no one can take away.  I don't know what place you are in your life right now but I will tell you that God wants for you to be at a place of peace.  All the stress and anxiety you are experiencing is not of God.  Turn it over to Jesus and let Him work it out.  'Oh what peace we often forfeit.  Oh what needless pains we bear.  All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer'.

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

First I must say thank you.  Thank you Lord that I am not what I used to be.  Thank you for bringing me this far.  Lord I recognize that I need You.  I can't make it without You.  You, O Lord, are the source of my strength and the strength of my life.  I will always praise Your Name.  Today I am giving You all these old burdens that have been weighing me down.  I am placing the situation in Your capable hands.  I want to be free!  Thank you Lord for hearing my prayer.  Give me patience to wait for an answer from You and when I become tired  let me look to Your Word for inspiration and hope to run on and see what the end is going to be.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Submission

It amazes me how the word 'submission' has become a four-letter word in the world today.  I say this because whenever you hear someone talking about submitting there is such a negative connotation.  Just look at television.  We see women portrayed as the smart, intelligent ones while the husband is either deadbeat, non-existent, out of work, and belittled in their own home.  I sat and listened to the next generation of husbands and fathers, wives and mothers in my Interpersonal Communication class and what their philosophy is on submission.  Let me just tell you that there mindset is so far off.  Now let me begin by saying I am not here to debate with you about your thoughts on submission or what is going on in your life right now and why you think what you think.  However I am obligated to tell you what the Bible has to say about submission. This is not even about your personal relationships. I was driving in my car and the Lord  spoke to me and I heard Him just as clear as if He were sitting in my passenger seat.  The question was simple, "When are you, Ramona going to give me every aspect of your life?"  This was an unsettling question, especially since I thought I had already done this.  So you know me, the time had come in my Journey of Trust to see what the Word had to say about this subject. 

The first place I was directed was James 4:7,  "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." The literal definition of the word submit mean 'to line up under'.  Like alot of the terminology in the Bible it was taken from a military perspective.  The soldiers were to line up under the authority of the new commander.  While this should be a difficult concept for the non-Christian, it should come a little easier for the Christian.  When we become saved we are now a new creature, old things are passed away, all things become new.---II Corinthians 5:17.  With our salvation, Christ should automatically become the head of our life.  Unfortunately this is not always the case.  Why?  Because God gave us free will and while we may recognize that there are some things in disarray in our lives, we may actually think that there are some things we are handling okay on our own.

In these verses James is referring to our willful, conscious submission.  It should be our decision.  If we thought we could do better without the help of the Lord then why get saved.  I don't know about you but I would be lost without the Lord.  Without the leading of His Holy Spirit that dwells within me.  I can only imagine what hole I would be in without Him leading, guiding and directing me.  By my recognizing that God is sovereign and that He can take my life and do with it as He pleases, I decided that it would be to my benefit to just give Him everything. All of my mind, body and spirit.  I began to go down the list of all my many different hats I may wear in any given day.  I confessed my disobedience and told the Lord I submit myself completely to Him.  Any and all the preconceived notions about what I was supposed to be or how I thought I needed to behave as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend were going out the window.  I told Him that I give Him control of my finances, allowing Him to be my personal banker.  After all for the past year I have seen myself about how little can become much when you place it in the Master's hands.  I especially give Him my mind.  It is time to rid myself of all the 'stinkin thinkin' as my oldest daughter puts it.  It time for me to think on whatsoever things are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable.---Philippians 4:8 

I began by saying that I was not going to debate with you about your thoughts on submission and I am not.  It is only my prayer that you can recognize the importance of submitting to God.  Learning to fall in line willfully under His command.  I also want to leave you with this small tidbit of information for those of you who may seriously be struggling with this in your personal relationships.  Once you truly learn to submit every thing to God, including your personal relationships, submission will come a lot easier.  You will recognize the blessing that will come out of it.  We must recognize that submission to God means praying about that thang and leaving it in God's hands to turn it around for our good instead of thinking that we have the power to fix it.  Just a little something to think about.  God designed things a certain way and unfortunately right now things are so out of whack.  I wonder what would happen if just a few of us would stand up for God's way, submitting to His will and to His way wholeheartedly. What mighty things would happen. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Most High God. My Lord.  My Savior.  Thou who made me and knows all about me.  You know my innermost thoughts.  You know the inner struggle I have with giving total control over to You.  And even sometimes when I have given it to You, I find myself taking it back on many occasions.  Help me to obedient to Your Word and submit my entire life to You.  I  accept that You know what is best for my life.  I love You Lord and I trust You with my life.  Help me to resist the temptation to put my hands back on the steering wheel and instead keep the car in neutral with You in the driver's seat.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Living Victoriously

I read something today by Beth Moore which said, "Our Promised Lands are characterized by the presence of victory, not the absence of opposition."  Such a simple statement , yet so profound.  As Christians, there are times when we make the mistake of thinking that 'living a victoriously life means a life where we don't have to struggle.  Quite the contrary!  Just look at the definition of victory.  It means 'a successful ending of a struggle' or the definition I liked best was 'achievement of mastery in a struggle'.  This falls right in line with the fact that our struggles are to serve a purpose.  This is a very important point.  Too often we as Christians become discouraged through our struggles.  Sometimes we get to a point in our lives where things are going okay and we become complacent.  We are no longer looking for God to work in our lives so we sit back and relax.  Now I am not telling you that you shouldn't relax.  What I am here to remind you of is that we are always involved in spiritual warfare and this learning process, which includes struggles,  is God moving us from one level to the next until the day of Christ's return. 

Let's take a trip through the Bible.  There are many scriptures that point to our victory in this life and each one prefaced with struggle and inclusive of God Almighty.  We simply cannot leave Him out.  He must also be at the forefront of our lives.  We can do nothing without Him. 

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." ---Deuteronomy 20:4

I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. ---Psalms 44:6-8

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.---Luke 10:19


Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ....No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.---Romans 8:35,37

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.---II Timothy 4:18

I could go on and on but by now I have made my point.  God has not promised you sunny days always but he has promised you shelter from the rain.  He has not promised you a life without valleys but He did promise to be with you as you walk through that valley.  (So keep moving.)  And above all else, have faith in the God you serve.  He has already defeated Satan.  And it is through our obedience and trusting Him to guide us that we too can live life victoriously.  Don't be surprised at the presence of opposition in your life, count it as a blessing because it means that God is not through with you.  He still has a few skills He needs for you to master so you can be His witness to the uttermost parts of the earth.  To God be the glory!

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I come to You today asking for thicker skin. I don't want to be so easily discouraged when trials come.  I want to be able to live my life in a way that is pleasing in your sight.  A life that continues to hold fast to the hope that I have in serving a risen Saviour.  Help me to stop my whining when things don't go my way and I am being pulled and prodded and stretched in order to make room for all that You have in store for me.  To You be the glory now and forever more.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

Stop Your Worrying

Any day is a good day for reflection.  So as I reflect I thought I would give you a moment to reflect also. How are you doing on your journey of trust?  Take a minute and think about it.  In fact give yourself a grade.  Now this information doesn't need to be shared with anyone else. But you know my philosophy, we should all be striving to be better.  And I, for one, am glad I am not what I was even two days ago.  In just that amount of time God reminded me that it is He, and only He, who is in control.  For the past week or so I have been tired.  The year is drawing to a close and already I was looking ahead to next year. Worrying about tomorrow, instead of enjoying my today.  I had been having these awful crying spells and couldn't even really explain why. I feel led today to share with you some verses that helped to remind you of the goodness of the Lord and why it just doesn't pay too worry. 

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ---Matthew 6:25-34

This is the time of year when so many people start looking at what they don't have, what they may not be able to provide.  They start feeling sorry for themselves.  Society tells us that we have to have all the latest gadgets.  They tell us that our children have to have all the latest gadgets.  Advertisements bombard our televisions sets and our emails.  Right after Halloween there is an immediate jump to Christmas.  Just this past weekend my neighbors were outside putting up their Christmas decorations. If you go into most retail shops, anything related to Thanksgiving is already priced at a discount.  We are so busy worrying about what we are going to get that we forget to give thanks to the one who has provided everything for us this past year.  Yes, there may have been some rocky times but through it all God has blessed you.  I  dare you to take out a sheet of paper and just list out your blessings.  And if you can list your blessings when you know your circumstances and then you can still sit there and worry about tomorrow, something is wrong.  I'm sure there are some of you that may have legitimate concerns.  Foreclosure notice, cut-off notice, legal matters, no income coming in whatsoever.  Picking which bill to pay this month and what you may have to postpone till next month just to buy groceries.  Some of you may have food but you are eating the same thing every day.  Some of you may be battling health issues, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Some of you may be having relationship issues. Some of you may just be suffering from being alone.  There are all sorts of things I could talk about but at the end of the day, God is still good and as long as He is sitting on the throne there is no need to worry. 

One thing you have to come to realize it that God loves you.  I know that I will do anything for the people I love. God did that already when He sent His darling son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.  He didn't have to do that but He did it because He loves us.  And because he loves us that means He cares when He sees us suffering.  However He allows us to suffer to draw us closer to Him. Seek Him first and in all things.  Don't stop praying when times are rough.  In fact, you should pray more.  Search the scriptures and ask God to give you a word to strengthen your feeble body.  The Bible says that 'He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might He increases strength'.  ---Isaiah 40:29  When you seek the Lord first you come to know the very characteristics of God.  You realize that part of knowing Him is realizing that with Him comes full care and provision.  You stand firmly on the Word that says, 'And my God shall supply my every need according to His riches in glory'. ---Philippians 4:19   Bottom line is either you believe it or you don't.  One very important key to living a victorious life is trust in God.  Without it you are still bound and not free.  The God I serve came to set  the captives free.  It really is as simple as it sounds, 'Cast all your cares (anxieties, worries, burdens) on Him, for He cares for you'.---I Peter 5:7

Most Gracious Heavenly Father, 

Jehovah Jirah my provider. I am coming to You today because in Your Word you say, come to me all ye who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest.  I don't want to carry this anymore.  I need your help seeing past my current circumstance to the provision I know you have prepared for me.  Lord I want to live a victorious life, not one like that of the unbeliever but one who recognizes the power, provision and protection that comes from serving the Living God.  I thank you for all that You have done for me.  I know that I have done nothing by myself.  I will continue to praise You and thank You for you are worthy to be praised.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Do You Believe?

Someone asked me a question today.  It was a simple question and one I thought that I would share with you.  The question was simply, "Do you really believe all that stuff you talk about?"  In other words, "Do you really believe all that stuff you say about God and how He is going to deliver you out of every situation?"  What a thought provoking question!  Now this question was asked by a fellow Christian not just some unsaved person on the street.  I, of course, was curious to know why she was asking.  My answer to her was a resounding YES!  I believe everything God has said to me.  I believe that no matter how dark the situation may be, God is going to see me through.  But I couldn't stop thinking about this question. 

When we are saved a requirement is to 'believe on the Lord Jesus Christ...Acts 16:31'.  That is the plan of salvation 101. Another verse that comes to mind is,  'If you confess with thy mouth and believe in thy heart...Romans 10:9  Once again there is that word 'believe'.  What does it mean to believe?  To believe is to have confidence in the truth.  So the first step in our salvation is to have confidence in the One who came to save us.  But that's only one part of it. We know that we must 'believe in God' but not only that 'we must believe God'.  Most people would say that this is the same thing but it really is not.  Many of us believe in God.  We believe in what God represents.  We believe that He died on the cross for our sins. We even believe that He is coming back again.  However, many times during our journey of trust, we don't believe God.  We don't stand firmly on the His promises.  We don't proclaim our belief with confidence.  In the back of our mind we may know it but there is still some doubt that if God said it then it will come to pass.  We read in His Word where He said 'ask and it will be given unto you, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will be opened unto you' ---Luke 11:9 but when God doesn't move at our speed then His Word isn't true.  We read in His Word where it talks about having faith the size of a mustard seed, then you can say to the mountain move and it is supposed to move.---Matthew 17:20  I wonder how many times the mountain did move but instead of God just pushing it out of the way, He gave you the ability to climb that mountain until you were standing on the top.  You see, what we have to remember through our journey is that we must believe. In fact the scripture says in Isaiah 7:9b, 'If you do not stand firm in your faith,

you will not stand at all'.  It really made me wonder how many of God's blessings I had postponed because of my lack of faith.  Instead of focusing on the problem solver, I was too focused on the problem.  The Bible and all of the promises it contained was not living and breathing in my life.  The words were dead.  I hadn't used my faith to activate them. Proverbs 30:5 says that 'every word of God has been proven true'.  So it is time you start believing it.  Your faith is not meant to be dormant.  It is meant to be active and through each test and trial it should become stronger.  The things that you go through should steer you to the Word.  More time in the Word should only secure your belief.  That way if someone should come to you and ask you, "Do you really believe all that stuff you talking about?"  You can answer them, without any hesitation...YES!

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word.  I confess that I don't always use it as I should.  I don't turn to it when times are tough in my life.  I don't carry my sword at all times.  I confess that at times I am not as sure as I should be that things are going to work out for my good and your glory.  I need Your help.  It's time for me to stop playing around and begin to stand firmly on Your promises.  I believe.  In Jesus' Name I pray Amen. 

A Sinner Saved By Grace

How dare I take credit for the ways God has used me to be a blessing to others?  How dare I withhold forgiveness from those who have mistreated me after all the times I have mistreated God?  Who am I to think that I am better than anyone?  How dare I take for granted all the blessings that are staring me in my face daily just because things are a little tough right now and new blessings aren't just busting down my door? Here I am waiting for my change to come, waiting for God to change someone else, waiting for my new job, waiting for God to heal my loved one, standing in need of a blessing.  And there is nothing wrong with that but in the midst of you waiting for your change to come or praying for God to turn some situation around for the better, how are you treating those around you? 

It is so easy to get caught up in the stresses of life.  There are times when those stresses consume my thoughts and cause me not to behave as a child of God should.  I am frustrated.  I have been praying about this thing for a long time and God doesn't seem to be moving.  Everyone around me seems to be a contributing factor to my situation.  In other words, 'It's everybody's fault and none of mine'.  I forget one simple fact that should be very important to me as a Christian.  That fact is that 'I am just a sinner saved by grace'.  Driving in my car a song came on by Bebe Winans with these words exactly and it made me think about where would I be if it weren't for the Lord and His grace.  Shame on me for thinking that I am better than anyone or just because I have experienced some things that have given me a better appreciation for who God is that I sit in judgment of anyone else who is still in the process of becoming.  Truth of the matter is, I have not arrived yet.  Every day I am still traveling along my journey of trust.  The way still gets dark and I struggle with those things I cannot explain.  It made me think of a scripture that was taught to me early in my Christian walk.  'For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and not of yourself, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast'. ---Ephesians 2:8-9  There is nothing special about me, but for the God in me. He is the source of my existence. Even the very faith that I possess that let's me know that no matter how dark the night, a brighter day is coming, is a gift from God.   If I have accomplished anything, it is because of Him.  As a Christian I must always remember that 'it is in Him that I live and move and have my very being' ---Acts 17:28  Nothing that I do is possible without God. Anytime He allows me to experience His goodness or gives me a glimpse of His glory it is so I can be a witness to others.  Wherever I go I should be sharing the gospel.  It should be apparent in my walk. It should show up in the way I talk.  When you take a moment and think about where you would be if it had not been for the Lord  on your side, you have a reason to shout.  It should motivate you to reach down and help someone else through what they may be going through.  Stop sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and count your blessings.  Thank God for the things He has already done.  Know in your heart that if He never does anything else for you, He has already done enough. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

My maker.  The Creator of all things.  Thou who knows everything about me, even my innermost thoughts and still loves me anyway.  Please forgive me for my self-righteous attitude.  Forgive me Lord for any time I have looked down on someone else because of their mistakes and did not take the time to reach back and help my brother or my sister.  The times when I did not live a life that was pleasing in Your sight.  Help me to always remember from whence I came and that no matter what, all my blessings come from You.  For without You I can do nothing but with You I can do anything.  Create in me a clean heart O God, one that loves as You love and forgives as You forgive.  Let Your light shine through me at all times so that others may see You in me and want to know You a little bit better.  Thank You for answering my prayer and granting my requests. Not my will but thine be done.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Consistency

Here I am again experiencing yet another important lesson during my journey of trust.  This lesson is about consistency.  One thing that is important in maintaining relationships with me is consistency.  I expect those that I interact with to be consistent, true to their word.  I expect them to be the same no matter what is going on in their lives.  If I need them they should be there.  This goes for anyone in my life who I deem important. The same thing goes for me.  As a friend I expect no more of others than I expect to give myself.  Over time I have noticed that not even my closest friends are always the same.  This isn't anything that makes me love them any less in fact it has been instrumental in drawing us closer together. How?  Because they too experiences life's ups and down.  They also have to navigate through life's twist and turns.  They too are susceptible to the same attacks from Satan that I am faced with.  It would really be unfair of me to place expectations upon them when it is obvious that they are limited in their ability to handle life's tests and trials just like me. We are drawn closer through our trials because we are able to share our stories about the consistency of God.  It helps me to know that someone else has experienced first hand the power of God to move mountains, to heal, to provide. It doesn't matter if it is five o'clock in the morning or twelve o'clock at night.  He is always there to hear my cry.  He never slumbers or sleeps.  He is not limited by time or emotions.  He is a doctor who has never lost a patient.  He is a lawyer who has never lost a case. When I think about the consistency of God,  I can't help but talk about His faithfulness.  No matter what mistakes I make I can always rely of the faithfulness of God.

'It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness'. ---   Lamentations 3: 22-23 


I can rely on the faithfulness of God.  He knows everything there is to know about me.  He is not surprised when I make a mistake.  In fact, He takes those mistakes and uses them as teaching tools to help me to become the person He wants me to be.  For the scripture says, 'But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.— Job 23:10 If that isn't an example of the faithfulness of God then I don't know what is.  It should be the very thing that makes me want to serve Him.  It should make me want to express that same kindness to those I come in contact with.  After all, what is the Christian life about if it is not about sharing the goodness of God with others.  Through my journey of trust where God is shaping me and molding me in His image by allowing me to suffer need and realize my limitations, there is one thing that holds true... the consistency of God.  Through thousands of years, from the children of Israel to the modern day depression of 2010, God is everything that we need.  Things may not look the way we want them to right now but God's faithfulness in the past is the evidence we need to keep trusting Him.  It lets us know that everything is going to be alright.  The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord shall stand --- Isaiah 40:8.  In His Word are His promises for His children and He is no respecter of persons --- Romans 2:11.  What He has done for others, He can and will do for me. 


Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I come to You right now in the humblest way I know how.  I come to You today with an attitude of gratitude and a heart of praise for the One who has given me every good and perfect gift that I possess.  I thank You Lord for your faithfulness.  Help me to be more consistent in the time I spend with You.  Let my light so shine that others may see You through me.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

God Sees

The same message keeps repeating itself over and over again in my head...If you are going to worry Ramona, then why pray.  At times it is hard for me to comprehend the concept that God knew my ending before my beginning and yet He allows me to suffer. During periods of intense suffering for me, I know all the right things to say.  I can tell you what the Word says.  And that matches what I know in my heart of hearts. That still doesn't change the fact that sometimes I can't see my way through.  When I start to think this way I am so thankful for the Christian friends that God has placed in my life.  Those that know something is off kilter and they begin to intercede on my behalf. Not only do they pray but when I talk to them they remind me that I need to stop looking and let God work.  That is what my dear sister said to me today.  "Stop looking and allow God to show me what He wants for me", she said. What a timely word!  After all it's not important what I see.  It is more important what God sees.

Exodus 3:7 says, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.  I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering'.  This means that through the entire four hundred plus years of slavery God saw every bit of it. There was not a moment of pain that He did not observe. Not only did He see but He was concerned.  So much so that He decided to meet them at their point of need and deliver them.   I believe that God brings us brings us to a point of need so that we may recognize our ultimate need for total dependence on Him.  He wants to draw us into His presence.  In His presence we find peace.  We find healing.  We find joy.  While we may be looking for one thing, God is providing for us something that will sustain us through the trying times of the future.  Remember this life we live is a journey.  It is a journey of trust.  It is a passage from one point in our lives to another.  That journey from youth to maturity.  'So that we be no more as children' (Ephesians 4:14)  It is not enough to give timely lip service, saying what we believe God and others around us want to here. Total dependence on God requires so much more than surface type faith.  If you are unable to truly rely, lean, depend on God in all things, you will continue to be tossed to and fro.  You will crack under the pressure.  Instead of succumbing to what your physical eyes can see, I challenge you to close your eyes and hear the voice of the Lord your God saying,  "Don't worry.  I have seen your need.  I have heard your cry. Trust me and believe.  I am concerned and I am here to help you."

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Today I just want to thank you for the assurance found in Your Word that no matter what I may be facing, You have not abandoned me.  You are fully aware and You are working on my behalf.  Help me to trust that You know what is best for me.  When I feel overwhelmed by what I see in front of me, help me to close my eyes and be guided by You into the provision you have prepared for me.  I will always give Your Name the praise.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Wisdom

I haven't always been the best decision maker.  I have to admit that I let my emotions control a lot of my decisions.  I have made decisions in anger.  I have made decisions in lust that I thought was love.  I have made decisions when I was discouraged or depressed.  During each and every one of these times I didn't stop and consult the Lord.  I didn't think about any one else's feeling and the result was total disaster.  The scripture tells us in James 1:5,  'If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you'.  My problem was that I really didn't think I was lacking in anything.  I actually thought that I was capable of making each and every one of those decisions on my own. Boy, was I wrong.

The truth of the matter is most of the time I  don't have the faintest idea what to do when it comes to making a major decision about my life.  Do I stay or do I go?  Is this the job I should take or is there something else coming up in the near future that would be a better fit for me?  Is this the mate you have sent for me or am I being controlled by the lusts of the flesh?  I know I got myself into this mess Lord but I need You to get me out.  What steps do I need to take?  How do I make  things right?  I am sure that I could take each on of these scenarios and use the brain God gave me and make a decision. But when I fail to seek the Lord I  am relying on my own understanding.  And don't get me started on matters of the heart. That is definitely where I haven't always made the right decision. It seems to be the area where I think I know everything.  After all I am the one feeling what I am feeling.  Sometimes I didn't consult Him because I knew He would ask me "What was I doing?", allowing myself to become caught up in something that was going no where just because I didn't want to be alone.  Other times I didn't consult Him because I was comfortable living in my bitterness and anger, not wanting to forgive.  Truth be told I didn't want to give God the opportunity to work it out.  I was right and the other person was wrong.  I ignored the times He told me to be silent and just pray.  I blatantly disobeyed when He told me to forgive.  Not to mention the times that I just wanted a quick solution and God was taking too long.  My goal is to take whatever is the quickest route to get me out of the situation I am in.  It doesn't matter at the time if I am only making matter worse.  All that matters is that my anxiety is calmed down for the moment.  I always look back and wonder how things might have turned out differently if I had just taken that moment to pray and wait for clear direction from the Lord. 

James 1:5 not only tells us to ask for wisdom but it also says that God will give it freely.  That means even after I have jumped in feet first not bothering to pray, getting myself into one big mess after another, God will give me the answers that I need to get out of the mess or the answers that I need to make it through the mess. All I have to do is ask Him. If the situation seems to hard for you to bear, then usually it is.  That is why you must turn it over to Jesus and let Him work it out.  Ask Him for guidance and direction.  Once you ask Him, then wait on Him to answer.  The wisdom that He gives is like no other.  Sometimes the insight is just simply God letting you know that it is not as bad as it seems. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Today I need your help with the things that are troubling me.  Decisions that I need to make.  I ask You now for the wisdom to make the right decision.  I don't want to lean on my own understanding. I see where that has gotten me in the past and it was not a beautiful place.  Help me to be obedient to what You want me to do in every situation.  I thank You for hearing my prayer and granting my request.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

God's Got It

Whatever you need God's got it.  Note to self.  Just another lesson learned today in my study of the children of Israel's journey through the wilderness. I keep going back to them because it's the best comparison I can make to where my life is right now.  I can relate to them in so many ways.  I prayed and asked God for something.  I prayed this prayer for many years. Just this past January, He provided a way for me to fulfill a dream of mine.  The part of my story that relates the most to the children of Israel is that during this journey I haven't always been able to see a clear path to the Promise Land.  I have been scared that what I needed to take care of my family and obtain my goal would not happen.  I have cried out to the Lord in anger, wondering why there has not been a clear path set before me.  I have found myself complaining and thinking Lord, it would have been better if I just would have kept working and never even went back to school because it has been hard.  I am a wife and a mother.  People depend on me.  What happens if even after all this I still am not able to find a job?  So I cry out to the Lord and tell Him all my concerns.  Do I still close my prayer by saying "I trust you Lord."  Absolutely. 

'But my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory'. (Philippians 4:19)  Not according to the amount of money in my bank account.  Not according to the paycheck I am expecting on Friday.  My needs are met according to what my Heavenly Father has not what I have and this doesn't always mean physical needs  This can also mean spiritual needs like peace of mind and joy.  Another important concept to pay attention to when looking at this verse is the word 'needs'.  We must remember that needs are very different from wants.  Needs are things that are necessary to live.  A want is that which we wish for or desire greatly.  Two very different concepts although you find many of us using them interchangeably. It is very important to understand the difference.  I have found myself on many occasions mad at God not because He had not supplied my needs but because He had not given me what I wanted.  I had not fully grasped the concept that God is able to see my need even before I do.  And because He is 'El Roi' the God who sees, we have nothing to be worried about.  Things may look bad right now but that is when we have to exercise our faith.  Take God at His Word.  Let Him do the problem-solving and you go right on to sleep.  There is no situation too great for Him to handle.  Not only does He see you where you are right now but He sees where you are going.  And without me knowing any details about your current situation I can confidently say that things are looking up in your future because God is in control.  He did not lead you to this point to leave you and let you die in the wilderness.  Maybe this experience is just another opportunity for you to learn to trust God.  To watch Him make a way out of no way.  So that there will not be any doubt in your mind that God did this.  After all, whatever you need God's got it. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I thank You for being 'the God who sees.  Even before I am fully aware of what is even going on.  You are my water in dry places, my bread when I am hungry.  I can look to the hills from whence cometh my help because I know that all my help comes from You.  I also have the assurance in knowing that when I seek you first not only will you supply my needs but sometimes you are gracious enough to grant me the desires of my heart.  Help me not to have an attitude of complaining but a heart of praise for I know that all things are working out for my good.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

The Key to Success

I would love it if I could just lay my textbooks under my pillow and the information inside of them would just flow to my brain and I would be ready to write all my papers and take all my tests.  However, it doesn't work that way.  I have to spend countless hours, reading and studying, writing it down and quizzing myself so that when test day comes I am fully aware of what it says because my goal is to make an 'A' on every test.  I have seen the results when I follow these steps and I have also seen the results when my mind is distracted and I don't spend enough time studying.  Man, does this relate to life's tests that I must face daily.  Instead of me spending quality time in the Word, reading and studying, writing it down, memorizing it so that I am prepared for battle, here I am finding so many other things to occupy my mind and my time.  Not only that, if I do take some time out of my day to read God's Word, it's done more out of duty, rather than what is God trying to say to me.  How is this applicable to my life today? 

I was reading today in the book of Joshua after the death of Moses when he was commissioned to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.  There in the first chapter where He gives Joshua very specific instructions on where to go, telling Him to be strong and courageous.  Letting him know that through it all He would be with Him.  But that's not the part that caught my attention.  It was verse 8 that says, '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 good success'.  The Bible is not a book for you to pick up on Sunday's only.  It is meant to be a part of your daily routine. The type of commitment written in this verse calls for a sacrifice. It would be easy to spend just five or ten minutes here or there if you are only looking for minimal results.  As I tell my son, "if the best grade you want is a 'C' then you will put forth a minimal effort.  However, if you are looking to achieve greatness, which is inside of you, then you will put forth an 'A' effort.  You have the all the tools you need.  You have the textbook.  You have the teacher at your disposal if you need a little extra guidance.  Therefore, you have no excuse."  The same rules apply to us as Christians.  The Word of God is our spiritual food and it is there to prepare us for the things in life we have to face.  We have no excuse not to be ready.  Knowing the Word of God helps us to 'be strong and courageous', ready for anything that Satan has to throw your way.  I don't know about you but it never fails that I can find so many things to do when it is time for me sit down and read the Word, including my classwork.  I remember the reason I started writing was because I had gotten away from this very basic principle.  I had stopped reading my Word on a regular basis.  I was neglecting my prayer life.  And because of this I was experiencing a major void.  I was searching for answers in all the wrong places.  It's easy to do.  I even remember at one point in my life when I was filling up my time with church activities as a substitute for quality time in the Word.  We all have busy lives with people around us making demands of our time. We meet those demands.  We run all over town, taking our kids, supporting our spouse, serving on this committee and that committee but let us not forget the most important thing that we should never neglect and that is 'communion with God'.  The more we come to know His Word, the more we come to know the heart and mind of God.  The more our reflection starts to look like His.  The less we worry about things that God has under control. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

My Savior.  My Deliverer.  Prince of Peace.  Mighty God.  Thank you for Your Word.  Thank you for the wisdom that it holds.  Help me to be more diligent in my reading and studying of it.  Help me not to take it for granted.  Let me hide it in my heart so that I won't sin against thee.  Make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Help me to know that when I am searching for the answer to life's problems, I need look no further than to You.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.

Wait For The Lord

My word for 2010 has been 'anticipation'. It is no longer about what I can see but instead about what I don't see.  When things around me are not going as I would have hoped, I have great security in knowing that the God I serve is at work on my behalf.  'For I don't look at the things that these feeble eyes can see but instead I fix my eyes on the things I cannot see....(II Corinthians 4:18)  I don't have to be anxious about anything because I can take everything to God in prayer.  (Phil. 4:6)  I don't have to be afraid of the terrors by night nor the arrows that flieth by day.  (Psalms 91:5)  Hit me with your best shot Satan.  You may knock me down but you can't take me out.  Finances may not be right.  Marriage may be shaky.  Friends may have walked away and turned their back on me.  The doctor hasn't given me a good report.  All this going on and yet here I stand, trusting that God will see me through.  Somehow, some way..things are going to work out. 

I learned something today from a scripture that I have known, I believe, since I could talk.  You know the verse...Isaiah 40:31.  I don't want to talk about the entire first... just seven words.  'But they who wait for the Lord...  I realized that in the midst of my trials and tribulations I was waiting not for the Lord but for the extra check in the mail, the new job, my husband to change, etc., etc.  I was not waiting for the Lord to have His way and for His will to be done.  I was waiting for Him to do what I wanted Him to do.  I had come up with the solution to my problem and God just needed to get on board with my program. Whatever was
I thinking?  God needed to get on board with my program?  Maybe the solution was not more money but God trying to show me that I needed to be a better steward with what He had already given me.  Maybe the solution was not that my husband needed to change but instead God was trying to show me how to be submissive and how to love in the way He loves me and how to appreciate my gift.  Maybe the solution was not to get even with the girlfriends who had talked behind my back  and shared my secrets with others but instead maybe God was trying to show me that He alone is who I should trust with my innermost secrets because He is the only one who can do something about them.  Waiting for the Lord means waiting with patient endurance.  It means standing with confidence on His Word.  It means I am expecting the great!  The God I serve is awesome.  He is amazing.  I cannot even fathom the things that He can do for me.  Whatever I may think God can do, the reality is that He can do so much more.  Have you ever seen God show up and show out?  I have...many times over.   Realizing  that I am in control of nothing was one of the best revelations I ever had.  My best laid out plans can go totally awry if God has something else planned for me.  Which is why I began by saying that I don't look at what I can see, instead I use my spiritual vision.  I fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. (Hebrews 12:2)  It is in Him that I live and move and have my being.  (Acts 17:28) So I can't say enough that you have to trust Him.  Trust His faithfulness. Hold fast to His promise.  God is working.  He never slumbers or sleeps.  He never grows tired.  He has it all under control. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thou who made me and knows all about me.  Thou who knows my innermost thoughts and still loves me anyway.  Great and mighty God, Creator of all things. I give You glory, honor and praise.  While I don't understand everything that is going on in my life, I realize that I don't need to understand because You, O Lord are Sovereign and You have every aspect of my life under control.  Help me to wait on You for my change to come.  I don't want to rely on my own strength instead I acknowledge You and let You direct my path.  To God be the glory.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Yesterday

I thank God that I am not what I used to be.  I hear people say this all the time. I wonder do they really know the difference God has made in their lives.  If they can see the things He has done to make their lives better.   I am about to accomplish something in my life that I know that it has only been possible with God.  Just as I am about to cross the finish line, what should sneak up in my mind but doubt.  The voice in my head that said, "Why don't you quit? That's you M.O."  Now in the past when that voice of doubt began to creep up in my head, I would listen to it.  I would sit there and talk myself into quitting but not this time.  I spoke loud and clear to the voice in my head and said, "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)  That was yesterday. 

This spiritual walk is about growth.  As we spend more time with God, talking with Him and reading His Word, we can't help but be made the better because of it. Life's experience has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to with the help of the Lord.  Yes, I have made some mistakes in the past.  Some seeds that were sown, I have had to reap the consequences.  But thank God for His grace and His mercy and more importantly the blood that covers it all.  It doesn't matter what other people may remember.  Those out there that try to remove what the blood has done for me by always bringing up my past.  What matters is not what they remember but what God forgets. Hebrews 4:12 says, "And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more'.  That's what counts.   Keep pressing toward the mark.  Don't stop until you reach your goal.  If you have been afraid to do something, remind yourself that God has not given you the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  (II Timothy 1:7)  You have the power,..because 'greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world'.  I John 4:4  And furthermore, don't let your own  memories of what happened in the past keep you from the future that God has promised you. Yesterday is just what it is...yesterday. 

Most gracious heavenly Father,

Thank you for your power.  Thank you for your love.  Thank you for giving me a sound mind.  Thank you most of all for saving me.  Thank you for forgiveness.  Thank you that You let me start anew.  Help me not to be hindered by my past.  Help me to walk into my destiny, knowing that I will accomplish everything that You have planned for me.  Thank you for removing all the stumbling blocks out of my way.  Today I am going to leave the past exactly where it belongs in the past and keep on pressing til I reach my goal.  And whenever I start to get discouraged help me to remember that I can do all things through You, who gives me strength.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Give It To Jesus

Many times we find ourself in hopeless situations, one's in which we cry out to the Lord in desperation.  We tell him about how afraid we are that things will not get better.  We tell Him how confused we are about why this is happening to us in the first place.  We tell Him how hurt we are that the situation has not turned out the way we though that it would. Your prayer may be similar to that of Moses when he cried out in despair and anguish in Numbers 11:11-15.  Moses was exhausted, frustrated, on the edge of a breakdown.  Or your prayer may be similar to Elijah when he was running for his life in I Kings 19:3-5.  He was so tired and so depressed that he told the Lord that he had enough and to just take his life.  And what about David when he cried out in Psalms 13, "How long?"  Just look at all of these great men of God, chosen by Him to do great things but at this very moment they had lost it.  A moment of insanity.  But at the end of the day when they finished crying out to the Lord, relieving that heavy load they had been carrying around, reality settled in. 

That reality is what we as Christians have, that others don't have, and that is hope.  I know that your outlook might not look optimistic right now.  I understand that the bottom line of your bank account may not line up with the bills you have to pay each month. It's time to turn that complaining around and rely on the confidence we have in serving a risen Saviour.  We are not to grieve as those who have no hope. (I Thess. 4:13)  It is time to make that turn, shifting our focus to Jesus.  Saying like David said in Psalms 13:5-6, "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me."  Could it be that the key to our success in the future is trusting in the things God has done for us in the past.  I believe that is the only time that it is okay to look back.  It is, however, not okay to look back wishing that we had the life we had before Christ because there is no future in that at all.  It's okay to bring God your concerns, your frustrations, your anxiety, your fears...all those things that are weighing you down.  But when you have cried your last tear and uttered the last words of your pray, then the time should come where you tell the Lord that I trust you no matter what. 

It is through prayer that we turn our problems in the direction of the Lord, the One who can help us.  We reassure ourselves of God's faithfulness.  And be honest!  God knows what you are feeling.  He tells us to 'Come all ye who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me... for my yoke is easy and my burdens are light'.  (Matthew 11:28-30)  When you are honest in your prayers you open up a dialogue with God.  You are now facing in the right direction to see the compassion He has for you.  You can see the desire He has to lift your heavy load and replace it with peace, joy and happiness.  An intimacy between you and the Almighty has formed.  When you release your burdens then you are able to receive all that God has for you.  Stop carrying it all on your shoulders and give it to God.  He can handle it.  He is standing there waiting.  If Moses, Elijah and David could do it, so can we. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father, 

Things are just not going as I had planned.  There is trouble all around me.  How much longer am I going to have to suffer?  Lord I need you to silence the negative thoughts in my head, the ones that try to consume me.  I am in need of your peace that passes all understanding.  Even in the midst of my suffering I trust You Lord and I know that everything is going to be alright. I thank You in advance because I know my deliverance is on the way.  In Jesus Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

He Wants It All

The past couple of days my spirit has been so full not because of anything extraordinary that has done for me but just because GOD IS.  Now I can take that statement and complete it with so many things and I am sure that you can do.  God is my provider.  God is my refuge.  God is my hope.  God is my hiding place.  God is my strong tower.  God is my confidante.  God is my leaning post. God is my deliverer.  God is my everything.  As I sat and reflected on who God is to me I felt a sudden urge to ask Him what He wanted from me. I know that God does what He does not because of anything I have done but because of who He is.  Just the fact that He saved me should stir up a proper response. He provides for me grace and new mercy every morning.  It would take me forever to tell you the ways He has made for me and the doors He has opened for me.  And He will continue to do all these things for me in spite of me. One thing I was taught by my parents is that people don't have to be nice to you.  I know that most people say that when someone is nice to you, the least you could do is say thank you.  I will take it a step further and say that when someone is nice to you that you shouldn't only say "Thank you", but you should also want to give them something in return. 

No one has done more for you than God.  Yes, there may be some significant people who have been God's instruments to bless you. However, the bottom line  is that God is the one behind the scenes who has orchestrated each and every blessing in your life. So what does God want from you in return?  He wants it all!  He wants your heart.  He wants your time.  He wants your dedication.  He wants your total commitment.  Not only does He want these things from you, He requires them. 

Romans 12:1 says it best.  'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service'. 

I like the way the Message Bible puts it.  'So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him'.

There isn't any part of your life that the Lord does not want.  You may not think that you have much to offer Him.  Sometimes I look at my life and think that I am so messed up. But then I remember, little becomes much when you place it in the Master's hands.  I am still on the potter's wheel.  Another thing to remember is that as He changes you to look more like Him, every now and then He takes you through the review process.  When this takes place He looks you over and deems what branches are bearing good fruit and that which is not he prunes.  This is not a painless process. That is why it is helpful if you have a submissive and willing heart.  He wants to be first in Your life.  That means you must move aways from all the things that have become distractions and focus on Him.  I know that there are many things that require your time and energy.  On any given day I wear many different hats.  I am a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, a confidante, a student, a classmate, etc. etc.  But the hat that stands out above all the rest and the one that I must never take off is my helmet of salvation.  Every moment of my life I am a child of God.  I don't have the option of taking this hat off because if I do then I am not doing a good job of representing my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I don't know what is going on in your life right now. But what I do know is that nothing is more important than your relationship with Christ.  He wants to use you and He needs a full commitment from you in order to use you.  Now you can come willingly or you can come kicking and screaming.  Either way God will be glorified.  The choice is yours.  Are you willing to give Him all of you? 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Today I just want to thank You for being God.  You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  I present myself to you a living sacrifice, to be used in thy service any way You see fit.  I know that I am not worthy but I also know that You made me and You know all about me.  What better hands for me to be in than the One who created me.  Thank You for saving me.  Thank You for loving me.  Search me Lord and try me.  Test me and if you find anything in me that shouldn't be take it out.  I will always give Your name the glory, honor and the praise.  In Jesus Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

A Unique Partnership

By myself I can do nothing, with God I can do anything.  God did not intend for you to go through this life trying to make it on your own.  He divinely designed it so that for every situation you have in life He is there to see you through.  He is not only there to see you through it.  He is right there walking beside you and at times He even carries you when the burdens of this old life get to heavy.  My problems come when I forget to turn everything over to God and I try to do things on my own.  I don't know what makes me do this.  Life experiences  have shown me that God is in control and I can't do anything by myself.  If God chose to take me from this earth right now He could and I wouldn't have anything to say about it.  If God chose to remove His hedge of protection from me and take everything away from me that I own, I would have no choice but to deal with it.  I couldn't all of a sudden snap my fingers three times and everything reappear all of a sudden. I don't have that kind of power. But I know someone who does...God.  Because of His power and His strength, I am able to do much greater things than I could ever do on my own.  It's what  I like to call my unique partnership.  My weakness combined with His strength.  My frailties combined with His power.  All He ask me to do is trust Him.  Trust that He knows best.

I must admit that sometimes I take God for granted.  It is so easy to become comfortable in our daily routine and think that we are doing it on our own.  We are taught self-sufficiency from birth.  I remember telling a good friend of mine that I was going to have a party as soon as my youngest daughter turned five.  By the time she turned five she would be able to do everything on her own.  Little did I know that even though I had taught her most of the things she needed so that she didn't have to come to momma for everything, that there would still be many things that she would need me for.  That's the way it is with God.  Although He is teaching us and developing us, training us to do His work, the true believer in Christ never becomes self-sufficient.  We need God.  That is why we must never forget to thank Him for everything that He gives us the power to do.  Speaking about my own life, I know that there are times when I don't thank Him for the little things that He does for me every day.  When I wake up in the morning do I thank Him because He gave me the breath of life on this day.  I could have died in my sleep.  I don't always thank Him for the ability I have to walk and talk, just to be in my right mind.  All of these things are possible because of God.  Then I think about the goals I have set in my life. How have I been able to accomplish them?  But by the grace of God. I must always remember that 'It is God that worketh in me, both to will and to do of His good pleasure'. (Philippians 2:13)   God is working out His will for my life.  This isn't something that He just decided on a whim.  It is His carefully designed master plan.  It is his studied intent to fulfill a planned purpose.  None of it is by chance.  If I am successful in anything it is because God so designed it to be so.  And even if I fail at something it is because God has something better for me.  This is good news.  Too often have I sat around and wallowed because I wasn't able to accomplish some goal or maybe my best intentions just didn't turn out right.  Because I am certain that the will of God and His purpose will be fulfilled for my life then I can move on with my head held high, seeking God for the next step in my journey. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I come to you today just to thank You for your awesome power and for Your unconditional love.  I thank you Father because Your strength is made perfect in my weakness.  I realize that I can do nothing without You.  Help me to accept those things that happen in my life as part of Your master plan.  Forgive me of all my sins in word, thought or deed.   I will continue to give You all the glory, honor and the praise. In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Stand, Therefore

What do you do when you've done all you can?  Seems like it's never enough. And what do you say when your friends turn away, you're all alone?  What do you give when you've given your all and you feel like you can't make it through?  Donnie McClurkin said, "You just stand!"  Anyone who knows me well knows that this is one of my favorite songs.  But I have to admit that when things have gotten really rough in my life I haven't done a real good job of standing.  In fact, I have downright failed in this department sometimes.  My question to God is always, 'Just how long do I have to stand?'  Ephesians 6:14a  tells us to Stand therefore having fastenened on the belt of truth... Code for 'Get ready Ramona, turbulence ahead. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.  Back in New Testament times the soldiers wore a tunic of lookse-fitting cloth that was a hindrance and danger when doing battle.  So they had to wear a belt to tighten up the loosely hanging materia.  I liken this to my tongue.  Sometimes it is a loose cannon.  When chaos is happening all around me or I'm being mistreated the one thing that I use often as a weapon is my words.  Now mind you, there is nothing wrong with that if I am saying the right things.  Most times I'm not.  I'm mad, hurt and angry.  You know this means that I want to hurt you as well.  That is why I believe that the Bible tells us to stand with the belt of truth fastened around our waist.  What is this belt of truth?  Well it is the Word of God.  Self discipline in your devotion is the way you prepare for battle.  Know the Word!  Think about it.  When someone is belittling you and demeaning you what would be their response if you said back to them... I am the head and not the tail. I will always be on top and not the bottom taken from Deut. 28:13.  What about when your enemy comes against you with lies and false allegations you stood firm on His promise that 'The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace' taken from Exodus 14:14.  Your marriage is on it's last leg, all you do is argue.  You think the answer is to get out but the verse keeps running through in your mind....Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  I Corinthians 13:7  The doctor has done all that He can do.  He has told you to call in all the family so they can say goodbye.  But you just continue to Stand in prayer.  You continue to STAND on His Word.  Scriptures that say...Is there anything too hard for God (Gen. 18:14),  With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26), But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

The Bible is full of truth.  It is full of promises that we can STAND on during our time of discouragement, discontment, depression.  It is full of promises we can STAND on when we are frustrated, mad, angry at the situation we are in.  I had to learn not to let my tongue breed destruction.  With my tongue I need to remember to speak blessings and not curses, even to those who treat me wrong.  I am going through a phase now with my children where they are using their words to hurt one another.  I hear myself telling them often, "If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all."  I also have them memorizing scripture just as my mother and father did me because it has helped me so much in my adult life. Situations and circumstances may not always be the best but when you know what God has to say and His Word has to say about your situation then you can continue STANDING just a little while longer.  You can continue to tell yourself that 'All things will work together for my good.' (Romans 8:28)  Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day, for our light and momentary afflictions are achieving for us a greater glory that far outweighs them all.  (II Corinthians 4:16-17)  Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. 



Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I praise Your name today because You are awesome. You are great! You keep on doing great things for me and I just love to worship You. I am thanking you right now because no matter what my situation looks like right now I still have joy. I know that I can stand firm on Your Word. It has become the very lamp that lights my path. Help me to control my tongue that I may walk in obedience and receive all that You have planned for my life. In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.