How much do you crave Him?

“And this is what God has testified: he has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12

He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end; He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  He is our Shepherd and Savior!  He is the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, He is the Almighty One who will stand forever! (Revelation 1:8)

He is the one and only living God! He is the Father to the fatherless; He is the doctor who brings healing and medicine to the sick. He is the source of food to all who are hungry. He is the one who loves the unlovable and forgives the sinful man. He is the protector to all who seek protection and He restores all whose hearts are broken. He is the light in the darkness and the hope to the hopeless.

Number 2 on our list of things to crave-Jesus

How in the world could we not crave Jesus? How is it that we have lost or not even found an intense hunger for the very One who came to this earth just to save us from the pit of Hell? We desire to be loved, Jesus is love! We want compassion-He is compassion. We want joy-He gives it to us as a free gift.  You want mercy and grace-Jesus!

How is it that we can crave worldly pleasure that ends in nothing, but we refuse or fail to crave the One who ends in everything, the one who came and died for us? The one who was beat, spit on, mocked, and then nailed to a cross and hung up to die for you and me.

Jesus is more than just a character in a story; He is the only way to Heaven, He is the only way to receive forgiveness, He is the only one we can depend on, He is where love and absolute satisfaction is found.

Do you really think that craving happiness in a mere human will last forever? Do you really think craving tons of money will satisfy you? Do you really think the world has more to offer than Jesus?

My brother and sisters when you crave Jesus you crave a forever future in Heaven full of love! Jesus gives each of us the choice to crave and do with our lives what we want. And when we choose ourselves over Him we are choosing death, hurt, anger, defeat, and unhappiness. And though you might not see it now eventually you will!

No we are not guaranteed smooth sailing when we choose to crave Jesus, but we are guaranteed His promises, His mercy, His protection and His presence and most of all we are guaranteed a life with Him that will never end.

Prayer: Jesus there are no words to even begin to describe how much I crave You. Jesus forgive me if I ever crave anything but You. In Jesus name Amen.

You are not alone!

“ Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace? ‘Yes, they said, ‘we did indeed, Your Majesty.’ Look, ‘Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire.” Daniel 3:24-25

They refused to bow down and worship King Nebuchadnezzar and his gods. It angered him so much he had them brought in and threatened to be thrown into the blazing furnace if they did not bow down and worship his gods. But still they refused! Nebuchadnezzar became so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that he commanded the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and had seven of his strongest men bind them up and throw them into the furnace.

Number 3 on our list of things to crave-His presence

For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego there was no question of who they loved and served. And because of their faith in the Lord His presence surrounded them.  Not just in their time of need but at all times.

God’s presence is the same for us today, Psalm 139:7 says “I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” Do you know how wonderful that is? No matter where we are, what we have done, what we do, or who we are, we can never escape the presence of God.

For some that can be great and for others it can be bad. When you think you are alone-you are not the Lord is there. When you do things you think no one knows-you don’t, because the Lord is right there. He is the parent that never leaves our side. He sees all, knows all, and hears all! His amazing presence-we can never escape it!!!  Oh, how do you not find so much joy in that!

It is a gift, an unbelievable gift of love and one day we will be in Heaven where we can see and really feel His presence. Hasten the day Lord Jesus!!

Knowing that His presence is always there should bring us peace, security, and joy.  When is the last time you stopped and enjoyed being in the presence of the Lord? It is an honor that we are unworthy of!

Jesus today I want to just come and sit in Your presence. Just to know that You are right next to me is a blessing beyond what I could ever express in words. Jesus I cannot wait for the day when I will truly get to sit in Your presence, right there at Your feet, gazing up at Your beauty. Feeling the warmth of Your skin next to mine. Jesus no matter what the world throws at me I know that I will stand strong because You are right next to me. Lord thank You that as I close my eyes in prayer I can sense Your presence in this room today. It is as though You are looking at me face to face!  As I read Your word I can feel and hear You teaching me. Jesus I never want these moments to end, thank You that I can take You everywhere I go. Thank You that You go! Jesus may I come closer to You, may I be so close to You Lord that I can feel Your breath as You breathe and smell the sweetness of Your scent. Lord Jesus would You reveal Your presence to those who are lost, hurting, and lonely. Lord Jesus I pray that Your presence is so known in the lives of Your people that they will be in awe and just be still. In Jesus Name, Amen 

Check it out!

This website and CD is a must! Check it out!

http://www.thestorycd.com/

If it is not His book, it’s not the right book!

“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.”Psalm 119:105

It is complete, fulfilled, and true. It is full of promises, life, hope, healing, love, comfort, peace, and tells us our future. It is God-breathed!

Number 4 on our list of things to crave-His Word

It is our manual to everything life throws at us. It is where we can find adventure, love, security, excitement, and hope. It is the book that leads to life. It gives us our boundaries; it teaches us, it shows us how to love and be loved.

It is full of living power! “…It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.” Hebrews 4:12

When we crave the Word of God, we crave to be changed, shaped, and molded to Christ. When we place the Word within us, it becomes our source of light in this world of darkness. We will never grow, learn to love, learn to forgive, or learn about Jesus if we do not open His Word.

It was left here for us so we could receive salvation and walk in the ways of the Lord. It was left to instruct and show us how amazing our Savior is.

If you are searching to fill a void stop searching the world and start searching the Word! If you are walking in darkness, stumbling around stubbing your toe, grab the Word open it up and let the light in.

If you are lacking intimacy, affection, and love, open the book and read the love letters left for you. If you are sick open the Word and receive the medicine of healing. If you are hurt, angry, or bitter open the Word and let love, compassion and forgiveness consume you. If you are weak open the Word and you will find strength.

The Word of the Lord, there is nothing greater than the Word of the Lord. It is the very thing we should cling to. It should be the first thing we focus our eyes on in the morning. It should be the book we can’t wait to dive into.

My brothers and sisters please seek His Word; let it be all that you hunger for!

Prayer: Jesus there is nothing sweeter than Your Word. May we hunger and thirst for the love, adventure, healing, and hope that it has to offer. In Jesus name, Amen

Intimacy to the fullest!

“Ah, I hear him-my lover! Here he comes, leaping on the mountains and bounding over the hills. My lover is like a swift gazelle or a young deer. Look, there he is behind the wall! Now he is looking in through the window, gazing into the room.” Song of Songs 2:8-9

 From the moment I met Him I knew He was the one.  It is the sweetness of His words that melt my heart. The more I am around Him the more I want to be with Him. The compliments He showers me with make me feel loved and adored. He tells me that I am His and His alone. There is not a minute that goes by that I do not want to be wrapped in His arms. I want all of Him. His love overwhelms me with emotion.

He tells me that I was created for Him and that every part of me is beautiful.  When I sit in His presence I can’t help but to gaze upon His beauty. When I think of Him or hear His name it warms my soul.

Number 5 on our list of things to crave-Intimacy

He is the only sure thing in my life! The intimacy we share is like non-other. He is the very one I wake and run to. He holds nothing back and showers me with His faithfulness. He is committed to me and I to Him.

He laughs when I laugh and cries when I cry. He is strong and secure! He is thoughtful and comforting. No other person could ever understand the closeness we have. He accepts me for all that I am, and loves me regardless of my flaws. Our relationship is no secret, we are not afraid to show our intimacy with the world. It is true, pure and refreshing. Each day is a new day full of excitement and adventure.

I can always hear him-my lover! He comes leaping in my heart; He is swifter than a gazelle. He speaks and I stand still, tranquilized by the power and softness of His voice. His smile lights up the room. I cannot for a second take my eyes off of Him.

He is who I desire more than life itself. The thought of being without Him for a second brings unbearable sadness.  He is my first and last love, I want every moment we spend together to bring Him so much joy. I want to fill His heart with all the love He so desires.

Jesus-my lover and friend! I can never get enough of His affection or love. He is the one I will die for. He is the one that knows my deepest secrets; there is nothing He does not know about me. We are open and honest leaving nothing behind. He is forgiving and real, He is compassionate, and loving, His touch, His voice, His beauty is intoxicating. He is the very person of whom all of my intimacy is given.

Prayer: Jesus the love I have for You could never be expressed in words. The love You have for me can never be thanked enough. The willingness You had to die for me and cover me in Your blood leaves me longing for more of You. Jesus I yearn for the day when I get to see You face to face. In Jesus name, Amen

Have you been given the key?

“In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:6

He is mighty and powerful, He is majestic and merciful, and He is the ruler and creator of the entire universe. He has authority over heaven and hell and every living creature. He rides upon the clouds and His beauty is too much for the eye to see.

He spoke the world into existence. He makes His enemies a footstool for His feet. There is no one who can stand before Him. You are either with Him or against Him.

He is the final judge, His Son is the very one that died and rose again. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, His blood is what washes us and makes us white as snow. It is Jesus who stands in the gap, when God looks upon His people it is Jesus that He sees.

Number 6 on our list of things to crave-Fear of the Lord

“Listen, my child, to what your father teaches you” Proverbs 1:8 The Lord is our father, the Holy Spirit is our counselor, and the Word is what teaches us. When He says fear me and obey me, He does not say be afraid of Me, He says honor Me, be in awe of Me and My power, control and authority. Respect Me for I have given you life! And obey Me, obey all that I have commanded. Be loyal worshiping only Me.

So what are the benefits of fearing the Lord; A sure foundation in Him, rich salvation, wisdom and knowledge, a deeper love relationship and a deeper respect of His power and authority. He opens our hearts to see how merciful, compassionate and loving He is, which leaves us in awe, and for me longing for more!

I don’t know about you but I want the hidden treasure that is full of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. I want to show My Savior honor, respect, and admiration for all that He has bestowed upon me.

When our eyes are on ourselves and not on Jesus we lose fear. That is why discipline is SO important; it is the discipline of our heavenly Father that instills fear. And discipline comes from reading the Word, spending time with the Lord, and realizing we are sinful, weak, and desperately in need of Jesus!

Prayer: Jesus help us to not lose sight of how mighty and powerful you are. Jesus instill more discipline within our lives so that we will come to fear You more. Jesus we seek the treasure of salvation, wisdom and knowledge that is given when we fear You.  Amen

All we know-It’s not good enough!

“If you need wisdom-if you want to know what God wants you to do-ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6

He was a man who succeeded his father and became king at a young age. He built God’s temple in Jerusalem and when the Lord appeared to him in a dream asking what he wanted, he did not ask for wealth, a long life, or for his enemies to be put to death, he asked for an understanding mind. And that is exactly what the Lord gave him. ”…I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have!” 1 Kings 3:11-12

Number 7 on our list of things to crave-Wisdom

I am so intrigued by Solomon, here he was the wisest man to ever live, he had received discernment between what was right and wrong, and governed his people wisely, but yet in his own personal life he failed to act upon all the wisdom he was given.

 It started when he made an alliance with Pharaoh and married his daughter. From there he continued to marry many foreign women (he had 700 wives and 300 hundred concubines) of who the Lord specifically instructed him not to, because they would lead him to worship their gods.  He knew, he knew, he knew!

Solomon was given wisdom and discernment to know, but instead of applying it he went against it and sure enough they lead his hear t away from the Lord.  In his old age they turned his heart to worship their gods instead of trusting only in the Lord his God. (1 Kings 11:2-4)

My brothers and sisters do you see that wisdom is not just having knowledge, Solomon had all of that, wisdom is the application of the knowledge you have. You can know everything there is to know but without wisdom your knowledge is meaningless!

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard  people even myself say “I know this is what I am suppose to do, I know this is wrong, I know this is not what God wants” well that is great that you and I know but what are we going to do with what we know?  We know we are to read the word of God-than let’s DO IT! We know when we are living in sin- stop living there and move out! We know we are sinners-than confess it! We know we are putting others and things before the Lord-so let’s stop! Jesus I know that the decisions I have made are my fault and brought on by me-His reply, “Then stop blaming others and turn to me.”

Our passage today says that if we want wisdom, if we want to know what God wants for us, than all we need to do is ask Him, and when we ask we have to believe and then apply it. God will and always does His part we have to do the same.  If you are craving more wisdom stop and make sure you are already applying the wisdom you have been given, for then more will be given!

Prayer: Jesus thank you for the example given to us by Solomon, thank you for showing us that we can know everything but it is useless without wisdom. Lord may today be the day we start truly applying Your word to our lives. In Jesus name, Amen!

The day knowledge began!

“Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7

Every time he preached he spoke with so much authority and power.  He was extremely black and white and his preaching showed that loud and clear. I remember this day like it was yesterday, it was a day you could say I literally had the fear of God put in me.

He began preaching from the book of Revelation and as I sat there and listened it was these very words that penetrated to the core of my heart. “If you don’t start living in obedience to the Lord, if you don’t give your life fully over to Him, if you don’t confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior you will end up in hell! Hell is a place where you will burn everyday of your life for the res t of your life and you will hear the cries of all the others burning with you. You will be separated from your loved ones. On the day the Lord returns you will either rise with Him to Heaven or will be sent to Hell for eternity.”

What! Here I am a little girl in middle school and I just heard that if I don’t straighten up I could be separated from my mommy and daddy and go to Hell. I was terrified, intrigued, scared, more intrigued, and had just enough understanding to know that Jesus was the way the truth and the life. But on that day that beautiful summer day I knew that my life needed to change and I needed to surrender myself to Him.

You might be thinking good grief that is rough, but can I tell you that man, Devin who still to this day loves the Lord with every breath that he takes opened my eyes to see Jesus. He is a man that I admire so much and adore and love. He is a man that speaks with truth and power and authority. He sugar coats nothing!

Number 8 on our list of things to crave-Knowledge

That very day I gave my life to the Lord was the day that God used Devin Bridwell to teach me the true meaning of knowledge. He taught me that it begins with fear of the Lord, and not fear as in being afraid of, but fear as in respecting the power and the authority of God.  He taught me just how much Jesus loves me; He loves me so much that He came to rescue me from the pit of Hell.

In our passage above Solomon is telling us that we must become intimately familiar with Jesus, we must recognize His power, we must acknowledge Him as Creator and Ruler, Lover and Savior. It is more than just knowing what we have been told; it is discovering Him for ourselves.

That day many years ago was the first day I knew I wanted to discover more about Jesus. I wanted to become more knowledgeable about our Risen King. I want to honor Him, respect Him, and be more in awe of Him than I already am. I want to gain more knowledge and facts of His Word and then apply them through Wisdom!

Knowledge is learning the facts and the only true facts about Jesus come from the Word of God. Your knowledge will be based upon how much time you spend in learning!

Prayer: Jesus thank you for sending people into our lives to teach us more about You and to challenge us to grow in knowledge of You. May our understanding of You become even more clear as we dig deep into Your word. May our fear of You become even greater than before! In Jesus name, Amen. 

Secrets of Heaven

”To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge.” Matthew 13:12

As I open the Word of God it is my deepest desire to not miss a single thing that my precious Savior wants to teach me. I cry out for my eyes, heart, and mind to be open to all that His Word has in it. I cannot express in words how much I hunger for deeper understanding. I love how each time I study and meditate on who Jesus is how much He challenges me to dig deeper.

Number 9 on our list of things to crave-Understanding

It is more than just reading a quick passage and then moving on. It is slowing down and actually comprehending what you are reading. It is searching for that hidden treasure that His word is full of. 

Proverbs 2:3-5 says “Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.”

It is not enough for me to just hear or read the Word of God. I so badly want from the bottom of my soul to have more understanding of who Jesus is. I want to know every detail of His life, His love, what makes Him joyful, what He desires. I want to be filled with understanding and insight so that I can gain more knowledge of God. I want to be able to take that understanding and share it with the world. I want to shout from the roof tops how amazing our God is. I want to help the lost who are stumbling in the dark understand that all they have to do is flip the switch within. I want to help the confused who are wrestling with who Jesus is understand that He is their Savior who loves them and gave up His life for them. And I want more understanding of Jesus and His word because I am so madly in love with every single thing about Him that I cannot get enough! Even Jesus’ disciples searched for understanding.

In Matthew 13 Jesus had just finished speaking the parable of the Four Soils when His disciples came up to Him and asked “Why do you always tell stories when you talk to the people? And Jesus replied “You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them. That is why I tell stories, because people see what I do, but they don’t really see. They hear what I say, but they don’t really hear, and they don’t understand.” (Matthew 13:10-14)

Even Jesus wants us to seek and search for more understanding of His Word. It is not enough for Him either that we just hear. He says people like that don’t understand and don’t really hear. If we don’t understand and or hear what God is teaching us we can become more susceptible to false teaching and we will miss out on knowing the secrets of Heaven. Who in the world wants to miss that!!! Would you pursue Jesus today, would you cry out for a deeper understanding of Him and His Word? Don’t settle with just knowing the basics, you are missing out!

Prayer: Jesus it is not enough for me to just hear or read, I want the very guts of what You and Your word has to offer. Lord open my heart and allow more understanding to be poured in so that I can receive an abundance of knowledge. In Your precious name Jesus, Amen.

I know a great Counselor!

“If you love me obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”John 14:15

I have an amazing mentor who over the last several years has taught me, guided me, and encouraged me to be all that I can be for the Lord. I adore our meeting times because I get to sit and be counseled by someone of such wisdom, discernment and knowledge of the Word of God.

He has taught me the significance of seeking advice from the Holy Spirit first before I seek his or anyone else’s advice. I remember during one of our meetings he made the comment that I should seek the Lord’s counsel in the direction He wanted me to go and I thought to myself “Why can’t you just tell me.”  He continued to say that the Lord would make it very clear how He wanted to use me and where. But I would have to be patient and listen!

Number 10 on our list of things to crave-Wise Counsel

I believe that the Lord gives us two counselor’s the first being the most important and needed is the Holy Spirit. He is the very one and the only one that can lead us into all truth. He is the one that teaches us how to discern right from wrong, and He is the very one that opens our eyes to understand the Word of God. He also counsels us to know the path’s we should take and that is the one the Lord has already mapped out for us.

The Holy Spirit, the one that lives and dwells within us, is also the one that speaks on our behalf. “He prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”Romans 8:26

Our second counselor is those who obtain true spiritual maturity and knowledge from the Word of God, such as our Pastor’s and Church Counselors. They have been called by the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. Though our earthly counselors cannot lead us into all truth, they can help guide and lead us to the one who can. I believe that we need to be very cautious and aware (drawing from the counselor within) when we do pick an earthly counselor. Our earthly counselor’s must exemplify this verse. “Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. And whatever you do or say let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all while giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:16-17

Isn’t it wonderful to know that we have our very own Counselor that lives within our hearts? When you are seeking advice would you first seek the one that can lead you into all truth?

Prayer: Jesus thank you for not leaving us empty handed when You died and rose again. Thank you for sending Your counselor that has been with You from the very beginning. May we always listen to His advice first, in Jesus name, Amen.

You are never too old to receive it!!

“My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.” Hebrews 12:5-6

It was the dreaded words my mom would say.”When your dad gets home, you are getting a spanking” “Oh no, please mama, please we will be good, we will stop arguing and talking back, please don’t tell dad!” My sisters and I would say. And to make it worse she would make us sit on the couch until he got home. Can you say miserable?

So there we were sitting on the couch and we would see him pull up and immediately the tears and begging began. He would walk in and say three words.”Get the belt” “ Awe, please daddy we are so sorry. We won’t do it again (yay right).” But it didn’t make a difference, no matter how much we begged or how much we cried he ALWAYS followed through!

I am 31 years old and when I think back on those moments it still puts knots in my tummy! But can I tell you my brothers and sisters, today at 31, I am so glad I had two parents who loved me so much they believed in discipline. My sisters and I know we are better people today because of the discipline (yes the spankings!) we received. Though it hurt and we felt they were to strict, we knew and know today we were loved.

Number 11 on our list of things to crave-Discipline

Jesus’ discipline comes from the Word of God, and there is not a day that goes by that I am not disciplined by my heavenly Father, and I am so thankful to be so loved and accepted as His child.

I believe that is why some people don’t read the Word more or go to church more, because they don’t want to be disciplined, corrected, and or punished for the actions and choices they make. I mean really, who wants to be corrected and punished? No one, but we have to look at it from the Lord’s perspective. And that is those of whom he does correct, discipline and punish are those of whom He loves!

My child you are loved! You are loved so much by the Father who created you that He desires for you to learn, grow, and to mature spiritually.

That is why I love our passage today! Every time I read it I smile because I am so thankful that I have a Father who wants me to be the very best I can be. He wants so much for me to be joyful, successful, pure and holy like Him. He wants nothing to harm or hurt me!

Are you running from discipline? Turn to Jesus today, yes there will be times it hurts, burns, and makes you angry, but I promise it will result in a deeper love relationship between you and Christ.

Prayer: Jesus I will take being disciplined by You every day of the week, because I know it results in growth and it reveals how deep Your love is for me. Thank You! Amen

There is nothing prettier!

“Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right.”Hebrews 5:14

It is the difference between teaching and being taught, it is the difference between deep understanding and the basics. It wants to be active, challenged, and confident.

It comes from time and growth, without the two it will not develop!

Number 12 on our list of things to crave-Spiritual Maturity

Every Wednesday I sit in a room filled with devout madly in love, and extremely wise Christians! I would consider these men and women to be the backbone of our church. And just this last Wednesday as I was looking around the room I noticed how much beauty was present. Spiritual beauty, that came from a group of men and women who possessed something that I so badly desire, spiritual maturity.

These men and women all obtain character qualities as those given above. They have deep understanding, they are active, they seek to be challenged, and they are confident in their relationship with Christ. Oh my brothers and sisters that is beauty that we should all long for.

Do you know how to tell if you are maturing spiritually? Answer these questions;

 Are you teaching or just wanting to be taught?

Are you developing a deeper understanding of God’s word or are you still struggling with the basics?  

Do you self-evaluate or self-criticize?

 Do you seek unity or disunity?

 Do you desire to be challenged spiritually or do you desire to be entertained?

 Do you carefully study and observe God’s Word or do you base things off of opinion and half-hearted efforts?

Are you active in your faith or cautious and doubtful?

 Are you confident or fearful?

And do you base your feelings and experiences from God’s Word or from your own feelings?

If you desire to obtain true beauty than you should desire Spiritual Maturity!

It begins with time, which leads to growth, which then develops spiritual maturity. What are you seeking to mature in?

Prayer: Jesus thank you for the men and women who have been so faithful to their commitment to You and as a result, possess such amazing beauty. Jesus that is the beauty I crave with such an intense burning desire, In Jesus name, Amen!

Get off the milk!

“You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. And a person who is living on the milk isn’t very far along in the Christian life and doesn’t know much about doing what is right.” Hebrews 5:12-13

Have you ever thought how amazing it is that every human and creature born starts out on either their mother’s milk or formula. It is their source of food and it is exactly what is required in order for them to grow.

Number 13 on our list of things to crave-Spiritual Growth

Jesus has the same desire for us as Christians to grow spiritually. I could sit here and type and type but in reality the truth is when it comes to our Spiritual Growth it is very simple.

We must get off the milk! Just as a mother must wean here baby from nursing, we too have to be weaned from the basics of Christianity. Meaning, get off of John 3:16 and start getting deeper into the Word of God! Start learning more than one Scripture!

Start introducing solid food! Start tasting the variety of flavors God’s Word has to offer. Allow your spiritual taste buds to experience the lasting fulfillment of a deeper understanding of who Jesus is. We need to start applying Scripture to our lives and living them out! We need to start being more faithful to our commitment to Jesus and living in complete obedience! We must allow the Word of God to penetrate within us, or from our food prospective we need to take a bite(Read the word) chew it up(meditate on it, take it in), swallow it( apply it)and allow it to digest(store within us).  When we do that we start developing the ingredients for our recipe of growth! Each and every day we must learn new things from God’s Word and add those ingredients to our recipe. This recipe can NEVER have too much in it!

And lastly we must take our recipe out into the world and share it with all the newborns and with those who want to be weaned, and introduced to solids!

So today I hope you try a new ingredient to your recipe of growth, I promise you will be so surprised with how amazing just that one ingredient will make your recipe!

Prayer: Jesus help us to taste all the flavors of Your Word and allow it to digest and settle within us, filling us up and allowing our faith to grow, In Jesus name, Amen.

Humble

“Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.” Philippians 2:3-4

He was one of the top angels and yet it was not good enough, he wanted more. He wanted to be equal to God. Because of His pride he was cast out of heaven. And now he fills the minds of people to think they cannot function without impressing others, or being the wealthiest, most successful and the best at what they do no matter the cost. He takes pride in watching people become greedy and self-conceited. He finds pride in watching people destroy their image all for the sake of feeling important and fitting in. He wants everyone to think they should be served and not serve! He wants us to think our value comes from focusing on ourselves and evaluating our success, wealth, and achievements from a worldly prospective.

Number 15 on our list of things to crave-Humbleness

And then you have Him “Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

He showed humbleness from the time He entered the world. He did not demand to be born in a king’s palace, or wear the finest clothing. He did not request to be served, but He served! He did not throw His power around or bring attention to Himself. He did not care about being the most liked and He never compromised any part of Himself to fit in! He never focused on Himself or measured His value by the world’s standards. He evaluated His value from God’s eyes!

He spoke softly and gently with loving kindness.  When He holds us accountable and reprimands us He does it because He loves us, not because He wanted to throw His authority and power around, but because He wants His best for us.

He is the true example of how humbleness should be displayed!

So whose example are you going to follow?                

                                            

Prayer: Jesus today we seek to follow Your example of how to be humble. Forgive us for being to prideful thus missing our value in Your eyes. In Jesus name, Amen!

Her Healing Begins

 “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” 3 John 1:2

Precious woman, as I sit here this morning my heart breaks for you. My chest seems to sense the agony of yours, and it breaks my heart even more. I can’t seem to grasp the fear that you feel, nor can I even begin to comprehend the sadness that has filled your home.

I cannot truly understand the anger, but I know if it were me, I too would be angry. Angry at the sickness, angry at the what if’s and why's, just angry. 

Precious woman, the very day I heard my heart has not been the same, nor have my thoughts, and yet I cannot even begin to comprehend what you felt or thought the moment you heard.

As I sit here this morning I know that today is the beginning of your fight; the fight to win, the fight to heal, the fight to not lose the precious you, the fight to not let this get the best of you.  And yet, you and I know the difficulty of this fight. Yet I believe it is not just the beginning of your fight but the beginning of your healing.  Oh, precious woman I pray you know this fight you will fight will end in victory! Healing will come!

Precious woman, though a portion of you will change, your beauty will not. For the beauty you hold is the beauty from within-His beauty in you. Cling to that beauty precious woman, and know it is His eyes that matter and the eyes of that wonderful man who has been next to you for the last 15 plus years. I know the beauty he sees is the beauty we see.

Precious woman I sit here, here in the Most Holy Place, made way by Christ Himself, flooding the throne room on your behalf. I cry out for healing for you. I cry out for strength for you first, and for your family second. I pray for your eyes to be focused on the Healer Himself. I pray for wisdom to fill the minds of every doctor who will care for you. I pray that the Lord Himself will be the Surgeons hands.  My prayer turns into weeping as I cry out for complete healing to take place; healing for your body, healing for your family, healing for your girls. And I know you are crying out the very same prayer.

Precious Dana Christ knows your very need and He knows your every fear. He knows the days ahead starting with today. He knows the pain, oh how well He knows the pain. He knows every detail and every square inch of you. He knows Dana. Rest in Him, run to Him, find comfort, peace, and healing in Him.

You are loved sweet Dana, so very loved, by us but most of all by Him-Jesus.

Today brethren my precious friend Dana will begin her fight against Breast Cancer. So today I ask, not just any of you, but those of you who are faithful to pray, those who say they will pray and will actually pray, and not just today but everyday. Pray for Dana as she begins this battle, pray for her husband Mark and their two precious daughters. Pray for her parents and his parents as they all join in to do what needs to be done. Please just pray!

Father thank You for Dana and her precious family.  Today I ask that You fill every square inch of their home with Your presence. I ask for Your healing hand to be upon Dana as she begins her first round of chemo. Give her more strength than she new existed. Give her body the power to fight every bit of the cancer with such force that everyone knows it is You fighting it for her. Give her family the endurance, rest, strength and support they need to help her. But Jesus more than any of that we ask that You completely heal her. Wrap Your arms so tightly around her she can physically feel You. Place her eyes on You and bring her  and her family to complete dependence upon You. Give every doctor the wisdom and discernment needed to know exactly how to treat and care for her. Jesus draw near to Dana, she needs You, we all need You. Amen

Why are you here?

“…For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want.” John 6:38

“I know there is a reason for me being here, Lord please show me! I have let Satan convince me that I am not good at anything; I am too sinful to even be used by you. What reason did you have for creating me? Lord please just show me what you want me to do, where you want me.”

“My sweet child, as I began knitting you together with my own two hands I knew how special you were to Me, and I knew exactly what I wanted to use you for! You are created in the image of Me, there is no two people created the same. You are unique and beautiful and I have placed you on earth not to fulfill your purpose but to fulfill My purpose. I knew before the world began that I would be able to do the work I want done through you. You will never be good at anything on your own. It is Me that is within you that will be great at the very thing I have created you for.”

How could I be so selfish to think that I was sent here to earth to fulfill my purpose? I have no purpose without Christ.

Number 16 on our list of things to crave-Fulfilling His Purpose

Jesus could not have said it any better than when He said, “… For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want.”

You and I have also been sent down from heaven to do the will of God who sent us, not to do what we want. It is so easy and goodness do I know how easy it is to get caught up in wanting and trying to fulfill our own purpose.

How can we fulfill His purpose? We start by putting our complete trust and faith in Jesus Christ. We seek out His will by meditating on the His Word and spending time in prayer. We wait patiently for Him to act and then we obediently react. We take each thought and decision to Him first and ask that He reveal to us if we are making it about us or Him.

We serve Him by serving others, we love like He loves us, we keep our eyes focused on Him and Heaven and we remember that every decision we make, every word we speak, every place we are in is for Him and His glory.

Sound like a lot to fulfill? When we try to do it on our own it is SO much and that is where I went wrong and why I prayed that prayer so many times, but when I let Christ in me do it, I found it to be so much easier and enjoyable.

We have no greater job than the one we are called to and that is fulfilling His purpose!

Prayer: Jesus forgive us when we get caught up in trying to make it about us and our purpose. May we take our eyes off of the world and place it on You. In Jesus name, Amen.

How is your marriage?

“He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” Ephesians 5:25-27     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

He promised to love me, comfort me, honor me and keep me in sickness and in health, rich or poor, better or worse, sadness and in joy, and to cherish and continually give me His heart’s deepest devotion. He promised to keep me only for Himself as long as I live.

It is the very act of faith and a personal commitment. It is the most important relationship that can exist between two people. It is the building of love and trust. It is a commitment that requires daily attention and is life-long.

Number 17 on our list of things to crave-A promising marriage

A marriage that took place way before our earthly marriages took place. The marriage between us and Christ!

From the time He put the earth in motion and placed me in the womb of my mother He had claimed me for His own. Jesus is my groom and long before I ever knew I was and am His bride.

The day I accepted His proposal (placed Him in my heart) He didn’t place a ring on my finger He covered me in His blood. It was His promise and pledge of His love to me. It was a symbol of His promise to be united to me forever.

Our wedding day was the day of my baptism! It was a day that I publically swore before my family and friends that I would be joined to Jesus as one. I would make my heart and mind become one with His.

Together we would create our home (my heart) a place of love, kindness, warmth, and a place for Him to dwell.

On that day what God had joined together will no man or Satan destroy!

And by the power vested in me by the Word of God, His Son, and His blood, I am now married to the bridegroom of Heaven and earth. As I cling to His promises my days will be good, long, and forever.

I am married to a Savior who will never fail me, cheat on me, hurt me, leave me, or ever stop loving me. No matter how many times I mess up, hurt Him, or how little of time I spend with Him.

When I gladly accepted the amazing privilege and honor of becoming His wife, of which I don’t even deserve, I committed to honor Him, spend quality time with Him, build Him up, serve Him, love Him with all of my heart, and worship Him as my King.

I wonder just how many earthly marriages would be saved if our Heavenly marriages were how they were supposed to be.

Prayer: Jesus may our marriage with You be all that You desire it to be. May we put as much time into our relationship as we do our earthly ones. Thank You for choosing us to be Your brides! In Jesus name, Amen          

What does your time sheet show?

“O Lord God Almighty! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, Lord? Faithfulness is your very character.” Psalm 89:8

For the last 31 years of my life I have had a mom and dad that have been 100% committed to their kids and grandkids! They travel from one end of the state to the other in order to be there whenever we need them. There has never been a day that if one of me or my sisters called that they would not stop what they were doing to be there.

Growing up they went to over 100 + basketball games, football games (why we cheered) church camps, etc. No matter what was going on they were there! I can honestly tell you that I don’t remember one thing I ever did that my mom and dad were not present. They have always made us feel like we were the most important thing on the face of the earth. Over their job, their own wants-everything! No matter how tired they are they somehow find the strength to keep on going.

They have been to ALL seven of their grandkids births, birthdays, hospital stays, and even just because! But not only were they committed to us, they were and are committed to their friends, the sick, their jobs, and most important their church, and the Lord!

Number 18 on our list of things to crave-Faithfulness

We all know of people who we would define as faithful. Whether faithful parents, faithful workers, faithful sports fans, faithful friends, etc. How many people do we know that are faithful followers of Christ?

My husband and I just recently attended an NFL football game and as we were sitting there watching and looking around we both noticed how faithful some of the fans were, but not only that but how many there were. And we couldn’t help to think what if all these people were faithful to the Lord and their church! Goodness could you imagine!

But what about those who put their heart and soul into their jobs, what if they put their heart and souls into the Lord and their church? As all these thoughts were going through my head, I wondered where my faithfulness stood. I wondered if my life showed my faithfulness to the Lord and His church.

I am very blessed to have parents who taught and showed me daily what faithfulness is and looks like, but more than that I have a God whose faithfulness is His very character.

Let me define faithfulness for you- The Son of God who was sent to earth in human flesh. And knew from the time He arrived the price He would pay. Yet for thirty three years knowing the agony and pain He would endure still devoted Himself to His father and to you and me. He is the parent that has never left our sides, has been there for every birth, birthday, and hospital stay, and even just because! He is the faithful employee, employer, and friend!

If you had to keep a time sheet what would your hours show?  How would it define your faithfulness? How would you define your own faithfulness? Are you a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, His word, and His church?

Prayer: Jesus thank you for Your faithfulness to us. May we adjust our priorities to be more faithful followers of You. In Jesus name, Amen