Cleaning House- Cleaning Spirit

I have been cleaning out things per the instruction from the Lord. Throwing away things that I just do not need. Letting go of things that I have kept "just in case" I might need it one day. Do you do that? While cleaning out I came across the source of this post. It was a couple of sheets of paper tucked away in a shoe box that I have had for years. I threw it away and in the doing I re-read this post. I was amazed that the very same relationships that I was struggling with two years ago have just this year been released. I am a slow learner.

The Lord has been giving me specific instructions the other day to "clean" up my spiritual life and one of them was to let go of people that have walked away from me. I will listen this time. I have a new vision for my life and struggling with dead relationships is not one of them. My older brother Paul is always telling me that they are a vexation to my spirit. He is right.

This post was from 2007
and something that I found VERY strange...... It was dated November 18 2007.
I think the Father God wanted me to post this again today.

What do you think?
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....I am a fan of T.D.Jakes and have read most of his books. Woman Thou Art Loosed is a great book. While cleaning out some old papers the other day I came across an email sent to me by a good friend and mentor a few years ago... (Yes I am a pack rat and keep everything, however this time I am glad that I did.) In this email was some quotes from T.D.Jakes that I want to share with you.... You see I have struggled all my life with low self esteem and an sense of needing to belong. Maybe that is why I have made so many mistakes in my personal choices.

... If you knew me well or if you were around me for any given time you would think that I had all the confidence in the world and I needed no outside affirmation of who I was... but you would be wrong. I cover it up and I cover it up with a very strong personality and I am a bit mouthy... thus I will overcome by being the stronger voice. That is sometimes good and sometimes bad. I think that the Lord has helped me so much in the past few years by giving me Dennis. He loves me as I am and I have no need of proving myself. He is such a gift and he is the example of the love of God in my life......

........ Getting back to T.D.Jakes.... I hate it when I know someone does not like me or accept me and I work hard at trying to change that...... I will talk and do and go out of my way to figure out how to change their minds toward me. My older brother thinks I am crazy...hahahhah and maybe so... There are those that will love and accept me and there are those that will not and that is life........ I just have a hard time letting go... There are some relationships in my life that case me grief because I love these people but cannot reach them.... I try, I really try but everything I do is twisted and turned back to hurt me.......... soooooooooo while cleaning out those pesty boxes of paper I found this............ Tell me what you think:

Let it Go: 2004 T.D.Jakes

There are people who can walk away from you and hear me when I tell you this:

1. If they can walk away let them!

2. Do not talk one more person into staying with you , loving you, calling you, coming to see you, or staying attached to you.

3. Hang up the phone, do not try calling them one more time. ( I started to do that this morning)

4. Your destiny is never tied to anyone that has left you.

5. The bible says that they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us, for had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. (1 John 2:9)

6. People leave you because they are not joined to you, and if not joined to you, you cannot make them stay.

7. We need to learn the gift of good-bye.

8. Stop begging people to stay. Let them go.

9. If someone cannot treat you right, love you back, and see your worth, let them go.

10. If you keep trying to help someone that will not help themselves , let them go.

11. If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship then Let it go!

T.D.Jakes 2004

I have been so guilty of all of these things.... I struggle so hard sometimes with things that I cannot change..... It is just who I am, but this morning after reading this list again I realize that it is a vexation to my spirit man and I need to let go. God has called me to accomplish some things in my life and I am beginning to see those things happen. The energy that I spend with the broken things in my life is draining me of my spiritual life.

.... The relationships in my life that are broken or non existing God will replace. He is able to send us a brother or sister, a mother or father. What ever the need may be He is able.
..... So this Sunday morning I will vow unto the Lord one more time to let go of those things that hinder my spirit and I will look to the Father for those things that I need in my life and if I do not need it in my life I will let it go.

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We all have things in our life that need to be released to the Father. In the two years since I had written this post I have released a lot of things and people. It is a learning and healing process, and I see healing in my life and it is strange to say, but my vision is clearing.

God, HE is so smart.

NO !!!!! I have Changed My Mind.......

I had post earlier this week about something that was on my mind and was something that I struggled with and sooooooooooooooooooooo NOW i have changed my mind and my heart it light and full tonight and I am not going to share anything with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified............

I am having quite a week and it will continue through the weekend and into next week...... I promise that I will share with you everything when this is finished! It will be so much fun to show you what I am trying soooooooooooo hard to keep secret! But.......... This post has noting to do with that................

While standing by the side of my bed this morning folding clothes my mind was wondering here and there about life and how wonderful my life is today........... My mind went back in time to the years before I was born again and then on to the few years after that......... My goodness what a journey.

I went into my Christian life with the though that "Whew, now my life will be fine and everything will be perfect and my troubles are over" OMG.............. was I wrong!

You see, when you are lost and your spirit man is dead Satan does not even know your name. He does not care on hoot about you and he care not if you are dead or alive. He does not care if you are happy or sad or young or old or a hard worker or lazy. He does not care........ He only wants you to remain in his kingdom......... Now, when you are born again all of a sudden he knows your name. You have his attention and now it is his mission to destroy you...... Oh, now he cannot take your soul but he really wants you unhappy and a defeated Christian. Heaven knows he does not want you triumph in your life......... So starts the war.

My gosh, how many of us can relate to that........

What a war it is......... The word of God tells us that

Eph 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

Now if the word of God uses the word wrestle, then we are going to be thrown to the mat on occasions...... BUT !!!

He knows your name........... Now, you might ask what in the world has this got to do with my happy heart.............. We are MORE than conqueror!!!

Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

We are more! More than a conqueror!

How can you be MORE than a conqueror? Because we have Jesus and HE rose from that tomb.......... He is alive and we have available to us the host of heaven and all the power that it contains! He is watching and He knows our comings and our goings.....

While folding clothes this morning I had a thought........ (be nice) I was thinking of my friend over at MelanieJoy and this is what the Father dropped into my spirit man.........

Just when you think that God is not watching........... He winks!

Be blessed this day girls........ we win..............

All Sufficient

It is Sunday night and I am just not sleepy so thought I would take the time to post a bit. Just a short post on what the Lord has shown me this weekend...... Friday (the 4th) was a bit too quiet for me and it caused me to be a bit moody which is out of my character! Way out of my character!

You see, I am in a place now that my life is making sense and has for almost 1o years now since the Lord gifted me with Dennis. I am in a large place that the bible talks about and it is all coming together for me. I want to share that with those that I love. I am a VERY social creature! VERY........ I am extroverted to a fault and it is just who I am. I love people and having people around and going out with people and having friend and family over here..... For the past many years I have been the one to have the backyard parties and barbeque's and the Thanksgivings and the Christmas parties and parties for Mom's birthday and Dad's birthday and etc.......... I cannot help myself......... I just love it........

It is how my Father God made me and it is ok. I have tried to stop but it only makes me unhappy. So I continue to try to bring my family together and sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. I usually have my Mom and Dad in mind when I am planning and doing so that they can have all their children around them as often as possible.

Anyway, let me get back on track.

Dennis and I had a barbecue on Memorial day and on Mothers day and then tried to do something for Fathers day ....... so this 4th we decided not to do a thing..... and not a thing we did do..... It was a good day, do not get me wrong but mid day I was feeling a bit blue an missing the sound of other people...... It cause me to be come quiet and let me tell you...... I am not a quiet person....... What my moodiness caused was something that even now hurts my heart.

It caused my husband's feelings to be hurt that I would want to be somewhere else or with someone else........... Oh my, not the case at all........ He is my soul mate and I would lay my life down for him if asked. He is a gift that I never imagined I would ever have, so to hurt him hurts me....... I asked for his forgiveness and we talked and he understands my silly ways.

You see...... The Lord has brought me to this large place and it is my hearts desire to share... I just want to share what God has given. Time with my family... have two brothers and a sister and I would love to see us all in my backyard laughing and enjoying each other as we once did......... and sometime mid day on the 4th those thoughts crowded my mind. If only people would forgive, if only they would see that life is not about things but about sharing and loving without envy or strife for jealousy. I hate jealousy! I hate competition within a family....... If only?

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!

I need no other......... I am all sufficient in Him....... He is my life and the lover of my soul. We seek outside influence to bring us joy, but our joy is made whole when we rest in His sufficiency.It is the joy that we discover when we submerge our self in Him. It is in the knowing Him that causes me to rejoice.

When we allow the actions of others determine our happiness, we will always be disappointed. When we seek for validity from others we will never find true worth in ourselves. It is not from the outward that causes us to be whole, it is from the all sufficient Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is mother and father, and sister and brother..... He is the son and he is the daughter. He is all things to all people and while I sat in my swing on the evening of the 4th and just visited with my precious husband and just had quality time alone, I discovered that, yes I would have liked the laughter and noise of a gathering, but this day alone with my sweetie was ordered of the Lord and it was good............ I was at peace and the joy of the Lord was my strength.

Be joyful whether you be alone or in a crowd........ for there are many that are lonely alone and they are lonely in a crowd.......... They need Jesus........

This is the Day That The Lord has Made........ Of Course EVERY day is a Day that The Lord has Made!!!

HAVE A HAPPY SUNDAY!

I am out in my yard and ENJOYING THE DAY!
Will post latter tonight! I have a lesson that the Lord gave me on Friday.............

Love you gals!

Paraklētos

Paraklētos

He Walks Along Side

1) summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid
a) one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate
b) one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor
1) of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins
c) in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant
1) of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom

Jhn 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, (Paraklētos)that he may abide with you for ever;

Jhn 14:17
[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I have been very involved in a bible study on line (I will give you the link at the bottom) .. the first subject that I choose was "The Person and Gifts of the Holy Spirit " You can study at your own speed and then you can take the test and move on to another study. Now I am so enjoying this study and I have studies the book of Acts through and through during my 30 years of a Christian. I love to study the Holy Spirit. Something struck my heart while in the very first lesson and I love it when the Lord brings to life a scripture that you have read all your life.

I study the bible in stories and I like to go with one of the persons in the story until I understand how they felt and what they saw and how they were changed, then I move onto another person in that story and see the entire happening from another angle....... It helps me to remember the people involved and helps me to know what the Father God is trying to speak to us.

Now when Jesus was leaving in John 16 you have to look at this and understand that these are real people! Leaving, where are you going, why are you leaving? What will we do without you? Can you hear them? They had walked and talked with the Savior for three years, they were taken care of and fed supernaturally and saved from the stormy seas and they were told where to find the money to pay their taxes. They had the Savour walking with them day in and day out! Leave, why are you leaving? That would be their response......... Can you hear them all speaking at once? I bet they did.................. but hear Jesus.............

Jhn 16:6
But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

"Now guys, I have to go and prepare a place for you but I promise I will not leave you alone. "

I will pray to the Father and He will send someone who will walk along side you, He will teach you and guide you. He will be your friend.

The Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity. He has been a part of the Trinity from the very beginning. He stayed when Jesus was sent , knowing that the time would come that He would be sent. He stands along side the Father and the Son, He is an individual just as the Father and the Son are individual persons. He is a person. Can you see Him? My goodness, He came because the Father sent Him, with a purpose and a mission, just as the Father sent Jesus with a purpose and a mission.

The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father to walk along side YOU........ He is ever present and moves right with you every day, every minute. He is there to comfort and direct and teach.

Oh Lord, open our eyes that we might see that you have given to us the Holy Spirit to walk along side us every minute of every day of our life.

I have always known that He lives within me... I feel His presence each day, but now I "see" Him walking along side me......... I see Him, my every present friend,

my Paraklētos... The friend that my Father sent. The third part of the Trinity, walking next to me.

If you have been born again then the Holy Spirit walks beside you every step of the way.

SEE HIM as He walks beside you......... We have not been left alone!

Fear Not.........

Here is the link to the bible study.. Once on the home page you will see a list of subjects on the left, at the very bottom of the tabs you will see BLB Institute... Click there...... it will take you to the program. Enjoy

Blue Letter Bible

A Life Changed ....... Part 2

……..When Dennis and I met on April 24th 1999 I had no idea what God was up to……. And by the way we met on the Internet……bet you did not know that…….. After talking for what seemed like years we met at the praying hands in Tulsa Oklahoma. We were married October 17, 1999…….. It was God……. It was so God……… Long story short, we lived in Wichita for a couple of years where he was employed at Cessna Corporation as a computer technician. (Smart guy) .

............After a couple of years he knew that the Lord was telling him to leave there and come to Ada. I had elderly parents here and a son that I miss so……and a brother and sister in law that I so wanted to spend more time with. . In December 2001 we moved to Ada and he was hired at the University here in town……. And I resumed my business of screen print and embroidery.

...........Now I share that with you to let you know that my life up until 1999 was difficult at times but the Lord had walked with me through many many trials and had changed me from the inside out…….. I remember through all those years up until 1999 I would lay on the floor and cry out to the Lord to please not let my life be in vain……. I would pray that over and over and over for years and years……. I could never understand why such heartache came my way but through it all I survived……… I never tried to second guess why, I knew that some was my stupidity and my lack of self confidence and then there were the things that I just had no control over……..


...........Life is like that, some days we just have no control as to what comes next… However through those years I studied and taught and did some preaching and cried and begged God not to let my life and my struggles go for naught…….. He heard, He would answer………


……. When we moved back to Ada I felt that I had come home for many reasons and I hoped that the Lord had finally planted me to put down roots and begin……. But begin what? I had learned a long time ago that when the Lord moves it is never never in the way we every imagined…

…… With Dennis being a computer guru that he is I was quickly learning much more about the Internet and the computer than I ever imagined. Dennis is a beautiful Christian man he has encouraged me from the get go to write. He has always sat and listened as he would ask questions about the word of God and I would explain the best I could. He would always comment that I had such a wonderful way with teaching that others should hear……. Thus I created the Samaritan Women web site. I think I did that in 2003 …. And I began to write my devotionals.


........... My mantle from the Lord is teaching and I can tell you right now that I am in my element when in front of people, it matters not if it is one person or 500 people……. That is where I find my voice. It is a feeling that you can only understand if you have stood in the very middle of your calling…… there are no words… Now I will say to you that I am a good teacher and I only say that because the Lord has given that gift to me and to not tell you that would be like putting under a bushel the light that I have inside……..it is not a statement of pride or being puffed up, it is just my gift and I wear it proudly……….


............ Now……. After having a lot of time to write and pray and read, I began to write…… it was a few years latter that I became very discouraged and after a couple of years lost my will to write and decide that it was really a waste of time and after all there are millions of web sites and I am a pimple on the butt of a tadpole in the great scheme of life……….


......... I think it was almost two years that the web site was not touched and nothing added and then a computer crash and I lost most of my devotions and did not even try to replace them….


........ That is one thing about God, nothing moves Him and if we are a willing heart then He continues along the same path that He started out on regarding our lives……… He is not moved right or left He just continues……… He sees our heart and He sees that we have a passion to serve Him…….

…About a year ago my husband told me about the blog world and I began to blog in April of 2007……… and I found an outlet to begin to write again, and I can tell you that I have loved every minute of it and have met some wonderful ladies. I will always continue in the blog but I feel that the Lord has changed the course of my life in the past few months. It began back in January I believe ( I am sorry to say that the very first email from Chris along with several after that have been lost when I formatted my laptop from Vista to Windows XP) but I can share with you several of the other emails (in part) and I think you will understand what I am so excited about………….
......... Let me introduce you to Chris.............

........Chris is a man on a mission living in India.... He has a calling of God in his life and he has a heart turned to God and he is reaching out to the lost and hurting people of India. I love his statement at the bottom of most of his email..............."Life which is totally committed to God has nothing to fear nothing lose nothing regret"

........... Due to the fact that this blog has gotten pretty long... I will finish tomorrow night.........

Blessings

Denise

p.s. my web site is open again......... Samaritan Women

A Life Changed

…………I have thought about this post for a while and now I think it is time that I share with you a new friend that I have been talking to for a while……… But before I do that I would like to share a bit of my life with you and it will help you understand why this new friendship is so meaningful to me………… I will keep this as short as possible and I will post this in two parts…………..

Let me begin on September 10, 1977…. That is the day that I was born again and my life changed so drastically. I was in the middle of my third marriage. He was sent by God, everyone said. He was loved by all my family and my sweet Grandmother thought that God had finally answered her prayer to send me a Godly man ……… Well, much to our disappointment he was not an answer from God and he was not a godly man. A short time into the marriage I learned that he was a convicted felon in Texas and still on probation and he was wanted in one county in Oklahoma by an ex-wife for past alimony.

………..Now those are not the sort of things that enhance a new marriage. It was not long before I discovered that he was also physically abusive. Now, if you have never known a woman that has been abused or continues to be abused then you cannot understand what it does to the spirit. It is a devastating situation, but in most cases the woman has such low self-esteem that she stays…….. I was one of those women. Now we do not know what keeps us there but looking back on my life I was on a collision course of self destruction that only a Savior like Jesus could stop… and stop it He did.

………..The years before Jesus saved me was very tumultuous to say the least. I had been beaten and thrown out of the car in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere and all this was done by a husband. He would come back a bit latter and beat me a bit more and then drive off and so it would go for hours……. I share just that bit of information with you so that if any out there would question my authority to speak of the effects on a woman that has been abused would be put to rest. However, you will not hear me speak of any further experiences, as I have no desire to glorify the evil that tried to take my life; my purpose is to speak of the Love that saved it.

........My husband then, lets call him Mr. B. decided to move us to Anadarko, a small town in Oklahoma about 6-8 months into the marriage. I guess I was hoping that to move and start a life somewhere else would help…….. That is a lesson in futility! When you physically move to start anew, the evil travels with you. It is a lesson that I would learn the hard way.

....…In the late 70’s there was a movement going across the country know as Women’s Aglow…… It was during the Charismatic movement in which many many people were born again. It was at one of these meeting on a Saturday morning in a small upper room over a restaurant in Anadarko Oklahoma that Jesus would walk into my life and tell me everything that I had ever done……….

John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29: Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

……….The woman ministering that day was Marcia Kendall. I do not remember much else from that day only that she stood there and she spoke what the Holy Spirit spoke to her, and in her obedience, I was born into the kingdom of God. She spoke things to me that day that only God knew. She spoke to me as she approached me and as she drew closer I felt something. When she reached me and was “face to face” the room seemed to disappear and it only contained her voice and none other…….. I knew nothing else other than I was being changed in a twinkling of an eye… Her words to me were soft and gentle and after introducing me to the Christ that she served she invited me to accept Him into my life…… Her eyes never left my eyes and after she offered Jesus she stood quiet, it seems as though time stood still and somewhere from within me I spoke the words “Yes I will”… It was then that from the top of my head to the tip of my toes the feeling of oil washing over my body…… I was born into the kingdom of God…. It is her words following that are the words that I want to share with you today… It is the words that have kept me searching and maybe searching is not a good word, but waiting for that time and waiting for that place that God would fulfill those words… For you see, I believe her to be true prophet of God and the things that she spoke to me that day did and will come forth. She took a few steps back from me after my accepting Jesus as my savour and she spoke these words………..

………. “You will teach and preach to the broken hearted women and you will share with them out of your brokenness about the Grace that has saved you………….. You will tell them that the Jesus that you serve is a Savior that forgives and He will restore them back to the Father and welcome them in as He has welcomed you this day… You will tell them that He is a God that loves them and a God of new beginnings and when He forgives and He forgets”

Do you accept this from the Lord this day she asked? And my response was yes……. Now there were other things said that day that I vaguely remember but those were the words that buried deep into my heart and remain to this day…..

…….. Now I share that today with you for only one purpose……to let you know that the past 30 years walking with the Lord has been a journey. For many years after that day in 1977 was a time of healing……. You see, I was broken and undone and full of the wisdom of the world and the hatred of the world and the ways of the world… I was 30 and had been around the world twice.. I had experienced more than my share of good times and more than my share of heartache… I had issues from childhood that needed to be addressed and then the years of physical abuse and mental abuse and divorce from the men in my life…..… Mercy….. I have no idea how the Holy Spirit worked through all of that for me, but worked through it He did…….. but…….. you have to understand that God lives in a place where there is no time….and the ways of the world would say hurry but God just takes His time………And time was all I had……… and so began the healing and the teaching and the instruction and the ups and the downs and the mistakes on a daily basis……. But through it all the words of Marsha Kendall sounded in my heart……. That out of the brokenness of my heart that day I would learn to offer that same Christ to others that have walked where I once walked.

……. I have watched for that day, I have prayed for that day, I have tried to force that day, I have given up on that day, I have lately grieved about the loss of that dream…and said in my heart that day would not come………. I was wrong, that day has come and it is not something that I would have not guessed in a thousand years… It is far more than I could have realized…… Tomorrow I will share with you what the Lord has done in my life and I will introduce you to Chris……..

A Present Day Nehemiah

I am sitting here tonight reading about Nehemiah and the building of the wall............ As I read about how the people worked with one hand on the trowel and the other on their sword it brought to mind the many brothers and sisters in Christ that are spreading the gospel in unfriendly places........Such as a friend of mine in India.......... We are not promised an easy road on this path of Christ, but we are promised that He will walk with us.............. I am blessed to live in a country with no persecution (yet) and I sometimes think that the American people are soft and could not withstand the trials that others endure.............. I pray for those tonight such as my friend Chris as he takes the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of India. With one hand he offers them the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and with the other hand he defends the onslaught of those that would hinder his work for Christ....He is a present day Nehemiah................ I will lift him up to the Father each day................ I can do that for him................. and that is all powerful in itself........................



Neh 4:17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, [every one] with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other [hand] held a weapon.

Pray for our brother in Christ as he ministers life to those in India..

I have a wonderful story to tell the ladies that read my blog...... I am putting it together this week and will post this weekend.. It is a beautiful answer to my prayer from many years ago and my prayers today........God is a mover of mountains and just when you think that your time for work in the kingdom of God has passed He opens another door...

In Christ

Denise

Open My Eyes

The real act of discovery is not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.

Marcel Proust

.

2Ki 6:15
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

2Ki 6:16
And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them.

2Ki 6:17
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Open our eyes Lord that we might see that we are surrounded by a host of angles...... Open our eyes Lord and let us see that we are more than conquerors.

Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

In Christ

Denise

What is Taking Me So Long???????

This is a powerful quote ladies...... Do not despise small beginnings as God is always preparing ...... Expect to be used of God..........

It takes a lifetime to prepare a sermon because it takes a lifetime to prepare a man of God.

Arthur Wood

I will no longer complain that it took God so long to get me to the place I am today......... I have been a work in progress...... and as long as I draw breath........ He will continue to prepare me..

In Christ

Denise

He Looks At Me

Psalm 40:1
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.

.. I got this scripture in one of the email that Denise over at Shorty Bears Place sends and it struck me this morning that we we cry out to the Lord, He turns His eyes toward us.............. I do not read any other translation than the King James but I have to admit that when reading the other translations on this scripture I do like how this one reads.............. How awesome to think that the God of the Universe turns and looks my way when I cry out His name............ I need to cry out His name more often.............................

I have heard this before and have it written in my bible and it is always worth repeating:

Mercy is when we don’t get what we deserve.

Justice is when we get what we do deserve

Grace is when we get what we do not deserve.

Hatcher and His Mustache....

Clock Tower Newmarket England....(pictures from Google Earth)

click on picture to see the 5 lanes coming into the tower..

.........I lived in Newmarket England from 1964 till 1967... I was 18 years old and had not been taught to drive...... soooooo not having an American drivers license I had to take 32 hours of English driving school..... That is where I met Hatcher... He must have been 50 or so and had this huge handle bar mustache......... He had a little box of wax that he carried and he was all the time twirling that mustache..... Now this is not about this mustache but about a lesson that he taught me well and to this day I have never forgotten... I will make this story short....

...........After about 28 or 29 hours of driving I was nearing the time to take my driving test. I did real good in every aspect of driving except I did have a bit of trouble with the clutch and gas..... When slowing down trying to balance the two and keep the car moving but not letting it stall.......

..........This particular Saturday morning when he pulled up to the curb I was expecting him to say head north....... Out of town........ he did not......... Downtown he said...... I can tell you right now that struck fear in my heart that caused my pulse to go up and I began to sweat! Downtown was not so bad, I had gone downtown before.... Saturday was not so bad as I had gone downtown on Saturday before........ But downtown this Saturday caused me to become very agitated and he knew it........

........... It was race day in Newmarket England! It was Saturday race day in Newmarket England....... Oh my gosh......... Hundreds and hundreds of people came to Newmarket to race day............ He just looked at me and smiled and curled his mustache and handed me the keys........ I think he was the devil...........

......... Now being the clever little lady that I was and have always been, said to him "turn before the clock tower? His response to me was no........... Ok now this was serious because the clock tower was my greatest obstacle with that silly clutch and gas.......

...........Downtown we headed and the traffic was thick and the clock tower (roundabout they call it ) was bumper to bumper....... It had 5 lanes coming into the tower and you had to merge into the traffic and circle the tower to the road you were wanting to exit........ Sooooo here we go..

.....Closer to the tower I got the more nervous I became and I just knew this was not going to be pretty... Sure enough when time for me to merge I did not balance the clutch and gas and half way into the center the car died.......... There we were.......... and the harder I tried to start the car the more I caused it to die.......

......... He just sat there with his wax and his mustache and to him the world was beautiful......... After what seemed to me to be an eternity he asked for the keys.......... The Keys? Was he going to make me get out and walk around this car? How embarrassing....... Was he going to rescue me from this mess?.......... Nope! ....Now you understand that if one lane of traffic is stalled then all 5 will eventually be backed up.........That is what happened........ The horns and the people yelling out their windows ..... the hand signals........ Oh my I was so embarrassed.........

......AS we sat there........ He told me to roll up the windows so he would not be drowned out by all the outside noise (and believe me there was noise)

........... This is his lesson......... Calm down and do not worry about what is behind you........ (the traffic was getting so bad) do not worry about the yelling and the screaming and the hand signals........ Take you time and when you are ready start your car, move forward just as though there was nothing backed up behind you........... I do not know how long I sat there and he turned and began to twrill his mustache........... When I felt comfortable, I took the keys, started the car and moved easily into the circle and around and out toward the destination that he directed me to............

Phl 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Phl 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Phl 3:11
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Phl 3:12
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Phl 3:13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Phl 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There will be noise from behind us and there will be finger pointing and accusations of the mistakes that we have made and will make. There will be those that will say that we cannot attain and there will be those that will be encouraging us to press on.

We must always remeber that the rear view mirror is to just let us see where we have been and who is following..

...............Many years latter after I was born again and growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, this lesson from so many years befor would come to have a much greater meaning.

Press on toward the mark of the prize of the high calling......... Turning neither to the right or to the left..... Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus....... Forgetting what lies behing.......

Have a safe and fun holiday weekend!

In Christ

Denise

Who Are You !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is powerful stuff ladies............. It comes from the Charisma Magazine that I get on line..... ....I just have to share this :


Know Your Identity


Ché Ahn, senior pastor of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California, admonishes believers to understand what it means to be children of God. He believes that when the body of Christ comes into this revelation, we will fulfill one of the Father’s greatest longings for us.
The body of Christ is constantly growing and learning about its own identity. Through much sacrifice and discomfort, it has gained unprecedented influence in the world today.

Christians understand what it means to be a friend of Jesus, and they know what it is to be His servant. They have become increasingly secure in believing the Father loves them.

But everything changes when they realize they are sons and daughters of God and possess permanent identity in Him. They have all the rights and privileges of an heir.

Sons and daughters of God can really have, according to His will, what they wisely ask for. The Father invites His children to freely come to Him and tell Him what is on their hearts.

He will back them up when they walk, talk and work on His behalf. God has given the body of Christ the kingdom within to transform anything to which they put their hands.

Signs, wonders and miracles really do “run in the family.” God will even give His sons and daughters nations if they ask Him, according to Psalm 2:8, which says, “Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (NKJV).

He's already opened a joint bank account and is waiting for His people to make withdrawals for healing, salvation for loved ones, peace of mind and whatever else they need for life and godliness.

As 2 Peter 1:3-4 says: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Satan's greatest fear is that sons and daughters of God will know who they are and walk in their authority, but it's the Father's greatest longing for them to do so. In fact, sons and daughters are far more than “believers” or “human beings.” They are children of God, possessing and using all the full rights of that privilege!

With God's help, Christians will change the world and usher in Christ's return as they seize this truth and divine revelation and walk in it. (end of article)

.......................................... I pray that you read this and then read it again................. Oh that we would begin to walk in the authority that He has given... Let us turn on Satan and cause him to run and fear us............. Let us move in the privilege that He purchased at Calvary.............
I love the statement that "Signs, wonders and miracles really do “run in the family.”

Powerful stuff!!!!!!!!!

Your Friend........He Just Wants To Be Your Friend

..........How fun it is to make a new friend.......... you meet and visit and talk and over a period of time you learn the others personality and likes and dislikes........ You learn of their joys and fears and you recognize that voice anywhere.................. A Friend.............

.....That is all He wants............. to be your friend............. do you know Him....... do you recognize His voice anywhere............. Did you know :

Heb 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.

....He has accomplished great and mighty things in the lives of those gone before, He will accomplish great and mighty things in you. He does not change. Do you know what He wants to do with your life? Do you have an understanding of His heart toward you? Do you know that He wants to bless your comings and your goings?

De 28:6
Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

.....The heart of the Father is revealed in His word and in the relationship that you build with Him. Faith abides in a day-by-day building of precept-by-precept, line upon line.

Isaiah 28:9-13

9) Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

11) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

12) To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear .

..........What a wonderful thing that He has promised that In His word the weary will find rest and those that are tired will be refreshed. I encourage you today to go to His word and begin to read about a God that is so in love with you and has made every provision for you to live. Talk to Him and see if He will not answer. Look to Him for direction in you life today. He has a plan for your life and that plan will bring a contentment that nothing else will satisfy.

........... There is a place in God that we as human beings can rest and move away from the hurry and stress that life puts on us. Leave yourself outside the door of your altar and enter into His presence. Abandon any preconceived thoughts as to your ability to trust God.

...........Abandon the faith that you have in your faith and open your heart to the abundance of God’s ability. Begin to build a relationship with the Father God, and in that relationship you will begin to know Him, and in the knowing Him you will begin to trust Him more and more.

......... Your confidence in your Father will grow with each passing day. He waits for you to visit, He waits to hear your voice, He will rejoice over you with singing, and He will make a way where there is no way. Talk to Him, become of friend of God.

Zep. 3:17
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

......Be blessed today and today begin to build that relationship with your Father God. Let the knowledge of who He is build your inner man so that when the winds of adversity blow, you will be able to stand strong, having faith in a Father that cannot fail.

Your sister in Christ

Into The Closet In Groups

............ Back in the early 80's in Tulsa Oklahoma I was a member of a church that laid the foundation on which I stand today. I want to relate to you a story about prayer that happened in one of the sister churches in the community.

... The church had a membership of about 200 and in that 200 there were several ladies that came to church alone, as best I can remember it was about 7 or 8 ladies. They lived with unbelieving husbands. After several years of prayer for these men the heavens seemed to be closed over and no not one of them were brought into the kingdom of God.......... It was at a Women's Ministries meeting that one of the ladies had a thought, instead of praying for all of the men all of the time they should pray for one man at a time. Thus they wrote down each name into a little box and drew the first name. Those women, I do not know the number of women praying, began to petition heaven for the souls of those husbands and fathers. Over the course of a few years, these women were faithful to continue until each name had been drawn, and others added as needed, they saw each man one by one be born into the kingdom of God.

What do you want to pray for today?

....Prayer, it will move a mountain, it will mend a broken heart, and it will change the course of a nation. Prayer will comfort a grieving heart, prayer will find its way past the darkness of the hour, and give us direction through the rubble. Prayer will bind hearts together and cast asunder hate and prejudice. Prayer will overpower doubt and wipe away fear. It will unite a nation and bring it to it knees. Prayer is the faith filled words spoken by the child of God to bring God on the scene. We need God on the scene. Are you called by His name? Are you counted among the believers, then it is not just a privilege to pray, it is your duty. The word says that it is your reasonable service. Let us go beyond reasonable, and storm the gates of hell, there are souls to be saved. There are forces to be confronted. There is a spirit of antichrist that is flooding our Nation. We are one nation under God........ Let us be one people praying.

Ro 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I found this short quote in one of the many many emails that I am receiving each day as most of you are. I found it very profound and wanted to pass it along.

"It is humbling but I think C.S. Lewis said that pain is God's megaphone. In the midst of pain God is the only place we can go. The loneliest people there were the people who had no God to go to."(By Ken Walker, Baptist Press)

Our Nation is in Pain..... Our World is In Pain

Remeber those countries that are filled with the precious saints of God.

You Can Do Something..........You Can Pray!

Let Us Go To God....

THE SILVERSMITH

Worth the Read

Some time ago, a few ladies met to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver"(Malachi 3:3). One lady decided to visit a silversmith, and report to the others on what he said about the subject. She went accordingly, and without telling him the reason for her visit, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver. After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "Sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh, yes ma'am," replied the silversmith; "I must sit and watch the furnace constantly, for, if the time necessary for refining is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured." The lady at once saw the beauty and comfort of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." God sees it necessary to put His children into the furnace; but His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure. Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "How do you know when the process is complete?" "That's quite simple," replied the silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished." -

Author Unknown

Mal 3:3
And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

..........I am sure that many of you have read that story many times. I remember reading it many years ago and never forgot it. I have wondered over the years about the tribulations of the righteous and tribulations of those not of the household of faith. I can say that to this date I still cannot understand it all. I cannot tell you why people suffer. I have seen people that have great tribulations that have great faith and I have seen people that seemly had no faith at all just skate through life with no smell of smoke.....

........As I have read my bible over the years I have yet to find one single person in the word of God that skated through life without trials and tribulation.

........When we go through times that we just do not understand we are in good company. Open you bible and read about Moses, and Jacob and Abraham, and Noah... Read about Job...mercy... the three Hebrew children will give us pause to wonder what God was up to in their lives...... Take time to read about Paul... My gosh if anyone went through tribulations he did........ My point is not why does God allows these things in our lives but that through the "fire" He is keeping very close watch.

Rom 12:12
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
2Cr 1:4
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Psa 34:19
Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

.....The verse in 2 Cr 1:4 above states that we are comforted in our trials so that we might comfort others when they find themselves in the midst of the fire. Take time to read that scripture again.... It is a powerful verse..........There is going to be tribulation.... I do not think we can escape that... However we as believers can be watchful of others that might be going through the fire....... We need to know that we are human and we need the strength of others that will pray........ I have met women here in the blog that I know will pray....... I know that if I find myself in the fire I can call upon them to pray the prayer of faith that will bring comfort into my life........

.... I have learned through the years and it was always hind sight that when we come out on the other side of the fire we can look back and see the hand of God keeping us..........

.... I have been in some tribulation that I thought would take my life, I have been in the fire so long sometimes that I felt that my flesh would melt from my bones...... but this one thing I know that I know that I know............. He has promised to deliver us from them all and if He has promised that, He will deliver...........

...... I struggle through my tribulations as does most of us, but this one thing my trials by fire has taught me...... He is there and He is watching......... and He will deliver me............

........ I pray for each of you that are in the fire ..... I pray that the Father will keep close watch and deliver you without the smell of smoke........

Stepping Out Into The Flesh

.............. If I am going to come here and share with you the victories in my life and if I am going to encourage you with the scriptures from the word of God, then I have to come here and share with you the things that I struggle with in my life....... There are things in my life that I just cannot get victory over and no matter how I try it seems to be something of a thorn in my flesh.

.......... There is a calling on my life and that calling is to teach. I have been teaching for many many years and there have been on some occasions that I have been behind the pulpit and did some preaching. Now as much as I enjoyed that anointing , my passion is teaching. Every time that I stood behind a pulpit or podium or what ever you would like to call it I was very aware that I was held responsible for every word I spoke. It is an awesome responsibility to open the word of God and expound on it's contents........ I have enough of the fear of God in me to know that when teaching I am wearing a different mantel and He is listening.......


........ I say those things to just let you know that I am very real and I have such down days and I have issues in my life that I have such a hard time overcoming.

......... When I started my blog almost a year ago now, I did so at the urging of my husband. He was so aware that because of Mom and Dad out here now I would be so limited as to my getting out and about and seeing other people. I am very very extroverted and I will talk to a rock if that is the only thing around........... Well before I started blogging I was talking to a lot of rocks..... hahahhah... So I listened to my husband and I started blogging, and I must say it is the most wonderful thing ........... I do love just chatting and I have a lot of fun with the Show and Tell and I will do that now each Friday, but my prime intentions of coming here was to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with whomever will listen......... I have had trouble getting started at the devotional page but I will get my act together............ and I said all that to say this............

......... I am so human and I will be human until the trumpet sounds or I draw my last breath. Then the corruptible will put on incorruption and this mortal will put on immortality. In an instant, in a twinkling of an eye we will be changed....... I so look forward to that day......... but until then...... there are issues in my life that cause my heart to hurt and cause me to act out of that hurt instead of out of the Spirit. I try to live my life with a heart open to the unctions of the Holy Spirit but sometimes I just flat out ignore that and I react in the flesh and when I do that there are consequences to be paid. There are people hurt and then comes the chastisement of the Lord and now I have to repent and then I have to ask for forgiveness....... That is just they way it is........ sooooooooo because of the chastisement from the Lord I try real hard not to do that much...... but I dare say I will do it again because of the old man that still resides in me.

... We all have issues that we deal with every day and with the grace of God He will either helps us to overcome or He will give us the strength to carry.........

........ I do so love each of you out there and I am learning each personality as I go. It is fun to find out that you can learn about a personality just by reading the written word........ Each of you bring to this world a certain flavor and I always want you to know that I will always strive to be real in word and deed here in this blog land.......... I have no idea why I am writing this tonight or why the Lord has required me to do so...... I tried writing this last night but words did not come, but tonight I find them easy..........

......... Hugs

Denise

Forgive

FORGIVENESS

Consider this, that woman of Samaria, she had had five husbands and the man that she was living with was not even her husband. Now do you suppose that she had issues with forgiveness? I would not hesitate to say yes. Now when I say forgiveness I mean that she would have those that she needed to forgive and I am sure that she needed to forgive herself. There may be those in our lives that need to ask us for forgiveness but that is a matter between that person and the Father God. It is our responsibility to be obedient and forgive. It is just that simple. The word of God tells us

Mt 6:14

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you.

Mt 6:15

but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Now, what is there about that scripture that we do not understand? When you get time please read Matthew 18: 21- end of the chapter.

I came face to face with the hate in my heart several years ago. It had been nearly two years since my divorce and I must tell you that I was in very bad shape. I was dying on the inside and on the outside on a roller coaster ride with death.

After spending an hour or so at the car wash, one day in June of 1993 I needed to run to Wal-Mart for a few things. Hair a mess, no make up, just going to run in and grab a few things and run out. How many of you know that when you go to Wal-Mart in a small town, it is like homecoming. Nearly finished I round the end of an isle in the food section and came face to face with the other woman. She now lived in my home, was a part of my business, and living with my husband. I cannot tell you the depths of my hate for her. At one point I called it “Righteous indignation “to avoid dealing with my hate. At that moment she smiled. I left my basket where it sat and hurried out the door, getting in my car and headed home. Not being able to drive my car because of the sobs that were coming up from within my spirit, I pulled off to the side of the road. In my pain and despair I cried out to the Lord to let me live. I was in such torment; I wanted to live but did not want to live in that state. As I sat in my car on the side of the highway sobbing pleading for life the Lord spoke to me so clearly. Oh not in audible voice, to my spirit, “Forgive her”, at first my rebellion rose up within me and I shouted No in the face of God, “I want her dead” Now there is an attitude for a Christian? Ever been there?

After pleading over and over again for Him to restore my life, the same message came bursting through over and over again “Forgive Her”… After what seemed to be hours, broken and finally ready to obey, with everything that I had within me, with my teeth clinched tight, “I forgive her” came out my lips. There was no lightening; there was no feeling, there was nothing.

So many of us think that we need to “want” to obey. The word tells us that we walk by faith and not by sight and certainly not by feeling. Obedience to the word in most instances comes before the feeling or the want to! I did not want to utter those words of forgiveness, I did not want to loose her of her debt to me however, in obedience to His word, I uttered the words that set me free. Oh not right then, but I can tell you this one thing, that day was the first day of the rest of my life. Friends saw it on my face and they began to see the healing taking place in my life.

We are not people without passion and emotions. We believe that as Christians there is something wrong with us if we find hate in our hearts. We must give our emotions to the One that gave us those emotions. He is able to search out our hearts and bring us into forgiveness if we will just be obedient to His word. It absolutely does not matter what has been done to you, what you have suffered, He wants you to live, and the key to that life is forgiveness. Trust me; it will transform your life. It has mine.

Joh 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Live in the abundance of His gift to you. Open the door to answered prayer; open the door to health and peace in your life. Open the door to joy and the strength it brings, open the door for the Father to repair, and restore your heart. He stands ready, He offers you the key, take hold of life, forgive and see if what I say is not the absolute truth. He challenges us to prove all things in

1 Thessalonians 5:21

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Be blessed today, and pray about all things that you hold in your heart. Let the spirit of God search out your heart and bring all things under his blood. Forgiveness is a gift, take it and live.

In Christ

Denise

Laugh!!!!!!!!

............Sometimes I just want to tell you what I have been up to....... I put too much on myself sometimes and I really am a very fun person...... Seems that lately I have not been laughing much and I really need to get back to that......... My grandmother said that by the time I was two years old I was in the big middle of everything trying to make people laugh...... and I think that was what carried me through the terrible times in my life.......... I always laugh.......

...... Grandmother said that I reminded her of my Uncle James........ he had dark eyes and laughed all the time.......... He was tragically killed in a train accident just one month before I was born in 1947.......... I think that the Lord gave me his sense of humor and his ability to make people laugh to help remind Grandmother that her son James was alive and well and she would see him again.............

anyway...........

...... The past 8 months or so my DH and I have had this little rent house hanging over our heads... We purchased the house three years ago for a family member with the thoughts that they would live in it for years..... We went in and cleaned and painted and fenced in the back yard and made it quite the little home.......... Well how many of you know that life gets in the way of your plans and this past September they left very quickly without any notice and the house was trashed......... oh my......... We just did not need that right now........... We were building the little house for my Mom and Dad and we were right in the middle of that project and mercy!!!!!!!

....... Anyway, to make a long story short and spare you the cry baby sob sob story.......... We have been working on that little house evenings and every weekend for months and months....... Now you know how that can just wear you down........ BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my DH was on Spring Break last week and we got up every morning and got our coffee and headed over to the house and by Thursday we finished that project and there is a for sale sign in the yard!!!!!!!! Thank you Lord......

........ It was just one of those little dark clouds that hang over your head and try as you might you cannot escape .......... like a thorn in the flesh.....ahahhahahha . Bless his heart my DH was doing most of it alone the past couple of months due to my back problem that has jumped up and bit me in the butt......... so to speak........ but I could do some things and I tried to help all I could...... but somewhere along the way I lost my laughter and the Lord reminded me today that He misses hearing me laugh........... What a precious thing that was to hear Him say......

...... We get so caught up in the day to day that we forget that we are just passing through .... this is not our home and we are sojourners.......... and we need not pitch our tents with the expectation of being here long...........

........ Sometimes I forget that..... in the scheme of things it really does not matter and what is needed most is to not take life so serious........ Laughter is good medicine and it has served me well all of my life......... soooooooooo I am going to rest a bit this week and see if I can find my giggle box again........

.......... I think that the Jesus in me is the Jesus with the laughing eyes......... you need the Jesus in me .........Life throws things at us and goodness knows that if we do not lighten up sometimes we will be overcome with the burdens......... . I think that He has quite the sense of humor........ if you don't believe that just look in the mirror..........aahahahha

.............. That is why I love to go out and read your blogs........ I need the Jesus in each of you...... it is a good balance don't you think?

........... Ok.... I guess you have figured out by now that I am in a really strange mood so I will just get off of here and go and read a while.........

........... laughter is a gift that we can give away............. and still have plenty for ourselves.........