Good morning everyone!
It's Friday! And that means.....War Room opened in theaters at midnight last night!! You were thinking I was going to say, "...it's time for Five Minute Friday," didn't you? Well, I will get to that soon, Lord willing, but for now, I am super-excited thinking about another excellent film from the Kendrick brothers! This time, their movie focuses on prayer and I can hardly wait to see it this evening!
Prayer is the greatest tool that those who believe in Jesus Christ possess! How often do we make use of this invaluable resource, though? I would challenge you (and most of all, myself!) to seek the Lord and begin meeting with Him more regularly. As you go throughout your day, do you find yourself turning to Him with an important decision (big or little)? Do you find yourself praising Him when you see His marvelous creation or do you thank Him when you realize the blessings He showers on you or the ways He protects you? Our Creator is great and worthy of all praise! He desires that His people be in constant communication with Him!
If you haven't heard about the Kendrick brothers or haven't heard about their newest film, I would encourage you to check them out and to go see their movie!
If you've already seen War Room (since it opened at midnight), I'd like to high-five you! Those the consumer-movie statistics really watch what happens on opening weekend and it would be great for them to see an out-pouring of support for this movie from the Christian community!
Friday, August 28, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
Five Minute Friday: Find
It's Friday and the word of the day is Find!
(Hop over to Kate Motaung's blog to see what trails my fellow-writers followed with this word!)
Years ago, when I was a little girl, the choir at the church we were part of sang a beautiful song called "Find Us Faithful." It stuck in my head and I would sing it and loved it. For years I have thought of this song and sang it off and on, but recently, the thought of faithfulness and the Lord's returning to find us, in whatever condition we're in, has been on my mind. I've been saddened and discouraged by some things at my church. It seems that I'm finding lack of interest in the things of the Lord, lack of willingness and eagerness to serve and put the time into Bible study so that we can be an effective, God-centered people. What happens when there are no workers to be found? what happens if no good, faithful workers stay to carry on the work of the Lord and to advance His Kingdom? Well, I know that in the days of Elijah, he thought he was the last one, yet there were many, many others who had stayed faithful to the Lord, Elijah just didn't know it. If the Lord returned today, though, how would He find me? I've been so concerned and saddened about the spiritual state of my brothers and sisters in Christ, but will the Lord find me faithful? So, today, I am praying for revival not only for my church but in my own life. I'm praying that the sin in me would be overcome by the mighty power of my precious Lord. I desire that the Lord would return and that He would find faith on His earth. Our work is not done, I must be found faithful.
(Hop over to Kate Motaung's blog to see what trails my fellow-writers followed with this word!)
Years ago, when I was a little girl, the choir at the church we were part of sang a beautiful song called "Find Us Faithful." It stuck in my head and I would sing it and loved it. For years I have thought of this song and sang it off and on, but recently, the thought of faithfulness and the Lord's returning to find us, in whatever condition we're in, has been on my mind. I've been saddened and discouraged by some things at my church. It seems that I'm finding lack of interest in the things of the Lord, lack of willingness and eagerness to serve and put the time into Bible study so that we can be an effective, God-centered people. What happens when there are no workers to be found? what happens if no good, faithful workers stay to carry on the work of the Lord and to advance His Kingdom? Well, I know that in the days of Elijah, he thought he was the last one, yet there were many, many others who had stayed faithful to the Lord, Elijah just didn't know it. If the Lord returned today, though, how would He find me? I've been so concerned and saddened about the spiritual state of my brothers and sisters in Christ, but will the Lord find me faithful? So, today, I am praying for revival not only for my church but in my own life. I'm praying that the sin in me would be overcome by the mighty power of my precious Lord. I desire that the Lord would return and that He would find faith on His earth. Our work is not done, I must be found faithful.
Friday, August 14, 2015
Five Minute Friday: Learn
It's Friday again & I am excited about the word for this week's Five Minute Friday! (Visit my other blogging companions at http://katemotaung.com/2015/08/13/five-minute-friday-learn-a-post-retreat-post/ !) The word is Learn, so here I go!
There's a wonderfully, exciting time that sometimes arrives in my heart since I've become an adult. It's the new-wonderful feeling that comes, when it comes, at the start of a new school year. There's something about learning that just sends such an excitment into my heart!
Kyrie is the secretary at the Christian school in town. I visited her there recently and thrilled at the boxes of school boxes packaged up and ready to be cracked open by eager little minds, bright, energetic blank slates ready to be written on. I remember those special open house parties my mother would throw for us when we were starting a new homeschool year. She would lay out all our new textbooks, arranging them enticingly on a table and invite The Grandparents over for a snack/supper. It was so fun to look at those blank pages and think of filling them with my neatest, nicest handwriting! Of course, the fun wore off in a day or so, but still, that little-girl feeling comes over me and I'm excited for students, (and myself, a student who will soon be started a new college year).
You know, in God's Word, the Bible, He tells us of the importance of us being ready learners, eager listeners for His words, ready to take in and do what He tells us. When we refuse to listen to Him, we put ourselves in grave danger. It is always good for us to have open hearts to take in what He would have us know and put into practice.
Today, what is the LORD saying to me? What do I need to learn of Him? (Time's up.) He says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
(I did just a bit of editing.... Hope that's okay, y'all...)
There's a wonderfully, exciting time that sometimes arrives in my heart since I've become an adult. It's the new-wonderful feeling that comes, when it comes, at the start of a new school year. There's something about learning that just sends such an excitment into my heart!
Kyrie is the secretary at the Christian school in town. I visited her there recently and thrilled at the boxes of school boxes packaged up and ready to be cracked open by eager little minds, bright, energetic blank slates ready to be written on. I remember those special open house parties my mother would throw for us when we were starting a new homeschool year. She would lay out all our new textbooks, arranging them enticingly on a table and invite The Grandparents over for a snack/supper. It was so fun to look at those blank pages and think of filling them with my neatest, nicest handwriting! Of course, the fun wore off in a day or so, but still, that little-girl feeling comes over me and I'm excited for students, (and myself, a student who will soon be started a new college year).
You know, in God's Word, the Bible, He tells us of the importance of us being ready learners, eager listeners for His words, ready to take in and do what He tells us. When we refuse to listen to Him, we put ourselves in grave danger. It is always good for us to have open hearts to take in what He would have us know and put into practice.
Today, what is the LORD saying to me? What do I need to learn of Him? (Time's up.) He says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
(I did just a bit of editing.... Hope that's okay, y'all...)
Friday, August 7, 2015
Five Minute Friday: Here
It's Friday again and time to team up with Kate Motaung and the gang at FMF blogger party!
The word for this week is: Here
Go!
The summer course is over, I've turned in my last test. The LORD helped me all the way and I'm so thankful and excited to be done. Now for a week or two free before the fall schedule starts. But what then? And what before then? And what after then? I find myself again to be in need of coming before my gracious Master and saying, "LORD, I am here. Whatever You want to do with me now and in the future, take me and use me. I'm not sure what Your will is for me, what Your intentions are, but I know that they are for my good, because You are good. You do all things for my good, and most importantly for Your Glorious Name to be exalted. So, LORD, use me, do whatever You want to do. I offer my life, I am here for You, dear Potter. Who else is here with me on the altar? May I be used by You to be an encouragement to them as they continually surrender their lives to Your purposes. What else is at stake, what else is here being offered? My strength, my talents, my lack of sleep, my cluelessness, my brains, my can't-compute-don't-comprehend-ness, my family, my friends. All these dear gifts belong to You. You loaned them to me and with Your help I surrender them back to You. I lay them down here at Your feet for You to take and turn them into something that will exalt You and Your Precious Son, Jesus Christ. You also are here, LORD. And that is the most important fact. The fact that I don't mindlessly offer myself and all I love to something or someone who doesn't care. You are here and You tenderly and sweetly take my little gifts and hold them for me."
Stop.
So what about you, dear reader? What does "here" mean to you? And, more importantly, are you at the place in your life where you have surrendered to Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life? Have you realized your sinfulness and His righteousness? Do you know how much He loves you, that He came to this earth, lived a sinless life, and died taking the punishment which we all deserve? Do you know that He rose again three days after He died, showing Himself to be totally different than any other god or leader? Do you know that anyone who calls out to Him for forgiveness of sins, anyone who surrenders to His being their Master and Lord, will be heard by Him, will be forgiven and blessed with His kind Lordship? I would like to challenge you to think about this. Ask God to show you whether my words are right or not; let Him be your God and the Ruler of Your life!
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