Interests:I love anything about the One who changed my life forever--Jesus Christ; my wonderful husband of 25 years and two beautiful daughters (23 and 20); my other family members and friends; touching the lives of youth, college students and people in general with the Living Word of God; reading; horses; cats; too much to mention Expertise:I love to teach about the Word; I love to pray with my Moms in Touch group and give testimony to His faithful answers to our prayers; I am very passionate about reaching the hearts and minds of this hungry, seeking generation through the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit and then discipling those who desire a closer walk with Jesus...I can't say I'm an expert on any of the above...only a willing student myself Occupation:Education/training Industry:Nonprofit
Is it an oxymoron to consider the events we observe on Good Friday? It seems to be ... how can the horrific events surrounding the crucifixion be "good"? However, as we begin to dig deeper into the scriptures and when we see the totality of all that was foreknown, all that was prophesied must occur, even before the beginning of time as we know it, a very different picture arises ... one of VICTORY one of TRUE GOOD!
The event of Jesus death was not a surprise to God His Father or to Jesus Himself - no more than any of the difficult and tragic events that occur in our own.
" No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative I have authority to lay it down , and I have authority to take it up again This commandment I received from My Father." ~ John 10:1
And what He allows He purposes for His ultimate plan. What we see with our human eyes and understand with our human hearts is so limited... Where He sees all with eyes of eternity, we are merely looking through a straw!
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel." ~ Genesis 3:15
Our concept of "good" is flawed because we have been mislead to believe that "good" means immediate happiness or that we are always going to like what is happening in the now. But the Cross of Christ is a poignant picture of the good that God can bring out of righteous suffering. The following quote is so true ...
“God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness and with our character than our comfort.”
It doesn't negate the human pain that comes from suffering - from taking up our cross daily and following Christ no matter the circumstances. Jesus Himself grieved what He knew what He has to face...
"And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground." ~ Luke 22:44
But He was obedient, even to death, because He well knew what the outcome would be...
"But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written,DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." ~I Corinthians 15:54-58
Lord, help us to have eternal eyes ... not temporal eyes. Help us to face the struggles and hardships as You did - in obedience to the Father's will. Trusting the outcomes that He will bring and keeping feet moving in the direction of the ultimate good - the joy and hope we have in the fact that You do nothing without purpose!
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." ~Hebrews 12:1-3
It is with those truths that I can say to each of you who know this true ... Have a blessed Good Friday! And to those of you who have not discovered this truth - I can only say, "Seek the Lord with all of your heart and He will be found by you." When you have put yourself to death (which doesn't sound like a "good" thing) then you will find TRUE LIFE - a very GOOD thing!
"Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." ~Romans 6:8-11
Love the following YouTube video, but couldn't get it to upload. Check it out @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXcbGxvgyR4
Found this the other day and thought definitely worthy of sharing ... Happy New Year!
I Am the New Year ~ 2010
I am the new year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.
I am your next chance at the art of living. I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.
All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it but with more determination.
All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.
All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have—these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.
I am your opportunity to renew your allegiance to Him who said, "Behold, I make all things new." ~ Revelation 21:5
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I AM doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I AM making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Blogging has definitely taken a lesser place in this season of our life, but I thought I would share this devotional with you as we look to celebrate not only the 1st coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus, but also His 2nd coming. Praise God, we can look forward to His return as King of Kings and eternal Ruler of the Universe because He chose to come the first time to die and defeat our sin and death ... Merry Christmas Friends! Celebrate it all year long!!!
The Rest of the Story
By Jim Liebelt
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the Name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. ~Matthew 1:21
Each December we celebrate Christmas for the birth of Jesus. Then, in the spring, we celebrate Easter for Jesus’ death and resurrection. But really, these two parts of the story of Jesus’ life cannot be separated. Christmas would lose its meaning without remembering what Jesus did during His life.
Jesus lived to reveal God to us. He was crucified and rose again to pay the penalty for our sins, to invite us into relationship with God, and to offer us eternal life.
Hail! the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail! the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King" (from Hark! The Herald Angels Sing)
We celebrate Christmas not only for Jesus’ birth, but also for His life, death and resurrection. Through Him, we have a real reason to celebrate. We have our sins forgiven!
A wonderful quote I thought I would share by Helen Mellincost...
I was regretting the past and fearing the future. Suddenly God was speaking: "My name is I Am." I waited and God continued: "When you live in the past, with its mistakes and regrets, it is hard. I am not there. My name is not I was. When you live in the future, with its problems and fears, it is hard. I am not there. My name is not I will be. When you live in this moment, it is not hard. I am here. My name is I AM."
"God said to Moses, "I Am Who I Am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. ~Exodus 3:14-15
"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I Am!" ~John 8:28
"While I am in the world, I Am the Light of the world." ~John 9:5
" I Am The Gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture." ~John 10:9
"I Am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep... I Am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me" ~John 10:11 & 14
"I Am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies" ~John 11:25
"Jesus answered, "I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." ~John 14:6
"Come, see the place where the Lord lay," with joy and gladness. He does not lie there now. Weep, when ye see the tomb of Christ, but rejoice because it is empty. Thy sin slew Him, but His divinity raised Him up. Thy guilt hath murdered Him, but His righteousness hath restored Him. Oh! He hath burst the bonds of death, He hath ungirt the cerements of the tomb, and hath come out more than conqueror, crushing death beneath His feet. Rejoice, O Christian, for He is not there—He is risen.
