Not sure what to write this morning...

 My quiet time was good this morning.  Not that it isn't always, for it is always good. But this morning, two of my readings really spoke to me and troubled me as well.  I spent a lot of time in prayer over what I read.  What was it about?

It was about people turning their backs on God, and yet still expecting Him to bless them in all they do.  Sometimes my kids will call me with 'Mom, can you pray, cause you have a direct line to God'.  Not true, but God and I DO have a relationship.  I don't always get what I ask for either, for sometimes I, too, ask amiss.  But, getting back to what is on my mind, sometimes we expect all that we do to be successful. And when it isn't, we blame God (or others) because we didn't get what we wanted in the time frame we wanted it in. So we go deeper into sin, doing things our own way, expecting better answers, and never receiving them. Does that make sense?

My heart is grieving this morning over some things.  I won't go into detail on here, but God knows my heart and He and I have spent a lot of time talking about it this morning.  The bottom line is, until you acknowledge God as Lord, and choose to follow Him, you can never truly be successful in this life.  I think the fear of going to hell should do it, but many still choose to lead themselves, their spouses, their children, in a downward spiral because they are angry with God.  Oh they may have some things go right, they may be successful in some endeavors, their jobs, or even in other things that they do.  But I truly believe that unless you are following God, you need not expect to receive the abundant blessings He has for those who love Him, and who follow Him.

Some people 'think' they are blessed when good things happen; and perhaps they are.  But are they blessed by God, or by the choices they made?  One can say they have been 'blessed' by God because they get a job they went after.  And that may be true.  But what happens after that?  If they don't give God the glory for it, and thank Him for it, how do you think that job is going to go?  Sometimes when we think something is what we want, the responsibility and the time taken from things we want to do - sometimes isn't a blessing. It becomes a burden and we want more.

Just my mind going off on a tangent because my heart is grieving over a situation.  But perhaps my ramblings will give you cause to sit back and think about where you place God in your life, in your family. Is He number One?  He should be. Anything we put before God is idolatry.  God says so.  In the first commandment He says - 

Exodus 20:3  You shall have no other gods before Me.

God created you. He breathed life into your lungs.  He has rescued you throughout your entire life. He has cared for you. He has listened to prayers for you. He loves you so much that He gave His one and only Son to die for you.

Does that mean anything to you?  Are you putting jobs before Him?  Are you putting friends before Him?  Are you putting your family before Him?  Are you putting 'things' before Him? Those are your idols you are putting before Him. Anything you put before God, is an idol.

Not pointing fingers, for I have three fingers pointing back at me.  That situation is so easy to fall into - believe me!  Sometimes I put 'self' before Him.  And that is why I fall on my face. When I feel overwhelmed. When I allow anxiety or depression to take over.  Those things are NOT of God!  God is our Healer!  He heals our body when we ask Him.  God is our Hope!  He listens to us and sees our needs and He is our Provider - He provides all that we need.  Oh that all our eyes and hearts would be opened to Him and our ears attuned to His voice!

I cannot impress on you enough that you (we) need God desperately.  Until we are desperate for Him, we find it easy to put Him aside as if He is nothing and has no part in our lives.  God GAVE you that life - and you can't find the time to honor and respect Him?   You don't teach your children to love Jesus? Do you want to take your children to the hell that you are going to by not putting God first? Fathers (and mothers) are to be the Spiritual leaders in their homes.  Who has taken on that responsibility?  Anyone?

Oh I will probably get some feedback on what I've written, but it is heavy on my heart this morning.  I'm not 'calling' anyone out - I have friends who say they are Christians and yet live their own lives like there is no God.  He's a good 'back-drop' for them when they need Him.  I have family members who do the same thing.  I have even probably done it myself - and if so, shame on me.  God forgive me, if I have. God is NOT a back-drop.  He is the DOOR to living waters, to life.

John 14:6 (NKJV):  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

My very anguished prayer is that any one reading this will reflect on where they have placed God in their lives, and will turn to Him and repent of their wicked ways, and will choose to follow Jesus.  He is the only way.

Blessings!

It's time for church!

 I slept until 5AM this morning - that is, after waking up at 12AM, and again at 4;10AM and refusing to get up, except for the necessity of ... well, you know.  And I'm finding I'm still sleepy this morning.  BUT, I have FreeChapel.org on this morning and it is going to be a powerful service this morning.  I rewatched the first one, from last Sunday, yesterday.  I want to watch them all again - as the revival went on all week - except for last night.  Perry Stone is speaking again this morning and again at 5PM tonight.  If Free Chapel was here in town, that is where I would be going to church.

We will be going to 'our church' this morning.  Pastor Sharonda will be speaking this morning.  She's good, but she talks so fast that you have to listen close cause you will miss what the point is.  But she does get the point across and I tell you what, she doesn't hold back and don't pull any punches!

Yesterday was a quiet day - sorta - I watched one of the Free Chapel services, completed three scarves I had started for Needles of Hope, and made home made apple butter.  I discovered that I had purchased two bags of apples and one was starting to get wrinkled... so I halved the recipe I found and tried it.  They didn't get mushy like regular apple butter, but would if I ran them through the food processor - but I don't want to.  Only made a pint and a half, but that is enough for us.  Will see if I will make some for Christmas gifts; depends on how good hey taste - I know they taste sweet.

Who am I to deny what the Lord can do for you?  Do you even realize what all the Lord wants to do in you, through you, and for you?  He is not done with you yet - do you realize that?  I do hope He isn't done with me!  There is so much more that He wants to do IN me as well as THROUGH me.  How I wish you would go to FreeChapel.org and watch these revival series. Your life will be changed - and I dare say - for the good.  God is so good!  He is so able to handle me, and handle you, and handle any situation we come up against.

Yes, He can even help me with my problems (real or imagined) with hubby and family.  I can feel left out; I can feel deserted; I can feel alone - but I am never alone when Jesus is with me - and He always is.  How I wish you knew that Treasure of knowing Him!  Jesus is the Only way to our Father.  Please, don't wait too long to accept Jesus as Lord of your life.  The future is so much brighter WITH Him, than it is WITHOUT Him.

There is power in the legacy of faith.  What kind of faith are you passing down to your family?  

John 14:6 (NKJV):  "Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.""

Did you know that you could love God and still do wrong?   Read the story of King Uzziah who decided he wanted to offer incense to the Lord in the Bible.  He loved God and he served God - BUT he did it in the wrong way.  He was not a priest, and only priests could offer the incense.  God said so.  But King Uzziah decided he wanted to offer incense like the priests - 80 priests came towards him to prevent him- and the king got angry.  Standing there with the incense in his hand, the king got angry - and God .... well, Read II Chronicles 26 and find out what God did to him!  We got to 'stay in our own lane' when it comes to serving God.... only move out of it when God says so!

You can love God and not like His church - but God says we should not neglect the assembling together with other believers.  King Uzziah lived the rest of his life in a leper house, never again hugging or being hugged, always alone for the rest of his life.  And his son was angry at God - and although he loved God, he felt offended - and refused to go in to God's house.

Did you know you can actually grieve yourself to death?  Oral Roberts - a great preacher - lost a son to suicide.  He was grieving, and God told him that he was not to ask 'why'.  

Sometimes we have to forgive others, and then sometimes we have to forgive ourselves.  If we have failed in our lives - we can not live in the 'what if' and the 'why'.... we have to get to the point where we don't do that - sometimes we have to forgive God.  What is holding you back?  Are you going to allow the mystery of God to keep you out heaven because you are bitter in soul of your loss?  You also have to forgive God.

Yeah, I'm pulling this from what I'm hearing, but this is truth.  We may not understand why someone close to us dies.  We may still be bitter about not getting our prayers answered in the timing we gave God.... but are you going to allow that bitterness and anger keep you out of heaven?  Are you going to pass on the legacy of anger and bitterness to your children.  Is that your legacy to leave them?  Get your child(ren) in church!  Get your family in church!  Let them know the love of God who forgives all - and let them forgive you for not getting them there.  

Oh God!  Forgive me for the times I didn't want to go to church and stayed home.  Forgive me for not keeping my children in church.  I am so sorry I was disobedient and did things my way.  I know my children are not ready to meet Jesus.   When you feel your time is at the end, and you have not accepted Jesus as Lord, remember the thief on the cross?  He just told Jesus 'Remember me' - and Jesus told him that 'you will be with me in paradise'.  It's not too late - seek Jesus!

Things are so much better with Jesus.  You will feel a peace that you have never felt before.  You will feel a joy that fulfills you.  Seek Jesus.... don't delay.  He heals the brokenhearted and binds our wounds.  Let Him.

Blessings!