Monthly Archives: February 2018

His Story, My Story

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I posted the following to my Facebook page yesterday; during my prayer walk today I expressed I wanted more people to read my story; not because I am anything but because HE IS EVERYTHING! 

So if you will humor me and if you have not read my story, please take a few moments and hear my heart. 

Our Pastor has been encouraging us to tell our stories. That is the story of how and when we were introduced to JESUS and has He made a difference. So, I thought I’d start with my Facebook Friends since you all are the ones I see often. 
Some People have salvation encounters with Him that are much quieter and easier than mine but I was a hard one. 
It was November 18th, 1975 right at 9:00 P.M. the Minister had been sharing Scripture with me for about two hours. You see I made an appointment to see him because he told me I could KNOW if I was saved or not. I had been existing in insecurity about that since I was a child. Being the daughter of a deacon who happened to also be the Sunday School Superintendent and a Momma who was a Sunday School teacher who had taken me to church since inception, I knew a lot about GOD. I had been practicing the Biblical principle of tithing since primary school and I had made two previous or were that three professions of faith – neither of them did anything but get me wet in the baptistery. 
But on that November evening, I went to see the Preacher with the idea I was telling him nothing. Well, I confessed more than any of you need to know.😊And he told me the best news ever! 
You see for years, I ran to and fro between knowing I was not good enough to go to heaven but thinking I was not bad enough to go to hell.
And often I would take even another detour that said I was too bad for even GOD to save me. That I was just beyond saving because I had no real faith to believe the Gospel. I knew it well! I just had not personally met the GOD of the Story. 
Now for the Good News. The Best News! Faith is a gift! And He will give it to you if you are willing to receive it!
But there are conditions. Gut-level Honesty. We have to be honest with ourselves and with GOD. And so, I was. For the first time in my life, I came face to face with my human condition: I WAS A HELL-DESERVING SINNER. 
But the Scripture clearly stated and the HOLY SPIRIT convinced me that the BLOOD OF JESUS was enough and that He did not want me to go to hell. He had done enough to save even me and all I had to do was exchange my sins for His Righteousness which He was offering me right then.
That old hymn taken from Scripture is right. I owed a debt I could not pay (For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. (Romans 6:23) and I didn’t have to pay it because JESUS HAD ALREADY PAID IT ALL. 
So, I said, Thank You (I accept). And He said You’re Welcome. (Not audibly, of course.) 
What’s it been like these nearly 43 years? Well, I’ve messed up more times than I can remember and He has kept me saved. He has loved me, corrected me, and He continues. He is Life to me. He has kept me in perfect peace every time I have yielded to His Lordship. And every time I have yielded He has rewarded me with assurance and joy, more than I could have imagined. Simply, I don’t do this life without Him.

Thanks for reading. So, how about you, do you have a story to tell too?

A KWT Look at Psalm 23

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Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutes.

May I share my personal paraphrase of Psalm 23 with you this morning?

Psalm 23  (KJV) 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

MY. He must be MY Shepherd for me to be not in want; not in want for a Savior; not in want for peace; not in want for purpose; not in want for joy, satisfaction.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

And when He is my Shepherd, I rest. First I have rested from trying to save myself. I rest in His provision. His Way of Salvation and out of that resting I learn to feed on what He provides and I find it full of peace; I find it as nourishing as sheep find green pasture nourishing, as life-giving as they find still waters. 

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

This resting in Him, this feeding on what He provides, this heals my sin-affected soul.  He does this with right living; when I rightly follow my Shepherd, living as His sheep, my soul is restored; my being is made whole and He is glorified. Which is the purpose of this life anyway. 

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

It is not easy this living as His sheep; it kills my flesh.  But as long as I stick with Him I am not consumed with fear. He is my counsel and my comfort as my flesh is crucified and my spirit blossoms; kinda like Aaron’s rod that budded (click to see) – it’s not a  natural thing, it’s a GOD THING. 

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Even in the midst of evil so prevalent on this planet, He blesses me and abundantly provides and cares for me. His Spirit anoints, heals and keeps my mind at peace; I have more than I need; thus I must give – that’s His plan. 

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.  source

His goodness and lovingkindness will NEVER fail me or leave me from here into and through eternity. 

This is MY Shepherd.  Is He your Shepherd? 

Revelation 3:20  (YLT) 20 lo, I have stood at the door, and I knock; if any one may hear my voice, and may open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  source

Selah ~ ~ ~

Only

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Approximate Reading Time: 2 minutes

John 10:(TLV) 10 The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly!  source

I note here the word only.

Satan comes to us to only do evil to us. There is NO good intentions in him ever. ONLY! Destruction! Only! Always evil toward us and toward GOD. 

And on the other hand, GOD ONLY comes to us with only good and HE is the only One who is ONLY GOOD with all His thoughts, all His Acts toward us. Only!

So we can only contribute only to GOD or Satan (one good, one evil — only). We may want to associate only with others but we dare not. Mortals have yet to achieve only. Those we love may intend to ONLY do us good but being humans, they fail. And we don’t only forgive them their trespasses but we should, if only we knew what was good for us. And I have yet to encounter a fellow human who only does me harm. They slip up sometimes and do something nice.  🙂

Only.
Only GOD is always GOOD and only GOD always loves us unconditionally. 

Selah ~ ~ ~

Yogurt and Pouty Faces

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Approximate Reading Time: 2 minutes

Recently I stood before the dairy case at my local grocery buying establishment and for as long as I stared, I still could not find the brand of yogurt I wanted. I could feel a pout-y face barreling to the surface! I mean all I wanted was my brand of plain, Greek, full fat, no sugar added, much protein yogurt! 

I opted for another brand.

Took it home.  Mixed it with some no granulated sugar added Blackberry jam, a little stevia and, immediately, I was in some heavy, I mean heavy like! I mean leave that other brand behind like it was last year’s prom dress! 

Today I mixed it with some finely diced onions, dried basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.
JT has a heavy (real heavy) like for french onion dip. When he tasted my new much healthier version, he said, “I could like that!”  🙂

My point? When DADDY GOD removes what we have become accustomed to, or when He does not give us what we have begged Him for for ages, lets send our pout-y faces packing and expect Him to lead and or provide us with a different, extremely likable yogurt brand.

Ephesians 3: 20 Now to Him who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or imagine, by means of His power that works in us, 21 to Him be the glory in the community of believers and in Messiah Yeshua throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen. source 

Selah ~ ~ ~

Praying

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So that glory may dwell in our land. _______ especially as this day begins to close, oh don’t we want that?! For the glory of the LORD to dwell in this land.

Yet, for the glory of the LORD to dwell in our land the people of this land must hear what the LORD speaks.

Psalm 85:8-9  (KJV) 8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.  source

Selah ~  ~ ~