I realize that 27 degrees in some parts of the Country would be a warming trend, but here in Lower Alabama 27 degrees is C O L D. Freezing!

And we’ve been covering up our tender vegetation, and for some that was not enough to save them — they died. But my Rosemary. Well, she’s doing fine.  And she ministered a lesson to me this week.

Rosemary. I want to be like the Rosemary in my herb garden. Cold, harsh weather has not robbed her of life. She’s still green, still showing full life and when I brushed up against her, her aroma made we want to linger near.

Rosemary Christians.

Christians that do not wither away, get dry and brittle when things don’t pan out to their liking. Christians that do not need the limelight to keep on shining for JESUS. Christians who choose to reach deeper when dry spells come. Christians that give off the fragrance of Christ especially when adversity comes close, brushing, bruising and breaking their gentle hearts.

Yes, this world needs an ‘army’ of Rosemary Christians.

And on this Friday morning, even if every other day this week we did not choose to be a practicing Rosemary Christian, in JESUS name we can be today.

2 Corinthians 2:  (New Living Translation)¹⁴ But thank God! He has made us His captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. ¹⁵ Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

Praying for These

I can only say Thank You. Why You love us so is an amazing mystery, but since You do, Thank You, Thank You, ABBA. I pray for strength and wisdom to practice Rosemary Christianity today and I ask this for each precious soul who comes to this screen to read and pray. Thank You for the privilege of praying for others and there are many on our collective hearts – we entrust each to You now in JESUS Name for Your Divine and Holy Will to be accomplished in each life. Amen and amen.

With holy hugs … till Monday,

Kathie

I am still thinking about some notes I made last week, so may I share them with you for our Wednesday post?

2 Samuel 9:³The king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.”

And now for the way I  applied this to myself and perhaps even the way you will apply it to you.

And I said, “Is there . . . anyone . . . to whom I may show the kindness of God?”

In what place will I find them? And how far will I have to go to find such people to whom I may (should) show the kindness of God?

And the answer?

Acts 1: (New American Standard Bible)⁸but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Why! This will ‘kill two birds with one stone’ (you know I am not ‘speaking’ literally, don’t you?). What better way to witness (evangelize, which we have been commissioned to do) than to show the kindness of God?

Could we say that Jerusalem is home?

So for me the first one I should be showing the kindness of God to is my hubby.  And believe it or not, there’s room for improvement in me there. And then how about my children and my Grands, my siblings and their families?

And I could I  say Judea is my street, community, the Gulf Coast?

And who would that be for you?

And how about Samaria? Oh, that would be above the Mason Dixie line, wouldn’t it?  :)

And remotest part of the earth?

Well, that gets every place else, doesn’t it?

Ephesians 4: (New American Standard Bible) ³²Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

A last-minute note for pondering.  Saul hated David. He set himself to kill David. Yet David went looking to find someone of Saul’s descendants to whom he could show kindness.

Two. The remaining heir of the House of Saul was lame, cripple in both feet. There wasn’t much he could do to ‘repay’ David for any kindnesses David bestowed upon him.

As I said pondering material.

Love and hugs!!

Praying for These

Thank You, ABBA, for another day of life and living; thank You for another day of fellowship with You.  I ask that You, HOLY SPIRIT, minister Your Word to the hearts of our Readers; to encourage them and inspire them to seek and set themselves to show Your kindness to every soul in their lives… me too, ABBA. Me too in JESUS name. Amen and amen.

Until Thursday!

Kathie

As I begin our Tuesday post, I’m multitasking – Bible study, laundry and football.   You think I’m kidding.

Perhaps I really will be brief with this one.   :)

Joshua 2.

Rahab.

Usually referred to as Rahab the harlot.  But oh I like Rahab. She’s one of my favorite Old Testament Saints. She did become a Saint, you know? From women of red to a woman in RED. By faith she was washed in the blood of the LAMB as surely as you and I.

Joshua sent spies to Jericho. They came to Rahab’s house. The king sent his assassins to her house looking for them. She concealed them. And when the henchmen (as Leah Adams called them in our work book) went on their way, Rahab had a word with Joshua’s men.

9. And said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land,

and I made a note in my margin: “how did she know?”

and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.  10. For we have heard

And there’s my answer!

Romans 10: (King James Version) ¹⁷So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It’s always been that way — faith comes when we hear the truth and believe.

(10) how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.  11. When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is GOD in heaven above and on earth beneath.

And when she heard and believed their GOD, He became her GOD, and she found much courage.

So will we!

Praying for These

ABBA, You are awesome! Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. For giving us Your Word and for making It live for us and in us! I pray to love Your Scriptures more and more. And I pray that for our Readers too.  We bring our Prayer for These People and our IDOK Troops, collectively, and ask that You individually meet each need in JESUS name. Amen and amen.

Until Wednesday —

Kathie

This has been a study day, but not much IDOK writing. Leah over at The Point began our on-line study of From the Trash Pile to the Treasure Chest – Creating A Godly Legacy today. So I viewed the video, answered two questions and did Day 1 of Week 1 of my workbook and after a walk started background reading for Sunday School.  Nothing of any significance done in the house but the study has been been just what I wanted to do! So let me pull something from my study materials and share a short :) word with you for our Friday time together.

We are in I Kings 16:29 – 22:53 – well that’s the background Scripture – and no I’m not finished reading it all yet.  Got some good notes though.

Read with me I Kings 18:36-39

Verse 36. At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said,

Now let me stop right here to say the prophets of Baal had been calling on him all day, screaming, hollering, yelling, cutting themselves, jumping up and down, even tore down the altar of the LORD with all their hysterics, jumping and dancing around.  And as you know, Baal answered not a word. No fire. Nothing. Zilch!

Lets get back to Elijah. “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”

They yelled, screamed, begged, pleaded; Elijah talked! That is what prayer is TALKING TO GOD.  Do you love it?

Verse 38. Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.”

Well, it’s about time!

And yet have we not all been so far out there in left field that God had to rain ‘fire’ to get us to get down so we could get up? Have we not all yelled, screamed, danced around the truth, and mutilated our testimony? Well, Praise the LORD! Perhaps not all, but for those of us who have “You (HE) have turned their heart back again.” That’s what Elijah asked for and that is what he got.

Let’s see what else we can learn from Elijah’s prayer. He began by reciting who God is. That always helps. To know Who you are talking to. Especially when we are talking to GOD. To know Who He is and Who He has been to YOU. What His history is with you. It is really good to remember that when we are talking to Him. Now I may be naive but I don’t think Elijah was worried, at this point, about his reputation or God’s; but He was reminding himself by reminding God that GOD always keeps His word and His character never changes. It would be good for us to keep that in mind too when we are talking to Him. And Elijah was concerned about the people. We should be too. All peoples. Family. Friends. People we like. People we don’t like. Concerned enough to pray that the LORD will turn wayward hearts back to Him or to Him for the first time. And may it be that we begin this praying before it takes fire hot enough to burn stone to get their attention or ours.  I’m just saying….

Let me encourage you to visit Leah’s Blog even if you are not doing the study.

And stop by Praying for These and refresh the names in your mind.

Well, DADDY GOD, it’s on the screen. You are so good to me! Do what You will with it in the hearts of our Readers. And thank You for the good work You have begun in each of us. I pray we won’t back down now but keep on keeping on with You. Thank You for reading with me the Names on our list; thank You for loving them and seeing their faces and their hearts and their needs, even the deepest ones. And thank You for working with them and on their behalf. Our IDOK Troops too. Those home and those abroad – we pray for holiness and for transformations as well as peace and safety and protection.  Now thank You for Elaine, she blesses me every time I read at her blog. I do so pray that You will completely heal her and more than make up to her what the cancer has taken. And thank You for Leah and Kimberly and so many other sister Bloggers out there. Thank You for this media of sharing. Help us, help me, be careful with it. Help us value people, treasure them and lift them up and yet at the same time never, ever, ever compromise what You have spoken in Your Word.  To balance hating the sin but loving the sinner. Thank You for loving on our People in JESUS NAME.  Amen and amen.

Holy hugs till Monday!!

Kathie