Obama Needs Our Prayers

Okay, so I didn't vote for him and quite honestly I don't trust him AT ALL, but God had a reason for Obama being our next president. So, we need to be faithful in praying for him, in trying to cut the criticism - tough as that may be for me!! - and, most of all, faithful in trusting our lives, every single minute part, to God. We need to be in the Word and in unceasing prayer for our nation and all of the leaders.

God will never leave us nor forsake us, that's a promise.

Below, I've tried to include a link for one of my favorite songs. It reminds me that my trust is in Christ alone -- not in a man, not in a nation, not in my ideals... Just in Christ alone. I hope it works for you.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=67526786fe0444acf467&msg=Your%20email%20has%20been%20successfully%20sent%20to%20your%20friend..

In 2009, may we grow in Christ as never before.

Max Lucado is asking as many as will to sign their name pledging to pray for President-Elect Obama on Inauguration Day. Won't you join?

Here's a quote from Max Lucado's newsletter:

"He needs our prayers. And it’s our privilege to pray for him. The Bible says: Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God. (1 Timothy 2:2)

For that reason, I invite you to set aside a few minutes on Inauguration Day, Tuesday, January 20, and ask God to bless Barack Obama and his family. Join me and urge as many people as possible to speak to God on behalf on our incoming president.

Good things happen when people pray."

PrayForPresidentElect.com

Christmas to Me

Christmas time is fun
Let's all go grab a honeybun!
But it's not just to please us,
It's really all about Jesus.
It's okay to want them presents,
But remember it's not all about presents;
It's about Jesus,
not just to please us.

By Corbin Madden
December, 2008

Money Can Buy...

At church a couple of weeks ago, Mom handed me this yellowed little square of paper. The print is obviously from one of those old-fashioned, long-gone typewriters, but the wording is timeless. I have no clue who wrote this, it just says (copied) at then end, but I'd love to give credit where credit is due, so if you should know the author, please let me know, okay? Anyway, I hope it causes you to take a fresh look at your priorities....

Money Can Buy

A House but not a Home.
Food but not an Appetite.
Clothing but not Beauty.
Medicine but not Health.
A Bed but not Sleep.
Books but not Brains.
Luxury but not Culture.
Insurance but not Security.
Loyalty but not Love.
Happiness but not Joy.
Companions but not Friends.
Glasses but not Vision.
A Church but not Salvation.
A Crucifix but not a Saviour.

"For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Matt. 16:26a


It is easy to fall into the trap. We need money to live, but if we live for money, we have no life.

My children are growing so fast - time with them here at home with us is a temporary treasure. God has been really dealing with me this last month about my priorities. It's just so easy to lose focus and find yourself running like a hamster in that spinning wheel - round and round and round but never getting anywhere. Yet, the clock keeps ticking, the days keep passing...

I'm learning that it's only through the leading of the Holy Spirit that I can keep any sort of balance in my life - spiritually, mentally, emotionally, even physically. WORKING toward finding that "place" can be exhausting. My focus MUST remain on Him and Him alone; my trust must be in Him and Him alone.

Of course, several months ago I heard someone say - "Whoever said, 'Money can't buy happiness' never had any." And it IS nice to have money, I certainly can't argue there! But it's nicer to have JESUS! With Him - EVERYTHING is nicer.

Daddy always says, "I ain't never seen a U-Haul hitched to a hearse." But what I have seen is a long line of cars, haven't you? Cars that money can buy. Each and every one driven by a person - a person with a soul that will last for all eternity.....

Have you done a priority check lately?

Atkins says no Bread, but I've GOTTA have it!

Wow! It's been a long time since my last post, but God has sure been busy in our lives. He's just blessing our socks off! And I praise Him for that.

I'm learning daily that God does supply all our needs, that we do not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD. His Word is alive and filled with love. It is my bread - and it's CARB FREE!!!

I've been doing a study lately by Joyce Meyer called The Battlefield of the Mind. Whew! Is that ever a warzone in my life! I have lived so long with "stinkin' thinkin'". Wandering around 40 years in the wilderness when the journey could've taken 11 days - that's not only the story of the Children of Israel, but all too often it's our story, too. We wander around aimlessly, spinning our wheels and never getting anywhere. We grumble and complain, and continue in the same patterns day-in-day-out wondering why we don't see more of God's hand in our lives.

Well, we've got to change! It's not optional. If we want to see God's miracles, live and walk in His presence, we've got to get our vision in line with His. We have to realize that, yes, in this world we have tribulations, but we have reason to BE OF GOOD CHEER! HE has overcome this world!

I've known God was with me; I've seen His miracles, experienced amazing grace, overcome major battles, rejoiced in His deliverance, but you know what? He's not finished yet! Boy, is there ever so much to learn!

Bask in His presence, dig into His Word DAILY, spend time with Him in prayer, commune with Him throughout the day as friend with friend. Oh, you just can't imagine the joy - that deep, indescribable joy of communing with the Holy Spirit.

So, it's all you can eat Bread! The BREAD OF LIFE! It's even better than Red Lobster's cheese biscuits!!!

Just a word...

Satan is real as we all very well know. He is out to devour us, not just trip us up - DEVOUR us. He is ruthless and cunning, an angel of light. We MUST be prepared for the fight. We MUST daily put on the whole armor of God. That takes action and obedience, never assuming the armor will just "fall" upon us because we are saved. Put on the full armor of God every day. Still there are areas uncovered, it seems, where Satan gets his grimy little hands in our life, but we MUST fight the fight and finish the race realizing we have a "great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on. (Hebrews 12:1)

We have a power in prayer. We cannot fail to lift one another up. In these last days even the very elect will be deceived; we are warned of that. Yes, we MUST ask questions and we MUST dig in the Word daily to recognize deception and false teachings. The blood Jesus shed those thousands of years ago hasn't lost its power. Let's plead the blood over one another through 2008, let's FIGHT with the Sword of the Spirit because we KNOW that "in this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"!!! (John 16:33)

Remember, we can, through the power of Jesus Christ, do all things. Nothing is left out there. We can find answers; we can be healed - emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually; we can minister; we can find that peace that passes all understanding; we can defeat the enemy! We can trust God enough to know that He is allowing us to pass through the fire to refine us as pure silver - PURE silver - so He can see His reflection in us.

Oh, friends, let us hold one another up. "Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed." Hebrews 12:12-13

Let us remember the POWER in prayer. Let us try to search out joy because God has told us to count it ALL joy. I'm the first to say, that's often a tough one to obey, but again, Phil 4:13 - it's still in there. We can - through Jesus Christ and His power.

And keep your hope!! "Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul." (Hebrews 10:35-39)

Hallelujah, brothers and sisters!!! We just have a little longer to tarry. Don't give up the fight! Read, study, memorize, hide the Word in your heart - and maybe Ephesians 6:10-20 would be a good place to start. Like David who faced Goliath we must remember - the battle is the Lord's (1 Samuel 17:47), we just have to take off the "armor" of this world, and put on the FULL armor of our God!

Jan
Isaiah 43:1-2

Were you born in a barn?

I don't know about you, but down here in the hills of TN, I've heard this question thousands of times. Usually as a child when I had my mind in too many places to remember to shut the door behind me when I came into the house -- ESPECIALLY in the unusual heavenly occurrence of Dad having the air conditioner on in the middle of August!! He loves the heat and one of his innumerable wise sayings is "Sweatin's good for you. You sweat out all the poisons." So, if he had the air conditioner running, trips in or out better be quick and few! :)

Yesterday, however, my brother shed new light on this saying for me (he's my pastor, you know).

Who is welcome in a barn? Some folks lock up their barns, but I don't know many cows and horses who have keys, do you? And in the Old West, the family slept in the house, but guests and strangers coming along the way, well, they slept in the barn. Mom and Dad's barn stores all those things there's no room for in the house, things no one wants or can use right now. Usually, barns aren't the most pleasant smelling nor the most clean, either. Even my dear, dear friend Kathy - one of THE best house-keepers I've EVER known, probably doesn't have Pledge in the barn! They have quite a farm, and though their barn is immaculate - for a barn - I wouldn't consider delivering a baby in there, you know? Get real! A barn?

But God did.

Why? Why choose THAT environment for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Savior of all mankind?

Because EVERYONE is welcome in a barn! Shepherds, kings, rich, poor, short, tall, fat, skinny -- EVERYONE!

Had God chosen a palace, it still wouldn't have been good enough for Jesus, but I wouldn't be welcome there - I'm not royalty. Had God chosen the Inn where maybe Mary and Joseph got the very last room - the next person coming by wouldn't be welcome because there would've been no room. Get the picture? He chose a barn so EVERYONE can come to Him! I love that picture!

"For God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

I'm a 'WHOSOEVER' and so are you! What a blessed hope!

Were you born in a barn? My Savior was... just for you and me.