Sunday, February 28, 2010

Monday, February 22, 2010

Olympics and Upper Respiratory Infection

I have been battling an upper respiratory infection for almost a week, it has drained my energy in a big way. At least the Olympics are on now, I would rather watch them (though I slept through the men's ice skating) than most of the drivel offered on TV. I stayed in bed from 2:00pm Friday through 8:00am today. So much work poured in this morning, it's like it was before the economy tanked. Please join me in praising the Lord for this and also pray for me to completely shake this thing.

Thanks and Love,

Annette

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Moses Heard the Whining...

Can anyone else identify with Numbers 11:10 Moses heard the whining, all those families whining in front of their tents. God's anger blazed up. Moses saw that things were in a bad way. 11 -15 Moses said to God, "Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Why tell me to carry them around like a nursing mother, carry them all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, 'Give us meat; we want meat.' I can't do this by myself—it's too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I've seen enough; I've had enough. Let me out of here."

If you've experienced similar emotions at one time or another, was it caused by family (spouse, a 2 year old, teens, a MOTHER IN LAW) or coworkers/boss? Sometimes when we say the I've had enough thing, get me out of here, I did not sign up for this God (I really told God I didn't sign up for something when 2 people in a pastoral care ministry were fighting with one another and each called me to describe in vivid detail what they said to one another and what they thought of one another.). None of what they said or thought was Christ like, but guess what, neither was my reaction when I went to God over it. For a few days, I did not ask Him to give me the words to say or ask Him to place an angel on my lips if I were to remain silent. I did not pray for each woman to die to self, forgive, and walk in love and holiness. But I certainly whined to God for a week or so. Theses 2 women were whining, murmuring and complaining, but so was I as I told God what I thought. I was not quiet and did not listen to Him - in fact I didn't let Him talk for nearly a week.

We are human just like the Israelites, we will murmur and complain and whine upon occasion, but we must remember how God feels about and repent quickly. We must ask forgiveness for our words and the attitudes of our heart concerning what ever situation brought on the whining.

I pray our words are Christ like and our hearts are filled with His love and we pour out His love in every situation of our lives. Remember seasons change...Joy comes, don't get bogged down 1/2 way to the Promised Land. Ask for prayer when you need it and stay in the Word.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Roses, Chocolates, and Valentine Cards

This time of year takes me down memory lane to hand made Valentines cards - doilies were key to most of my endeavors along with red and white construction paper and crayons. Occasionally I would be quite artistic - really stretch as an artist and use light pink paper, white doilies and a magenta crayon. I would also address a little Valentine card for each member of my class and place them in the individually hand decorated white lunch bags at the back of the classroom.

Each year my father bought my mother a card and chocolates, he bought me a card and a box of Red Hots. (I'm allergic to chocolate, but eat it anyway.)

I looked forward to the little hearts stamped with Be Mine, etc. I loved the way the hearts looked but didn't really care for the taste.

As I grew older, I expected the flame of the moment to buy me a card and maybe spring for a meal at the Pizza Hut or Sonic. I met my husband in 1981, I had higher expectations by then jewelry was nice as were roses and a nice meal.

The day is supposed to be all about love, but as a Christian I am to live each day walking in love. The love represented by Valentine's Day is not the kind of love God is talking about. I wonder how non believers’ lives would be impacted by our loving them the way Jesus does? No condemnation, no reproach, no hypocrisy, no self righteousness, no hint of a Pharisee in sight. Many times we say the Word but our actions are quite the opposite. Non believers notice.

My endeavor in 2010 is to live out God’s Word and that means living in love.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

It's the Year of Jubilee...

Today is Annette's (of Annie's Eyes Blog) birthday. We 1st met through Beth Moore's blog a couple years ago. We then did what we tell children not to do - we met in person over lunch and she came to my annual coffee (I gave her my address and phone number.). Since the day we met in person, we've had the privledge to worship together a few times and of course shared a couple more meals.

I am so thankful the Lord put Annette in my life. I pray 2010 is truly a year of Jubilee for you - my precious Sister in Christ.

Happy Birthday! I love you.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Egypt or the Promised Land

Today's readings in the chronological year through the Bible are Lev. 22 and 23, a book which many people use to illustrate their point the Bible is no longer relevant. (You hear it all in denominational church, many say Paul was not a disciple, his stuff is no good.) Lev 22:32-33, "Don't desecrate my name. I insist on being treated with holy reverence among the People of Israel. I am God who makes you holy and brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am God."

As New Covenant Girls, we are spiritually delivered from the bondage of Egypt. By living for God and dying to self, by repenting and confessing our sins we remain free. In the words of my friend Norma Dearing, keep your accounts short, confess and repent immediately, don't wait until later. When we forget or refuse to confess and turn away from our sins we are heading right back to Egypt. I want to live spiritually in the Promised Land not in Egypt which spiritually is a land of bondage and a desert...if you find yourself headed back to Egypt, call a friend to pray with you. Leave me a comment, I will pray for you.

2010 is my year to live out the Word, live victoriously, the chains of bondage are gone, I've been set free and as a believer so have you!

Stay in the Word!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

SMT Verse 3, 2010

Seriously, how can we be on our 3rd verse of the year!!! It seems it was just Thanksgiving. And if the truth be told, I still don't really know my 2nd verse.

I chose Psalm 119:105 because it means so much to me and like everything else in the Bible - it is TRUE...Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

I plan on camping out in Psalm 119 the next few weeks using The Message, NIV and Amplified versions of the Bible. Psalm 119 refers to God's word quite a bit.

We must be careful not to analyze His word so much we fill our heads with it instead of our hearts. I want to truly live out His word, I want 2010 to be a year in which I continue to die to self and grow in Christ.

Feast on these words from Psalm 119:

33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
35 Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word. [b]