Give Yourself Fully to the Work of the Lord

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

I Corinthians 15

The words that stood out to me was 'work' and 'labor'.

I guess it's something I have not heard preached very often in churches. I hear how 'easy' life should be because of God's promises. Now don't get me wrong, there are lot's of promises and by faith and prayer we will see them answered. However, it's not a sit and pray, you just relax and here you go Santa kind of life in Christ either. We are called to go into all the world and that can truly be work!

So in verse 58 we are told to stand firm, let NOTHING move you. ALWAYS give yourselves FULLY to the work......because you know that YOUR labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Fully is Abounding in the KJV – in the concordance it means – be in excess...superabound or excel...be better...increase

Sounds to me like we are to go above and beyond, get out of our comfort zone, out of our home, out of our church building. We are to be so full of God and His Word; His Love, His Mercy, His Forgiveness, His Joy and His Peace - these are the works of God (Isaiah 32:17NKJV) that overflow in us and we should be displaying them in our workplace, in the grocery store, where we volunteer, etc.

Now let's look at 'work' in Strong's – task, employment, a deed, action, that which is wrought or made, a work. #2041 érgon from ergō, "to work, accomplish") – a work or worker who accomplishes something..

Employment – this is necessary to survive today. Men need to have jobs, employment so they can provide for their wives, their families, their parents as they age. Singles need employment so they can move out of their parents homes and begin their lives. Employment is not a BAD word, God expects it of us and where He puts us can be a mission field.

So, if we are to fully....work – we need to quit complaining and making excuses .God will not ask us to do anything He won't equip us for - then we need to make sure we are doing the Works of God (Isaiah 32:17) People should see a difference in us,not 'preaching' but actually 'living' the Word.

When you put yourself on God's throne, ….you are so good because blah blah blah ...and throw God's name in here and there, you talk about prayers that were answered with a pride of how God favors YOU – yet you do not admit when your prayers are not answered the way you have prayed them (at least not yet) and how are you treating your spouse, your parents, your employers and employees with honor – seeing others as better than yourselves ( Phil 2:3) These are things you need to go before the Lord with, to make sure you are 'working' according to God's will.

When I work or volunteer I need to make sure I'm focused on God and not on self. I can tell you, that when I get focused on self it can lead to listening to gossip and sometimes joining in, It can lead to focusing on a pain here or there and my thoughts take a wrong path.

I have been told they wish they had more volunteers like me. Do you know what they are really saying? They wish they had more volunteers that do their work as unto the Lord. Because when you do that you aren't focused on building yourself up but your focus is on honoring God and I believe you do better work.

The word 'labor' is toil #2873 - laborious toil, involving weariness and fatigue.

We are to give it our all for the Lord. He will renew our strength and He will give us the rest we need. I don't know about you, but when I'm working for the Lord, it is a labor of love, I want to touch people, through the work I'm doing, for the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe this 'labor' is not a bad weariness (one where we are doing things for self) but it's one where you are so full of the joy of the Lord and you are shining for Him, that you really have no idea how tired you are until you finish your work. Once your work is finished you feel great but are looking forward to resting at home. You have a sense of accomplishment and are thanking God for the day and now for your time to relax. This is kind of hard for me to explain, but a weariness from doing God's work is not the same as the weariness from doing things for selfish reasons. My husband summed it up for me this way - you have a clear conscience at bed time.

Get Rid of Self

Bridgett spoke about selflessness, get rid of you – using Colossians 3:3 as an example

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

And Colossians 3:12 tells us some of the ways to do this.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

To clothe yourself you are going to put it on, wear it, people can see what you wear, right?

So God is telling us we need to clothe ourselves with compassion – Strong’s Greek 3628 says compassion is….. deep feeling about someone's difficulty or misfortune

Now let me read Matthew 5:43-48

43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy;

44 But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 [a]To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

47 And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that?

I have had to check myself in this area several times so let me ask you – do you have compassion? 

When it is someone you perceive as an enemy – they have hurt your feelings, told lies about you or someone in your family, make fun of your belief in Jesus – whatever it may be that makes you see them as an enemy…..do you have compassion on them? 

If they lose a loved one, get sick, lose their job….do you have compassion or are you secretly, in your heart, rejoicing at their calamity? Repent…..this is your opportunity to really show the love of Christ. If you show compassion, the love of Christ, can you imagine the impact it will have on that person, their family, their friends……we have to learn to let go of ‘self’ and be the light God has called us to be.

Next is kindness – Strong’s Greek #5544 well-fit for use (for what is really needed); kindness that is also serviceable.

 ("useful kindness") refers to meeting real needs, in God's way, in His timing (fashion). Hence 5544 (xrēstótēs) is listed as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). With the believer, 5544 /xrēstótēs ("divine kindness") is the Spirit-produced goodness which meets the need and avoids human harshness (cruelty).

So you have compassion and use kindness to meet someone’s real need, in God’s way and in His timing.

Pastor Mitch has been talking about knowing  God, to have a relationship with Him and in doing this we know His will, His ways so when it’s time to meet someone’s needs He will give us clear direction. I know He has done this for me and it usually involves getting self out of the way – it never ‘feels’ convenient to me and I’m tempted to not do it…..but as Bridgett said last week – I will follow Him, where He goes I will go.

Now we move on to humility

#5012 Strong’s Greek  is an inside-out virtue produced by comparing ourselves to the Lord (rather than to others). This brings behavior into alignment with this inner revelation to keep one from being self-exalting (self-determining, self-inflated). For the believer, 5012 /tapeinophrosýnē ("humility") means living in complete dependence on the Lord, i.e. with no reliance on self (the flesh)

This brings us back to ‘self’, what’s inside of us – it tells us we are not to compare ourselves to others, it is not seeing ourselves as lower than someone else but to recognize we are nothing without God, we can do nothing without God, we know nothing without God.

#4240 gentleness - meekness ("gentle strength") which expresses power with reserve and gentleness. See 4236 (praotes).

For the believer, meekness (4240 /praýtēs, "gentle-force") begins with the Lord's inspiration and finishes by His direction and empowerment. It is a divinely-balanced virtue that can only operate through faith

I believe this means we do not move forward in our own power with our own words out of anger, hurt or fear but we put this power under His Lordship. We show gentleness to people by waiting on the Lord to give us inspiration, it might begin with a thought to do something that sounds outrageous to us but then He begins to give us direction and it lines us with His Word, then we have His Word which empowers us to move forward. I know my faith grows and that is how I take the first step in being gentle towards someone who in the flesh I do not like.

And the last thing mentioned is patience - #3115 in Greek  properly, long-passion, i.e. waiting sufficient time before expressing anger. This avoids the premature use of force (retribution) that rises out of improper anger (a personal reaction).

And I found it interesting that it has to do with expressing anger and that it doesn’t say we can’t express it – it just says to be patient don’t prematurely say something you are going to regret because when you speak instantly out of anger the words and actions are coming from the flesh – from your fear, anger and pride.

This will not bless a marriage, lead someone to Christ, help children to obey  you as the Lord commands – speaking quickly will only teach people to avoid you, they know they can’t talk to you about an issue because you are unwilling to move, to discuss, to see all areas that can lead to a peaceful answer. A husband may belittle his wife with his words because he has not learned humility before the Lord – he forgets the command the Lord has given him to love his wife as He loves the church.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her Ephesians 5:25

And wives you are not showing respect when you attack your husbands with words of anger

the wife must respect her husband Ephesians 5:33

Church, do not lash out when someone does not believe the way you do, that is not following God’s command to love. We are to use the Word of God but not as a means to see everyone else as wrong. No, it is a journey we are all on and when there is a difference of opinion we need to seek God for revelation while we love our brother……clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

By doing this God will either convict you where you need to change or He will work on the heart of the other person.

I know for me to keep these clothes on I need to daily be in prayer, reading His Word, speaking it out, asking God for wisdom and revelation, singing and praising my Father who has promised to give me help in these areas. I will know, other people will know that it was only through Jesus Christ that I was able to walk in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience because it goes against what the world teaches us to do.

 (C)Has Breath Publishing LLC

My Way Or Else !! Really

If you threaten your family and friends to block or delete people from facebook (or any other site) and if they don't do this command of yours....you threaten them with.....they can not have anything to do with you or your family........YOU are in a prison and now they have entered it with you.



Live life, enjoy life, take the chains off I can tell you freedom feels GREAT! and that freedom comes from knowing who you are in Christ. 

It also comes from repenting from the wrong you have done, forgiving others and moving forward in the changes. I'm tired of the petty stuff.....life is too short and we will ALL stand before God someday. Don't hurt others because you are mad at someone.

Ephesians 2:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

They Heard of Their Faith

Let’s take a look at Colossians 1:3-14 starting with asking…..Why do they always thank God … when they pray?

If you keep reading you will see it’s because ‘they heard of their faith….and of the love they have for all the saints.’

Let’s take a look at the word ‘faith’ in the Greek.

 Faith (4102/pistis) is always a gift from God, and never something that can be produced by people. In short, for the believer is "God's divine persuasion" – and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence), yet involving it. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4).

So they lived in a way that this gift from God was showing. They were persuaded, they yielded themselves to Him and knew His will.

And they had a love for the saints. I can only assume if they were known for this love it was because they were walking the way of the Lord. They were a light for Christ, showing and living forgiveness, teaching the Truth in love, seeking God for themselves-yielding themselves to Him so they knew what their next step should be. They confessed their sins, prayed for each other….I’m sure you can add to this.

Now let me ask you; are you a light in and outside the church? 

Do people see God when they ‘hear’ about the things you are doing? Are you talking bad about a Pastor-the ones we are called to share the Gospel, ones anointed by God --------(Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.  He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the the anointed of the Lord." with these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. I Samuel 24:5-7) Did you notice even though Saul was in the wrong, out of God's will and trying to kill David; that David still called Saul 'the Lord's anointed'?  

Do you talk about other believers – heck even non-believers (gossip)….. Are you full of pride….only doing things so you can buddy up with people you think have 'position'? Do you have your own little circle and forget you are to be a light in this world? Are you spending time with the Lord so you know His ways or just giving him a few minutes or an hour a day?

We should be living in a way that will draw others to Christ, will wake up the pew sitters and strengthen us in our walk so we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

We want people to say this about us, about the church (believers on His vine). They should be thanking God for who He is in us and what He does through us. (Col. 1:3)

Let’s look at ‘fruit’.

Our ‘fruit’ Fruit 2592 - bring forth, deeds: thus of men who show their knowledge of religion by their conduct  - fruit acceptable to Him – 
our lives, the knowledge we have of God should show in our conduct and it should be acceptable to our  Father.

And our fruit should continue to grow. If we stop growing, our fruit will begin to rot. We don’t just accept Christ and then stop searching His Word, stop talking, praying and studying His Word alone and with others. I like what ‘increasing’ means – key to authentic discipleship and it’s continual. We should never think we have all the answers and it’s our way only. We will have some Truth to share with others but some Truth will come from others that may have gone through a revelation (a learning experience) that we haven’t. For example, Joyce Meyer can share the revelation God has given her on being sexually molested because she went through it and walked through her healing and forgiveness using the Word of God. Someone that has not been through this will not have the revelation she has. We are branches on the vine, each of us has something to share and should share about what the Lord has and is doing in our lives.

Increasing - 837 auksánō – properly, grow (increase); become greater in size (maturity, etc.).  ("to grow") is key to authentic discipleship. Indeed, the Lord requires non-stop progress (development) in the life of faith.

And they ‘learned’ –

You learned - 3129 manthánō ( "a disciple") – properly, learning key facts; gaining "fact-knowledge as someone learns from experience, often with the implication of reflection – 'come to realize' "

As you read on and see what they are praying for them you will see endurance, patience and joy.

To grow and have people hearing and praying for us, it will take endurance and patience. We are in a body and have fleshly desires and emotions that can get in the way. Satan knows how to get our attention on ourselves, to make us selfish and prideful.

We need endurance and it comes from God, so that’s another reason to know Him and who we are in Him.

Endurance 5281 - properly, remaining under, endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots in life.

Then there is patience. We will be tempted to scream at some people…you’re going to hell…..or to compromise our values because we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, we begin to tell ‘white’ lies. When we go through things like this an improper anger can arise – this will put out your light.

Patience - 3115 makrothymía  – properly, long-passion, i.e. waiting sufficient time before expressing anger. This avoids the premature use of force (retribution) that rises out of improper anger (a personal reaction).

 I don’t know about you but I would love for Christ’s Light in me, the way I live my life, to have others  thank God and  pray for me because they ‘heard of my faith and the love I have for all saints’.

To have them pray for God to fill me with the knowledge of His will with spiritual wisdom and understanding…..so I can live a life worthy of the Lord, please Him in every way, bear fruit, grow in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power, have great endurance and patience and joyfully give thanks to the Father…….’

I want to live the life God has for me, one that will draw people to Him no matter how far away they live.

What about you?

Colossians 1:3-14

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Do You Think You Are The Only One That Has the Answers?

Salvation – that is where it starts and that is where we should be leading people. Not in words alone but in our actions! How we are living, what we are speaking. Does it line up with the Word of God?

When a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour they are babes drinking milk, not ready for meat yet.
There are people in the church that have the gift and desire to share with strong Christians that are eating meat, but some of these issues non-believers or new Christians are not ready for. Things in the Bible that is debatable because there are so many views one can take on the issue. These issues do not keep you out of heaven once you are saved by God’s grace but nonetheless they are things we are to study and learn from as we grow in our walk with the Lord. However they are not to be things that divide us.  To everyone's list of gifts, maybe a little discretion and discernment should be added?

Ephesians 4:32 Amplified   And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

Are you being kind when someone disagrees with you, are you inflexible, is there nothing else God can teach you on the subject? I think this is something we ALL need to take a look at, myself included.

Again – salvation, bring people to God, helping them learn who He is and what  God has to say about  them and Himself …that should be our goal because it’s God’s commandment.

So how do we, as believers, come to grips with this inside the ‘church’ (within the members?)– the place you go to worship and be taught?
Are we to challenge and get angry – if you don’t believe as I do in this area (not salvation) then you are all wrong ….. I’m leaving; I’m not tithing, or whatever you would do out of spite

Or should we seek the Lord, keep our mouths shut until He provides an opportunity for us to share what He has put into our hearts? Is there a better way to share our opinion on what God’s Word says in certain circumstances? We all know it’s God’s Word that matters, not our opinion.

I know for myself it can take a day, a week or many years for me to understand something just to find out in one area I still don’t have all the answers, does that mean I’m wrong? I don't think so but I do think I'm wrong when I believe I'm the only one that has the answer. (It is very possible that a prophet has a word from God that no one else has considered!)

Fellowship – encourage, correct, each other – isn't that how we are to learn and grow and be one on His vine?

II Timothy 3:16  Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),

Matthew 6:34  So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.

When you sense anger rising in you, or when you get irate because someone disagrees with your viewpoint on a topic in Scripture you have elevated that topic beyond being important, it is now worry!  It may even be entering the area of idolatry. It certainly destroys unity and fellowship.

I John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

Love, Do Good, Be Merciful?

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:32-36

I wonder how many were loving to people at the mad sales tonight/tomorrow, if they really checked their hearts and watched their words.

I wonder how many of us exclude those that need our love the most because we see them as 'sinners' not worthy to receive our love until they repent......when Jesus walked the earth He loved them, went to their place ate and drank with them. He did not stay in 'safe' places, only Christians around Him all the time.
How can we do this? show our love for them, Christ's love for them, when we tend to keep to our own 'circles' ?

We have gotten so use to those we 'hang' with that we forget to reach out to others. We forget where we came from (I know some had a Christian background so they've always been 'saved'). It's something the Lord needs to give us/me revelation on.
God has been bringing to my mind just how lost I was and what my lifestyle was like.....what Christian in their right mind would want to spend any time with me??!!
But you know what, there were some that did just that, they were so sound in their walk with Christ that they were able to love me in the midst of my sin.....it was their love for God and their taking time to talk to me (to my hubby and me--living together at the time).....that peaked my interest, stirred my soul.

"because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

Because of my past, I know that some, if not most of those that seem ungrateful and wicked or hateful are really hurting on the inside, they are scared, alone, unsure of who they can trust. Shouldn't we me merciful as our Father is merciful? Shouldn't we be kind?

I don't really know where this came from tonight, I was just sitting her talking to the Lord and this came out. My hearts desire is to reach people by showing them the love of Jesus, not to condemn them. I believe when they see how I,- how my husband and I live- (even the part where we need to repent because we sinned--we will not reach perfection until the day we enter Heaven but because of our robe of righteousness the Father sees Jesus when He looks at us) that it will give hope and later conviction to someone who will in turn begin to seek the Lord and learn His ways.

Why would the Bible say to confess our sins to one another if we never sinned after accepting the Lord and being baptized? He shed His blood, died a horrible death on the cross so our sins would be covered. He knew it would be a journey and the neat thing is He knows our HEART. He knows if it's just lip service. Are we saying 'don't do .......' and then we turn around and do it? My point here is......we have all sinned, so why do we see our sins of less consequence over those that are still in the world? How many Christians have lusted with their eyes? or told a lie? .....

I've been praying the Lord will show me where He wants me and that He will reveal to me How he walked, sat with, ate with and was merciful to the 'sinners'. He said --  "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Show me Lord, how and what you said and did to open the eyes of the lost; to bring hope to the hopeless; how You stayed strong in the midst of the 'sinners' you sat with. I'm sure they did not watch how they talked, dressed or acted and yet there You were in their midst, Your heart so full of love for them, longing for them to accept Your Truth. How do You want me to show Your love to them today? Where do you want me to go? I desire to be Your Light to a dying world.

      In Jesus Name I Pray........Amen

Negative, Fearful

The message the Lord gave me to share at our church this past Sunday.

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today we welcomed Cameron into our family!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LENA AND CAMERON

We love you and are so proud of you!

Love the dress, Lena!!  God was so good in giving you what you wanted.

Lies Something to Think About

This is an older video but I felt the Lord wanted me to post it - so I'm obeying.
I hope it blesses you, helps you repent and return to your family or friend - that it shows you love conquers all. Or that it gives you hope to hang in there while you wait for the person to see how much forgiveness and love really is in your heart. I know we are waiting on someone to return to the family and it's not always been easy but our love has never died!

Oh The Memories!!

I was going through my stack of VHS tapes and putting the ones of my daughters on DVD's.

It has been a heartwarming experience as I see and remember just how close my girls were.

Anyway I wanted to share some of the songs the church we attended at the time, sang during youth worship. Our daughters, Lena and Amanda Hammes (now married so Lena Stephenson and Amanda Tucker aka Moonda) would be part of the worship team.

Enjoy and worship the Lord!






What are some of your favorites?

My husband and his friend Benjamin Mosier have a CD out now - maybe one of those will be your new favorite??

FAITH HAS A VOICE

blessings

Something To Think About

February 14th Valentine's Day

Here is something to think about.

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36

On this Valentine's Day, why don't you reach out in forgiveness and mercy to those that have hurt you. Someone you see as an 'enemy' leave them a special gift or card today. You don't have to sign your name, you can just put 'someone who wants to bless you' or 'Jesus - John 3:16'

Think outside the box and lift Jesus up on Valentine's Day!!  Give him the glory, honor and praise and watch what He will do in your life and the life of the person you are blessing in His name.

Hebrews 1:3

Let’s look at Hebrews 1:3 and see what some of the original words mean in this passage. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  Hebrews 1:3  NIV Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;  KJV  ‘radiance’  someone who literally “shines” (is radiant). ‘glory’  the unspoken manifestation of God, intrinsic worth. ‘exact expression’  exact impression (likeness) which also reflects inner character. ‘being’  standing under a guaranteed agreement; entitling someone to what is guaranteed under the particular agreement. This is the same word used in Hebr 11:1 ---”Faith is the ‘substance’ of things hoped for...” ‘power’ powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works. Power to achieve by applying the Lord’s inherent abilities. “Power through God’s ability ‘word’   the Lord speaking His dynamic, living word in a believer to inbirth faith. ‘the purification’  cleansing, purifying, purification, literal, ceremonial or moral ‘sin’   ;   missing the mark; hence: (a) guilt, sin, (b) a fault, failure (in an ethical sense), sinful deed.   which results from God remo prop: missing the mark; hence: (a) guilt, sin, (b) a fault, failure (in an ethical sense), sinful deedving undesirable admixtures (eliminating impurities).          ("sin, forfeiture because missing the mark") is the brand of sin that emphasizes its self-originated (self-empowered) nature – i.e. it is not originated or empowered by God (i.e. not of faith, ‘Majesty’     (divine) majesty, greatness So we could read this as ............ The Son is the one who literally shines of God’s intrinsic worth, the unspoken manifestation of God and also reflects inner character of His being,  guaranteeing under the particular agreement by his power, to achieve by applying the Lord’s inherent abilities,  speaking his dynamic, living word in a believer  to inbirth faith.  After he had provided cleansing, moral cleansing for our missing the mark, a  mark that is the brand of sin that emphasizes its self-originated nature, not of faith; sat down on the right hand of the Majesty, Greatness on high.

Marriage Questions What Do You Have to Say?

I'm curious. I have some questions. If you have questions not on my list, please leave them in the comments.
I would love to hear from men and women.

Marriage is very important to me and I love that my husband has always said 'hand in hand to heaven' before it was in the movie 'The Notebook'
We have had our share of problems----and I will blog about them later but for now I just want you to know we have been married 26 years, together 29 and it just keeps getting better.

 Here are my questions.

1. Have you ever attended a marriage seminar and if Yes, which one and what was one thing your received from it?
2. How long have you been married? 
3. Do you pray together?

4. Do you take time to talk to each other, daily and not just the hi and bye conversation?

5. When do you feel most loved? What is it your spouse does that says 'I love you'?

6. Who handles the finances?

7. How often do you have arguments and what are they over?

8.   Do you attend church regularly?

9.   Do you have individual prayer, studying and listening to God time?

10. Do you and your spouse have time in the Word together?

You can have a marriage made in heaven and love growing old together! God has done amazing things in me and I'm more in love with my husband today than when we first met. 

so I think my last questions is ..........Do you hug, laugh, kiss and tell each other 'I love you' daily?

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.

Find Freedom, Restoration, and Wholeness

Find Freedom, Restoration, and Wholeness

There were several things that jumped out in Chapter 4 of ‘The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children’ by Stormie Omartian.

And again I want to say, my study group and I believe this book talks to us individually as much, if not more and then we have awareness as to how we can pray for our children.

Stormie Omartian says ‘….we all have things from which we need to be set free. Our adult children are no different.’

It helps me see that as they move into the world, into their jobs, etc – they will have things they need to turn over to God (just like we do) and this is where our prayer comes in. They will be faced with wrong thoughts, temptations from images, emotions and their attitudes in different situations.  The enemy will use these things to bring condemnation to them; he will try to steal their joy. 

We need to pray that they know the freedom and forgiveness that is theirs in the Lord

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. II Corinthians 3:17

So pray for your children to desire the presence of the Lord  so they will have freedom.  (Strongs 1657 - Definition: freedom, liberty, especially: a state of freedom from slavery.)

There will be times when you know specifically what they need to find freedom in – be specific in your prayers. Remember, you do not have control, you are releasing this to God and that can challenge us sometimes.  ‘…the Holy Spirit will not do what someone resists him doing….’  Our children may not see it as wrong – yet. Our prayers can help them recognize their need for freedom in that area as the Lord (not us) open their hearts up to His will.

 As our children begin to see the promises of God coming alive in their lives as they begin to realize and release place they are enslaved, they will begin to seek out more and more of His presence in their lives.  And with that they will become slaves of righteousness –Romans 6:18.

In your prayer time be sure to stop and listen to the Lord to see where there is an area in your life that you need to be set free from. Our children are aware of some areas in our lives too and when they see us change and they know it’s because of our walking in the Lord’s presence, it will help them with their faith to believe He will help them too.

There was a lot in this chapter and I highly encourage you to get the book and study it for yourself or start your own Bible Study, it will change you and I believe God will honor that and you will see changes in your children as well.

I leave you with this --  Psalm 91:14-16  (my husband and I read this every night before bed)

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”

I am blessed to be the mommy of Lena Sue Hammes Stephenson and Amanda Jane Hammes Tucker

I give thanks daily for these two blessings.

A Blessed and Wonderful Day

On October 2nd, our daughter, Lena Hammes, married Cameron Stephenson.

Welcome to the family, son!!

Both of our daughters are married now but it seems like only yesterday my husband an I held them in our arms as little babies. When I would watch them sleep and pray over them.

I'm grateful to God for all the memories. We had a wonderful time growing up together  lol

They taught me alot as a stay at home - homeschooling mom.

And their excitement as they waited for their daddy to get home from work - they knew when he

pulled in the drive and would run to the door yelling....daddy daddy!!

Our daughters Lena and Amanda will forever hold our hearts!

Lena and Cameron Stephenson 

October 2, 2011

Husband/Wife Dance  -  Tangled up in You by Staind

Daughter/Father Dance  -  Butterfly Kisses - Bob Carlisle

and she surprised me with a song she use to sing to me 

Daughter/Mother Dance - Just for You

We both cried

here it is!

You Have Value You Are Chosen

Are you feeling like it's hopeless?

God is listening!!

Listen to this awesome song.....

You are something beautiful!!!

God says this about YOU

Speak these out loud - faith comes by hearing

It will make a difference in how you feel, 

how you live and how you hear

from God.

He wants a relationship with His precious child.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved...

Colossians 3:12

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

John 1:12

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

James 1:5

God has said,

   “Never will I leave you;

   never will I forsake you.”  

Hebrews 13:5

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed 

you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Romans 8:2

Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. 

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

John 3:16

I went through a terrible depression, full of fear and anxiety attacks that kept me a prisoner in my own home.

I'm here to tell you God is real and He cares for you.

What He did for me He will do for you.

If you aren't sure where to start, I suggest

you begin reading in the book of John, New Testament

Find books by Joyce Meyer, Beth Moore, Stormie Omartian, etc.

'Battlefield of the Mind' by Joyce Meyer is a good one to start with.

This will be a journey you won't regret! Trials will come

but you will know how to overcome

as you use the Word of God!