Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble,
and keep on praying. ~ Romans 12:12
Someone was telling me that a pastor during the tornado in Oklahoma, the only thing left standing was his family in the bathroom – the house was totally blown away. In Ephesians we are told that an evil day may come to us in life (Ephesians 6:13), but to stand with the armor of God on.
I remember when I was a young believer that people were talking about California falling off into the ocean and someone even predicted a date, but it never happened. I think it’s crazy as a society we have built huge cities on fault lines and near oceans where there are hurricanes. I realize that beach-front property is a prime rate, but then even in the Midwest they said there were 17 tornadoes.
CNN: Seven adults and two children were killed in Friday's storms in Oklahoma, a spokeswoman for the state's chief medical examiner's office said Saturday morning. In all, 17 tornadoes were reported in the Midwest. More than 210,000 customers were without power Saturday -- 89,000 in Missouri, 86,000 in Oklahoma, 31,000 in Illinois, 3,000 in Arkansas, 1,000 in Kansas and 500 in Indiana.
I find in life there are different focuses. I can focus on the judgment of God or his deliverance and mercy, I can focus on grace or works, I focus on blessing people or cursing them, I can focus on trials or having God’s peace in my life. I can focus on pain, or God's healing power. I can focus on loss or that God will turn the bad in life around for my good and bring restoration.
The scripture tells us what God requires of us – I find many people who believe in doing justly, but it’s hard to find those who believe in mercy and walk humbly.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13
God angels rescued Lot and anyone else who would have been righteous when Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed.
Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call. Psalm 20:9
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
The longer I become a Christian, the more I realize how much I need God’s grace to live this life. In times past, I could rely on my own strong will to get me through the day, but I’ve had some tremendous battles in life that wiped my house out spiritually and mentally.
Like Paul said, it’s no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me. I can face each day in my own righteousness or I can put on the robe that God gave the prodigal son (his best robe), and that was the righteousness of what Jesus did.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
For some reason, not sure why, it seems when all hope is lost sometimes that is when deliverance comes. Some people say that it is because we are the end of ourselves, than God can actually move in our lives. People have compared it to we can’t rescue a drowning man until they almost drown because they will pull us under when we try to save them. We have to wait until the drowning man quits struggling to save his own self.
I had that happened to me at the birth of my twin daughters. My husband and I had no place to live, and we did not have a stitch of clothes for my children or any baby furniture. Like any woman alive, I had that nesting instinct. I constantly worried and at the last minute, God gave us a place to stay and I got girl baby clothes after my twins were born, God came through. At the time it was through the body of Christ when we were in full time ministry.
When my husband died, it was through my husband’s company and my daughter’s friends. They are the ones that reached out to me financially and helped me with some things I needed done around my home. My husband help build his company for 17 years, and they were like a deliverer to me.
I don’t like “cutting it close.” I like having all my ducks in a row ahead of time. I don’t like being the children of Israel having the Red Sea against my back and the Egyptians coming at me, but many times in my life that is how it has been.
God’s love never fails or changes, but his mercies are new every morning. Lamentations 3:23
As we see the days are getting more evil and evil and we put on the armor of God, I recognize that God is my deliverer. It’s like what the Hebrew children said that God was able to deliver them, but they were not going to fall down and worship the golden image of the king. The only thing that got burnt up in the furnace was what was of man - the ropes.
Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. Luke 21:17-19
My understanding, a great persecution has already gone on in other countries of Christians, and we see with prayer taken out of school, employees have to say “Happy Holidays not Merry Christmas,” the Ten Commandments have been taken out of the court room and manger scenes out of downtown cities. Evolution has been taught for quite a while in public schools and universities. We don't live in a Christian environment, I would compare it to a modern Rome.
We live in a fallen world, and we have been warned that Satan knows his time is short so he is going to reap havoc. Satan hates the whole human race – the object of God’s creation and affection.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." Rev. 12:12
As believers, we are the seed of Christ in the earth. We are the light of the world. I try to wake up with my mind on Jesus each day, but when I fall on my face on some mornings, it’s nice to know it’s God’s robe of righteousness I can put on. The Lord spoke to me one morning and he said, “I want you to wear the robe I gave you through my son.”
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Col. 3:12
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14
As believers we are to "lift up our heads" because our redemption is drawing nigh.
When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:2i8
Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Psalm 24:9
Someone was telling me that a pastor during the tornado in Oklahoma, the only thing left standing was his family in the bathroom – the house was totally blown away. In Ephesians we are told that an evil day may come to us in life (Ephesians 6:13), but to stand with the armor of God on.
I remember when I was a young believer that people were talking about California falling off into the ocean and someone even predicted a date, but it never happened. I think it’s crazy as a society we have built huge cities on fault lines and near oceans where there are hurricanes. I realize that beach-front property is a prime rate, but then even in the Midwest they said there were 17 tornadoes.
CNN: Seven adults and two children were killed in Friday's storms in Oklahoma, a spokeswoman for the state's chief medical examiner's office said Saturday morning. In all, 17 tornadoes were reported in the Midwest. More than 210,000 customers were without power Saturday -- 89,000 in Missouri, 86,000 in Oklahoma, 31,000 in Illinois, 3,000 in Arkansas, 1,000 in Kansas and 500 in Indiana.
I find in life there are different focuses. I can focus on the judgment of God or his deliverance and mercy, I can focus on grace or works, I focus on blessing people or cursing them, I can focus on trials or having God’s peace in my life. I can focus on pain, or God's healing power. I can focus on loss or that God will turn the bad in life around for my good and bring restoration.
The scripture tells us what God requires of us – I find many people who believe in doing justly, but it’s hard to find those who believe in mercy and walk humbly.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13
God angels rescued Lot and anyone else who would have been righteous when Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed.
Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call. Psalm 20:9
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
The longer I become a Christian, the more I realize how much I need God’s grace to live this life. In times past, I could rely on my own strong will to get me through the day, but I’ve had some tremendous battles in life that wiped my house out spiritually and mentally.
Like Paul said, it’s no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me. I can face each day in my own righteousness or I can put on the robe that God gave the prodigal son (his best robe), and that was the righteousness of what Jesus did.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
For some reason, not sure why, it seems when all hope is lost sometimes that is when deliverance comes. Some people say that it is because we are the end of ourselves, than God can actually move in our lives. People have compared it to we can’t rescue a drowning man until they almost drown because they will pull us under when we try to save them. We have to wait until the drowning man quits struggling to save his own self.
I had that happened to me at the birth of my twin daughters. My husband and I had no place to live, and we did not have a stitch of clothes for my children or any baby furniture. Like any woman alive, I had that nesting instinct. I constantly worried and at the last minute, God gave us a place to stay and I got girl baby clothes after my twins were born, God came through. At the time it was through the body of Christ when we were in full time ministry.
When my husband died, it was through my husband’s company and my daughter’s friends. They are the ones that reached out to me financially and helped me with some things I needed done around my home. My husband help build his company for 17 years, and they were like a deliverer to me.
I don’t like “cutting it close.” I like having all my ducks in a row ahead of time. I don’t like being the children of Israel having the Red Sea against my back and the Egyptians coming at me, but many times in my life that is how it has been.
God’s love never fails or changes, but his mercies are new every morning. Lamentations 3:23
As we see the days are getting more evil and evil and we put on the armor of God, I recognize that God is my deliverer. It’s like what the Hebrew children said that God was able to deliver them, but they were not going to fall down and worship the golden image of the king. The only thing that got burnt up in the furnace was what was of man - the ropes.
Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. Luke 21:17-19
My understanding, a great persecution has already gone on in other countries of Christians, and we see with prayer taken out of school, employees have to say “Happy Holidays not Merry Christmas,” the Ten Commandments have been taken out of the court room and manger scenes out of downtown cities. Evolution has been taught for quite a while in public schools and universities. We don't live in a Christian environment, I would compare it to a modern Rome.
We live in a fallen world, and we have been warned that Satan knows his time is short so he is going to reap havoc. Satan hates the whole human race – the object of God’s creation and affection.
Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." Rev. 12:12
As believers, we are the seed of Christ in the earth. We are the light of the world. I try to wake up with my mind on Jesus each day, but when I fall on my face on some mornings, it’s nice to know it’s God’s robe of righteousness I can put on. The Lord spoke to me one morning and he said, “I want you to wear the robe I gave you through my son.”
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Col. 3:12
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14
As believers we are to "lift up our heads" because our redemption is drawing nigh.
When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:2i8
Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Psalm 24:9
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