Thought I'd share my sweet lil pumpkins with ya'll! Dustin and I picked these out at Mitchell Farms in Collins, MS when we went to get some peanuts to boil. Dustin's Mamaw Hall went with us and we had a really good time!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
L-O-V-E
I believe and I think anybody would agree.. We will never truly know the power of God's love for us! This morning God lead me to 1 John. I turned right to chapter 4 and started reading. I love these chapters and books of the bible where the word is so good (and there's a lot of those ;)..) that you don't want to stop reading so you just read the whole chapter or the whole book for that matter. When I was reading I came upon verse 4 and had to stop. "Ye are of GOD, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is HE that is IN you, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4. As Bro Sam would say, If that doesn't light your fire your wood must be wet. :) We worry about the stupid things in the world when they are itty bitty compared to who is living inside us (if you are a born again Christian of course). I stopped reading for a minute and wrote down that verse then I started reading again. That was too good to not see what comes next. "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." This verse is saying if you have never accepted God's love for you then you have never experienced God's love. HE IS LOVE so if you don't know Him you don't know love. It's that simple. It doesn't stop there... His love, God's love is the reason we can have everlasting life! He loved us so much that He sent HIS ONLY Son to die for us! I like verse 10, it says "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Propitiation means an atoning sacrifice. It's not about us or what WE'VE done it's about what GOD has done. Love isn't because we love God but because He loves us! And because He loves us He commands us to love others, starting in verse 11. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Let's show others His love. It would be a shame for a person to miss out on the love of God because we didn't show it to them. Who knows for some people the only true love (God's love) they see will be through us!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Individual Discouragement and Personal Growth
Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for fory years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and said to him,"...bring My people... out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go...?" (Exodus 3:10-11). In the beginning Moses had realized that he was the one to deliver the people, but he had to be trained and disciplined by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but he was not the person for the work until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.
We may have the vision of God and a ver clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses' forty years in the wilderness. It's as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are throughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. And then we begin to tremble and say, "Who am I that I should go...?" We must learn that God's great stride is summed up in these words--"I AM WHO I AM... has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14). We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him-- our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be "well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, "I know this is what God wants me to do." But we have not yet learned to get into God's stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead.
This was from my devotional book "My utmost for His highest" this morning and I wanted to share :)
We may have the vision of God and a ver clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses' forty years in the wilderness. It's as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are throughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. And then we begin to tremble and say, "Who am I that I should go...?" We must learn that God's great stride is summed up in these words--"I AM WHO I AM... has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14). We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him-- our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be "well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, "I know this is what God wants me to do." But we have not yet learned to get into God's stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead.
This was from my devotional book "My utmost for His highest" this morning and I wanted to share :)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Chocolate Milk :)
Mark 9:1-10
When we were kids there was something we loved that we couldn’t have very often. I had a lot of those but let’s just say chocolate milk was mine. My momma only let me have chocolate milk if I obeyed her and done all of my chores. As we know kids don’t often do exactly what their parents ask them to do so I didn’t get chocolate milk very often. Momma was pretty smart. She knew that I wouldn’t always be the best child and there were times that I wouldn’t get chocolate milk. But I learned to obey her direction so that I could get the reward.
Funny illustration I know but this is the same way in our Christian walk. There’s a reason why God doesn’t allow us to always be on the mountaintop. If my mom gave me chocolate milk no matter if I obeyed or not would I ever learn to respect her? Would our relationship ever grow if I always got my way?
Yes as Christians we would love to always be sweet little angels on the mountaintop but it’s in the valley where we learn to trust Him. What’s sad is a lot of times the valley is where we forget how great our God is. The mountains in our life are there to build us up to be strong enough to withstand the depts. of the valley. If momma would have given me chocolate milk every day, I wouldn’t have liked it as much anymore. It wouldn’t be special to me anymore. God wants us to experience just how great the mountaintop is. I believe this is why He doesn’t allow us to stay there. If we never experienced the valley we would never understand the power God has in our lives.
In verse 5 Peter told Jesus it was good for them to be on the mountaintop. Peter wanted to build tabernacles there. He knew how awesome it was to be on the mountain with God because he had experienced God’s presence there. I believe God wanted to reassure Peter, James, and John of His power because of what they were going to be experiencing in the near future, Jesus’ death and resurrection. God is doing the same thing with us today. He allows us to experience the mountaintop to get us through the valley.
When we were kids there was something we loved that we couldn’t have very often. I had a lot of those but let’s just say chocolate milk was mine. My momma only let me have chocolate milk if I obeyed her and done all of my chores. As we know kids don’t often do exactly what their parents ask them to do so I didn’t get chocolate milk very often. Momma was pretty smart. She knew that I wouldn’t always be the best child and there were times that I wouldn’t get chocolate milk. But I learned to obey her direction so that I could get the reward.
Funny illustration I know but this is the same way in our Christian walk. There’s a reason why God doesn’t allow us to always be on the mountaintop. If my mom gave me chocolate milk no matter if I obeyed or not would I ever learn to respect her? Would our relationship ever grow if I always got my way?
Yes as Christians we would love to always be sweet little angels on the mountaintop but it’s in the valley where we learn to trust Him. What’s sad is a lot of times the valley is where we forget how great our God is. The mountains in our life are there to build us up to be strong enough to withstand the depts. of the valley. If momma would have given me chocolate milk every day, I wouldn’t have liked it as much anymore. It wouldn’t be special to me anymore. God wants us to experience just how great the mountaintop is. I believe this is why He doesn’t allow us to stay there. If we never experienced the valley we would never understand the power God has in our lives.
In verse 5 Peter told Jesus it was good for them to be on the mountaintop. Peter wanted to build tabernacles there. He knew how awesome it was to be on the mountain with God because he had experienced God’s presence there. I believe God wanted to reassure Peter, James, and John of His power because of what they were going to be experiencing in the near future, Jesus’ death and resurrection. God is doing the same thing with us today. He allows us to experience the mountaintop to get us through the valley.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Prayer changes things...
I've been praying that God would reveal to me things in my life I need to change. I know He probably has lots of things He wants me to change but He's showing them to me pretty slowly. :) I've realized lately that my life is entirely too busy. I worry and stress over small stuff that could wait until tomorrow. I'm a little bit OCD when it comes to a clean house. I can't have just one room clean and everything else not. If I'm cleaning I want to clean every room (or what's mostly seen anyway) and not leave anything undone. My house isn't dirty by no means but I just love to walk in from work in the evenings to a clean house. It just stresses me out in the evening to be so tired and walk in to be reminded that I've gotta clean. But.... here's the lesson learned. The mess isn't going anywhere. No I'm not gonna let it go for weeks or even days but it's not going to hurt anything to do a little cleaning then sit down and relax with my hubby. I'm starting to get the hang of this tactic.
I've also been burdened about my prayer life. I want to start a study on prayer this week. The busyness that I was talking about above can cause us to slack in our prayer life. My desire is to be in continuous prayer with my Father. Not only just to be in continuous prayer but to be careful of the things I'm praying for. Every morning when I wake up whether it's before I even get out of bed or in the truck on the way to work, I pray. Sometimes I catch myself hurrying through it. We learned in elementary school that a conversation is 2 people talking to one another. It's not a one sided thing. When we pray we should be listening for God to speak to our hearts. When I'm hurrying through a prayer I'm not waiting to hear from Him. Think of the things we miss when we hurry through our prayers. Now I do think it's ok throughout the day to say quick little prayers. I believe God still hears those. But if we are wanting to learn something from God we must have a certain time everyday to spend in conversation with God. Allow Him to speak to your heart. This may be a funny example but I think it has a little truth to it :) If a child is calling his/her mom and she doesn't answer normally he/she continues to call for them until they answer. We should be like this with God. Now I don't believe God will get annoyed with us like our mother's did and I believe as long as we have faith that God will hear us He does. There are times that we pray when God isn't ready to answer yet. This is when we continue to pray faithfully. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing." Don't stop praying about whatever is on your heart until you hear from God.
I've also been burdened about my prayer life. I want to start a study on prayer this week. The busyness that I was talking about above can cause us to slack in our prayer life. My desire is to be in continuous prayer with my Father. Not only just to be in continuous prayer but to be careful of the things I'm praying for. Every morning when I wake up whether it's before I even get out of bed or in the truck on the way to work, I pray. Sometimes I catch myself hurrying through it. We learned in elementary school that a conversation is 2 people talking to one another. It's not a one sided thing. When we pray we should be listening for God to speak to our hearts. When I'm hurrying through a prayer I'm not waiting to hear from Him. Think of the things we miss when we hurry through our prayers. Now I do think it's ok throughout the day to say quick little prayers. I believe God still hears those. But if we are wanting to learn something from God we must have a certain time everyday to spend in conversation with God. Allow Him to speak to your heart. This may be a funny example but I think it has a little truth to it :) If a child is calling his/her mom and she doesn't answer normally he/she continues to call for them until they answer. We should be like this with God. Now I don't believe God will get annoyed with us like our mother's did and I believe as long as we have faith that God will hear us He does. There are times that we pray when God isn't ready to answer yet. This is when we continue to pray faithfully. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says "Pray without ceasing." Don't stop praying about whatever is on your heart until you hear from God.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Revelation Song
It's so true when people say music is good for the soul. For about 2 months now Dustin and I have been listening to nothing but Christian music. I really don't know how I ever made it through my days at work before but now that I'm constantly listening to uplifting songs about How Great Our God is my days are so much better. For a couple of weeks JJ and Ron on 91.7 in the mornings have been talking about the song Revelation Song. They kept saying that were amazed when they found at that the lady ,Jennie Lee Riddle, that wrote the song is a mother (of I think 4 children) andGod gave her the lyrics while she was cooking spaghetti and changing diapers. The song, as Ron said, that makes your hair stand up on your arms while singing was written by a mother in the middle of her motherly duties! I listened to their interview with her this morning. She started to explain that while she was cooking and struggling with life's battles she asked God to give her a song that doesn't point out what's going on but focuses completely on Him. She wanted no focus on herself! Did He not do just that? I couldn't help but tear up this morning listening to her talk about it. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Holy Holy is He. When I hear this I picture a wide open field with the perfect breeze and beautiful flowers. Jennie talked about this same thing in the interview, we would think that the person that wrote this song had some out of this world experience and that's where the lyrics came from but what we don't realize is our God is big enough to use the smallest situation for His glory. Jennie brought out another very true point. She explained that worship isn't a song. Worship is a lifestyle. It's our daily steps of love and obedience to God. We don't have to just be in a church to worship God. Yes God calls us to gather together with other believes to fellowship and worship Him this is very important but that shouldn't be where it stops. It's so sad that that may be the only time some people worship Him. God deserves our praise where ever we are no matter what! We complain about so many things. I complain about so many things. What a shame that is that I took up time to complain or drag around when I could have been worshipping God in it and received such a blessing! God help me to seek your presence and worship You no matter where I am. Help me to look for ways to serve You in everything I do! Thank You for using this very special lady to write this song and speak to the hearts of many people with this testimony of Your love and presence!
Worthy is the,
Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to Him who sits on
Heaven's Mercy Seat
[Repeat 2x]
(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And I will adore You…!
Yeah!
Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King,
Yeah
(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore You!
Yeah!
Filled with wonder,
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your Name
Jesus, Your Name is Power
Breath, and Living Water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah...
(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore You!
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come,
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore YOU…
(Chorus) (Repeat at a cappella)
Come up lift up His Name
To the King of Kings…
We will adore YOU Lord…
King of heaven and earth
King Jesus, King Jesus
Aleluya, aleluya, aleluya!
Majesty, awestruck Honor
And Power and Strength and Dominion
To You Lord,
To the King, to King
To the King of Glory
Worthy is the,
Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to Him who sits on
Heaven's Mercy Seat
[Repeat 2x]
(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And I will adore You…!
Yeah!
Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King,
Yeah
(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore You!
Yeah!
Filled with wonder,
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your Name
Jesus, Your Name is Power
Breath, and Living Water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah...
(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore You!
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come,
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore YOU…
(Chorus) (Repeat at a cappella)
Come up lift up His Name
To the King of Kings…
We will adore YOU Lord…
King of heaven and earth
King Jesus, King Jesus
Aleluya, aleluya, aleluya!
Majesty, awestruck Honor
And Power and Strength and Dominion
To You Lord,
To the King, to King
To the King of Glory
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Show me Your glory!
Exodus 33:12-23
12And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
I believe that God knows all. I believe He knows our every move. How we serve Him, if we will serve Him, and so on. It still amazes me when I read stories like this that it's like He's speaking right to me. In these verses God is promising Moses that His presence will be with him. It's so funny that in verse 12 Moses was beating around the bush with God. He didn't want to just ask God if he was going to be with him so he said "But who will you send with me?." That's like us saying "There's only one piece of cake left I wonder who will eat it" instead of just saying "Can I have the last piece of cake?" What Moses really wanted to say was "Are you going with me God?" All we have to do is call upon the name of the Lord and He is with us. I think God used this time to teach that to Moses (and us). God was preparing Moses for what is to come. I mean he was going to witness a burning bush he definatly needed reassurance that it was God's presence. I think after Moses understood this he asked God to show him His glory. In verse 22 God starts explaining to Moses what is going to happen. God already knew that Moses would experience His presence at Mt. Sinai. The glory that Moses had been asking for would be experienced there. God answered Moses' prayer and used him for His glory.
The closer we get to God the stronger we will feel His presence. Any questions or concerns we may have all we have to do is bring it to Him. Moses was a little concerned about the things that were to come and He wanted reassurance that God was with him. God not only gave him the reassurance but He also gave him an idea of what was to come!
12And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
I believe that God knows all. I believe He knows our every move. How we serve Him, if we will serve Him, and so on. It still amazes me when I read stories like this that it's like He's speaking right to me. In these verses God is promising Moses that His presence will be with him. It's so funny that in verse 12 Moses was beating around the bush with God. He didn't want to just ask God if he was going to be with him so he said "But who will you send with me?." That's like us saying "There's only one piece of cake left I wonder who will eat it" instead of just saying "Can I have the last piece of cake?" What Moses really wanted to say was "Are you going with me God?" All we have to do is call upon the name of the Lord and He is with us. I think God used this time to teach that to Moses (and us). God was preparing Moses for what is to come. I mean he was going to witness a burning bush he definatly needed reassurance that it was God's presence. I think after Moses understood this he asked God to show him His glory. In verse 22 God starts explaining to Moses what is going to happen. God already knew that Moses would experience His presence at Mt. Sinai. The glory that Moses had been asking for would be experienced there. God answered Moses' prayer and used him for His glory.
The closer we get to God the stronger we will feel His presence. Any questions or concerns we may have all we have to do is bring it to Him. Moses was a little concerned about the things that were to come and He wanted reassurance that God was with him. God not only gave him the reassurance but He also gave him an idea of what was to come!
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