old refiner never leaves his crucible

A couple of days ago the devotional in my Streams in the Desert book was so very good that I wanted to share it with you all. Only problem was that I was not able to get to my computer to get it all set up till today. So here it is - I hope it blesses you. :O)

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He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver (Malachi 3:3).

Our Father, who seeks to perfect His saints in holiness, knows the value of the refiner's fire. It is with the most precious metals that the assayer takes the most pains, and subjects them to the hot fire, because such fires melt the metal, and only the molten mass releases its alloy or takes perfectly its new form in the mould.
The old refiner never leaves his crucible, but sits down by it, lest there should be one excessive degree of heat to mar the metal. But as soon as he skims from the surface the last of the dross, and sees his own face reflected, he puts out the fire.
--Arthur T. Pierson


He sat by a fire of seven-fold heat,
As He watched by the precious ore,
And closer He bent with a searching gaze
As He heated it more and more.
He knew He had ore that could stand the test,
And He wanted the finest gold
To mould as a crown for the King to wear,
Set with gems with a price untold.
So He laid our gold in the burning fire,
Tho' we fain would have said Him 'Nay,'
And He watched the dross that we had not seen,
And it melted and passed away.
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,
But our eyes were so dim with tears,
We saw but the fire--not the Master's hand,
And questioned with anxious fears.
Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,
As it mirrored a Form above,
That bent o'er the fire, tho' unseen by us,
With a look of ineffable love.
Can we think that it pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment's pain?
Ah, no! but He saw through the present cross
The bliss of eternal gain.
So He waited there with a watchful eye,
With a love that is strong and sure,
And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat,
Than was needed to make it pure.

God didn't come to condemn and neither should we....

I have some very painful situations that I am dealing with - disappointments, frustrations, and fears. But these things are private things - things I really can't share with others. Then I have other things in my life that are a bit easier for me to talk about that are causing me pain and frustration.

This past week-end when I shared some of my heart with a friend at church, I soon realized that they were not as safe as I had thought they were. In a mater of minutes I felt judges and condemned, when they not only pointed out one, but several character defects. Did I need all of these defects pointed out at once? I don't know. But I know it sure did hurt.

As I shared last week - that I had been focused on the wrong thing and I needed to give God the glory. And if the pointing out of defects had stopped there I may not have left the conversation feeling condemned.

This conversation took place before church and to be honest, it had such a negative impact  on me it was difficult for me to focus on the sermon and I ended up having to ask a friend what she had gotten out of the sermon to which she replied:

"I heard the message that we don't get to heaven by all the stuff we do, but only through Jesus. That He has give His righteousness to us and there is nothing we can do to deserve it." 

 

 As my mind tried to wrap around all that had been said - the word condemned kept coming up- so I looked up the verse in the Bible that talks about the fact that God did not send His son to condemn the world...

 

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

 

John 3:17-19 

 

We only have to look at the verse right before verse 17 to see why God sent His Son: 

 

        16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.         

John 3:16

                                       

40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 6:40

 

After mulling over feeling condemned and doing a Bible study, I am feeling much better because I was reminded:

 

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 3:23-24

 

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  Romans 8:1 

 

                                                                                                  



Beloved Names of God...series... Light of the World

 

Light of the World

"Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

John 8:12 kjv

 

• Name of God the Son
• Jesus is referred to as the "light of the world" three times in the KJV.
• The term light is used many different ways in the Bible, often referring to "wisdom" or "truth." But we might go straight to the apostle John who declared that "God is light" (1 John 1:5). In this way, Jesus, as the Light of the World, can truly be seen as God in the world.
• John 8:12 recounts the moment when Jesus encountered the woman taken in adultery- and set her free from sin!

The birth of Jesus was God's way of restoring a relationship that had been damaged by the Fall. He was shining a light into our spiritual darkness. Jesus said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" John 9:5 kjv). But after He physically left this world, the light did not go out. And it won't! By having Jesus in our hearts, each of us becomes a candle bearer, ensuring the Light still shines for all the world to see.

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Next week we will look at the name "Physician" ...see you then :O)

 

 



Put it on your schedule...Put it on your "to do" list

Do you want to be successful at getting your exercise in each week? I have a great idea for you. An idea that is very simple but it made a big difference for me when I started doing this one thing - putting exercise on my schedule. On each day that I think I will be able to get exercise- I try to list it on my "to do" list. Even with it on my "to do" list -  I don't always get it done- but I do have a better chance at actually doing it each day when it is on my list of what I want to accomplish for each day.

I am sure you have heard how we need to shoot to get 10,000 steps each day - well the easiest way to actually reach this goal is to get a walk in each day. And then make choices to get up and move more often. It wasn't until I got an iPhone which had the app on it that shows how many steps I get- that I realized how little movement I was actually getting. It was surprising. But now that I have this app - I am able to check it and see how I am doing. And when my steps are low - I try to get up after my meals and walk and exercise and add to my steps for that day.

Walking is great for you. Try to get a decent walk in as many days as possible each week. Will you join me in my endeavor to get healthier by moving more? Let me know what you do to reach your goals?

"Miracle Drug is exercise"

Exercise~ the Miracle youth drug"

Walking over 30 minutes is when you start to bun fat!

Making it Past A Stumbling Block and A Second Goal

Last week I made a discovery. Just like I was able to get past these bumps in the path, I have made it past a stumbling block in the road of my life. Stick around and I will tell you about it.

So over the years I have kept track of my measurements here and there. Mostly at times when I have been trying to lose weight and wanting to have another way to gauge my improvements than just the scales. Last week I wanted to take my measurements and record them in my booklet.

As I was looking in the booklet, I noticed that I had a couple of little journal entries. It seems that I went to the health seminar that I have written about here many times in Sept of 2010. According to my booklet - I lost a total of 42 pounds. The sad thing is that by December of 2011 I had gained 15 pounds back. The stresses of live had gotten in the way and I had fallen off the wagon and in doing so I had gained weight.

Fifteen months from when I began my healthier lifestyle, I had already fallen off the wagon and I had gained15 pounds. As of now I am almost 16 months since I adopted my healthier lifestyle for good and although the weight lose is at a crawl right now, I am thankful to be able to say that I continue on doing my best to make good choices as often as I can. I still stumble every now and then, but I am not letting a bad choice or a bad day deter me from taking care of myself. I will continue to track my weight- meaning each week - I weigh in and I record my weight in a book. This way I am holding myself accountable and staying on track to lose the 50 pounds that I set out to do 16 months ago. Thankfully I gave myself plenty of time because at the rate I am going, I might need all that time. I am in the midst of a big change in my life, losing 50 pounds, and it is taking much longer than anticipated. And although I resist change, I continue on with making small changes here and there, believing that one day I will reach my goal of losing 50 pounds and then over time I can reach my second goal- keeping the weight off!

We can not expect weight to fall off on its own,

But as we all know, sadly, weight will come on ~

all on its own 

 

 

Perfect, Establish, Strengthen, and Settle Us

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you in due time, 

                                                                                                         

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant;

 because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,

seeking whom he may devour.

9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:6-11

 

Some of these verses I have referred to often. But again - looking further...digging deeper- we find more important information that help us along our journey through life.

 

First we are going to look at what "humble yourselves" mean:

 

Humble yourselves= It means to accept suffering - when this is the result of being faith to God - as part of God's will. This is not an unwilling resignation to His will but casting all our cares upon Him knowing that He cares for us. It is self-forgetfulness based on trust (Ps. 55:22; Matt. 6:25-33; Phil. 4:6). This is important, lest the seed of the gospel chokes in our lives (Mark 4:19).

"Cast" means to literally throw or fling something - like of like when your fishing and you cast your line out.  Now let's look at a few verses that focus on the "casting all your cares upon Him":

 

   

                                Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you;

He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalms 55:22

 

                                                             "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;

29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

Matthew 6:25-33

                           

                                Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Philippians 4:6

 

                                and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Mark 4:19

 

Be sober, be vigilant= A call to have a clear mind. Christians should recognize that behind their sufferings stands Satan trying to prey on them. The lion roars to scatter the sheep in panic and prey on them. Clear-minded sheep will stay calm and come close to their shepherd, trusting His protection. 

 

Resist him= Resistance takes the form of standing firm in faith, In the end, however, even that resistance is powered by God (5:10).

 

***All italicized texts are from my Andrews Study Bible. *** 

 

 

In this life we will have troubles, but we can cast our cares upon God. And we can trust God to: 

• perfect us

• establish us

• strengthen us

• settle us

  

Wrong Focus Leads to Wrong Thoughts

Lately I have made it more about how I looked and about my weight.

I had fallen into the trap of being jealous of others and the large amount of weight they were losing and I was even more jealous of all of the compliments they were getting. I was working hard and I, too, wanted acknowledgement of all the effort I was making and I let the fact that I wasn't, get me down. Until God used a lady at church to get my attention. She reminded me of the dangers of allowing compliments and such to go to our head and how they can make us more and more prideful when we are getting the glory, instead of God.

My new lifestyle isn't just about my weight - it's about taking better care of myself. It's about taking care of the temple of God of which I am. Yes- I have a goal and no, I haven't reached it yet, but focusing on what I am or not getting from others will not help me reach my goal. The truth is, feeling sorry for myself does not help me, in can only leads to negative results.

So I have readjusted my focus to Jesus. He is the one who can and will guide me along life's pathway. He will help me make wise choices. And He will help me reach my goal, in His timing.

This is a stumbling block that can stop progress in the right direction. And I have already made it past another stumbling block and that alone is a miracle from God.

A healthy lifestyle is about taking care of the body God gave you. Doing your best to make wise choices each day.

Come back on Thursday for "Making it Past A Stumbling Block"

Great to Have Favorites, Just Don't Stop There

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

As you have probably already figured out Proverbs 3:5-6 is on my list of favorite Bible passages. This scripture, along with many more have guided and encouraged me along life's journey. It's great to have favorites, just don't stop there.

This week I have been amazed at some powerful verses I have found joust beyond my favorite verses. And today I wanted to share one of these instances with you.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.

8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

verses 7-8

 

These verses actually go right along with verses 5-6 which are a command telling us to trust God and allow Him to guide us. Verse 7 tells us "Do not be wise in your own eyes" or in your own opinion. Next it says to fear the LORD and depart from evil.

 

Fear the Lord=

 

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

But fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Proverbs 1:7

 

There are great benefits when we trust in God and allow Him to direct our paths.

"lean not on your own understanding"

 

Sometimes when going through tough times we jus don't understand why God allows these things in our lives. But we need to remember that God knows the end from the beginning and He knows what's best. He had a broader perception than we do. And if we will trust Him, He will work it all out. This is a promise found in Romans

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:28

 

"As our sighs and groaning's intensify, so does our hope."

 

His Purpose= "To Save the world"

 

**notes in my Andrews study Bible for this verse**

 

"...God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,"

II Timothy 1:8b-10

I know from personal experience that worry and stress are detrimental to our health. And I'm so glad that we can trust God. I just have to continue to work on trusting Him more and releasing my worries to Him. 

 

I think I might spend some more time this week looking up some of my favorite Bible verses and reading the verses around them and see what new gems I can come up with!

 

 

 

Coincidence....I think not

Stressed
Worried
Anxious
Disenchanted

This is how I had felt for weeks......
maybe months......

Then I read on Courtney's blog Women Living Well where she had created another Bible study and would be working through it during the month of October. When I saw the title of the study, I knew I had to get it. I had actually never done one of her studies before, but I just felt that this was something that I was suppose to do.

 

Sometime, before or after I ordered the above book, I really don't remember, a friend shared with me about a free book offer that Jesus101 was doing. And I was able to go to the app on my phone and easily request a copy of this book:

 

Funny thing is that I did not realize that there two books would work so perfectly together. It was not planned at all - at least not by me.

 

About a week ago I began reading the small book and Sabbath morning I decided to read the second chapter for my devotional time. And it clicked - I was meant to read these books at the same time. These two go together so nicely!

God knew what was going on inside of me- he knew of my worries and concerns and he wanted me to cast my burdens on Him. He wanted to give me rest and knew that I needed it written in plain English to get it.

 

God works in mysterious ways. When we don't get the message one way He will change the approach until we get it.

 

I am so thankful that He will gently lead us if only we will allow Him to do so.

 

How have you seen God lead in your life lately?

 

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By the way - Jesus101 gives out free books quite often. Not only that but you can choose to listen to 1 minute programs called "Plug Into Life" or you can choose to listen to 15 minute(or so) programs called Biblical Studies. They have several other choices. You can also choose to watch programs. There are many valuable recourse's available. Either search for the app for your phone or go to their website - by clicking on the link above.

Beloved Names of God..series... Chief Cornerstone

 

Chief Cornerstone

"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

Ephesians 2:19-20 kjv

 

Name of God the Son

 

Jesus is referred to as the "chief cornerstone" twice in the KJV.

 

The cornerstone was traditionally the first stone laid in any new building and was associated with sacrifices and prayers for stability and prosperity.

 

Paul told the Gentiles (through the Ephesians) that in Christ's death the Jews and Gentiles were brought together as one body.

 

When bricklayers raise a building up above its foundation, they generally start with the corners. Only when the corners are several rows high do they start building up the walls in between. The walls, being at right angles and all on the same level, then help support each other.

 

In creating what came to be the modern church, Paul, the Jewish apostle to the Gentiles, brought together Christians from both the Jewish and Gentile worlds. Often separated by thousands of miles and brought up in very different cultures, these people needed something special to bind them together. What Paul needed was a cornerstone- something every man and woman, no matter what their ethnic heritage, could have in common. Something that would support them all.

 

Of course, he already knew what that was. In Jesus, Paul had found a cornerstone not only big enough to build the church on, but big enough to rest the whole world on.  

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Come back next week when we will look at "Light of the World"

 

 



Adding to My Journal

During my recent camping trip I used the time, when my husband was fishing and I wasn't in the mood to sit at the dock, to add to my health and wellness book.

Several years ago, I was so lucky to be able to attend a health seminar called "New Steps~ Living Healthy- Living Well." During this seminar, I got a good amount of h and outs and I took some notes as well. So I've been going through these papers and copying all the important and helpful information into my Health and Wellness Journal.

I was thrilled with all the valuable information I was able to transfer to my journal.

It is so much easier to reference the information in my journal, instead of having to pull a file folder out and go through all sorts of handouts. The really cool thing is that I will be able to review the information more often with it being in my journal.

The older we get, the easier it is for us to forget stuff. So it is a great idea to gather the information together where it is easily referenced. Maybe you might want to try gathering your information in one area. You will be happy you did. :O)

Guide Posts

One of my favorite things to do while camping is to go hiking! And that is exactly what I did last week!

As I walked, I noticed there were blue marks on trees along the path. Sometimes they were bam, bam, bam- close together.

 

 Other times there was quite a bit of distance between guide posts.

 

Sometimes they were very noticeable...

 

And sometimes they weren't so noticeable.

The same thing seems to happen on our journey through life. Sometimes it seems like we see God's guide post's directing us on the right path, and other times it seems like such a great distance between obvious leading of God in our lives.

Sometimes His leading is clear - no way to miss it. While other times, it seems that we really have to pay attention to see His leading. Sometimes you have to just keep moving forward till you come up to the next guide post.

And then sometimes you come across a blocked trail where it takes a bit more effort to continue on your way. These are the hiccups along the way.

If we will allow Him to - He will continue to guide us.

The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Isaiah 58:11

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go,

I will guide you with My eye.

Psalm 32:8

 

God, like the hiking trial, will guide us in the way we should go. We only need to keep our eyes on Him and allow Him to guide us and lead us along life's journey.

they can but choose to follow

The devotional in my "Steams in the Desert" devotional book was so good yesterday I wanted to share it with you but was too busy to get in here and get it ready to post. So that is what I am going to do today. I hope it blesses you as it blessed me. :O)

 

 

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"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world"

(Gal. 6:14).

They were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so nigh to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot go back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by flitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out through them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere--if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back -- what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection? But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well nigh slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
--Anonymous

May We Be Like the Raccoons..

This past week end my husband and I went camping. When the sun starts to go down my husband likes to make his way to the fishing dock. It is a lit dock and is conducive to fishing into the night. With the temperatures up in the 90's during the day - fishing at night is much cooler. But truth be told - He just enjoys fishing in the evenings and nights better than any other time.

With a neat little trail through the woods behind our campsite you can easily get to the fishing dock.

 

So in the evenings, I spend some time at the dock with my husband as he fishes(sometimes I fish too) then I will head back to the RV. I usually take the long way back just to get more steps in for the day. I take a pathway up to the parking area and road that will take me around to our campsite.

 I take a nice flashlight with me just in case- I hear rustling in the woods. Both nights as I was walking up this pathway - I heard noises coming from the trashcan at the fish shack( a place where people can process the fish they catch). I had startled a raccoon searching for fish. The last night I actually saw him coming out of the trashcan with a part of a fish in his mouth.

As I continued on my way, I thought about how the raccoons in that area would know where to go to find goodies- so the chances of someone finding a raccoon in that area would be pretty good.

Why aren't we  more like the raccoon? Many of us know that we find many goodies in the Word of God and yet we don't spend much time digging in the Scriptures for the goodies. I think I'll learn from the clever raccoons and I will keep going back to the place that I know I will be fed- the Word of God! Won't you join me?

So this past weekend my husband and I went camping. And of course I came back with several posts written in my spiral- that I need to get typed up. I just don't have time right now. I'm hoping to get on my desk top and get them typed up.

I also have a post the type up about how to cook beans in a way to help eliminate the gassiness of them. So check back soon. In the meantime ~ it is a gorgeous 69 degree day today , which I am loving. My walk was very enjoyable! I need to get off of here because I need to go get some groceries- I am in need of fresh produce!  See ya soon! :0) 

All Things Work Together

And one day soon, when our blurred perception shall be transformed into heavenly vision, we will be able to look back on the heartaches, the disappointments, the trials, and the dark valleys of life, and seeing the past in a different light, we would not want to have been led in any other way than that through which God has led us. The whole universe will then pulsate in eternal and perfect harmony. "For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." (Romans 8:28)
~ Fordyce W. Detamore -

 quote found in the book "My Favorite Bible Text" written in 1946 by many different contributors. Great book.

God says, "I will restore to you the years."

"Oh heart, be brave; O spirit, worn and beaten,
Reach up and claim God's word that will prove true,
And the years that the locusts and the palmer worm have eaten:
These wasted years, shall be restored to you.
...

"Forget, forget the grief, the pain and sorrow,
The baffling frustration of the days,
For surely on some radiant tomorrow,
You will be walking up the sunlit way.

And these, the seeming endless, bitter hours,
Will be as shadows blown across the grass,
Or as the brief, light-running April showers
That are forgotten when their footsteps pass.

"Oh, lift your head, and shake away the tears,
God says, 'I will restore to you the years. ' "
~Grace Noll Crowell

"Fret Not"

Todays post is brought to you by my devotional that I have been using since the end of 2012.
"Streams in the Desert"

 

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Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers!

 —Ps 37:1 NET

This to me is a Divine command; the same as “Thou shalt not steal.” Now let us get to the definition of fretting. One good definition is, “Made rough on the surface.” “Rubbed, or worn away”; and a peevish, irrational, fault-finding person not only wears himself out, but is very wearing to others. To fret is to be in a state of vexation, and in this Psalm we are not only told not to fret because of evildoers, but to fret not “in anywise.” It is injurious, and God does not want us to hurt ourselves.

A physician will tell you that a fit of anger is more injurious to the system than a fever, and a fretful disposition is not conducive to a healthy body; and you know rules are apt to work both ways, and the next step down from fretting is crossness, and that amounts to anger. Let us settle this matter, and be obedient to the command, “Fret not.”—Margaret Bottome

 

 

OVERHEARD IN AN ORCHARD

 

Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
“I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so?”

 

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
“Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.”

—Elizabeth Cheney

"Does God Speak to you?"

"Does God speak to you?" was the last thing he said to me, but I am getting ahead of myself so let's rewind a bit.

Last Sunday, I took my granddaughter to the park. There was a dad there with his daughter. Sweet Pea went up to the little girl and said, "Would you like to play with me?" The dad made his way to where I was standing and introduced himself. The conversation went to how much unrest there is in in the world and how I don't like watching the news very much because it steals my peace- then we began to talk about how it seems like we may be getting to the last days of this old world with all the hurricanes, earthquakes, and hate in the world.

The man seemed a little different - like maybe he had a learning handicap, something just seemed off to me It just seemed weird. It was pretty hot outside and so after about an hour Sweet Pea and I were ready to go home. That's when he called to me and asked if God spoke to me.

The week that followed was a rough week for me. I have shared a bit about it here on my blog - our septic issues and so much more. And on top of all the other extra stuff, I was so frustrated with the fact that even thought I continue to work at losing weight it has been a very slow go the last few months.

I had bought a book to do a Bible Study with Courtney from the Women Living Well Ministries - the book is called "Rest and Release" click HERE to read about it. This study started the first of October, I was a couple of days late at getting started. And as I was working on the first few days of the study it became crystal clear that I had gotten away from my dependence on Him through this lifestyle change and goal of losing 50 pounds. As I was being reminded of God's guiding me in the past to make better decisions- all of a sudden I remembered the question" "Does God speak to you?" and it dawned on me that God has been trying to get my attention. It only took 4 days. Just think of all the struggling and frustration I could have avoided had I figured out that God was trying to speak to me sooner? If I had gotten the messages days before, that I needed to allow Him to guide me and depend on Him to lead the way?

We can bypass a lot of pain and suffering if we will just listen to Him. What is He trying to tell you? Are you quiet enough to hear what He has to say?

Beloved Names of God...series..."Jehovahjireh"

Jehovahjireh

 

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh; as it is said to this day,

In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen."

Genesis 22:14

 

 

• Name of God the Father
• The name "Jehovahjireh" appears once in the KJV.
• Jehovahjireh means "the Lord shall see." at the time, it was simply the name of a hill in the land of Moriah. This was the hill on which Solomon would later build his temple. It is now know as Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
• Abraham named the hilltop Jehovahjirah after he was asked to sacrifice Isaac, his only son, there. With a leaden heart, Abraham prepared to do as he was bid. Seeing his faith, the Lord stayed Abraham's hand and provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice.

 

Frequently on the news we see a political leader make an announcement, followed by the ubiquitous "Q and A" sessions, often cut short by a press secretary. Yet, reflecting on God's request of Abraham, and Abraham's obedience, it is significant that Abraham asked no questions. All we read is Abraham's unquestioning trust in God, from the beginning of the journey to Moriah to the provision of the ram, the intended sacrifice. Abraham believed that Jehovahjireh would provide- and he did.

~ Taken from The Top 100 Names of God 

Ellyn Sanna

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Next Week..."Chief Cornerstone"



God Has Promised...series "When You Are Tempted?"

 

When You Are Tempted

 

"In Christ, God has promised means for subduing every evil trait and resisting every temptation, however strong."

 ~The Ministry of Healing, pp. 65,66.

 

 

"Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess., if they will be in subjection to God as He was."
~ The Desire of Ages, p. 664.

 

"Those who fail to realize their constant dependence upon God will be overcome by temptation. We may now suppose that our feet stand secure, and that we shall never be moved. We ma say with confidence, I know in whom I have believed...But Satan is planning to take advantage of our hereditary and cultivated traits of character, and to blind our eyes to our own necessities and defects. Only through realizing our own weakness and looking steadfastly unto Jesus can we walk securely."

~ The Desire of Ages, p. 382.

 

"The Father's presence encircled Christ, and nothing befell Him but that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world. Here was His source of comfort, and it is for us. He who is imbued with the Spirit of Christ abides in Christ. The blow that is aimed at him falls upon the Saviour, who surrounds him with His presence. Whatever comes to him comes from Christ. He has no need to resist evil, for Christ is his defense. Nothing can touch him except by our Lord's permission."

~ Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 71.

 

"Christ will never abandon those for whom He has died. We may leave Him and be overwhelmed with temptation, but Christ can never turn from one for whom He has paid the ransom of His own life."

~Prophets and Kings, p. 176 

 

"Nothing is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that feels its nothingness and relies wholly on the merits of the Saviour. God would send every angel in heaven to the aid of such a one, rather than allow him to be overcome."

~ Testimonies, col. 7, p. 17.

 

"Our heavenly Father measures and weighs every trial before He permits it to come upon the believer. He considers the circumstances and the strength of the one who is to stand under the proving and test of God, and He never permits the temptations to be greater than the capacity of resistance. If the would is overborne, the person overpowered, this can never be charged to God, as failing to give strength in grace, but the one tempted was not vigilant and prayer and did not appropriate by faith the provisions God had abundantly in store for him. Christ never failed a believer in his hour of combat. The believer must claim the promise and meet the foe in the name of the Lord, and he will not know anything like failure."

~ Ellen G. White manuscript 6, 1889.

 

Could our spiritual vision be quickened, we should see souls bowed under oppression and burdened with grief...We should see angels flying quickly to the aid of these tempted ones, forcing back the hosts of evil that encompass them, and placing their feet on the sure foundation.

~ Prophets and Kings, p. 176.

 



Bringing New Life To Old Clothes

This week I discovered an awesome tool. And before I tell you about it I need to say - No I did not get this free. And No I did not get asked to write about it. All this post is just about me finding something that I think can be a very handy tool and can help extend the life of our clothing and I wanted to share this information with you just in case you had never thought of using this.

So if I remember correctly I saw just a bit of a commercial for this tool and thought I would look it up. I typed in Pill Shaver on the search bar on Amazon. I did this because we have a Prime account with Amazon and get free shipping on select items. I checked out several and I decided to get this one. It was only $12.99.

As soon as I got it I began to use it on a favorite summer top that had gotten a lot of pills on it and was not looking very good any more. In fact, I had not wanted to wear it as much because it was looking old. I began to work and this is what I ended up getting - oh plus a little more lint from the top.

And to think I hadn't even charged it good. So once it charges I figure it will even do a better job.

It is easy to use and really makes a difference in how your clothing looks. If you have pills on your clothes and it is making them not as attractive - you may want to look into getting one of these handy gadgets for yourself! I wish I had have known about them years ago. I thinking of all the things I have gotten rid of because they were looking old with all the pills - now I can just get my dandy little tool out and let it do its magic. :O)

 

Any pointers or tips on how to take better care of our clothes? I would love to hear about them in the comments. Thanks :O)

 

Doing Things I Don't Usually Have To Do....

Well over the last couple of weeks I have had to do a few things that I usually don't have to do and don't really like to do. Things that my husband usually takes care of. I have really missed him. He has been gone 2 1/2 weeks now. The good news is that he should be coming home on Friday!

Several months ago, the guy that takes care of our special septic system told us that we were going to need to get it pumped. This is something that has to be done every 3-5 years depending on usage. Well since it costs a pretty penny to have done - we put it off. Well last week end it was clear that it needed to be taken care of as soon as possible - contents of toilet would not go down..... That was Sunday. So Monday morning - I called the company and was able to get an appointment for that afternoon. They came out and took care of that. Come to find out not only was septic tank full- but the pipe from our house out to the septic system had roots growing in the pipe - so would I like them to roto-rooter it? It will be 145.00 extra. I agreed. Total bill 560.00! Thankful to have that taken care of - well sort of. Because apparently we will have to replace the pipe or we will continue to have roots in the pipe. That is the major thing that I had to take care of that I don't usually do. The other things not quite so major- thankfully.

Sorry I have not posted very much. I have honestly been down and discouraged. The results from the blood work and the snail speed of my progress to get to my goal has me discouraged. I have been working hard and trying to make good choices and I don't understand why I am not seeing more progress. I have 13 more pounds to get to my goal and at this rate it might take me the entire 2 years and a month that I have left till I reach the 50 years old mark of my goal of losing 50 pounds by 50 years old. Surely I can lose 6 pounds a year... how slowly the scales is moving ...I do wonder sometimes.

I have a great post that I need to get written up about "bringing new life to your clothes" but right now I really need to get off of here and get my supper fixed - I have not eaten good today - and I can sure tell. So I need a good healthy supper. Hope you all are doing well. :O)

Obedience

All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delights in doing HIs service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.
The Desire of Ages, p. 668

The Best Way To Reach Hawaii....

Today's post is brought to you by the wonderful book that I started reading this morning. Morris Venden's  "Love God And Do As You Please~ A New Look at the Old Rules" In the first chapter there is an awesome parable that I would like to share. From pages 19-22 of book.

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"Someone handed me this parable, in which Hawaii represents obedience and perfection: The town of Remnant, California was officially organized in 1896. However, the earliest settlers began to gather in that location around 1844. People who lived in Remnant were different in many ways from the rest of the world. But they had one outstanding teaching. The people of Remnant believed that everyone should move to Hawaii. (Now remember, Hawaii represents obedience.) From the first they had been sure that the sooner folks made it to Hawaii, the sooner they would make it to heaven. But there was one extremely embarrassing fact that they could not escape. They didn't live in Hawaii. Hawaii seemed to be a long way off. Almost as far away as heaven itself. And while a few of them claimed to have been to Hawaii, nobody believed they really had. There was a common saying in Remnant: If you say you've been to Hawaii, that is sure proof you've never been there.

Most of the people in Remnant believed that if you worked as hard as you could for your entire lifetime, maybe  you'd be able to spend one day in Hawaii just before you died. And few would manage even that. Although the population of Remnant numbered several million, most accepted the fact that if a hundred and forty-four thousand of them made it to Hawaii, even for a short time, that would be about the best that could be expected.

For a number of years, there was one commonly accepted method for trying to reach Hawaii. You went out to the beach, got into the water, and started swimming. Swimming lessons were popular in Remnant, as you might imagine. Children were expected to learn to swim almost before they learned to walk. There were swimming schools and swimming seminars and five-day swimming clinics offered regularly. Anyone who was a citizen in good and regular standing was expected to learn to swim. New comers to town were warned that it might take some time before they could swim well enough to actually reach Hawaii, but they were expected to begin swimming right away. All were encouraged by the thought that if they would do their part and try hard every day, sooner or later they would succeed in making it to Hawaii.

Some became so discouraged with trying and failing, trying and failing, that they left town. Others died in their attempts. But most everybody kept trying to swim to Hawaii until, one day, the inevitable happened.

A swimmer had just been forced to turn back toward shore, failing once again to make it to Hawaii, when he had what seemed to be a flash of insight. As soon as he got his breath, he began going up and down the beach and all around town asking, "Who says we have to live in Hawaii anyway? Do you realize how long we've been trying ot make it to Hawaii? Can you name even one person who had ever made it?" Before long, he gather quite a following, all asking the same question. And they came to the same conclusion. It is not necessary to go to Hawaii(obedience).

And they began to spread their good news far and near. Some people gladly accepted this new idea. Other fought against it. For a time, everyone in Remnant seemed to be discussing the new theology, the idea that even if they kept on trying to reach Hawaii, right up until they were taking to heaven, nobody would ever even come close. But, the good news claimed, it didn't matter.
So, now there were two groups, the one group still insisting that it was necessary to live in Hawaii, and the other group was sure that it was not. (But interestingly enough, both groups still went regularly to the beach to practice their swimming.)

Then came news of a third option. It sounded weird. It bypassed the beach entirely. The third option was to get acquainted with the airplane pilot and place yourself in His hands. Then you depend on Him to get you to Hawaii. And when you get on board the plane with the Pilot in control, all you have to do is rest. It is His business to get you to Hawaii.

It seemed difficult to understand at first. the questions came thick and fast. So what do you do? Do you wave your arms? Do you kick your feet? Do you jog up and down the aisle of the plane? When so many had failed to reach Hawaii in spite of the tremendous struggles and backbreaking work, how could anyone expect to reach that tropical paradise by resting? It sounded pleasant, but surely it was only a myth. Hawaii had always meant effort, lots of effort. Surely there must be some misunderstanding.

Some tried to explain that there was effort involved in getting acquainted with the Pilot, in boarding the plane, and even in the resting itself. But it didn't sound like real effort at all, not compared to that had been going on down at the beach.

The discussions about the third option went something like this: "Our part is to rest and to continue to place ourselves under the control of the Pilot."

Someone would look puzzled and ask, "Do you mean we don't have to go to Hawaii after all?"

"Yes, it is essential to go to Hawaii."

"Well, then we'd better get back down to the beach and stop standing around talking about it."

"No, we will never reach Hawaii by swimming for it."

"Then it is impossible to go to Hawaii."

"You mean we don't have to go?"

"Yes, we do. Living in Hawaii is possible. It is important. It is necessary."

"Then we'd better start swimming."

"No, no, no, we'd better head for the airport."

Little by little, here and there, people began to get the message. And as they did, they began to make regular trips to Hawaii. It was true that they didn't talk about going there. They talked about the Pilot and the airplane and the rest that was offered. As they continued to share and reach out to the tired swimmers, the good new began to spread.

What happened then? Well, some who had been the best swimmers and had ventured the farthest out into the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean were insulted. They were heard to say, "If they're letting people get to Hawaii by depending on someone else to take them there, then I don't want to go anyway." So they left the water and the beach and the town and moved to Las Vegas.

But some of the worst swimmers, who had barely managed to stay afloat, were among the fist ones to rush to the airport, and board the plane with the Pilot. Before too long, everyone had gone one way or the other. In the end, they beach was empty. Nobody went swimming anymore."