Just Ask

The other night while watching TV a commercial came on that started with that old Michael Jackson song that he did with his brothers the Jackson 5 called “I’ll Be There”. As the song and the commercial played on it said in captions, “We all need someone to believe in. To rely on. To trust”.
I guess the commercial was about people being there for other people. As the song played some of the lyrics went like this: “where there is love, I’ll be there, I’ll reach out my hand to you, I’ll have faith in all you do, just call my name and I’ll be there. I’ll be your strength, I’ll keep holding on”..

As I watched the commercial I thought to myself; yes, we do need someone to believe in, to rely on and to trust-we need Jesus. I started thinking about how Jesus is always there, that when we ask for something in His name –it’s a done deal. When we ask for strength, for comfort, for healing, for protection, for covering, for love, the list goes on. Jesus said, 7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matt.7:7-8)

What a wonderful God we serve! All we have to do is call His name.

-and He’ll be there!


13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:13-14

I Pledge...what was that again?

I often wonder how many of our children know the Pledge of Allegiance. It's not said anymore at schools and it's being pulled from some of our sports events and other public forums. It's really sad. And in a not so distant future people will begin to ask "America had a Pledge of Allegiance, what was it?" It will be a trivia question in a game. It's been a long time since I went to school but does it cover it in the History books anymore? My heart aches for our children, how is this country going to be when they begin to run it? What we are doing today effects them and if they are not taught the truth we have only ourselves to blame.

How about you-can you remember the Pledge of Allegiance?
It goes like this:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag, of the United States of America,and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible,With Liberty and Justice for all.

And to take it a step further do you know what the meaning is?

I Pledge Allegiance I Promise to be faithful and true (Promise my loyalty)
to the flag to the emblem that stands for and represents of the United States all 50 states, each of them individual, and individually represented on the flag of America yet formed into a UNION of one Nation and to the Republic And I also pledge my loyalty to the Government that is itself a Republic, a form of government where the PEOPLE are sovereign for which it stands, this government also being represented by the Flag to which I promise loyalty
one Nation under God, These 50 individual states are united as a single Republic under the
Divine providence of God, "our most powerful resource" (according to the words of President Eisenhower) Indivisible, and can not be separated. (This part of the original version of the pledge was written just 50 years after the beginning of the Civil War and demonstrates the unity sought in the years after that divisive period in our history) with Liberty The people of this Nation being afforded the freedom to pursue "life, liberty, and happiness", and Justice And each person entitled to be treated justly, fairly, and according to proper law and principle for All. And these principles afforded to EVERY AMERICAN, regardless of race, religion, color, creed, or any other criteria. Just as the flag represents 50 individual states that can not be divided or separated, this Nation represents millions of people who can not be separated or divided.

19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deut.11:19 (NIV)

Have a safe Memorial Day !

I Can't Carry It

In a scene from The Lord of The Rings Trilogy we find Sam and Frodo struggling to make it to the top of the mountain where Frodo will finally be rid of his burden carrying the ring. Frodo has collapsed and Sam tells Frodo, “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!"
To me, Sam was the hero of the Lord of The Rings. He may not have carried the ring but he was there as Frodo’s friend encouraging and helping him along the way. It was Sam’s inner strength that carried Frodo to the top of that mountain.

How often do we carry a burden until we can’t seem to take another step? The burden started out light but it began to get heavier and heavier as each day passed. We sometimes in our pride we hang on to the burden in fear of letting it go, we don’t ask for help because we think it is mine to carry not someone else’s. But what we don’t realize half the time is that Jesus is there waiting for us to give it to Him.

Jesus takes our burdens and carries them for us. Once you take the burden you are carrying and place it in Jesus’ hands he will set you on that mountain top and the weight will be gone. But we have to give it up first.

Frodo wasn’t willing to give up the ring; I believe Sam would have willing taken it if Frodo would have given it to him.

Have you given your burden to Jesus? His invitation to you is;

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Gems Along the Way

The other day as I was talking with my older daughter she sounded a little distraught. When I asked what was wrong she began to tell me why she was so upset. Without hesitation I told her I would keep what she was upset about in my prayers and that I would continue to pray for her. She said “thanks mom, thanks for praying.” As I hung up the phone I was filled with joy in my heart and praise on my lips-for hearing her say “thanks for praying mom” was Huge. What I want to tell you dear brother and sister in Christ is this: if you are praying for someone you love to come to the Lord– please don’t give up on them. God hears your prayers and knows your desire for your loved one to come to know Him, for He knows them better than us. But as we wait upon the Lord, He brings us gems that we can treasure and hold in our heart– like “thanks mom, thanks for praying”.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Philippians 4:6

For all those moms out there- HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

His Majesty

At creation, God gave man breath. Then he took man’s breath away with the beauty, grandeur, and eloquence of a universe of marvels created by His own hand. Look around. Examine what God has done. Then, breathless, proclaim His majesty. —Dave Branon

Psalm 8
1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:
7 all flocks and herds,and the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!