A Word

The other day in prayer I felt pretty strong about a word I felt the Lord give me and so I want to share it.

Don’t give up, don’t give up.
The battle goes on but don’t give up.
You may be feeling weary, you may be struggling, but don’t give up.
I am at work, I am at work.
I see your struggles, your questions,
I see your desires—I will say again don’t give up.
The answers you seek rests in me,
the battle you fight is not your own-IT IS MINE..
Let it go, let the battle go.
I am here to fight it for you,
why do you try to do it in your own strength?
Let it go, Trust me, Trust me, Trust me-let it go.

“ I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John16:33


I pray you have a good week with the Lord!

Running on Empty

Last week Pastor Gary Simons shared with me that when he was praying for me the Lord showed him a vision of me running here and there and the Lord running around after me wanting to fill me up but the Lord couldn’t because I wouldn’t be still long enough.

Ever since Pastor Gary said this to me I have really been thinking hard about it. He is right I have been running on empty for far too long and I need to stop and take a deep breath. I know God desires me to put aside what I think is important and to turn and walk straight into His outstretched arms then He will teach me the better way. I just want to encourage anyone who may be struggling with busyness–
what I am about to tell you is hard to do, it’s something I struggle with everyday, but if you do these you will find God patiently waiting.

Here is what you have to do: STOP, TURN AROUND AND WALK INTO THE LOVING ARMS OF GOD!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, 5 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.

I pray you have a good week with the Lord!

The Vine and The Branches

This weeks message is in John chapter 15. This chapter of John holds so many gems. But my favorite verses are 4 and 5;
4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
In order to bear fruit the branch (us) must be attached to the vine (Jesus). We must maintain a close fellowship with the Lord if He is to live through us and produce His fruit in our lives. This can only be accomplished through prayer and studying the Word. The closer we abide in Jesus, the more His life can flow through us to produce the fruit He desires.

Are you producing the fruit needed to become more like Him?

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Gal. 5:22-23

I pray you have a good week with the Lord!

Technology

On Thursday evening our Ohana Group was discussing John chapter 14. The subject at one point in the evening was miracles and a question was asked why we don’t see the type of miracles today that the people of Jesus time saw. One discussion led to another and someone brought up the 2 witnesses the Bible talks about in Revelation and the technology that is in place today could be used for that very purpose. After everyone left my husband turned on the news and we immediately see videos of Japan and the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami.

Upon seeing what was happening I was reminded of John 14:1

 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.


I pray you have a good week with the Lord!

Thunder

The other morning the community of Waikoloa was in the midst of rain and then a loud clap of thunder vibrated everywhere . I was awakened and jumped out of bed when I heard it. It’s rare that Waikoloa gets to experience the rain and thunder that accompanied that morning. As a kid I was really afraid of thunder and lightning especially growing up in Texas as there were some really scary storms that came through the Texas panhandle. Thunder is loud and noisy and can shake and rattle windows, but have you ever thought about what some of the people in the Old and New Testaments might have heard when God spoke and it sounded like thunder?

Pastor Frank’s sermon relates to John chapter 12 and it was in this chapter that I read a verse that I have carried in my heart all week it is found in John 12:28-29 and says this;

Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

I can’t begin to tell you what it may have sounded like, but I think I will always be reminded of this verse when I do encounter a loud clap of thunder.

Have a Wonderful week in the Lord!

In His Hands

So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah 18:3-4 (NIV)

Jeremiah noticed that the vessel was marred, and as the potter worked he started to formed it into another pot. Take a moment to think about the clay on the wheel, it gets smashed and beaten down and then as the potter works, the clay starts to take shape. The potter molds it and before too long it’s turned into a beautiful pot. But what happens to the pot after it’s formed? We all know it gets put in the furnace. Jeremiah goes on to say in verse 6, "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
What we have to remember is that God never throws us away, even if we have a flaw or struggle in certain areas. So...if you feel you are being lifted from the mud, or being turned on the wheel to be made over again, or even if you feel you’re in the furnace, you are always, always in His hands.



Have a Wonderful week in the Lord!

Reminders

Colossians 3:12-17
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

I don’t know about you but I need reminded that I am part of a chosen people dearly loved by God . I also need reminded that I need to forgive because that’s what Jesus does.

Have a Wonderful week in the Lord!