Point of View

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121: 1, 2

Trouble surrounds us everyday. For some of us a fire rages. We foresee the impending danger. Over the mountains, the smoke curls with a tail wind of flaming terror. Make no mistake about it fire consumes everything in its path. So, what do you and I do when terror invades our world? Do we run in fear? Perhaps! Or, do we practice the Kind David principle for successful living.

Eventually everyone faces a terror so overwhelming that our heart’s faint within us. The fiery darts of our enemy knows no mercy. Satan wonders about your day looking for a foothold. Everything and everybody is fair game for this enemy. But, remember this, his raging firestorm of defeat needs a defenseless soul to fuel its flames. Don’t become this defenseless soul.

Only the limitless power from Jesus Christ delivers those that trust in his resurrection power. Remember this morning that your victory depends our your point of view. Over the hills an army of angels waits for the commander-in-chief’s orders. At the name of Jesus, the flames retreat, the walls crumble, and the enemy runs for cover. Remember always, when confronted by overwhelming defeat that: My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Then and only then will your day proceed with courage, grace, mercy, and victorious living.

Copyright 2007 Patricia Charlton

A Mother’s “Yes”

This week we celebrate the Annunciation, moved from its usual commemoration on March 25th to March 31st due to our extraordinarily early Easter. To reflect on Mary’s visit from the angel Gabriel is to reflect on the power of a mother’s “yes.” She was a young woman who had no idea where her “yes” would lead her. She could not envision the trip to Bethlehem or giving birth among the animals. She could not hear the words of Simeon in the temple, “A sword will pierce her heart.” She could not imagine fleeing to Egypt in order to save the life of her child, or the fear of thinking her child was lost as she and Joseph searched the streets of Jerusalem frantically for him. In her worst nightmares, she could not have pictured the pain of the cross. In her wildest dreams, she could not have experienced the glory of the Resurrection. And yet, she said “yes.” She said “yes” because she knew it was God’s will and she was a faithful Jewish woman who lived to do God’s will.

In a similar, although certainly not so dramatic fashion, each mother says “yes” to the gift of an unborn child. While we generally get the news from a home pregnancy test or a doctor rather than an angel, we each say “yes” to an unknown future. We can’t even imagine the unique road that each child will travel and that we will journey with him or her. We say “yes” to both the joys and pains of motherhood. We say “yes” to first words and first steps and loving hugs and graduations and weddings. We also say “yes” to sleepless nights and temper tantrums and illness and teenage angst. We say “yes” to loving even when we don’t actually like our children. We say “yes” to loving even when our children reject us.

Mary’s “yes” allowed salvation to come to the world. Our “yes” also changes the course of the world. Each child leaves an indelible mark on our own lives and the lives of all those that they will touch. An unborn child comes from God with a purpose to fulfill, an irreplaceable role to play in history.

Mary’s life was changed forever by her “yes.” In a moment, she became an unwed pregnant woman, a fate punishable by death in the world in which she lived. But she trusted that God had a plan; that somehow it would all work out for good. We can learn so much from Mary’s trust. We need to trust in God even when our parenting journey is filled with difficulty, even on days we don’t know how we are possibly going to make it through the day. We need to remember that our children are God’s children first. God is with us to help us bring them up. We need to trust that God has a plan for both our children and for us.

Indeed, a mother’s “yes” is a powerful affirmation. This week, let us be thankful for Mary’s “yes” as well as the “yes” of each mother since the beginning of time. Let us be thankful for both the invitation to motherhood and the gift of our children. Let us rejoice at being able to be part of God’s great creative plan.

- Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com
http://momentofbeauty.blogspot.com

Knuckle White

Can I bind myself to that naked stake

Shall I lift high the red-striped timber?

Will heart and hand fully lade partake

Can flesh fade without a whimper?

Do roses bloom without a brier

Shall I bend Thy will to mine?

Doth dross consume sans smelting fire

Shall branch preserve the Vine?

How can I embrace the One

Who gave all upon the tree

If I lost naught of self to Son

But cling knuckle-white to me?

***

Kristine K. Lowder

http://www.HEvencense.wordpress.com

***

What is forgiveness? Does forgiveness automatically result in reconciliation? Are the two terms synonymous?

These and other relational questions are explored in McFriends, a probing new novella by Intellectulle contributor Kristine K. Lowder. Set in the gentle Hill Country of south-central Texas, McFriends also examines “drive-thru” relationships and “fast food friends,” showing why both leave us hungry and unsated. Released by Long Story Short (LSS) Publishing Company.

McFriends can be found under the Fiction section at: http://www.lsspublishing.com/. A hardcopy version is available in trade paperback at: http://www.lulu.com/content/2041203.

The Sacrificial Lamb

And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. – Genesis 22-9-13 (KJV).

Remember the story of Abraham, who put his son, Isaac, on the altar in order to obey God?

For the covenant between God and man to work, God had to know if man would be willing to sacrifice his son for God. His intention was to sacrifice His Son for us.

God gave His Son just as Abraham was willing to give his. God gave His to save us from our sin. We are the creations God was supposed to slaughter for our sins, but just as He did with Abraham, He provided a way of escape–a sacrificial animal.

In our case, it was Jesus who was slaughtered for our sins–past, present and future. In Abraham’s case, it was a ram slaughtered instead of his promised son, Isaac.

In the end, Abraham kept his son, and in exchange for Jesus, God received all of us as His sons and daughters. How awesome is that?

- Annagail Lynes

Mandisa On True Beauty

Although you can’t share your “true beauty” story with Mandisa anymore, you CAN share it here with other women….

~ Dionna Sanchez (http://www.EmphasisOnMoms.com/newsletter.htm)

Faith Steps Out

God sometimes requires me to do something that appears to have obstacles and seems beyond my power to accomplish. The situation lurks before me as a rushing river, barring me from the new territory of promise on the other side.

 

Just recently, the Lord presented me with one of these challenges and nudged me to step out into new areas of my life. This is always uncomfortable for me, because I am a shy and reserved person. However, over the years, with the Lord’s help, I have improved.

 

He does not part the waters of any barrier until I take that first step forward, as the priests did at the river Jordan, “As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap.” (Josh. 3:15-16a NIV)

 

When I hesitate, standing on the river bank, I find no comfort or peace. Only when I dare to push on in faith into that rushing river and cross over to the other side does God make His power and resources available on my behalf.

 

When a rushing-river circumstance exists between you and a command of God, what do you do? Do you stick with what is safe, remaining on the banks of the river, or do you step out in faith, putting your foot in the waters?

 

If we never take a chance and forge ahead in faith, the writer of Hebrews tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Heb 11:6 NIV)

 

~ Lynn Mosher ~

Fearless

I’m working on becoming more fearless for the Lord. I fall so completely short of where I would hope I would be on His behalf. My own pride, comfort level, and insecurities get in the way far too often. I will continue to work on being a fearless servant for the Lord, though. I want to be able to face my foes triumphantly and have a peace and contentment in my heart that won’t be swayed by the world’s troubles. I want to continue to stretch myself so that I may truly see more of God’s glory and be used as a vessel for Him to let Him work miraculous wonders in others’ lives.

How about you?

~ Dionna Sanchez

Visit my blog at http://emphasisonmoms.blogspot.com

Love Equals Discipline

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
Revelation 3:19

The other morning Chase was talking to Zeke. Zeke is now 3 years old and weighs about 120 pounds and acts like he is still a puppy. I thought once he hit two and was neutered, that maybe he’d calm down a bit. No such luck.

Chase was lying on Zeke’s stomach, sharing the wonders of the world with him. He started telling Zeke how much he loved him. Then he told him how much Carson, loved him. Then he told Zeke how much I loved him. Then he said, “And Daddy loves you too Zeke, he just has to punish you when you’re bad, so you’ll be good.”

Bobby is the family diciplinarian – every family needs one, and Zeke and Bobby go round and round somedays. Zeke wants to be a good dog, he just gets so excited and wound up he forgets how.

I was sitting there listening to Chase talk to Zeke and it so warmed my heart that he realized that Bobby did love Zeke. He punished him for his own good, and he was wanting to make sure Zeke knew it as well.

And isn’t that so true of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. When we do the wrong thing … we need to be disciplined. God still loves us, He simply wants us to be good.

The next time the Lord throws the rod of correction your way, give Him thanks and know that HE LOVES YOU TOO!

Father, thank you for Bobby, thank you for my boys and thank you for Zeke, that we can all learn these life lessons from You! Lord Jesus, somedays, I cringe from the discipline, but I am so very thankful to receive it, cause I do know that You love me!

I love You Jesus.
 In Your Name Pray,
  Amen

God Bless You!

Love,
Joyce

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I’d like to give you a free copy of my first book in E-book Form.  Just click on this link to download: www.tlcnaples.org/chili.pdf

Called By Grace

But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased – Galatians 1:15 (NIV)

Before we were even born, God called each of us by His marvelous grace. Imagine that! God already called us to be teachers, preachers, mothers, fathers, business people, cooks, etc. before we were born. He spoke our destinies over us while we were being formed in the womb of our mothers. Most of us don’t know what our purpose is, but we can ask the Holy Spirit to teach us what God called us to do, and because He is so wonderful, He will.

- Annagail Lynes

I Will Boast Only in Him

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

This verse gives me such encouragement. I serve a God who doesn’t judge me by my weaknesses, but instead chose to use my weaknesses to show His strength. Whenever I am up against a challenge and I feel so small, so weak, so incapable I can turn the God Almighty and ask Him for His strength. And the amazing thing is that He always answers and will always work through us if we only let Him.

So, let us boast in God alone, who is everything that we are not.

In Christ’s Love,

Angela Sanchez