Happy 18th to my girls...

March 15th, 1990 until today.....I didn't think I was that old. God is good! They are great young women of faith. Growing gracefully in their walk with Jesus.

From my sweet little angels to not so happy ballerinas...to present day beauties both inside and out.

Love you very much Katie and Stephanie. And what do 18 year old girls do on their 18th birthday? Shopping and dinner out with mom and friends and then out with friends, what else?

Unity - How Appropriate

From the devotion based on the teaching of Ray Steadman's called "The Cry for Unity".

There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called. (Ephesians 4:4).

This verse sets forth the nature of Christian unity. It is not a union to be produced, but a unity that already exists. These are not articles of theological agreement. No, these are areas of mutual experience. These are things that lay hold of us, not we who lay hold of them. All these are immediately experienced by all who are in Christ. Therefore, the way to create unity is simply to bring people to Christ, and the unity of the Spirit will be produced in them by the Spirit.

As we apply this great truth there are certain things that are evident: First, we cannot classify Christians by organizations. We cannot say that all those who belong to the Baptist church, for instance, are Christians, but all those who are Catholics are not. God's Spirit forever overleaps human boundaries. The unity of the Spirit will be found in people in many different groups. We will find Christians everywhere, and it becomes our responsibility to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with Christians wherever we find them.

A second conclusion suggests that those who have entered into this unity of the Spirit cannot possibly join in an evangelistic endeavor with those who deny this fundamental unity. Why not? Because our actions are determined by our beliefs. These are such fundamental beliefs that they set the direction of our life. Where one person accepts these and has experienced them and someone else does not, you have two fundamentally separate directions. It is impossible for one person to ride two horses going in opposite directions—to attempt it puts a terrific strain upon the anatomy. This is why the Israelites were ordered not to yoke an ox and an ass together. Why not? Well, they go at two different speeds, they are two different heights, and they would simply chafe one another all the time. It would be cruelty to both to link them together. This is God's way of teaching us, symbolically, that there are fundamental differences of gait and direction—that two cannot walk together except they be agreed.

There comes a third practical application of this. The efforts of Christians are not to be directed toward creating unity but toward maintaining peace in the body. That is the way Paul puts it: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (v. 3). It is important that Christians not be quarreling, bickering, and struggling against one another. A church that is like that is a totally ineffective body in its community. It is important that when Christians meet together they recognize that they are called to understand one another, to forbear one another, to pray for one another, to forgive one another, to be kind, tenderhearted, not holding grudges, not being unforgiving, bitter, resentful, and hateful toward each other. This is where the Spirit aims when He comes into our midst, at the healing of long-standing grudges, deep-seated resentments, and bitter hostilities that are harbored against one another. We must fulfill what the apostle tells us to do, to maintain the unity of the Spirit.

Angels Watching Amazed and Startled

Ephesians 3:8-10 NASB

8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,

9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;

10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

Devotional based on Ray Stedman's teaching on "Secret Riches".

The Apostle says that his ministry had the effect of demonstrating a unique wisdom. This is to go on now, while the church is being formed. It is a revelation in which these "rulers and authorities" are learning something by observing the church. This is one of the instances in which Scripture clearly states that we are surrounded by an invisible spiritual kingdom made up both of demons and angels. In Ephesians 6 Paul says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (v. 12). But we also learn from other passages that angels are watching us. It is as if we are on stage in a great theater, with the angels gathered around in many rows. Angels are watching and learning.

The revelation of the mystery is essentially the revelation of the love of God—in ways that make the angels amazed and startled as they learn the tremendous secrets of God's love. This is why Peter says in his first letter that our salvation is so tremendous that the angels longed to look into these things.

The word translated manifold here is literally the "many-colored wisdom of God." Why did the apostle choose this poetic adjective? It is because life consists of many colors. We all have blue days. And red hours of anger and passion. And golden moments of glory. And dark, somber valleys through which we must pass. And lush, green pastures into which we are sometimes led. God's love is manifest in all of these hues of life. So when you go through a blue time, it is God's love that you are learning. When you go through a dark and pressured time, the love of God is being manifested there. You may not see it, but God knows how to make it clear. And even the joyful times are manifestations of the many-colored wisdom of God.

And as the angels watch us, they see us learn to trust God, to turn from our fears and to renew ourselves with divine strength, to draw upon God's great and mighty promises in the hour of pressure and danger. As they see this, their praise begins to ring out in amazement and wonder at a God—who is also able to find a way by which He can lavish His love upon the very ones who deserve His wrath. This makes the angels praise God. They glory, as Charles Wesley captured it in that great hymn that I love to sing: "'Tis mystery all, the Immortal died." Imagine that—the Immortal died! You never can completely solve the mystery of God's amazing love, manifested in the many-colored wisdom that leads us into the circumstances of our life. But it is this that edifies the angels and teaches the demons of the nature of the greatness of the God we serve.

How Cool Is That!

Picture by http://www.steppin-out.co.uk/lighting_and_special_effects.html

Another book.....

Following are two passages from the first two chapters of a book I have just started reading. "So you don't want to go to church anymore - an unexpected journey", is a book by Jake Colsen which is a pseudonym for the combined work of friends, Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman. So far....I am liking it.

"This is no distant God who sent his Son with a list of rules to follow or rituals to practice. His mission was to invite us into his love - into a relationship with his Father that he described as friendship. But what do we do? We are so quickly captured by a work-driven religious culture that thrives on guilt, conformity and manipulation that it devours the very love it seeks to sustain." (pg. 34)

"Won't it be a joy again to wake up confident about being loved by God every day, without having to earn it by any act of righteousness on your part? That is the secret to first love. Don't try to earn it. Know that you are accepted and loved, not for what you can do for God, or somehow hoping that you will be worthy of his acceptance, but because his greatest desire is to have you as one of his children. Jesus came to remove any obstacle that would prevent that from happening." (pg. 36)

The Shack

From Paul Young today.... at http://www.movementofgrace.net/

Hope you saw it....it blessed my socks off.



"When the crap comes to the surface you are closer to being healed than at any other time...."

Verses Revealed Today

2 Corinthians 5: 18,19 NASB

18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,

19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Peace

Ephesians 2:14(a) Amplified

For He is (Himself) our peace (our bond of unity and harmony).

From the thoughts of Ray Stedman and his book, "The Prince of Peace".

"..... this is the promise of God to Christians: He is our peace. And once their attitude is changed, once their heart is settled, once they have put the matter into the hands of the Lord and they see that He is active in it, that He has a solution, and their own heart is therefore at peace, then they can begin to understand what is happening and can apply some intelligent remedies to the situation that will work out the problem. There is profound psychological insight in the fact that the apostle begins with the declaration that Christ is our peace. He alone can accomplish it."

Chuck Girard

Thought I would get in on the 70's revival of some of the best music ever.....and we thought we were feeling old? Still a great message....."Preacher isn't talking 'bout religion no more...he just want to praise the Lord!"

Check it out!

For those who don't know about the book "The Shack", you obviously don't read my blog..... :) I still consider this one of my favourite books and am reading it again and again and giving it to those who cross my path and don't quite understand or realize the Greatness of God and His Great and Wondrous Love for us. The Trinity is recognized as Separate and One in this "fictional" novel and the portrayal of our Loving Father, Faithful Friend and Consummate Comforter is just outstanding. If you didn't get the message....I loved this book. Now my on-line pastor :) is featuring the following. Check it out if you aren't busy ..... I will be and I wish I could be there but...Baton Rouge is a little too far for the commute, at least this Sunday!

Sent to me from my brother in Christ - Dave Lesniak, (an unassuming powerhouse for the furthering of the message of Truth and Freedom in Christ.

Pastor Frank Friedmann wants to invite all of you to a free, LIVE conference this coming, Sunday morning and evening which will be broadcast on Movement of Grace New Covenant Web TV.

William P. Young, Author of, of the book, The Shack will be speaking at Grace Life Fellowship.

Specific times: 9:30 AM / CENTRAL; 11:15 AM / CENTRAL & 6 PM / CENTRAL {Question & Answer Session}

To be a part of this, simply go to the website for, Movement of Grace New Covenant Web TV > www.movementofgrace.tv & click, on "VIEW LIVE".

Me - A Masterpiece

Again from "The Power of His Presence" devotions based on the teachings of Ray Stedman.

For we are Gods workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

Notice how carefully he puts "works" in the right place. You don't obtain anything from God by working for it. You never deserve anything but judgment at His hand. If He gave us what we deserve, we would all end up in hell. No, we receive His grace, His mercy, His love. But these result in good works. That is the point. They are designed to produce good works. It is a marvelous manifestation of God's ability.


The word workmanship is really the word poem. "We are his poem." Perhaps it would be better rendered, "We are his masterpiece." God is working out in our lives a tremendous exhibition of His wisdom, His power, His love, His life, His character, His peace, and His joy. He is teaching us, training us, bringing us along, applying the paint in exactly the right places, producing a marvelous masterpiece to be put on display. This is to result in good works: kindness, love, mercy, compassion, help to one another, meeting one another's needs.

Do you have any idea how many good works God has prepared for you? They are waiting for you to enter into as you walk in faith and trust and dependence upon Christ. The situations are there, ready and waiting for you to step into. This is what God has called you to. As you do so, you become a vivid display of the greatness and the glory of God.

A Shorter Post.....

From This Day's Thought


In business and in life imaginary difficulties are harder to overcome than real ones.

Unknown

A Reminder - Already Done

This is quite a long post - No apologies - As I read it I am thrilled by the Truth that is included....may we all embrace it.

From Ray Stedman's "The Power of His Presence" devotional for today.

Ephesians 2:4-6 NASB

4) But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5) even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6)and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

The most important truth in all of Christianity is stated right here: We are made alive together with Christ. Notice that Paul says "with Christ" three times: We are "made alive with Christ." We are "raised up with Christ." We are made to sit with Him. He has come to live in us, and He has joined himself to us, and we are one person with Him. That is the most important fact upon which to build all the rest of Christian faith and experience--this great, tremendous statement that we are made alive with Jesus Christ.

Do you remember how the Lord himself taught that? He said, "I am the vine; you are the branches" (John 15:5a). Can you tell where the branch ends and the vine starts? No. They are one plant, sharing one life together. So from here on our identity is no longer "in Adam" but it is "in Christ." We are no longer just ordinary human beings. We are new creations, begun again, linked with the life of Jesus Christ.

Later in this letter Paul likens the church to a body, of which Christ is the head. Have you examined your body lately? Have you noticed that your fingers don't come off if you merely twist them a half-turn and pull? They are tied to the body, and they share the life of the body. They are not attached by any mechanical process, but rather they are an organic part. These figures are all given to us to show us the intimate way we are united to Jesus Christ, to tell us that He is our life.

So never think of yourself in any other way, because the whole work of the enemy is to get you to disbelieve that and to go back to thinking that you are just an ordinary individual, struggling on through life, trying to make it the best way you can, needing to mobilize all your human resources to try to get ahead of the other fellow and to achieve as much of the fulfillment of life as you can. Any time you believe that, you go right back to acting as you once did--back to the misery, back to the heartaches. You can escape that only when you come back again to this central truth--we are alive in Jesus Christ!

There is one final thing to notice here. These verbs are all in the past tense. This is something that has happened, not something that is going to happen. It has already occurred when you believed in Jesus Christ. You don't have to work toward it. It is not something that great saints achieve after years of effort. It is something that is already true, and every Christian has this experience. We were made alive in Jesus Christ. We cannot be the same again. Even if we try, we won't be able to. This is why I sometimes say to people who get discouraged with their Christian life, "Well, quit then, go back, try not to be a Christian. See what will happen." They can't do it, and they know they can't, because they are new creatures, made alive in Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 13 - Amplified

1 If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.

4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).

10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood by God].

13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Remembering Jeff Healey

Just a tribute post to Jeff Healey...who jokingly said he was related to most of London, Ontario area folks....I was one of many. This man's story weaves through some of the faithful saints that have been so very dear to my spiritual journey. It was so awesome to see how God spun the threads of this man's life into my own. I did not know him hardly at all but by name. Others knew him much, much more. He was known to have a spirituality about him. I know his eyes have been opened by the One and Holy God. May his family find comfort at this time of great sadness.



Jeff Healey Dies at the Age of 41
(BUM) Canadian guitarist Jeff Healey died yesterday of cancer.
The jazz and blues rock musician lost his battle with cancer at the age of 41. Healey died from lung cancer in a Toronto hospital, surrounded by his family.
Healey was best known for his unique way of playing the guitar. Blind since the age of 1, the guitarist had taught himself to play the instrument on his lap. The artist lost his vision from a form of cancer called retinoblastoma.
In 1990, the Jeff Healey Band earned the title of Canadian Entertainer of the Year at the Juno Awards.

A Son Reflector or a Me Reflector?

From Max Lucado

We're not the center of the universe. What would happen if we accepted our place as Son reflectors?

“God raised him [Christ] from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church” (Ephesians 1:20–22 MSG).


Blame Copernicus. Until Copernicus came along in 1543, we earthlings enjoyed center stage. Fathers could place an arm around their children, point to the night sky, and proclaim, “The universe revolves around us.”

When God looks at the center of the universe, he doesn’t look at you. When heaven’s stagehands direct the spotlight toward the star of the show, I need no sunglasses. No light falls on me. Lesser orbs, that’s us. Appreciated. Valued. Loved dearly. But central? Essential? Pivotal? Nope. Sorry. Contrary to the Ptolemy within us, the world does not revolve around us. Our comfort is not God’s priority. If it is, something’s gone awry. If we are the marquee event,how do we explain flat-earth challenges like death, disease, slumping economies, or rumbling earthquakes? If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased?

Sweet Jesus

Worship a little with Hillsong's Darlene Zschech

For those of us that forget

Jesus, Lover of my soul

Have you heard the lute played or just heard about it?

From Tozer Today

And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
Luke 24:32

"It is one thing," said Henry Suso, "to hear for oneself a sweet lute, sweetly played, and quite another thing merely to hear about it."

And it is one thing, we may add, to hear truth inwardly for one's very self, and quite another thing merely to hear about it....

We are turning out from the Bible schools of this country year after year young men and women who know the theory of the Spirit-filled life but do not enjoy the experience. These go out into the churches to create in turn a generation of Christians who have never felt the power of the Spirit and who know nothing personally about the inner fire. The next generation will drop even the theory. That is actually the course some groups have taken over the past years.

One word from the lips of the man who has actually heard the lute play will have more effect than a score of sermons by the man who has only heard that it was played. Acquaintance is always better than hearsay.

God Still Lives in This Old House

Jesus - The One Thing

More on "The Last Addiction" by Sharon A. Hersh

"Their land is full of idols" (Isaiah 2:8) NIV.

"After all that's what addiction really is - it is worship. No matter how sophisticated or crude, any given addiction is a person, place, substance, activity, or ideology that becomes central to a human being's mind, body, soul, and spirit. Whether it is alcohol or religious activity, addiction is at work when something or someone begins to affect the style and nature of all aspects of a person's life and interacts with all of his or her activities. The etymology of the word gives insight into its idolatrous nature. Addiction is from the Latin word addictus, which means "to surrender to the gods."

"....Addiction goes deeper than obsession and compulsion. It is worship. It is giving my heart and soul over to something that I believe will ease my pain and provide an outlet for my fury at being out of control in a world that hurts me, scares me, or leaves me alone."

The author hedges a little at the beginning of the book.....
My thoughts....perfect only in Him....

One key to this author's view...is relationship....with God, with others and self. I love how she capitalizes Love.....Love is? - or more accurately God is?..... Yes, Love.
Finding substitutes for the One True Thing in relationships of any kind (with others or things, substances etc.) and expecting everything from that relationship is only looking for disappointment and betrayal. Selling ourselves to something less than Himself (not just talk, talk, talking about it, makes for a long trip to nowhere. When Love, (Jesus) becomes the one Reward of our hearts and lives becoming our Life, is it not allowing Him to give Himself, to all aspects of our Life, of our relationships. Does that mean we never fall....hmmmm, not based on my experience....but I do know one thing and this was noted in this book as well ....as Julian of Norwich wrote about her own experience of opening herself up to Love..... "If there be anyone on earth, who is continually protected from falling, I do not know, for it was not revealed to me. But this was revealed, that in falling and in rising we are always preciously protected in one love." That to me is the essence.....the One Thing.... the One Love, One in Him.

I tell so many lies and hear so many lies about addictions.....we all do ....don't go excluding yourself.....anything that takes the place of Christ in our life.....is an addiction.....Christ is the One Thing and He is (or if He isn't?), He can be your Life. Does that make us perfect? You bet it does! But only in Him....in and of ourselves....which continually gets in the way....imperfection at its best.