Have you ever felt as though you have suffered injustice alone and unnoticed? Feelings of hurt seem to demand justice. Hopelessness and loneliness begs heaven for relief. During these painful, hurtful, lonely times, what seems like silence from heaven can be deafening.
If this is presently your current situation, rest assured, you are not alone. I have suffered this and it has been so painful that it was literally overwhelming at times. However, the truth is that the Lord does see our suffering, and He will not allow it to go unanswered. He will see justice done, though perhaps not at the time or manner we may prefer. The pain we suffer, though it may feel overwhelming, will not go unseen. If we allow God to work, these experiences can be the means by which God brings us His greatest blessings. We can look to Jesus who had to endure the greatest injustice ever suffered. No one was and is ever more innocent than Him. Let’s ponder on how Jesus conducted himself during that awful time of persecution. He knew he would not receive justice from men and he accepted it. He spoke the truth in love and refused to allow anger and bitterness distract anyone from seeing it. Peter wrote to persecuted Christians,” For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2:20). What can we learn from this today? Speak the truth, in love and without apology. Keep in mind that by doing so you could suffer. We must also always quietly and calmly submit ourselves completely to the sovereign will of the Lord and trust in Him completely. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. (Psalm 35:17-20).
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Do you have someone you can call when you suffer a difficult time in your life? Do you have someone you can call in the middle of the night if you needed help? Friends are so crucial in difficult times.
Jonathan is a great example of true friendship. Jonathan’s father, King Saul- who was filled with envy at David’s popularity and God’s favor on him-wanted to kill David (1 Samuel 19:9-10). David escaped and asked his beloved friend, Jonathan, for help. While David hid in a field, Jonathan sat at dinner with his father and realized that Saul did indeed intend to kill David. Can you imagine the emotions Jonathan was going through knowing that his own father wanted to kill his friend whom he loved so dearly? Because of their deep friendship Jonathan was grieved. Have you ever grieved for a friend? Jonathan warned David of his father’s plan and told him he should leave. David recognized the amazing friendship he had with Jonathan. The Bible says they wept together, “but David more so”. Their souls were “knit” together. Wow—what a beautiful gift of true friendship! Do you have loving friends you can count on in times of need or even in times of rejoicing? If not, well then, you have just found some loving friends now! Please know that you are never alone. The mission of this ministry is to offer true friendship, prayer, encouragement, and joy. Contact us today—we would love to get to know YOU! 1 Samuel 18:1 The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Have you discovered the joy and peace of personally accepting Jesus' invitation to life? Perhaps you have believed in the existence of God and His Son and have even tried to live a good life, but have never consciously invited Him to be your Savior and Lord. No matter who you are or what you have done, at this very moment, you too can make the decision of a lifetime. Right now Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. He has already paid the penalty for your sin. He loves you so much that he wants you to make the choice to receive His gift of love. He doesn’t force us. He is asking you, in the quiet of your heart, to put your trust in Him.
God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you. God's Love: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16,). "Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). God wants you to know Him. Jesus Christ is the ultimate gift of God’s love for us. Because of sin we were cut off from God BUT because of his IMMENSE love for us he sent his beloved son. Jesus Christ, who was blameless, took on each and every sin that we have and ever will commit. Jesus was beaten, tortured, died and rose again for YOU so that YOU could have eternal life. He loves YOU so! Do you believe this? It’s TRUE! Through believing in Him you can know God personally, and you will be forever His child…for eternity! “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6). We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will. Would you like to accept Jesus' invitation to life? You can receive Jesus Christ right now by faith through prayer. Here is a suggested prayer, which can help you express your trust in Jesus, too: Lord God, I come to you now. I know I am a sinner and I repent of my sins. I believe in Jesus Christ, who took my place and punishment--who was crucified for me, died for me, and was buried and rose again for me. I receive the gift of salvation in His name; turning from my sin I commit myself to follow Him. Thank you God for the gift of eternal life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Did you know that RIGHT now heaven is rejoicing over YOU?!! Welcome to the Kingdom! Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. I am so excited to share the GOOD NEWS about what God says we are in him in my next blog! You are His special possession! Hope you can join us! Do you struggle with feelings of worthlessness? Do you feel like you are not worth God’s love and forgiveness? Friend--you are not alone. Many other people, including myself, have dealt with these very same feelings.
Ladies, I am hear to tell you first and foremost that God DOES hear our prayers and he that He knows what you are going to pray before you even do it! I praise God that His shining, redemptive, and powerful truth came in for me in such amazing ways and that it continues to do so. 2 Corinthians 6:18 “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (NIV) Romans 8:14-16 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (NIV) Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 1 John 4:19 We love because He first loved us. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. When you receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord you are signed, sealed and officially His. God’s word is our authority and there is power in coming in agreement with it.BELIEVE GOD when he says HE LOVES YOU. BELIEVE GOD when he says he FORGIVES YOU. BELIEVE GOD when he says YOU ARE HIS. God promises that His love for us is irrevocable. Do you believe this? If not, I implore you to read His word, believe, and receive the amazing gift of God’s truth and promises for you. Oh, how he loves you! Would you like prayer today? Would you like a friend to talk to? Do you want to know more about having a personal relationship with Jesus? Friend…don’t hesitate! We would love to talk with you Contact us today. Lots of LoVe, JoY, and EnCoUrAgEmEnT to you today and always friends! Ladies! Are you looking for a good book? One packed with drama, romance, and intrigue? Well then, you have got to read Esther! This book is a TRUE story, lived and written centuries ago. More than an entertaining read, it is a story of God’s sovereignty and power.
Esther was a beautiful woman filled with amazing, character. She was orphaned, raised by an uncle, and was loved by a King. She set aside her own fear and took action while risking her own life standing against racism. Esther was a true woman of strength. Because of Esther’s courage a whole nation was saved. She was more concerned for others than for her own security. Esther 4:16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are is Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish”. The book of Esther is an example of God’s divine guidance and care over our lives. With God in charge, we can take courage. He will guide us through circumstances we face in our lives. I know of some ladies who are going through such difficult times such as illness, death of a loved one, broken relationships, persecution, etc. I have experienced such brutal pain in my life. There are times we may question circumstances in our lives, but we MUST have faith that God is in control, working through the good and the bad times. God is able to save us from the evil of this world and deliver us from sin and death. Because we trust God, we are not to fear what people may do to us, or the events that happen in our life. We can walk with compete confidence because God is in control. Some of the mistakes we make when it seems like circumstances may not indicate that God is in control is that we assume we understand what is needed and we expect God to agree and answer our prayers that way. Another mistake would be that we could assume that God doesn’t answer our prayers or respond to our needs and therefore we can disobey God’s commands. We clearly see in the book of Esther that God was in control in the lives of individuals and the affairs of a nation. When you turn on the news and it just seems like the world is in the hands of evil people but God is still in control protecting those who are His. We may not always understand everything that is happening but we must trust in God’s protection. We need to know how special and loved we are by Him. Friend, no matter how hopeless our condition, or how much we would like to give up, we have a Father who is ALWAYS faithful. GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE WORLD! Are you experiencing tough circumstances in your life right now? Would you like prayer? We would love to hear from you; contact us today. As always, lots of love, encouragement, and joy to you all friends! Philippians 3:12-14-
Not that I have obtained all this. Or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Forgetting what is behind: Paul had reason to forget what was behind before his conversion (where he was known as Saul). He was the ringleader of the movement to make Christianity extinct by imprisonment the norm and death the ideal. He also had held the coats (meaning he was in approval and part of) those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr. We have all done things for which we are ashamed, and we live in the tension of what we have been and what we want to be. Because our hope is in Christ, however, we can let go of past guilt and look forward to what God will help us become. Most importantly, REALIZE and BELIEVE that you are FORGIVEN! You are free indeed! Thank you Jesus! Are you jumping for joy yet? The GOAL: Paul says that his goal is to know Christ to be like Christ, and to be all Christ has in mind for him. This is an awesome example for us. We should not let anything take our eyes off our goal---knowing Christ. The PRIZE: What an amazing prize we have in Christ, to know Him and to be called heavenward for ETERNITY! Jesus paid the price so we could receive this. His love is so intense and amazing. It is my prayer that we may try to grasp the reality of His forgiveness and love for us. John 14:1-4- “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” These verses are so rich with love and promises for us. The above scripture says, “I am going there to prepare a place for you, and “I will come back”. We can LOOK FORWARD to eternal life because Jesus has PROMISED it to all who believe in Him. Lots of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, & HOPE to you ALL today and always!! GOD’S LOVE FOR US = JESUS:
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) Just as Jesus was obedient and was completely and totally successful in His purpose; which was the plan of salvation the Father gave to Him for us; so our obedience to God is the key to a successful Christian life. Who is Jesus Christ? Our perception of Him is the basis for our relationship with Him. May we all perceive Him as He really is! Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11: 25-26). Friends, let’s be doer’s of the Word of God! Let’s have that FIERCE DETERMINATION of obedience and dedication like Jesus did. To learn more about the example of Jesus I strongly encourage you to start with the New Testament although Jesus is all over the Bible--including the Old Testament. Need prayer? Need a friend to talk to? Do you want to know how YOU can have a personal relationship with Jesus? We would love to hear from you! Contact us today. Dictionary Definition: Savior sav·ior noun /ˈsāvyər/ saviors, plural; saviours, plural A person who saves someone or something (esp. a country or cause) from danger, and who is regarded with the veneration of a religious figure (in Christianity) God or Jesus Christ as the redeemer of sin and saver of souls ‘Come to Me all who are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28 to 30). Those are wonderful words of Jesus. The idea of the ‘yoke’ is like a farmer or our ‘Master’. A yoke makes oxen go where the Master wants them to go, and do what the Master wants them to do. The whole message of the Bible is ‘God wants to give us salvation’. He loves us so. He wants to transform us, prepare us for heaven and finally, introduce us to a whole new existence. We need to concentrate on being transformed into the likeness of Jesus and that includes being totally obedient like He was. We need to learn from Jesus and apply the knowledge to our lives. Just reading the Bible is not enough to change us. ‘Be doers of the Word of God, and not merely listeners to it’ (James 1:22). We need to form a one on one, close relationship with Jesus in order to learn from Him. We need to spend time in His company and get to know Him intimately; just as Jesus knows the Father intimately. ‘I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you’ (John 13:15). We need to make Jesus our Lord and our Master and follow His example. If we follow the Lord, we are not pushing against His will, and that makes our lives flow easier and we will find peace. His will is ALWAYS best. He is ALWAYS faithful and He ALWAYS good. We all need to face life by living to please the Father and to honor and glorify Him. We need to follow His example and allow that to bring us the greatest delight. We need to learn from the Lord Jesus daily. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus suffered anguish but He prayed, “Not My will but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42) We also read that although Jesus is God’s Son, He learned obedience by what He suffered (Hebrews 5:8 & 9). Moreover, Jesus became the Source of salvation to all those who in turn, obey Him. Jesus lived in total submission to the Father, His plans and His purposes. Jesus is the most influential Person in all of earth’s history. The Apostle Paul had the same determination to follow the Father. He faced beatings and death but did not waver from ‘fighting the good fight’. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). It is imperative that we have fierce determination to follow Jesus’ example of obedience and dedication to God. With God’s help, we will succeed. We can not do this on our own. We must be submitted to God, humble ourselves and ask His help, and by the grace of God we will achieve obedience to His will. If we fail, we need to go to God, repent, confess our sins, and get right up and press on to the goal. Jesus IS our all in all! Sing it with me today and as always lots of love and encouragement to you!
YOU ARE MY ALL IN ALL You are my strength when I am weak You are the treasure that I seek You are my all in all I'm seeking You like a precious jewel Lord, to give up I'd be a fool You are my all in all Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name Taking my cross my sin my shame Raising again I praise Your name You are my all in all When I fall down You pick me up When I run dry You fill my cup You are my all in all Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name You are my strength when I am weak You are the treasure that I seek You are my all in all When I fall down You pick me up When I run dry You fill my cup You are my all in all Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name, lets go Jesus, Lamb of God Holy is Your name Thank you Jesus, and amen! Hi friends! What a gorgeous day the Lord has made! I love days like these where there is just such an abundance of sunshine. Today I would like to post one of my favorite old time hymns I remember singing as a girl in church.
As I was grocery shopping yesterday, I heard the cutest little girl singing Jesus Loves Me. She sounded so angelic. After singing that song she went on to sing another precious child’s praise song. Though unaware of it, that little girl was touching so many people in that store .While passing the little girl (with tears in my eyes) I told her to never stop singing! If you know Jeaunetta, (founder of Girls Just Want to Love God Ministries) you know that she always has a song on her heart. She reminds me of David, always singing and praising God. Singing is so powerful; it not only uplifts us but it also honors and glorifies God. The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. Praise means, “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15). At home, in the car, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing. “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1). Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances (Romans 8:28). Since praise manifests God’s presence, we also realize that praise repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. What did the children of Judah do when they found themselves outnumbered by the hostile armies? On they went, ahead of the army declaring, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever!” And the scripture says, “...when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22). Being the people of “praise” (Judah actually means Praise), and knowing that God manifests His power through praise, they sent their army against their enemies, led by the praisers! When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running! We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite Praise / Worship song? Victory In Jesus I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory (how He gave His life) How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me I heard about His groaning, (of His blood's atoning) of His precious blood's atoning Then I repented (repented) of my sins (repented of my sins) and won the victory Chorus: Oh victory in Jesus (victory in Jesus), my Savior (my Savior) forever (forever) He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood (bought me with His blood) He loved me 'ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit" I then obeyed His blest command and gained the victory * Repeat Chorus * |
About AngelaAngela lives in Oconomowoc, WI with husband Christian, son Christian Tyler, and the cutest Bernese puppy (Winston), and kitty (George) ever! (= Archives
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