Family Thanksgiving

The LORD allowed us to once again get together as a family. We had a good time cooking...THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING:) We started and ended in a jiffy! Then, of course, it was time to grubb. We were all thankful for being together and enjoying a "plentiful" meal. O give thanks to the LORD for He is good and His mercy endures forever.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For the last week or so some “hard issues” have come up that have had my mind thinking and meditating upon. The LORD has been reminding me to be thankful for “what I have” not for what I don’t have.

This morning was sweet and interesting. My hubby got up with me to help me get started for the day. We put the turkey in the oven and then sat and chatted and drank coffee. It was really a sweet time. My mind raced to a couple of women whom I know will be missing their husbands - this last week their own husbands have been taken from them; one in a tragic accident and another from a brain tumor.

O to be thankful for “what I do have” and not dwell on what I don’t have.

This will be our first year without having our daughter with us; however, we are thankful that she is serving her LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

Much to be thankful for; much to enjoy; much to thank My Jesus for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving at Gracia Calvary

We had a special dinner and service at our church.

O how pleasant and good it is when the brethren gather together in thanksgiving and praise to Our Wonderful and Awesome God.

Alaba a Dios

On the theme of worship...on Sunday our worship team sang this song that practically had me jump out of my skin. I know, it's in Spanish, but for those who understand Spanish...wow! I had to put this song as I continue on the theme of worship. This song is a victory cry and a resolute decision to worship the LORD in spite and in the middle of "whatever". Praise you Jesus!

He is Worthy of All Praise

God continues to draw me to "worship Him" in song. The song that I put before which in part says, "I'm coming back to the heart of worship, it is all about YOU, all about YOU Jesus", says it all. I think of Revelation 4 and specifically in verse 10 and 11 which say, The four and twenty elders FALL DOWN BEFORE HIM that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. And Revelation 5 the whole chapter, but I will site v. 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders FELL DOWN AND WORSHIPPED HIM that liveth forever and ever.

I heard the below songs and they simply make me want to fall on my face and worship My King who alone is worthy of all my praise, honor and glory. Whom do you worship? How do you worship?

Be Still

With all that is going on around us - pain, sorrow, needs, trials, tribulations, uncertainty, illness, heartaches, etc. - the LORD put this picture on my mind: it is of a child sitting with and at the feet of her Daddy. As she sits by Him, she places her head on His lap as He tenderly and gently strokes her hair. She sits there unhurried, unfrazzled, unoccupied with the cares that are going on all around her - she simply sits and enjoys the touch of those tender hands, His warmth, His love.

BE STILL AND KNOW HE IS GOD!

As I pondered these thoughts the LORD brought to mind the following songs - sing, meditate or simply be still at the feet of Your Heavenly Father...

Isaiah 23:3 - Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee:

Isaiah 30:7...Their strength is to sit still.

Isaiah 30:15...return...rest...saved...in quietness and in confidence shall be your strenth:...

Psalm 91:1-2 - He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

So be still o my soul, and KNOW HE IS GOD...

Truth vs. Lies

Some issues have come up around here that have, for some reason, got my brain thinking about “lying” – yes, “lying”.

It is as if the LORD has taken these scales from my eyes and has magnified this “art” that is practiced on a daily basis by young, old and in between, alike. The words flow from people’s mouth with such ease; it is a refined “art”. It seems that it is harder for people to say the truth than to invent something, change the story, add or take away, embellish, etc.

There are those times that we are told that they are simply “white lies” and won’t hurt anyone. Or that if they said the truth it would hurt someone, yet they can say some “truths” that simply devastate and hurt people with such ease – could this be using a different standard?

I remember an episode of “I Love Lucy” where Lucy would speak without thinking and say lie after lie after lie – it was so “natural”. Finally Ricky, Fred, and Ethel made a bet with her about how she could not keep herself from lying for 24 hours. It was so difficult for Lucy, she didn’t realize how “natural” it was for her to simply “fib” for convenience sake. It finally came to the point where she was speaking the “truth” with ease, but everyone was getting hurt by it. (I don’t remember all the details; it’s simply an illustration of what seems to be an “every-day-okay-thing”).

The Word of God is full of admonitions against lying. In Psalms and Proverbs alone we find lots of exhortations against lying:

Psalm 40:4 - Blessed [is] that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Psalm 58:3 – The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

Psalm 62:4 - They only consult to cast [him] down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

Psalm 63:11 - But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

Psalm 101:7 – He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

Proverbs 6:16-19 – These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among breathren.

Proverbs 14:5 – A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

Proverbs 19:5 – A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

Proverbs 19:9 – A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

Proverbs 29:12 – If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

Proverbs 30:7-8 – Two things have I required of thee; deny me then not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

I tell you what, this has and continues to be something that the LORD is teaching me and will continue to teach me. How sad that our brains have been programmed to such a degree that it takes more effort to say the truth than to tell a lie. God help us to renew our mind every second of the day; to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind through God’s Word – God’s Word is TRUTH. May we think and meditate on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, praise worthy. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in God’s sight.

He Will Keep Me In/Through The Fire

Daniel 3

v. 13 (Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him)

v. 14 (Nebuchadnezzar asks them) Is it true…do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

v. 15 (Nebuchadnezzar tells them to do what he has commanded or else) …be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

v. 16-18 (The three young men answered the king)…we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

As I read this few words what came to mind was:
Matthew 10:17-20 – But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

Psalm 119:46 - I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

2 Timothy 1:12 - For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

God’s Word is replete with promises from Our Gracious Heavenly Father who is mighty to save us and keep us in His path until He finishes all that He desires to accomplish through us. These young men KNEW WHOM THEY HAD BELIEVED IN. They were confident in The God Whom they served and Whom they had entrusted their whole lives to. They did not look back, they did not shrink, they did not retreat – they stood and shined for their LORD. Much continues to change all around us…could we be in such a position in the near future? What will be our response? Will we stand or will we collapse?

The rest of the story goes on to show us that these three men WERE THROWN into the fiery furnace. They were bound and thrown into extinction (so the king thought). BUT GOD…

v. 25 (the king said) Lo, I see FOUR men LOOSE, WALKING in the midst of the fire, and THEY HAVE NO HURT; (my note: Hallelujah!!!) and the form of the fourth is like the Son of god.

v. 26 (the three) …came forth of the midst of the fire.

v. 27 …saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

They surely knew WHOM they had believed. I wonder if they knew the Scripture from Isaiah 43:1-3(a) – But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior:…

And what was the king’s response (this time, cause we know that throughout the book of Daniel the king keeps going back and forth)

v. 28 …Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that TRUSTED IN HIM, and have changed the king’s word, and YIELDED THEIR BODIES, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

v. 29 …there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

Praise HIM because He deserves it

Last night one of my dear friends was sharing with me something she heard on the radio about worship. "Worship" - what is worship? WHO do we worship? And, yes, worship is much more than a song, it is the state of our heart. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our of gratitude, awe and reverence for Our Almighty God, we can't help but shout for JOY. If we would stay silent, the rocks would praise Him - all creation shouts HIS praises! Have we been redeemed? Have we been taken out of the mire? Have we not been clothed with white robes, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ? Are we not now children of the Most High God?

No I will not stay silent, I will proclaim His works to all generations and will sing Him songs of love and worship...Praise You My King, My Father!!!

Fall Craft

The gifts of the brethren are so wonderful! Yesterday we had the opportunity of gathering together as women to be taught how to make a beautiful Fall Wreath. We had a wonderful time. We had worship and were exhorted by our wonderful Pastor's Wife to be those women that set the "temperature" of our home. What are we doing to make our house into a home? Does our family enjoy being home or do they dread it? God spoke to all of us through her. We then got our hands busy in making some beautiful fall crafts. We also had some yummy brownies and coffee...Thank you to all the women that made this possible.

Thinking of...

Today is my brother Charly's Birthday

Please pray for him.