Singing With Joy

There’s nothing like a song in your heart to identify with others. Songs mean so much to so many people. Songs give us a channel by which to communicate all sorts of feelings and adventures.

When I am down in the dumps nothing helps revive me like reading the Bible and talking to Jesus. Like Tennessee Ernie Ford sang,  “I’m gonna have a little talk with Jesus” (by and by.)

Many years ago there was a song sang by Debby Boone called, “You Light Up My Life.” My sister and I were naïve enough to think the movie industry would follow our thoughts and give the movie a religious spin. We gave up hope and were sorely disappointed when the movie came out.  It was a kind of love a boy has for a girl.

By the world standards it’s love of people above all else. Yes, love in life is important, but love in faith is so much more.

Who else can give us hope and light up our lives more than Jesus? Through the day and through the night we have hope in Jesus. When we lose hope Jesus gives us a freshness and newness to life that no one can give.

King David sang to his sheep, and his people, in The Twenty-third Psalm. There are so many songs David sang in the book of Psalms. David sang about God who would comfort him in times he felt alone. David sang to King Saul, by doing so relieved the king of his headaches. He sang and danced with joy when the Ark of the Covenant was finally brought to Jerusalem.

Solomon sang to his wife, a shepherdess, who, in turn, sadly sang about the love of her life who was a shepherd boy. All the jewels and royal robes could not replace the love of her life.

Paul admonishes us in the New Testament to sing songs of Praise to the Jesus. Pastors and the Bible tell us to sing songs of praise to Jesus as a part of worship.

So whomever you sing to or about; spread a little joy today. Sing, sing, sing.

by Lanell Stuart

YOU WERE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

Who hasn’t heard the story of Queen Esther in the Bible?

Well, to recap: King Xerxes had de-throned Queen Vashti because she had refused to parade herself in front of the King’s pals. (One of the first women’s lib’s, you might say.) Then he sought the kingdom for a new bride. He wanted the most beautiful, sexiest women in the kingdom. So after careful taking away all the single, young women his men could find, he chose Queen Esther. (the rest of women he confined as his harem)

Meanwhile the King’s captain, Haman, decided everyone should bow down to him but Queen Esther’s uncle Mardecai refused to worship Haman. Haman burning with revenge, found a way to make the King Xerxes make a law destroying Mardecai and the whole of the Jewish community.

Mardecai found a way to message Esther that the whole Nation of Jews would be destroyed unless she approached the King and asked for royal favor. Esther replied that it was not time for her to approach the king. Mardecai sent another message back that she could die at the hands of others even if she were spared for a while and sent this massage also: “…And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV)

Queen Esther went on to approach the King and saved herself and the Jewish Nation from death.

The thing we learn from Esther’s response to Mordecai in these versed is what Edward Burke is quoted as saying, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

Therefore my word for you today is that

                         
                                  you were born for such a time as this.

Do something, not nothing. Stop hiding behind whatever it is that’s stopping you from doing what is in your heart. Stop hiding behind some notion that some person, somewhere, might disapprove of what you are doing. It does not matter what age you are. God didn’t put you here for nothing. There’s still some mileage left in those thoughts and actions that only you have to offer your family, friends and even strangers.

Eyes to See, Ears To Hear, A heart For God

Seeing God in all that we do and think. Seeing God in our lives to spread God’s word. Seeing God’s word so that we may bless others with for prayers and praise until we thank God for his presence in our life. See means experience or witness, to discern and understand to realize all things are for the purpose of God.

To see a vision means the ability to think about the future with imagination or wisdom and a mental image to view the idealistic and wise. To see means to inspire, motivate and encourage and to stimulate to activity. It means to energize others to learn and have a lasting relationship with God.

Ears to hear the word of God from those who are learned through experience and through the message of others. We should also be able to listen to hear from God and tell others of that experience. Then we will learn to have a heart for God until the room is filled with his glory.

Are we listening to hear or listening to respond? It is good to talk and it is good to listen.  Both are good but listening to the still small voice of Jesus in all that God’s children are saying is rewarding.  Listen to the scripture to see and understand what God has for us to do today.

Ears to hear and eyes to seed—the Lord has made them both. (Proverbs 20:12 NIV)

To all of my followers and those who have kindly looked in on my blog

Dear Ones Who Have kept up with me theses last few months:

Thank you for looking in on my blog.
I apologize for the delay in writing.
The Lord has been dealing with me greatly.

I have found a peace that I have not had for a long time.
I hope to get back to writing on this blog.
I have been growing in the Lord and I hope you have also.
My prayer is for you to be encouraged and built up for the Lord.

Thank you again for being faithful to look for me.
God Bless you and keep you in his loving arms.

Lanell

P. S. There is a new post below. Please read and enjoy!

Finding The Dignity

February 17, 2018

There is a dignity with coming to know Christ. It is not pride but a fulfillment of the Holy Spirit that resides in us.

“Be dressed and ready for service, keep your lamps burning,” (Luke 12:35 NIV) for the day of the Lord will come sooner than you expect.

“Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom.” (Luke 9:62 NIV) We can’t keep looking over our shoulders, wondering, “Where did things go wrong?” Jesus wants us to look ahead and to the possibilities of the greatness of his kingdom.

Will he find me lacking in faith to allow the Holy Spirit to lead me in a loving attitude? Or will I be found moaning and groaning? Will he find me in peacefulness that only he can lead me to; or will I be found in fearfulness of the enemy? I should have faith to believe that I will reap if I faint not and continue studying his Word to show myself a workman that needs not be ashamed.

Life can be challenging in the day to day living for Jesus. Live wholeheartedly for him. We are admonished not to be slothful servants. The Bible tells us to be bold in teaching the principles Jesus taught and they are found in Paul’s teachings as well. The lessons of fruitfulness: “rid yourself of all malice, slander; put on the new self of compassion kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:8, & 10 (my paraphrase).

So keep Jesus in your heart and on your mind and you will have a dignity to stand for Christ when the time comes. And my prayer for you today is to look forward not backward. Keep looking for Jesus to return in his glory, so he can say, “Well done thy good and faithful servant.”

By Lanell Stuart

The Tangled Web

By Lanell Stuart

     Have you ever been caught in a spider’s web? Ewe, we react, “How quick can I get rid of this thing!” It’s sticky and the more we try to resist the more determined it tries to stay on you.

     Life can become entangled like a web. “Just stay away from me,” we tell Satan. The more determined we become to live for Jesus, the more determined he is to make you stay in a sad, miserable state of being.

     We can become entangled with others lives to the point we just want “out”. But God is urging you onward. “Don’t give up on the unlovely. Keep loving them and showing them the way back to God.” I think that is what God would say to us.

     Remember you were once unlovely in God’s sight. Someone took the time to invest in my life to bring me to the a fullness of loving God again. Someone took the time to pray for me that I may be brought to the point of saying, “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.” (Psalms 51:12, KJV) And it has been restored.

     My web is unraveling, slowly. I am returning to Lord’s way for my life. Returning, to escape the spider’s web that promises rewards for my life, but never succeeded.

    The Lord is restoring to me the joy of my salvation. You also can obtain that reward through loving friends and family.

     Everyone comes into your life for a season and a reason. We can learn through each incident in life. The Lord leads in mysterious ways, Paul announces in his word to the Colossians in Chapter one, verse 27. It says, “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” God makes known the mysteries of our life, which is to know Jesus better.

     He says in Ephesians 6:19, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”

     I pray you will not get caught in the spider’s web of deceit that promises rewards that are not there in the end.

     The promises of grandeur and fulfillment do not lay in the promises of man but in the promises of God. Seek God and all will be added unto you. (My words paraphrasing from Mt. 6:33 NIV)

“Love the Lord with all thy heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

Being A Child Of God

You are a child of God! You are to be respected as such. It does not mean that you are to be run over by people. Just let people go if they tend to run over you often. Vengeance is mine says the Lord! What goes around eventually comes around.

God can reassure us that He is by our side in our quest to reach people for Him. “Staying in the word”, what does that mean? It means learning how God works in the lives of believers. It means getting to know who Christ is and applying the scripture to learn how to be more like our Savior.  Even though we fail in our human form we are not lost, only ready to ask forgiveness and keep on living for Christ.

For years I wondered what the Old Testament stories had to do with Christ.  The stories I thought were just childhood stories. NO! They were stories of how God worked in the lives of believers. Yes, the Holy Spirit did come upon people on special occasions. It means the Holy Spirit did exist from the very beginning, like Christ did.

Jesus brought the Holy Spirit on each person at Pentecost after He had gone to be with The Father. He brought the Holy Spirit that we could have an abundant life of freedom. Not just a mediocre life but also a blessed life. Even in the mundane daily life, we live with joy in our hearts that others do not have.

I do not believe God intended us to be so caught up in life that we become discouraged. I believe He gave us His Word to lift us out of the discouragement. Everyday we are to look for the interesting things God has given us to do. Study the Word, memorize it, love it, and practice it. “Stay in the Word.” Learn that The Word is Jesus and he does not condemn us but gives us freedom to be ourselves and love ourselves. Not because of something we’ve done or will do but because He loves us just the way we are.

Remember who you are! You are a child of God! I am a child of God.