Ann Voskamp ~ Christmas At The Farm

Hosting a group of ladies today for lunch to watch ~ Ann Voskamp & Liz Curtis Higgs webcast "Christmas At The Farm".

Hope others will be able to watch also!

Blessings~

Quote from F.B. Myer

Recently heard this quote by F.B. Myer and thought it worth repeating.

"If the Lord isn't Lord of all, He isn't Lord at all."

Is the Lord, LORD of all your life?

Promises Kept

God's faithfulness to keep His promises isn't dependent upon my remembrance of them.
He is faithful.  Period.

Are You Disconnected

Several times this week when I've turned on my computer the word "disconnected" appeared in the lower right hand corner of the screen.  Disconnected ~ meaning I wasn't connected to the server and there was no information coming in and no information going out.  If there is no connection, no flow of information there is no interaction between myself and the outside world on the other side of this computer screen.  Everything stops, shuts down, comes to a halt.

We can get that way also in our spiritual walk and relationship with Christ. We get busy with our daily lives rushing here and there.  We continue to add items to our agenda but we never seem to find the time to add Christ to our agenda.  Even in service to Christ we can become "disconnected" when we fail to put Him as the priority and not our service to Him. There is a difference.

Christ never rushed to Capernaum (the home of Simon Peter) or hurried up to Galilee.  He didn't tell the disciples "we have got to get a move on if I'm going to meet the woman at the well in Samaria" (John 4).  He didn't even drop everything and run to bedside of  His dying friend Lazarus (John 11). If there was ever a time to rush I would have thought that would be the time.  No, Christ never rushed, never hurried, never ran. Although thousand would crowd around him everywhere He went He never felt pressured or pressed to hurry. 

Why?  Because He was "connected" with the Father.  Jesus had a busy life.  The Bible tells us that the world could not contain all the things He did, miracles He performed if they were to be written down (John 21:25). How did Christ have such an effective and productive life? Because He was one with the Father (John 10:30).  He made it a priority to go aside and fellowship with, communicate with, have a relationship with the Father.  

Do you rush and hurry and still it seems as though nothing gets done?  The reason may be that you're "disconnect" from the one who gives guidance for daily living and wisdom to make Godly decisions. No communication occurs when we are disconnected.  Our productivity stops and we are just burning energy.  Are you setting aside time to communicate with the Father, read His word and listen to Him speak to you?  If not, let me urge you to start your day with God and end your day with Him.

If you don't have a favorite verse to help start your day here is mine
Psalm 143:8
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning for in You do I trust; 
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.

God doesn't want us to Rush.  He wants us to Rest.  Rest in Him, casting everything onto Him and letting Him work in us and through us (1Peter 5:8).  Are you putting Christ on your agenda?  If not, make time to do so ~ He put you on His (Galatians 4:4-5).

~ Drawing from the Well ~

Are you JOYFULLY drawing water from the wells of Salvation? 
Isaiah 12:3
Or are you just going through the motions?

Resting In The Shadow

Are you resting in the shadow of the Almighty?  Your place of refreshment when you are weary.  Filling when you are empty.  Strength when you are weak.  Refuge when the storms of the evil one attack you. 
Isaiah 25:4
Are you resting in the coolness of His shadow or are you running on empty?

The Way

Trials and tribulations in life are God's chisels applied.  Tools that are working to mold and shape us for our good and His glory. He never said "The Way" would be easy.  He knew "The Way" would be through spilled blood.  He prepared  "The Way" for us to the Father through His spilled blood, tears and pain.  And still daily He makes a way for you and for me because He is "The Way"  John 14:6

The Process To Sin

The act of sin is the result of my decisions through the process of temptation.
James 1:14~15

The Christmas Account

Read with me The Christmas Account.

Luke 2:1~20

Luke, like the physician he was, recounts this event with surgical precision. Uncovering one important fact after another, overlooking nothing.

First he reviews the history of the event, just like any good doctor would review the medical history of a patient. He tells us what was happening “in those days”. And what days were they ~ days of Roman rule. When Caesar called for a counting of people the people had to do the wishes of the one in power. Luke also reveals to us previous events as this wasn’t the first time a Roman ruler called for the accounting of people in order to tax them. Everyone had to return to their place of birth to register. We so often think people of Biblical days as staying in one place when in fact they traveled around much like we do today.

After this brief but important review/introduction Luke gets to the heart of the situation and we learn of Joseph. Why had Joseph left his hometown of Bethlehem, maybe for a better job in Nazareth, better living conditions or maybe a young Jewish girl named Mary caught his eye at a Passover celebration in Jerusalem and he moved to be close to her. We don’t know for certain but what we do know it was all part of God’s plan for Joseph’s life. Now this man, Joseph, was returning home. Home to Bethlehem (meaning house of bread), the city of King David himself because Joseph was of the royal bloodline of David, and with him, Mary, his wife who was pregnant.

Luke continues to peal back layer after layer of facts as he continues and tells us “while they were there, the days were completed”. “The days were completed”. God’s timing is always perfect. He is never a minute to early or a minute to late. From before the beginning of time itself the events of history had taken place, one after another, just as God had designed them to happen. Like the ticking of a clock time had fled away and now it was the right moment for the next event in the history of mankind and the next event in the life of Mary. She gave birth to her firstborn son because God’s plan in her life was unfolding and “the days were completed for her to be” the mother of Jesus.

There He was, the Son of God, Deity, sleeping in a food trough for the animals. There were no attending doctors, no medication for pain, no sterile instruments, no private room or nurses to help with the birth. There was no one but Mary, Joseph, the sounds of people moving about in this small town and the smell of the animals. She, Mary, wrapped Him (notice the H-it’s capitalized in your Bible) in swaddling cloths so he would not move around and harm himself. That is the love of a mother protecting her son. But the love of a caring God had sent His son and wrapped Him in human flesh. He had left His glory and place in heaven and stepped through its portals to be born into earthbound humanity. He had purposefully sent His son to be placed in harms way, for us. That is the love of God, to do for us what we could not do for ourselves ~ provide a way to pay the price of our sins penalty.

And He did it at the birth of Christ in this lowly manger. Why is it that we think of Joseph and Mary as being poor ~ because they had to stay in a stable? They were not poor, they had gone to the innkeeper but because of the number of people now in this small town “there was no room for them in the inn”. No, again God’s plan was perfect. Remember, Joseph and Mary had to come from Nazareth, and she was pregnant. The way wasn’t a four-lane highway or the autobahn and they didn’t travel in the luxury of a nice automobile or travel coach. No, the way was rough, dusty and rocky and most likely they traveled on the donkey express.

So why did God choose for His son to be born in an animal stable? After all, this was, and is THE SON OF GOD, GOD HIMSELF IN HUMAN FORM. Why not in a more pleasing place, fit for the King that He is? God knew if He was born into wealth and comfort only the privileged would have access to Him. But in this stable, this lowly place all of mankind would to have access to Him. However on this night of nights when our Savior was born, no one seemed to notice, at least not in Bethlehem.

I’ve often wondered what the Innkeeper would have said if he knew the savior of the human race was being born right in his backyard, right under his nose. But that is the way that it seems to be even today. We are so involved with our circumstances, jobs, hobbies, family, friends…. that we do not recognize what God is doing in our lives, not even if it’s right in front of us. We are wrapped up in our own lives. Time for God is nonexistent or little at best and we miss out on His blessings while we chase after things that will disappear with the passing of time.

Although the people of Bethlehem didn’t seem to notice there was one group of people that couldn’t help but notice. As we read in verses eight and nine:

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night and behold an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were greatly afraid.”

God wasn’t about to let the birth of His son go completely unnoticed by mankind. So at the right moment God ordered His angel to open the gates of Heaven and step through into our world to announce the birth of His son to these humble shepherds. And in doing so the glory of God spilled out of Heaven and surrounded the angel and the shepherds. Notice it wasn’t the glory of the angel but it was the glory of God! Can you imagine seeing the glory of God with human eyes! I can’t comprehend it. I don’t think anyone could this side of Heaven. No wonder the shepherds were greatly afraid.

But this angel didn’t come to pronounce judgment on the nation of Israel nor the inhabitants of the Earth but came to proclaim that salvation had come to mankind. (I love this next verse~ verse 11)

“For unto you (Pam, Joe, Billy, Sarah, John,..put you name here) is born this day, in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Christ didn’t come to just a select few, the beautiful people, the lovely people, the rich people, the affluent people…and the list could go on. No He came for all people. I’m extremely thankful that the angel of the Lord didn’t say “For unto the Jewish people, or For unto the righteous people or For unto the Roman people”. If he had, we would still be without hope. Instead he said that He came for you!

That would give anyone reason to shout. And that is exactly what the multitude of heavenly host were doing ~ they were shouting. Notice the exclamation mark at the end of verse 14:

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men!”

They weren’t singing as we so often think of in the songs we sing at Christmas time but they were shouting. I’m sure it sounded like heavenly music just the same.

What a great revelation from God to these shepherds. As Luke continues with his dissecting of the event we find that the shepherds went with haste to see for themselves this great event that the Lord had made known to them. Unlike the inhabitants of Bethlehem these shepherds paid attention when the Lord showed up. They not only paid attention they went to see Him and they found Him just as the angel had told them. (Let me interject something here before we move on. When we seek after the Lord, He has assured us we will find Him. God is moving in our lives! Are you paying attention and seeking Him? He has something for you; a specific plan for your life, a wonderful plan but we must seek Him.)

When the shepherds found the Babe, Joseph and Mary I wonder what the conversation was like? We are told “But May kept all these things and pondered them in her heart”.

When the shepherds had seen Him they went and told everyone about this newborn Child. That’s the way we should be ~ when we come into the presence of Jesus we will want to tell everyone about Him. The people they told just “marveled” at what the shepherds told them. Wow! Is that right? Wonderful!! And in the next verses we are told of the crowd of people who like the shepherds, got excited and went to see this Christ Child for themselves. Right?

No, sadly the Bible never tells us of one person whom the shepherds told about this Christ Child ever going to see Him. They marveled at what the shepherds had told them but this great news never moved from their head to their hearts. They were too busy doing their own thing, living their own lives ~ they just didn’t take time to see for themselves.

Isn’t that the way it is still today? We can tell everyone about Jesus but they have to make the decision to come to Him and more times than not people are just too busy to take the time to learn of this Savior who came to die for them. Let us be like the shepherds ~ they were not deterred because the people didn’t accept what they had said. They had done their job and left rejoicing and giving praise to God for all they had heard and seen.

Let me say something to you. Yes, you. God has a plan for your life. Did you know that? Well, He does. Just like He had a plan for Joseph and Mary He has a plan for you. In this account we are told that while Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem “the days were completed for her to be…and she delivered…” (Luke 2: 6~7).

There was a point in time in Mary’s life when God made known His plan for her. As a young girl she boldly accepted His plan. And while she was in Bethlehem it was time for her “to be” the mother of Jesus. It was time for her to “deliver” a Savior to the world.

So let me ask you. What is it that God has asked you “to be” for Him? What is it that He wants you to “deliver” that will speak His love to a lost and hurting world? What is it? What is it that God has been tugging at your heart about? What is it that you can’t seem to get away from ~ something in your life that keeps coming to your attention? Listen ~ that’s God talking to you.

God has a plan for you. Are you willing to have the courage as Mary and boldly say ~ Yes Lord, here I am, use me? He is waiting for you to take a step of faith and start an adventure with Him like no other.

Let us boldly go into all the world proclaim this same good news that the angel had told the shepherds so many years ago ~ That A Savior has come into the world to pay sins penalty, to bridge the gap between God and man, to provide a way to have a relationship with our Creator. That is what Jesus did for you, for me and for all mankind.

I hope you have been blessed by this Christmas Account and pray God’s protection and blessings on you in the New Year. Who knows, in sowing the seeds of God’s word to the world our paths may cross.

In Christ,

Thanksgiving~ A humble gratitude

Thanksgiving

A humble gratitude for all seasons

God’s word tells us in 1Thessalonians 5:18

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Have you ever wondered what God's will is for your life?  I think we all have from time to time.  Well, here is one thing that God wants all of us to do ~ to give thanks in All things. When we are willing to obey Him in the things He tells us, and this one is pretty clear, it opens the door for us to discover His specific will.  Let’s not forget to be grateful for our many blessings this season and throughout the year ~ in all things. Here are some of mine, what are yours?

~God’s faithfulness
~God’s mercy
~My Country ~ The United States of America
~Freedom
~ Hands that don’t hurt
~ God drawing near to me
~ The ability to read & write
~ Getting up early to spend time with God in His word
~ Trees ablaze with color that only God can create and Crayola can’t match
~Work for my hands to accomplish
~Unexpected blessings
~God’s precious gift of salvation
~The music of the morning

And of course ~ family and friends!

Blessings always
~

HARVEST AMERICA - ONE DAY, ONE CHURCH , ONE MESSAGE!

HARVEST AMERICA with Pastor Greg Laurie.  This one day evangelistic outreach is designed to reach America with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  ONE DAY, AUGUST 26.  LIVE from Angel Stadium in California ~ 4pm Pacific time, 5pm Mountain time, 6pm Central time and 7pm Eastern time.  ONE MESSAGE.  JESUS loves you and HE DIED, so you would not have to live separated forever from a loving GOD.

Login in: Harvest America .   Invite friends to join you.  Get your church involved or host it in your own home.  GET INVOLVED!!!

Although this is directed specifically toward America, the message is a worldwide message, for everyone. 

Join in on AUGUST 26, 2012!

The Seed

Download our newsletter ~ The Seed
O Come, Let Us Adore Him

The Scent of Christ

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ,"
2 Corinthians 2:15

When we accepted Christ as our Savior we were covered in His act of obedience to the Father ~ His shed blood on the cross.  We are no longer "covered" with sin but with the sweet smell of obedience that rises to the Father whenever we come into His presence.  I can almost picture Him with His eyes closed and just inhaling the fragrance that ascends and with a smile on His face He declares ~ That's my beloved!

We are His Valentine!

Transform My Heart

The devotion was out of Galatians 5:22-26 ~ the all so familiar "Fruit of the Spirit". I read over it quickly, really reading it from memory rather than the words on the page. As I looked at it a second time there it was~the thing God had for me, the thing He didn't want me to miss. The first word in verse 22 ~ BUT. Why is it there? Most of the time in reciting this verse I never mention it. However here it was staring me in the face.

I went back to the beginning of the chapter and began to read. As I did God began to unravel the reason for this oh so small word with its HUGE meaning ~ "BUT". In verse one we are admonished to "Stand fast therefore in the liberty (generosity) by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.". (Galatians 5:1). A few verses later in verses 19-21 he tells us of this "yoke of bondage" ~ "the works of the flesh". The list reads like themes of recent Hollywood movies~adultery, fornication, uncleanness, sexual immorality, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, etc. Doesn't sound like a quiet evening at home does it?

Those are the things we can expect when we live our lives without Christ. Verse 19 states that "the works of the flesh are". They "are"! You can count on it! Does it have to be that way, No. Why? Because of the small word ~ BUT, meaning~ there's another choice, something else is available. Christ is telling us~you don't have to live a life full of unrest. He wants you to live a life full of purpose.  God is a "purpose-ful" God!  He has a purpose for you and your life.  He tells us: I've paid the price and poured out my "generosity" (liberty) to all mankind, if you will only accept it, accept me and follow me. If you do, verse 22 tells us what our transformed hearts will experience~love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Life isn't easy at its best. "BUT" this I know, regardless of what the day may bring my God has already provide a place of peace if we will only follow him and rest.

Dear one, life is full of choices. You can live your life struggling with the works of the flesh if you choose to do so ~ BUT ~ Christ himself shed his blood to give you another choice ~ peace in Him. From centuries past He is still call to all who will listen to Him ~ I DIED FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE WORTH IT.

Lord, Thank you for every word that you have given us. Let us not dismiss the small ones and quickly move on. Let us drink in every word that can transform our hearts after you and allow us to live and rest in the fruit of your spirit.

From Christ to circumstances

Isaiah 26:3

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,

because he trusts in You.

Oh, How I needed this today! I need reminding that Satan can and will throw at me everything he has in his arsenal of schemes in order to get me off track and move my focus from Christ to my circumstances.

More than I care to admit ~ I’m terrible at staying focused. It seems I fall for Satan’s tricks every time ~ will I ever learn!! Something happens and before I know it I’m at full speed chasing my cares and concerns down endless roads, running after the wind. My peace flees and anxiety fills my heart.

When I finally realize that I’ve lost my true focus I stop ~ exhausted and ashamed. He is there, He never left my side. I couldn’t see Him because I had looked away. He never is angry at my leaving, spewing condemning words at me. He only awaits my return and speaks to me soft words of peace, security and love.

I turn and cast my gaze once again upon the keeper of my concerns, ask forgiveness and He melts my cares into peace and stills my anxious heart. Our slow purposeful walk resumes. He is here, comforting, guiding, speaking life words into my heart and asking me to abide, just stay ~ close to Him. He calls me to lay aside the cares of the world, they only trap and He wants to transform, mold and shape me to be more like Him. If I will only fix my focus on Him ~ He will.

Do you ever find yourself chasing after your cares? Running headlong down roads that lead nowhere? We can both take comfort in knowing Christ is right there in the middle of our cares. He wants us both to turn all of our cares and concerns over to Him whenever they show up in our hearts and minds, and sometimes on our doorstep. All we have to do is turn toward Him. It’s an outward expression of our inward faith in Him to keep His promises.

1 Peter 5:7
…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Lord, help us (me) to stop chasing after the cares of life but start casting them on you and let us (me) just stay, resting in You alone.

In Christ Alone

Falling Down

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

I have 3 cats: Cocoa, Gracie and Sweet Pea. They all like to be rubbed and petted as most cats do.  But Sweet Pea is special.  Almost every day she’ll be sitting in the front of the house waiting for me to pull into the driveway. When she sees me coming I’ll see her small form as she start to make her way over to where I park. Once I step out of the car she’ll run in front of me and fall down at my feet and I’ll bend down and pet her. I know you may think that’s nothing special and that your cat does the same. Sweet Pea is the only one of my cats that does this. She is my special cat ~ because I rescued her from a life of starvation and a 4x4 cage. She falls down because she knows I’m the one who saved her, the one who has taken care of her, the one who feeds her and loves her.

The simple act of this small animal reminds me that I too should be falling down at the feet of Jesus and worship ~ the one who rescued me, the one who provides for me, the one who saved me from my sins, the one who gave his life for me and the one who loves me.

I fall down because He is worthy of my worship.

What else do you need before you fall down to worship the one who came to take away your sin, my sin, a world full of sin?

Behold! The Lamb of God!

Sacrifices of Righteousness

Psalm 4:5
"Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord."

What are the sacrifices of righteousness?  Here are a few on my list....

~take time daily to read and meditate upon God’s word
~radical obedience
~keep the Lord’s commandments
~sow seeds of His word to those around me and around the world
~live a quiet and peaceful life
~show mercy
~allow for grace
~judge no one
~have patience
~show kindness
~pray without ceasing
~give freely of what God has given me
~give thanks to the Lord in all things
~do the right thing

…..what’s on your list?

"Come, see a Man"

John 4

“Come, see a Man”

The story of the Samaritan woman and her encounter with Jesus holds within itself many stories. It is the story of God’s love and redemption for mankind, it is a story of prejudice, it is a story of spiritual blindness and indifference to those around us and it is a story of sowing seeds for God.  That is my focus today ~ sowing seeds of God’s word.

The encounter with Jesus at the well changed the life of the Samaritan woman. It gave her hope and another chance to step out of the life she was currently living, one of self degradation and destruction and into a life filled with acceptance and worth.

But the change in her life didn’t just stop there. God’s word tells us in

John 4:28~29

The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city,
and said to the men,

COME SEE A MAN, who told me all things that ever I did.
Could this be the Christ?

What happened next is the power of speaking God’s word to others ~ sowing His seed.

John 4:30

Then they went out of the city and THEY CAME TO HIM.

John 4:39

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF THE WOMAN WHO TESTIFIED, “He told me all that I ever did.”

John 4:42

Then they (the Samaritans) said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

They “came to Him” “and many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified”. How powerful God’s word is to draw mankind to Himself. Could God do this on his own ~ draw people to Himself? Absolutely! However, God in His matchless love and mercy allows us to be involved in the plan of His redemption for mankind. He places us here ~ right where we are ~ to sow the seeds of His Gospel message to those we encounter every day.

That is what the nameless woman at the well did. She was doing what her normal daily routine demanded her to do ~ go draw water from the well. And while there she drew from the well of the love of God ~ she left behind her waterpot and returned with The Living Water and poured it out on the men of that city.

Her simple act brought many people of that city to the saving knowledge that Christ, the Savior of the world had come.

Now, let me ask you. Who will come to Christ because of the words you sow? God’s word in Matthew 28:19~20 tells us to: “Go, Make, Baptize and Teach”. This isn’t something Christ is suggesting for us to do when and if we feel like it. It is a command. The fields are white for the harvest ~ are you going?  Will you go and sow the seeds of His saving grace for those who are thirsting to death for His Living Water?

Lord, let me ever be mindful of those around me who are so desperate for your water of life. I pray for the Christians in America, and all over the world that we would stand boldly for you and let your life giving water pour out of us and revive the souls who need to drink the water of your saving grace.

Servants To Obey

I have a favorite devotional book by Dr. Charles Stanley titled “On Holy Ground”. I read through its daily devotions every year. A recent devotion resonated with me. In it Dr. Stanley talks about particular sins that plague us and we need to recognize them for what they are ~ “an offense against a holy God that can only be removed by the blood of Jesus”.  How true that is.

One of the things that I finally recognized in my “particular sin” is found in Romans 6:16. Paul tells us “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” One morning I realized I was obeying my particular sin ~ yielding to it! To me that was key! The Lord showed me that I was first yielding to it in my mind and then, I was placing myself in the path of it. Did you get that? I was intentionally placing myself in the direct path of it!

Once that was revealed to me I had a decision to make ~ just as mentioned in Romans 6:16. Was I going to obey the sin and be servant to it or was I going to obey my Heavenly Father and be servant to His righteousness? The decision was all mine. God didn’t force me ~ he just showed me the truth, as ugly as it was ~ and let me make the decision.

That morning, with God’s help, I intentionally chose to remove myself from the path of that sin. Was it difficult to do ~ absolutely! I liked it! It made me feel good about myself! Satan never wants to let go of a stronghold he has you in ~ he will fight you every step of the way! Does that sin still waffle through my mind? Yes, but now I can recognize it for what it is and take that thought captive to Christ and let him deal with it. And let me tell you ~ I do that quickly! I don’t allow it to hang around in my mind. If I did, I would start to thinking about it to much and start heading right back down that path, and I don’t want to go there! I know all to well where it will take me!

Only after I had made the decision to turn away from that sin could I then rejoice in the next two verses ~ Romans 6:17~18 “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

What about you? Are you struggling with a particular sin? If so, ask the Lord to reveal the reality of it you ~ show you what it really is and where it is taking you. Then, make the decision to walk away. No matter what you think you are giving up, how good it seems, or how good it makes you feel right now ~ get rid of it! Loved one let me tell you from experience ~ at the end of that road is death! Maybe not physical death but death of self respect, your credibility, your testimony and a million other things that you are placing at risk. Satan’s scheme isn’t worth it ~ don’t listen to him!

Walk away and ask the Lord to cleanse you from it with his blood and rejoice that you have chosen to obey your Heavenly Father.

Lord, thank you for showing me the sin I was allowing in my life. Let me see my sin as you see it ~ no matter how ugly it may be. Thank you for your faithfulness to forgive me. Help me always make the decision to follow you.

Ann Voskamp

If you have never heard of Ann Voskamp nor read her blog you owe it to yourself to connect with her for she is most assuredly connected with God.  I had the privilege of meeting her at a recent conference.  What a humble sister in Christ.  I know you will be blessed by her writing.    This is a recent quote from her blog.

"What if we woke up this morning
with what we thanked God for last night."

Thank you Ann for sowing seeds of His grace for us.