June 7, 2009

/The Importance of Time and Kindness
Walk in love, a Christ also hath loved us Ephesians 5:2

Time is of supreme importance. Let Me help you know what is worthy of attention and what is not; otherwise you might be tempted to eliminate the things I most desire you to do.  Having a schedule will help you. but remember that kindness is more indicative of spiritual fervor than all your efficiency in work. Never let your words of righteousness crowd out the little acts of thoughtfulness.  The labors of the hands must never take precedence over the gentle expressions of a compassionate heart.
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It is so easy to allow 'works' to be our only way of showing kindness, we are so bent on working out our salvation with fear and trembling.  But we some how miss the role of being genuinely caring.  Caring about others over ourselves.  We tend to be so self centered and selfish about ourselves and what is happening around us.  We miss the role God wants us to have in life, we miss the joy of just plain caring about others.

Yesterday, we were here at home, it was really cool outside, so I spent most of the day indoors, later near time to eat supper I went out and dug up my garden and did plant a few seeds.

June 6, 2009

/Heaven Is Your Portion
Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

Only the courageous discover My riches. Faint heart will content himself with what his eye beholds. The Spirit in you is wiser and will gladly fling aside all material blessings to lay hold on eternal life. The Spirit is not enticed by the glitter of gold nor tempted to desert heavenly vision in favor of temporal blessings.
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What is attracting us/or should we say distracting us?  What is priority in our lives?  Are we really interested in being God's vessel?  And what does that mean?  Are we willing to be content where God has placed us?  Do we recognize that where we are is where God wants us to be?

Father, give us clarity in our walk with you, help us to embrace the concepts that you desire to show us.  Then Father, help us to yield to them.  In  Jesus Name. Amen.

Yesterday, I was at camp til after we ate at noon, then I drove to Starkweather to see the children's Bible School Program, After that I went to Cando and cleaned the church for this weekend.  Stopped and saw Harley and Lavon Perich.  In the evening I went with Jerry's family to get a piano in Starkweather.  The end of the day.

June 5, 2009

Provision

My God shall supply all your need. Philippians 4:19

My promises wait their fulfillment in the lives of My children. So much I would give, so little is received. Why live so beggarly when the riches of heaven are yours for the asking? Having learned to receive from Me, you will find it easy to give to all others, for you shall have no fear of lack, and no need to guard your supply. Having found the source you shall never want.

Walking in the freedom of My abundance, lookin to Me for all things.

Initially, we think of God supplying our financial needs, but really there are a multitude of other needs that he is waiting to supply.  Needs that might be far more important in our lives.

Father, do I truly need this day, speak into my heart of that need.  Cause me to seek you about that need and to trust you to supply it.  In Jesus Name. Amen.

Yesterday, was an other day of cooking, of other staff working out by the water, things are looking really quite good.  Later in the day I cleaned in the flower beds, and late at night they were finishing a bathroom.   

June 4, 2009

The Father's House

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life Psalm 27:4

In My Father's house are many mansions, and there is a place for you.  My child, Look not for a place int he world. Your place is in the Father's house.

You are not of the world, even as I was not of the world.  The spirit is nourished only by the eternal, and in prayer the soul breathes the atmosphere of heaven.

When I started writing this I thought of Grandma Helen, she used to say she would be satisified with a simple little cottage.  We sing a song about our Mansion over the hill top, so if the expectations of this life haven't satisified us, God has a greater place prepared for us, our focus needs to be on being satisfied with what God gives us and preparing for the live he is going to give us.  Our life here is small and insignificant compared to eternity.Are we satisified with the life we have?  Are we satisfied with where he has placed us?  Do we realize that he can take what seems insignificant and use it and make some thing great of it?  I was listening to the message from our church on Sunday, a new family has moved to Cando, they are missionaries, and Michael had him share about his life on Sunday.  He is a demonstration of God taking a life that was truly a mess and chainging it into a life that is being used to God's glory. 

 

Yesterday, more camp preparations, they were out in the lake getting the swimming area ready, the water is extremely cold.  I tried some new foods on our small group, and in the evening enjoyed being outside in the flower beds, getting them ready for the flowers we will be planting.

June 3, 2009

Press On

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Philippians 3:14

You have crossed a bridge. Reach not back. Move on ahead and press into the fullness of all I have prepared fro you.  It is waiting for you to step forward and receive. Do not tary and do not question, neither allow doubts to enter your mind. Your heart may cry out and rebel, but if you will turn to Me in those moments, I will give you My peace. I send you no place except as I have gone before.

We could think of examples from the bible, liked Sodom and Gomorrah,  when his wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, or we could think of examples in our own lives, what has happened that we have had to go on, and step into new experiences that we did not want to experience, but God is there, he is desiring to lead us and guide us.  Maybe there are things happening today that we question, but we only see this little part of our lives, and God sees the big picture, he is calling us to faithfully  walk through this small portion, and as we faithfully do that, he will take us the next step......

 

Yesterday, after lunch, I rode with Paula to Devils Lake, to get some supplies, it was 5:30 when we were starting back to Devils Lake, and I needed to make fry bread, it happened and we celebrated Darica's 11th birthday.  Trusting that you each had a great day.

June 2, 2009

No Separation

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, Revelation 2:11

 

He has stretched forth His mighty hand

And has smitten the waters.He has made me to pass through dry-shod. Hallelujah!

          For there will be no more sea.

There will be no more separation!

He has removed every barrier, He has bridged the gulf.

          He has drawn me unto Himself, yes into Himself.

 

God is the only one who is able to bridge the gap between us and him and he used his son Jesus to do that.  We have some times seen the example of two separate cliffs and we are on one and God on the other, and we want to come to him and the only way is the cross that becomes a bridge to God.  Jesus is that Cross.    God is our peace, and that peace is Jesus.  For all the things that we can suffer/experience  Jesus is the only way to peace.  We might try a lot of things, but until we come to the place that we are willing to rest in God's arms we will never experience peace.  On the width, the depth , the breadth of God's love for us.  but it is the Spirit of God that reveals that love to us.  We are like a struggling child who doesn't want to give in to our directions, we kick and fight what God wants to do in us and we make that much harder for us.....

Father, thank you for being so patient with us, thank you for standing by us when we are so undeserving.  Thank you for grace.  We give you this day and all that you desire to do in us.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Yesterday, should have been the first week of camp, but since only 6 campers had signed to come, they will come to the second camp for that age.  We came together at 9 a.m. for breakfast and devotions, and then each one started separate jobs to help prepare us for the rest of the summer.  The family who were scheduled to come and speak came anyway, and it is a good time for everyone.  They are helping and each is encouraging the other.  It was Darica's birthday on Sunday, she is now 11, tonight we are celebrating with her.  Naomi came out and brought her gifts, and spent time with us.  She trimmed my hair, which I really appreciated.  Later in the evening we watched a video by a Christian comedian, it was o.k. but you all know I am not to focused on humor.  In the morning I was mixing buns for lunch, and Jacen, their son was having a really serious conversation with me, when I got done I thought hum I wonder if I put yeast in them, so I added some then, they worked.  He is about 9 years, or near that, and we had a really good conversation.

June 1, 2009

Unquestioning Trust

Trusting in the Lord with all thine heart.  Proverbs 3:5

You need My blessing more than you need the help of all others combined. How often have I asked you to follow Me?  I look to see you following and instead I see you standing still and reckoning--or worse, fainting by the wayside.

It is your total commitment for which I wait. It is your unquestioning trust for which I yearn. It is your love flowing in utter simplicity which alone opens your channel to receive My mercies.

You can turn your burdens into blessings by giving Me everything.

To my family, we are living in a time and the events that are happening, indicate according to God's word that end is near, now that could still take a long time to happen, but we know that our redemption draweth nigh,  God is desiring us to draw closer to him, to yield to him, to listen to him, to follow him and the desires that he has for us.  He will do what it takes to back us against the wall to submit to him.  We have a choice to be a willing vessel or to be forced.  What is your choice?  How often are we not willing to listen to his voice when he speaks to us?  Can you recognize his voice?  Has he been quietly speaking to you?  Have you been willing to listen?  When I say this, I say it to myself also.  what is important to us?  Or should I say is it really important, atleast in God's sight?

Someone I appreciate is having family problems, I don't know what that entails, and it isn't my business to know, but when I watch around me and see families having issues, I am reminded of the role of support that I need to have for the one God gave me as a husband.  Yesterday we were able to have a time together, we did a little road trip and drove out by the lake, we saw the role that water is having in their lives.  Granted there are some beautiful homes, etc.  but I wouldn't want to deal with some of the issues that some of them have.  This week we will be doing more in the way of preparations.