Tag: faith

CAN A SHATTERED HEART BE THE CATAPULT TO JOY?

Faith that makes you fearless and Joy Unimaginable–Can a shattered heart be the catapult to joy?

Let me begin with a huge apology.  For the first time in the 5 years that I have been posting I had to do a complete rewrite.  For those of you who have read the first posting and it really meant something for you; I will gladly send you an email copy for you.  Let me try to explain why I felt I had to rewrite the entire blog.   This morning’s writing was an attempt to “improve” my writing.  I realized after  I got to work that I had drowned you in my history I was hoping to help you see the awesome love of God who remained so faithful to me. I wanted you to know how He patiently took my hand to teach me of how much He loved me; even when I got it all wrong?  He loved me when my theology was all wrong; and, He loved me when I turned my whole world upside down.

follow Jesus

WHERE CAN I BEGIN:

Let me begin by saying my whole purpose for writing.  The very reason I began this blog or wrote any of my books has been to reach out a hand of love to any of the readers that came by.  This week I began taking classes in how to reach a larger audience and so instead of just listening to my heart; I tried to construct a blog the way “it should be.”  But I got it wrong.  What I meant to say this morning is: are you hurting? Have you or are you in the midst of an abusive relationship?  Have you known aching, desperate loneliness?  Have you ever believed you weren’t pretty enough or good enough to be loved?  If so, please understand; I have been there.  I do not say that with any pride or badge of honor.  I just want you to be aware that I know how that feels.  I know the fear and despair of facing cancer all alone; too afraid to tell your children that the doctors don’t think your chances are very good.  I know what it is to go paycheck to paycheck while at the same time trying to hide the truth of your financial devastation from your children. You don’t want them to suffer from your mistakes.  I know what it is to have good meaning christians question your faith or say “that it must be your sin that prevents God from blessing you?” And I know what it is to desperately cry out to God in the middle of the night, “Oh, God; why can’t I get it right?  How can you love me when I keep failing you?”

GOD’S GRACE:

The truth is–God’s grace has been there every step of this journey.  He has been Sovereignly present. He has been step by step transforming me.  He loved me way too much to leave me the way He found me.  Instead, inch by inch and glory by glory; He is changing me into the image of Christ.  (2Corinthians 3:17-18) I want you to know that He loves you.  You are never too deep, too far, or too lost for Him to find you.  I know; because I have been there.

 

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The Keys to Miraculous Faith

Fearless Faith and Awestruck Joy-The Keys to Miraculous Faith

She was a beautiful bride, the fairytale story as she married the prince. What anticipation and joy she had as she watched the nieces and nephews be born. She waited and prepared the nursery, longing to be blessed with a child. Year after year passed and she remained barren. She tried to keep up a smiling face before her husband whom she loved so much. She so wanted to be the perfect wife; but, no child came.

faith isoriginal photography used by permission of Jim Peregoy

Her tears had long since stopped when her husband told her the news that God had called him into a new land and that through his seed would come the promised blessing of all the nations. The Messiah would come to abolish sin and establish his kingdom. Once more she began to hope—could it be that God would now bless her with a child?

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Grace So Wondrous and Free

Fearless Faith and Awestruck Joy -Grace so Wondrous and Free

“Hardship often prepares an ordinary person for an extraordinary destiny.” C.S.Lewis

God had chosen Abraham to be the Father of Faith, to be the lineage through whom Christ would be born, to establish a nation, and to be the one through whom God would bless the world. “6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Galatians 3).

ultimate-inspiration-gods-plan-of-love-ronald-barbaartwork used by permission of the artist Ronald Barba and is protected by copyright—for further information, please go to http://www. barba-art.com

To prepare Abraham for the greatest act of faith that he would ultimately perform in his willingness to take Isaac to place on the altar (as recorded in Genesis 22); God allowed many trials in Abraham’s life. God step by step took Abraham’s hand to lead him forward. Abraham stumbled a lot along that path and even fell down many times; but, each time God intervened.

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3 Reflections as We Remember The Fallen Officers

President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation to designate May 15 to “To pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to voice our appreciation for all those who currently serve on the front lines of the battle against crime”. So, I wish to take a moment and to honor those men and women who have taken an oath to protect and to serve. They are forced to make a split second judgement which may cost them their life, destroy their own life, or be called a hero for the lives they have saved. They are seriously underpaid, underappreciated, and overly criticized. They are laughed at, spit upon, and too often treated with disdain. They are human and they do make mistakes. Still within their own ranks, they are held to higher standards than you or I and justice does get carried out. Yet, sensationalism drives the popularity rankings of the news media and stirs hearts toward believing lies as truth.

fallen officer

So, what does the Bible say as to how we are to respond toward law enforcement? Look at the word of God written

in Titus 2 and 3 ,(TLB)

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In the Midst of the Storm

 

In this lifetime, we will face storms at times, whether they are storms within our own souls, storms within our emotions, relationship storms, or financial storms. When they come we tremble, we wonder where has God gone; doesn’t He know how desperately we are hurting? Doesn’t He care? Why would He allow such tragedies to occur? Some would even say, “I’ve been trying to follow His will? What now? How do I start again?” I am certain Job very much felt that way as He sat in the ashes scraping his wounds-everything gone. Was this God’s punishment? Was it judgment for Job’s sins? Yet, the scripture tells us that “Job was a righteous man.” Job’s faith had been counted for righteousness, much like ours. So, why the storms?

save meUsed by permission of Ronald Barba for information go to http://www.barba-art.com

In Job 37 we are reminded: “12 The lightning bolts are directed by his hand and do whatever he commands throughout the earth.13 He sends the storms[a](TLB) 13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.”(KJV)

We see here that though there may be times when God sends storms for correction; yet, other times it is “for the land” and other times it is “for mercy.” So, let us explore these three reasons for storms just a little deeper.

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