RESTORATION

Psalm 23:3

"He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His namesake." ( KJV)

God's word is true. In November I took a long moment to be still. To rest from my striving. To wait on the LORD.

Father God promises in Isaiah, Chapters 30 & 32, that if you are still you will be strong, peaceful, and assured, because you will hear a word behind you saying ,"This is the way. The LORD shall cause His glorious voice to be heard."

I heard the word Restoration, and I rejoiced. All that was stolen from me by the enemy is being restored. Praise The LORD!

He is:

Jehovah-Jireh- The Lord our Provider;

Jehovahh-Nissi, The Lord our Banner;

Jehovah-Tsidkenu, The Lord our Righteousness;

Jehovah-Shalom, The Lord our Peace;

Jehovah-Shammah, The Lord Who is there;

Jehovah-Sabaoth, The Lord of Hosts;

He is the all-sufficient One, The self-existent One, The One who upholds all things by the word of His power. He is The Lord our sanctifier. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the Bright and Morning Star. He is the Lily of the Valley; He is the Bread of Life; He is the True Vine; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

He is more than enough for any situation that I/you find ourselves in. He cares about and He loves all of His children.

Remember who He is this Christmas and the reason you have to celebrate.

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND A RESTORED NEW YEAR!!

Be Still

Trust In the LORD

Proverbs 3:5

In Christ we are either going into a storm or coming out of one. The cross of Calvary levels the playing field and makes all of us examine ourselves.

He may intend to bless us abundantly when we come out of the storm, if the storm has prepared us to bear the blessing.

He is the same God that brought you out of your past storms. They do not come to stay. They only come to make you stronger.

Glory comes into your life through suffering. Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Pray for a spirit of obedience.

Holy Downsizing

Psalm 119:71

It is good for me that I Have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statues.

During this time of trials and tribulations that have come recently into my life, I have learned to lean on the LORD more and more. I have learned to do without and to know what the word sacrifice really means. The worldly word for cutting back and reducing expenditures called (downsizing), has become very vivid in my current situation.

Yet, I will still call upon the LORD and believe in His Word and promises that, "this too shall pass."

It did not come to stay. It is only here to try my faith to see if I will believe God's Word. Therefore, I can say with joy in my heart, that it was good for me that I have been afflicted.

In Naves Topical Bible I counted 28 and one half pages of Biblical scripture on the word Afflict, Affliction, and Afflictions. It has become very clear to me that I must suffer something in order to gain spiritual mastery of the mystery that is hid in Christ.

Consequently, I can count this present affliction as a joyful time to get to know my God more intimately. To increase my measure of faith and become more like Jesus.

Walking on the waves of affliction teaches me to keep focused on Jesus and prayer.

A Time of Preparation

Psalm 112:7

"He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD."

In other words, I shall not be filled with fear from all the radio, TV, and printed news reports that warn of a depression, recession in the land.

My heart is fixed on the Word of God that says , "My God shall supply all my needs.." Philippians 4:19.

Therefore, I believe God's Word and I trust Him in every circumstance. God is my source. He is all I need. If I loose everything and have only Him, I can start over again. Without Him I am nothing and I have nothing.

The manual for the development of my life is called the Bible. I can not fail if I do what it instructs me to do every day of my life. I will walk by Faith and not by sight.

There is a season for all things. This is the season for trials. Count it all Joy!

The Virtue and Power of Patience

James 1:3-4

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

• Many times I do not want to be patient. I want prayer to hurry up and be answered. I don't want to wait like Hannah for years for my answer, but God... He knows that only to the patient observer does nature reveal her secrets. Like the patient squirrel cracking a nut, or the cat stalking and waiting for its prey, and forget not the ant.

• In my study of scripture I came across the formula for developing patience. First faith,(in time of persecutions and tribulations), then suffering, then endurance produces the fruit to fulfill the promise of God. The weeds of impatience rob me of the promise every time. Fear is a weed. Fear gives the devil power to rob me of my blessings. In proportion to my faithfulness to God's word will be the development of my patience.

Luke 21:19 "In your patience possess your soul."

• Set patience as a guard to keep out all fear, doubt, discouragement, and negative thoughts from the enemy. Put on the full armour of God, Ephesians 6:10-18, and stand in victory.

PEACE

FOUR THINGS THAT BRING MUCH PEACE:

1. STUDY to do the will of another rather than your own.

2. CHOOSE always to have less rather than more. Live a fasted life.

3. SEEK always the lowest place and to be inferior to everyone.

4. PRAY always that the perfect will of GOD may be wholly fulfilled in you.

STAND

Stand on God's Word!

Stand in the Blessings!

Stand in the liberty of Christ!

Stand in the true Grace of Father God! Stand in the Unity of the Faith!

"And after having done all to stand; STAND"! Ephesians 6:11-13

The power of God is the Armour. Beloved, put on the Armour of God so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil, other wise defeat is inevitable. When you said yes to God, you became a solider in His army. Therefore you can not be caught daily without your armour .

Deception is the number one game of the devil in these last days before the celebrated return of The LORD Jesus Christ.

The deeds of darkness feed upon lies. The breastplate of righteousness makes you invincible. The Word of God, which is all truth, dispels the lies and deception coming at you from the pit. Your shield of faith stops doubt. Your feet shod in peace kills confusion. And the helmet of salvation protects your mind and soul.

Decide today to wholly follow The LORD, and pray continually in the Spirit so that you can STAND on victory ground until Jesus comes.

Religion; In the Beginning

I am in the process of spring cleaning my files and today I came across an old Ann Landers column on the "Origin of Faith Denominations." I found it, once again, to be informative, interesting, and worthy of being repeated for this generation, so I decided to pass it along.

If you are of the Jewish faith, your religion was founded about 4,000 years ago.

If you are Hindu, your religion was developed in India around 1,500 B.C.

If you are a Buddhist, your religion split from Hinduism and was founded by Budda, Prince Siddhartha Gautama of India about 500B.C.

If you are Roman Catholic, Jesus Christ began your religion in the year 33.

If you are Islamic, Mohammed started your religion in what is now Saudi Arabia around 600 A.D.

If you are Eastern Orthodox, your sect separated from Roman Catholicism around the year 1000.

If you are Luthern, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk in the Catholic Church, in 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England(Anglican), your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the tear 1534 because the pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.

If you are Presbyterian, your religion was founded when John Knox brought the teachings of John Calvin to Scotland in 1560.

If you are Unitarian, your religious group developed in Europe in the 1500's.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion branched off from Puritanism in the early 1600's in England.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1607.

If you are Methodist, your religion was founded by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are an Episcopalian, you religion was brought over from England to America, by Samuel Seabury in 1789.

(to be continued...)

Which Will You Choose?

JEREMIAH 17:5-8

"CURSED is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength. Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited".

"BLESSED is the man who trusts in the LORD , and whose hope is in the LORD. For he shall be planted by the waters which spread out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit".

The Word of God speaks to the situation in America today. Men who have put their trust in stocks, banks, and all forms of riches are finding themselves in desperate situations at the dawn of each new day this year.

On the other hand, God's people who have trusted solely in Him and who continue to stand on His promises found in His Word, are experiencing blessings and peace. They are able to have all of their needs met to all sufficiency in every situation.

I am a witness. My faith is being tested as to whether or not I believe what I write and say. Sometimes I get right down to the wire, BUT GOD ALWAYS comes through. He always makes a way where there seems to be NO WAY. He is FAITHFUL.

I Praise His Holy Name!

Set Free

"Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

What is Freedom?

To be free of restraint and obligation. To owe no man nothing but to pray for him. To be free of all bondage. To be liberated.

What is Truth?

God is truth. He can not lie. Truth in all of its fullness and scope is embodied in Jesus Christ.

Therefore, to know God intimately and to believe and obey His word will truly set you free!

Give your heart to Jesus today and become free from all your bondage, all your fears, all your anxieties. Enter into His freedom. His shed Blood on the cross paid the price for you to be free. All you have to do is believe and receive. Jesus loves you that much!

Remember

MAY I ALWAYS REMEMBER TO:

1. Encourage youth.

2. Find time to keep a promise.

3. Forgive a grudge.

4. Forgive an enemy.

5. Listen.

6. Think first of someone else.

7. Laugh a little.

8. Gladden the heart of a child.

9. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of God's earth.

10. Speak always of God's love.

Give God The Glory

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

I have found that heeding this scripture will save you a lot of stress and heartache. Because, no matter how hard you try, you can not please people. They will always find fault with something you do, or your motives.

Therefore, just please God and give Him the glory. He is easy to please!

Remember He loves you and He alone knows your heart.

The Harvest

It is rumored that if you have planted good seed in 2008, that you can expect to reap a good harvest in 2009.

Some of these seeds are:
right relationships, finances, ministry, tithes, service, and of course worship, prayer and obedience to Father God and His Word.

Quality seed will bring a quality harvest of maturity and completeness.

I pray that if the rumor is true, I have sown quality seed.