IF!

Last night at prayer meeting I was lead to turn to 2 Chronicles chapter 7 and began to read in my bible. Great story about the finishing of the temple that Solomon built that his father David had a burden for. Solomon made an end of prayer and a fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and how the glory of the LORD filled the house. The priests couldn't even enter into the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled the place. Then all the children of Israel bowed their faces down to the ground upon the pavement and worshipped and praised the LORD saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

It's not like that today. When the fire from heaven comes down, we don't have to leave the building when He enters into it. We get to stay with Him and bask in His glory. We don't have to bow our faces down to the ground in His presence but we lift our faces towards heaven and we worship Him freely. Today, we still worship and praise the LORD, For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.

The LORD told Solomon that He heard his prayer and that He had chosen the temple to himself for a house of sacrifice. I am reminded by this passage that many, many times God has heard my prayers and He has chosen me as a house of sacrifice. For He no longer dwells in a building but in the hearts of man. He also went on to say: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place." verses 14-15

Such beautiful promises God has made to me. I want to make sure that this house that I have yeilded unto Him is clean and pure so that His eyes will be open unto me and His ears will be attent unto my prayers that I send up unto Him. In order for these promises to come to pass I have a duty to Him as well. In verse 17 He tells me that I must walk up right before Him as David did and do all according that He has commanded me. For if I don't and I turn away and forsake what God has told me to do and go after other gods then this house (me) which He has sanctified for His name will He cast out of His sight. It will be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land and unto this house?

And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, (the world) and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them therefore hath He brought all this evil upon them.

I will keep this house Holy for He is Holy. He can not and will not dwell in an unclean temple. I must do all that He has commanded and observe His statutes and judgments. I can not forsake them for He is my God and I am His child. When the fire from heaven comes down, I want it to consume me for I am a living sacrifice and I offer myself unto Him. I want the LORD to fill this house (me) to the brim and running over so that there is room for nothing else to enter in.

I do not want to be that house that is looked upon as one that forsook the LORD but I want to be one that walks upright before Him as David did.

We Are Family

Where would we be without family? I hate to think about that. I thank God daily for my natural and spiritual family. I love you all very much. I need you! I couldn't make it a day without you. You are the wind beneath my wings. You lift me up when I am down. When I am weak, you give me strength. If I am lacking in faith, you give me a boost to bring it back. Likewise, if you are the one who is in need, then I will be there for you. I will lift you up when you are down, encourage you when you are discouraged, bring you hope when you feel there is no hope, send you joy when you feel no joy, restore a song in your soul when your song has faded, send a healing your way when you are sick. How you might ask? Through prayer! I will pray for you as you have prayed for me. God WILL answer my prayers and HE WILL hear my cry and you WILL be restored just like I have been. We laugh, cry, hope, dream, believe, stand, fight, struggle, push on, and NEVER give up together. Together we are a team and we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us.

His ways are far above our ways. We may not understand everything that we have to go through. The heartaches and sorrow that sometimes comes our way may seem unbearable but He will always be there to comfort us. Though we don't understand, remember, "And WE KNOW that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 So when troubles, trials, and tribulations come, don't be discouraged, don't turn your back on Him, or your family. Stand fast, reach out to Him, lean on Him, turn to Him, for He loves you and cares for you like no other.

Together, we can make it! You, me, & Jesus, we're a Team. WE ARE FAMILY!

Pecans In The Cemetary

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.

'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me,' said one boy. Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard, 'One for you, one for me. On for you, one for me..'

He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along. 'Come here quick,' said the boy, 'you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls.'

The man said, 'Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk.' When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery.

Standing by the fence they heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'

The old man whispered, 'Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord.'

Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.

At last they heard, 'One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done.' They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.

Proverbs 19:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..." Sooooo.....SMILE, God Loves You!