The Call to Obey

Praise You, Holy Father!  Praise You, Creator!  Praise You for Your Wonders are unending!  You are eternal!  You are forever!  Praise You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, giving Himself up as a ransom for us!  Thank You for the supreme sacrifice made us to become children of God! 

Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience.  Romans 11:30

The Call of Abram  12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 

Thank You for coming for all of us, that we all would repent and be saved and baptized in the Name of  Jesus Christ!  The Easter story lives on!  Death does not have the last word.  Death where is your sting ~ there is none because He lives and we, the children of God get to live forever, too!

http://dl.creationswap.com/9339.jpg

Lord, help me to be gracious as You are gracious.  Help me to obey You.  Help me to glorify You.  Help me to not think of me first!  Help me to serve You and others.  Help me to see others as You see them.  Help me to love the unloving.  Help me to show mercy to others.  Forgive me for my sins – to complain is out of selfishness.  Help me to love like You love! 

Lord, I pray for family members, friends and strangers to know You as Lord and Savior.  I pray for them to seek You first in all things.  I pray for a strong relationship with You as that can transform anyone!  I pray for their healing. 

Lord, I pray for my obedience to You, help me to seek You in all things.  Help me to consult You in every decision.  Help me to listen for Your promptings and guidance. Help me to glorify You with a victorious life in Christ! Help me to be healed in body, mind, spirit and soul because You are Jehovah Rapha the God Who Heals.  Help me to live a long and fruitful life to Your excellence.  Help me to strive for Perfection in Christ Jesus.  Help me to love others as You love them.  Give me a desire to be physically strong, mentally awake, spiritually sound and morally straight. Bless my calling in teaching, writing and promoting ministry to Your glory!

I ask all these things in Jesus Christ Name, amen! 

Love, 

Christine

LISTEN to what He is saying...

Mary & Martha Print by David Lindley http://www.davidlindsley.com/products.asp?PID=4002&STOR=1

From my personal journal based on the SacredSpace.ie prayer method. 

Praise You, Lord, for this beautiful day!  Praise You for the coolness, praise You for the sunshine, praise You forevermore!

Dear Lord, 

help me to be open to You for this time as I put aside the cares of this world.  Fill my mind with Your peace, Your Love.

Lord, You created me to live in freedom, May Your Holy Spirit guide me to follow You freely. Instill in my heart a desire to know and love You more each day.

At this moment Lord I turn my thoughts to You. I will leave aside my chores and preoccupations.  I will take rest and refreshment in your presence Lord.

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

   *I think of myself in this scene and hear Jesus’ words addressed to myself. He calls me away from over-busyness and reminds me of what is central.

    *When there are many things to be done and time seems short, I pray that I might remember what Jesus says; that I might think like Mary even when I have to act like Martha.

    *I begin to talk to Jesus about the piece of scripture I have just read. What part of it strikes a chord in me? Perhaps the words of a friend - or some story I have heard recently - will slowly rise to the surface in my consciousness. If so, does the story throw light on what the scripture passage may be trying to say to me?

--LISTENED to what He was saying…this is the phrase that sticks out in my mind, Lord.  Am I listening to You? Surely not, when I want my own way, not when I am pushing my opinion on others…am I so busy that I cannot hear the still small voice of You, Lord.  Yes…I humbly confess, I cannot hear You at all sometimes over myself.  I am wishy-washy when it comes to consistency…oh, how dreadful to fail or is it?  I have seen failure as such a weakness.  Something I have no desire of.~I don’t want to be weak but yet, Your Word says in my weakness then I am strong (because of You).  Why, oh, why do I try to do so many things by myself!?  That is not what You want for me.  I am to speak the truth in love and know what is right and to fix my mind on lovely things.  Whatever is admirable!  I totally identify with Martha.  Martha is my mode – but I want to be a Mary model – more than a Martha!  God, help me to LISTEN to what You are saying…

I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for the insights I have been given...

Thank You, Lord, for Your Word.  It convicts and comforts.  It disciplines and it encourages.  It is life over death!  Help me to be like Mary and LISTEN to YOUR WORD and what YOU SAY, Lord!

I love you, Lord, Jesus and Holy Spirit!

Love forever,

Christine

One Word - LOVE

God is LOVE!

"For God so LOVEd the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

Faith Barista Blogger Bonnie Gray inspired and challenged me last year in her January blog to come up with "your one word" for the year?.  For 2011 it was "confidence" for me which I sorely needed after a few health scares.  Confidence was coincidentally (I think not) Bonnie's word, too!

So here we are in 2012! Bonnie offers her annual challenge again.
http://www.faithbarista.com/2012/01/one-word-for-2012-a-faith-dare/ 
See what her word is for this year!

Mine is "LOVE" if you could not guess from the John 3:16 scripture.  I crafted a breath prayer (a future post for sure) many years ago, that is "Father, let me know and show and your LOVE."  I say this quietly to myself throughout the day.  That is what I hope to do in 2012, to show LOVE in every situation and person I face this year.  I am to LOVE God (Deut. 6:5)! I love Jesus for He is my Lord and Savior (Rom. 5:8)! I am to love as God LOVEs (Eph. 5:2)!  I am to LOVE in the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, in the hope and in the despair. May I LOVE from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Tim. 1:5).

I hope to show LOVE to my husband and children (1 John 3:18) - they get the best and the worst of me at times.  May I look at them with LOVE in ALL situations (1 Pet. 4:8).  I hope to show LOVE to my extended family and friends - sometimes I have opposing views with these LOVEd ones but that does not mean that I can't LOVE them even if we don't agree (Rom. 13:10).  It has taken me a long time to realize this!  Sometimes, I get it right and sometimes, I don't and that is okay!  God still loves me in spite of my failings.

Probably one of the easiest groups to show LOVE to is our pets (Matt. 6:26)!  Aren't they precious?  Even if I am gone for 10 minutes or 10 hours I get a joy-filled greeting from them like no other!  Help me, Lord, to LOVE them even when they eat 2 dark chocolate candy bars and our family stays up basically the whole night to make sure they are okay!

I am President of our women's group at my church this year.  A daunting task for sure--one that I do not feel qualified for but God equips the called, amen?!  I hope to show LOVE to the women in our church family in ways that are meaningful to each of them (Rom. 12:10, Heb. 13:10)!  Lord, help me talk less and listen more...

I hope to show LOVE to those running for office as this is a huge political year - some say the most important ever (1 John 4:7).  May I not trivialize any part of it.  I hope to know the issues and how the votes were cast but more than that, I hope to love the people whom have agreed to serve God and others (1 Cor. 12:31).  May I show God's LOVE for them, too.

Lastly, I hope to show LOVE to the least and the lost (John 13:34).  It's been said 'No Jesus = No peace, Know Jesus = Know Peace'!  Help me to not be so self-centered or stuck-up that I miss those opportunities that God has placed before me to be His hands and feet (Phil. 1:9)!  Help me, Lord, to LOVE more and hate less.

So what's your one word this year?  Tell me yours.  Mine is LOVE (Eph. 3:17)!  God LOVEs you and so do I (1 Thes. 3:12)!  Here's to a LOVEly 2012!