God Speaks I Listen

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

I’m 58 years old and at this time of my life I know myself very well. I know my plus’s and my minus’s. I know what I can do and what I can’t. I know my natural gifts and my spiritual gifts. Many of my natural and spiritual gifts run in my family. I can cook, sew, crochet, singing, craft, and BBQ and many of the men and women on both sides of my family have these talents too.

My spiritual gifts are hospitality, helps, knowledge, exhortation, and I may operate in other gifts as the Lord would use me in a moment of time. What’s so incredible is that I can look back in my family and see other relatives who have many of these same gifts. My aunt Mae was a great preacher and had her own church. She was the most giving person I ever met and helped so many people. The hospitality gift runs very heavy in my family. My children all operate in this gift.

On my husband’s side of the family there were and are missionaries. His relatives are from African and Jamaica. One day when I was in deep prayer I saw a very old tiny woman praying for my husband’s family. When I described this woman to my husband, he said it was his great grandmother.

What is you spiritual DNA? What spiritual gifts run in your family? Are you the only one born again? Are you praying for those who are not so they can be all God wants for them to be?

Wait a minute……..do you know your spiritual gifts? If you have to say ….”Ouch… I have no clue”…. that’s OK because you can do a bible study and find out today. You have one; you just have to find out which ones and then ask the Lord to help you develop them. If you do know your gifts….I pray you are operating in them and helping your children, friends and relatives develop theirs.

Why is this so important? Because we live in a world that needs Christ, that needs guidance, instruction and help. The disciples turned this world upside down with their gifts. I want to do my part for the kingdom. I want to use my gifts for Christ and I am stepping out of my comfort zone to do it. It’s not always easy, but I made a commitment to the Lord. God has been so committed to me…I want to do His will because I love Him so.

Message for today: Do some test and find out your spiritual DNA…..step out of your comfort zone and……………Be all that God has made you to be.

I went to church today. As soon as I was in the sanctuary I saw a vision of treasure. It was like gold in a treasure box all over the church. At the tithes and offering part of the service the pastor spoke about tithes. He told a story about tithes and I didn’t know that it would affect me the way it did.

A few years ago my husband started a business and because of problems with a partner in the business it didn’t work out and we lost everything. We still are suffering because of that and we need a financial miracle. I wasn’t even thinking about that today but have prayed about the situation many times.

The Lord spoke to me very clearly and said to go before the church tell them your need, the vision and then empty your wallet out, give me all the money in it, every penny and leave it at the altar. I told my husband to do the same and anyone else who wanted to. I found out later he had just went to the ATM to get money out for work for the week. He put his money on the altar too. I saw the treasure again and I saw the windows in heaven open and treasure being poured out.

I was so scared to do this during the service. I sent a note to our pastor and asked first. If he had said no that would have been OK but I’m so glad he allowed me to speak.

I’ve only had this happen one other time 20 years ago. I needed a really big miracle and the Lord came through in an incredible way.

I am expecting a miracle!!!! I’ve been praying for a miracle for a long time and I believe God answered me today and now I’m waiting for my Father to bless me. You know when I wrote the blog message for this morning I was kind of joking when I said I need 2 cars and some cash. It’s a real need in my life and I believe today is my day.

When my miracle comes I will blog it right away and I will give God all the glory. I know my God…my Father….Stay tuned!! Keep checking back!!!

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Movin’ in with Dad

Galatians 4:6-7 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Today is Father’s Day. Since my mom died this past February, my husband and I have moved in with my dad. I am trying to be a blessing to my dad every day. I did buy him a father’s day gift; but feel l try to make every day father’s day.

My feeling is the same for my Father God. I want to celebrate Him every day.

My message for Father God today:

“Thank you for giving me life and adopting me into your family. Thank you for the gift of salvation, I cherish it every day. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that fills me and strengthens me. Thank you for my brother Jesus who is always praying for me.
Abba Father….you mean everything to mean and I can’t wait to see you face to face. I love you so much Father. Looking forward to moving in with you one day! ……..See you soon   🙂

Oh Father me and your other child Jim (my husband) need new cars and a little extra cash….thanks dad!”

Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Message for today: Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!

Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

I want to perfect for God….but I’m not. I have a heart condition in real life and in my spiritual life. In my real life I suffer from hypertension and PVC’s and I take medication for it. In my spiritual life I suffer from sin and I take medication for that too. I take a daily dose of scripture, a dose of prayer and a dose of Jesus forgiveness and this keeps my condition under control. I’ve had this condition all my life and in 1984 I had major surgery in which the problem was repaired. I understand that one day soon I will be totally healed of this problem, Praise the Lord!

Until then I will keep taking my medicine and keep going to the doctor….you know the great  physician named Dr. Jesus. Sometimes I go to His office and I’m in tears because I’m can’t deal with my situation, and I get so mad at people, my husband my kids and yes even you (smile here). I may say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing……..I might even fib……ok…lie….I hate to even say that….yuck! I still will tell a little lie….well alright….I know, a lie is a lie but I hate to admit that, I’m grabbing my heart right now….I think I need the doctor! The truth hurts.

I so want to be good. My spirit man is willing, but my flesh is weak. You know I think I’ve heard that saying before. Oh yeah…it’s on the medicine bottle. It also says don’t take on an empty stomach….you’ll feel worse.

What is really wrong with my heart? It has a condition called sin which can only be treated by the Lord if I am willing to take the treatment. He has to get me up on that operating table open me up and look around to see if there is anything clogging up my relationship with God. Things could be blocking my prayers or keeping me from being as effective in my sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others.

I say….LORD…. WORK ON ME!!!   I take my medicine by letting the Holy Spirit reveal to me the ugliness in my heart, I confess my sins and ask for forgiveness……..and as singer John P Kee says in his hit song…WON’T HE MAKE YOU CLEAN INSIDE? I will be clean until……it happens again……oh man….back to the operating table….but remember we will be perfect when we get to heaven so……..TAKE YOUR MEDICINE DAILY OR YOU’LL STAY SICK!

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Message for today: Go to your earthly doctor, get checked out and stay well……..Go to you Spiritual Doctor (Jesus) and get checked out and stay well with your soul.

Subtitle – Seeking the wisdom of God

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

As I woke up this morning I knew I needed to hear from the Lord about some major decisions I need to make in my life. I feel like I have this big question mark on my forehead. No It’s not the mark of the beast LOL, just a puzzlement of which way should I go.

Way back in the day there was a game show called let’s make a deal and they would have 3 big door with prizes behind them. One had the best prize, one had an OK prize and one had the clunker. The show played off the fact that people have a hard time making decisions.
Being a Christian doesn’t guarantee it will be easy to make decisions, but I can tell you we can make wiser ones.  It’s the motivation behind what we are seeking.  I’ll give you an example:

You need a new car because your car is on its last leg. So you start thinking about what kind of car to get.  Should you get that big $80,000 SUV like your neighbors down the street?  Buzz!!!! Should you go to a car lot and by a cheap car? Buzz!!!!  Should you get that modestly price new Camry prius with the gas saving features? Ding Ding!!!   Wise decision!  What is the godly motivation behind that answer?  The Lord will provide our need and when we ask according to His will things will work out for our good.Now that was easy to figure out but other decisions are not that obvious.

Some decisions will bring you to your knees to pray and you may even have to fast and then……Wait for an answer.  God will guide you if you will bring your request before Him. He loves you and He wants the best for you.

I admit to you I jump ahead of God many times and get myself in all kinds of trouble, then I go to prayer and God says…”why didn’t you come to me first?  I’m like Steve Urkel on TV……did I do that?  Oh the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak saints…..and this is why I say all the time… thank you Jesus for your forgiveness.

Now back to my decision making saga.  I am going to be still and quiet so that I can hear God when he speaks and know when he guides me. I will read His word, Pray and wait. I will look to the hills. I will have my spiritual ears open.

God may give me an obvious answer or a very subtle one but however He does it I need to do my part. Seek His wisdom in the situation.

Psalms 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Message for today: Don’t go seeking answers under a rock….Go to the Rock and get a solid answer.