My Family Christmas Tradition

December 18, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer christmas celebration, Christmas Presents, Christmas Tradition, gold frankincense and myrrh, happy birthday jesus, Jesus is the reason for the season 9 Comments

Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

When my children were little we told them that Jesus provided for us and that’s where their Christmas gifts came from. We let them open their gifts on Christmas morning and it was always so much fun. But when our children were in their teens we started a new family tradition. Instead of opening the gifts on Christmas morning…we opened them on Christmas Eve so that Christmas day would be about Jesus birthday celebration.
We would all gather around the tree and their father would give a mini sermon (he is a minister) on Christmas…then we would pray and then present each other with gifts, laugh and have such a great time.

Christmas day was all about celebrating Jesus birthday with a big dinner and a birthday cake. We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and thanked God for sending His son. Now that my 6 children are grown…I have to say I miss that family tradition…but oh the memories!

I know the Magi brought gifts to Jesus and I don’t know how the gift giving on Christmas got started…but I do enjoy it and I do keep the whole Christmas celebration in moderation. I also always keep the reason for the season before me and my family.
Last Sunday I sang a solo in church and these are the words to the song:

Happy Birthday Jesus

Happy Birthday Jesus
I’m So Glad Its Christmas
all The Tinsel and Lights
and The Presents Are Nice
but The Real Gift Is You.

Happy Birthday Jesus
I’m So Glad Its Christmas
all The Carols And Bells
make The Holiday Swell
and it’s All About You
happy Birthday Jesus
Jesus I Love You!

The cutest girl singing this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=claKP84h9EE

Message for today: Giving gifts is a good thing…Celebrating Jesus birth is a better thing. The old saying that Jesus is the reason for the season will always be my Christmas motto…what about you?

Jesus is the reason for the season

Ponder your life so you don’t wander in your life

December 17, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer and let all your ways be established, jesus mother, luke 2, Luke 2:19, Pondering, Proverbs 4:26 Ponder the path of your feet 12 Comments

Mary did ponder

Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Mary Jesus mother had gone through a lot in her young life. She had a visitation from an angel of the Lord, God impregnated her with a child by the Holy Spirit, she had to deal with this secret, her future husband and her family. Then she had to travel while 9 months pregnant and find a place to give birth.

Then she was visited by some shepherds that she didn’t even know who told her that her Son was the Savior. After all of this… Mary pondered or gave careful thought of these things. Why did God put this in the bible at all and in this spot? Why didn’t she ponder things after the angel first appeared to her? Surely that was enough to make her ponder…I know I would have been pondering and wandering around in a daze LOL! I’m gonna have God’s baby? Alrighty then! But no…not Mary, she pondered things after the shepherds paid baby Jesus a visit. Maybe it was more real to her at that time because other people knew now.

I think God is saying something here….I believe God wants us to think about the things He allows to come into our lives. He wants us to take the things that happen to us and think about them.. the good and the bad. He wants us to appreciate the good and reflect on the bad for the lessons and the victories that can be gleamed from it and use these things to encourage someone else.

I think about what I'm going through and what does God want me to know and how should I react or handle the situation

This to me is very important…to ponder. It takes time to think about things. I like to park by the ocean in my neighborhood and look at the water and think about things. That way when you need to share your story you have it somewhere in your mind and you can pull it out and give a testimony to bring God praise.

Pondering something can also give you a clearer picture on events that have happened to you. It doesn’t mean you will have a perfect understanding of why God has done something in your life, but you can at least put things in perspective so you can see that there’s a place where things started to happen, there’s a middle and prayerfully an end. You can ponder the scriptures that have helped you. You can also ponder the things God may have spoken to you about and done for you in the past.

I don't understand all God...but I see your plan.

This is a good scripture to follow:

Proverbs 4:26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established

Consider, think carefully, give much thought to, deliberate, contemplate, weigh it in your mind, appraise the situation, meditate on the facts, and reflect in all aspects of the things God has allow to occur in your life to date.

“I tell you…when I don’t ponder the things in my life I feel I am prone to make mistakes in the future and even some of the same mistakes.”

Message for today: Let’s follow Mary’s good example and Proverbs 4:26….and ponder so we don’t wander far from the path that God has set for us to follow and we will be OK in all that God has planned for our lives. Mary did this and the fruits of her pondering was her devoted obedience to the Lord our God.

I tried to witness to someone today

December 16, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer gospel of jesus christ, Psalms 34:8, tracts, witnessing 4 Comments

Psalms 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Today I tried to witness to a vendor at a local Flea Market. I attempted to give her one of my tracts that I give out. It’s a tract I wrote about my own life and my testimony. She told me not take it out of my pocketbook and she didn’t want to hear anything I had to say. She said she’s been through a lot and doesn’t want to hear my story.

She was so upset that she walked away from her own booth to get away from me. I didn’t even hassle her or talk to her that long when I saw her getting upset. I shouted to her that I was going to pray for her anyway and she said ok but stayed away until I walked away.

This type of rejection doesn’t bother me anymore and I’ll do it again in a heartbeat. I felt so sorry for this woman. If people only knew how much better their lives could be with Jesus. My heart aches for this world…for the unsaved. If they would only taste and see that the Lord is surely good. I will keep trying to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

NO JESUS…NO PEACE…KNOW JESUS…KNOW PEACE

Message for today: This world needs a Jesus tasting party…He is oh so good when you get to know Him!

A message for God’s Children

December 14, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer A message for God's Children 20 Comments

Testing…I Am doing a lot of testing. This testing has a specific purpose in your life for this season. As you spend time in my presence I will speak to you, encourage you and strengthen you. You may not understand everything I’m doing in your life but you will understand all about my grace.

Everyone will learn how to wait. I will not rush my testing nor will I make it drag it out to the point past what I know you can handle.

You all will see my power and will see how I provide and bless my children. My children will grow spiritually. My children keep your eyes and ears open. Don’t walk around in darkness, discouragement and disappointment. Know that you belong to me and that I am your Father. Walk in total trust in who you are in Me.

My children, have you ever seen a parent holding their toddlers hand when they are walking outside. That parent holds that Childs hand tightly so that no harm will come to them. That’s what I do to you. I hold your hand tight and you are safe in my care. Know that I am there and after the testing the blessing. I’ve prepared a place for you with me. Everything that has happened in your life I have been there for everything. I know everything about you and have made plans for you, for your whole earthly life and even after.

Don’t be upset with the testing but know the testing is for your blessing. I wrote a book for you and included everything you will need while you are there on earth. I even have my Spirit living inside of you so you so I can be in constant communication with you. You are never out of contact with me. I created beings to watch over you and to assist me with protecting you and they even battle with the enemy if I tell them to on your behalf.

I want you to present all of your concerns to me, I want to hear about everything that concerns you. I wait to hear from you and what you need and even though you forget sometimes to tell me, I still bless you because I love you. My love for you keeps me ever so watchful over you. I wouldn’t create you and then expect you to go for yourselves. I know life is difficult at times and I said this would be and that’s why I have made so many promises to help you and also the promise of no more suffering, pain crying or grief in your future. It’s all in my book. I hope you are reading it.

My children, I love you. My love has power for you. Hold on to my love for you. You need the strength of my love. It will help you overcome.

Don’t look at all the testing’s as something negative, but help each other through the testing’s. Remember to share your victories with those who don’t know my Son. I love you my children, I love you.

From the Lord of host

My Christmas Prayer

December 13, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer Christmas Prayer 2 Comments

“God please give your people wisdom. I feel this is a precious gift that we can do a lot of good with in this world and in our own lives. Please help the hungry, the sick, those who are hurting and suffering, and the many who are mourning. Also please help all the missionaries and persecuted Christians. Please bless my family, friends and church. And my greatest Christmas prayer is that your Son’s name be lifted high and reach the hearts of many for salvation. May the good news of Jesus Christ be spread thoughtout the world! In Jesus name…Amen!

PS…Thanks again for sending your Son…Love you!”

I wish God would get off His throne and come down here!

December 13, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer Christmas, God with us, Immanuel/Emmanuel, Isaiah 7:14, jesus is god, John 10:30, Mathew 1:22-23, personal god, personal lord 1 Comment

OH…HE DID!!!

Mathew 1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

The word Immanuel/Emmanuel means, “God with us.”

Jesus is God!

John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

God has been down here! He was here with Adam and Eve in the garden. God was down here in the form of a baby that grew into a man and then He went back into heaven. He has been down here. His Spirit is here now…in me…and in anyone who has accepted His person appeal to receive Jesus Christ as His personal Lord and Savior.

God is a very personal God and inhabits us when we praise Him and abides in us when we pray and talk with Him. I am not alone…God is with me all the time. I don’t feel alone anymore. I always have God….I need Him in my life and when I got this fact in my head/mind…I became much more relaxed and peaceful. That’s why I cry and tell people that I love the Lord so much because I feel God with me and I feel His love for me.

If I get to a spot where I don’t feel this( we’re human…it happens sometimes)….it’s me and not God. He is always near me…but there are times I take my eyes, mind, and meditative thoughts off of Him. That’s when I can feel alone.

I get back on track by doing any one or all of these things:

1. Pray

2. Read the word
3. Listen to a sermon…live, recorded or on the radio or internet.
4. Sing or listen to music
5. Meditate on all He’s done for me.

The fact that God Himself came down here to be with us and has adopted us into His family and will give us immortality one day and allow us to live with Him without anymore suffering is so exciting and comforting to me.

Christmas is very special to me because my God took action….He took matters into His own hands. He thought about me and made a plan to come to earth in the form of mere mortal and allowed horrible things to happen to Himself…for me…and for you. His Spirit whispered in my ear about Him until I took His words to heart and committed myself to Him and He filled me with His continual presence in my life.

Yes…God got off His throne and came down here. Emmanuel… Emmanuel… Emmanuel!!!!

Message for today: We are not alone…. Emmanuel. He came down and carved His name in a tree so that we would know that He was here. I love you Jesus/God.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Did you hear about Mary’s parents? (Jesus’ Mom)

December 9, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer Luke 1:38, Mary mother of Jesus 6 Comments

“I am the Lord’s servant...May your word to me be fulfilled.”

I’ve heard nothing about them either…but I can assume some things about them.

1. They raised a godly daughter who knew about God and had faith at an early age.
2. They raised an obedient and respectful child.
3. They must have taught her to be loving, caring and kind.
4. They raised her to have good moral conduct and integrity.
5. They must have taught her the importance of family and marriage.
6. She had to have learned responsibility from them.
7. They must have taught her the value of praising God and also how to pray.

Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:46, 47 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

This woman was just a young girl when she was married to Joseph and gave birth to our Lord and Savior. Mary had to be a special girl who was specially prepared and handpicked by God Himself. Think about what effect her parents must have played in her life… that their daughter was so blessed and highly favored by God to have been chosen to be the mother of Jesus Christ!

Mary’s words of obedience and joy in the scriptures above really touch my heart. Every time I read them and think about them it moves me in my spirit.

I tell you when I was Mary’s age…about 12 or 13…I was fit for a good punishment! LOL! Well I really wasn’t all that bad…I think. But I know I was nowhere in the ballpark with Mary. I could barely take care of myself….but you know in the culture of that day things were very different. I believe Mary’s parents were also blessed by the Lord because they had the job of guiding her spiritual development.

Mary was a good girl and I thank God for letting us know her sweet example of obedience and pure devotion to our God.

Message for today: Mary’s parent must have done a good job in raising Mary…look at the fruits of their labor. What an example of godly parenting….we need this today! Let’s pray for this.

Show God Some Love….Praise Him!

December 7, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer 6, Praising God, Psalms 34:1, Revelation 19:1 6 Comments

This is the way I feel!

Psalms 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

What do I mean by “show God some love?”…..I’m talking about giving Him the praise and worship that He deserves and wants from us…His creations…His children. He created us to praise Him. This is what the angels, other created creatures and those who have gone on before us are doing right now.

We will all praise God together like this one day:

Revelation 19:1,6

1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:

6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

I was reading the story of George Frideric Handel who composed The Messiah from which we get the well know song known as the “Halleluiah Chorus”. Handel wrote The Messiah in an amazing 24 days without much food and rest and they say with much praying and weeping. I recently heard a statement that he made after he completed this composition. He was found by his house servant in tears and he was quoted as saying “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself.”

This statement has really affected me. I love the Handel’s messiah and had just watched The Messiah being performed on TV last week. When I was in church this past Sunday…I was filled with so much praise for our God as I thought about what Handel said and how he must have felt when he wrote this. As I sang songs of praise…tears filled my eyes and any problem I had were not in my consciousness at that moment in time. When praising God you feel no pains or sorrow. All you can feel is the peace of God in those precious moments. I think this is why it’s good to bless the Lord continuously.

Show God some love …praise the Lord now. Our physical bodies in our present form….. needs to do this… because our real or heavenly form which is our soul/spirit is going to be doing this in heaven. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to give God the praise…we can show Him the love right now in these mortal bodies!

Show God Some Love

If we are children of God… this is what we should be doing always…..Praising God, thanking Him, singing to Him. Dancing before Him, playing the instruments for Him…using our whole body ,mind and soul to praise Him. Show God some love just because of who He is. You may not have the ability to compose a musical composition for Him but in your own way…show Him some love. There is power in praise. It will draw God to you like a magnet. He will be stuck on you…He’ll inhabit your praise. All grace will abound towards you. You will be so blessed!

Message for today: Show God some LOVE….. And all the praise!

Our Christmas Miracle From Jehovah Jireh

December 5, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer Christmas, God provides, Jehovah Jireh, Miracles, Philippians 4:19 10 Comments

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

This is the Christmas season and for me at this age of 59 years old with all my children grown now….it’s a time of reflection on the goodness of God and the many blessings He has given me. Some of my favorite blessings have been at Christmas time and I would like to share one with you today.

A year after my husband, myself and our 3 children (at the time…we had 3 more later) came to the Lord we started a ministry in our church called the Noah’s Ark Ministry which was an outreach to the poor and needy in our community. The Lord told my husband to quit his job and that He would take care of us and my husband did just what the Lord told Him. The pastor gave us an office and a room in the church for the food.

We had so many miracles of provisions for us from the Lord during this time and I will share more of them soon. We had no income but every week the Lord provided everything we needed. So it was Christmas and we had no extra money for Christmas presents for our kids. Someone knew about our faith walk with the Lord and contacted us through our church and said for us to not worry about things for our kids for Christmas…so we didn’t worry but got concerned when it was Christmas Eve because all the stores were closed and we truly had to trust God at this point for sure.

We were given an address to go to and my husband and I didn’t know what to expect, but we had seen God do a lot for us while serving Him in this ministry so we were excited to see what He was going to do next.

When we got to the house and were told to pull our station wagon up to the garage. A lady came out and we recognized her as a woman we had helped with a problem through the ministry. She said she would never forget how we helped her and her family and they proceeded to loaded our big old station wagon up with toys, food and gifts for us. She thanked us for helping her, hugged us and sent us on our way. When my husband and I got down the street and looked in back of us and saw our station wagon filled from the front to the back with all these presents… we praised God and laughed all the way home.

This is what our station wagon looked like.

We had more this Christmas than we had ever had. It was a wild crazy, outrageous…in a good way…miracle from God…our provider!!!!!! But it didn’t stop there…. this woman and her family did this for us every year for the next few years that we served God in the Noah’s Ark Ministry and also did it every Thanksgiving with food too.

Oh my God is truly amazing!! Can I get an Amen here? Oh come on…let’s give God some praise right now!! I know you have miracles too!! Oh my God My God! Oh what happens when we put our trust in the Lord!!…Jesus!! Jesus!!

Jeremiah 17:7 But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.

Message for today: Do you have a need today? Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart!! Our Father is Jehovah Jireh your provider!! Oh go ahead and throw your hands up in the air and shout “Hallelujah ….THANK YOU JESUS”! ! Don’t wait… Praise Him now..and wait expectantly for the blessing.

PS- This miracle happened 28 years ago and the woman who helped us has gone home to be with the Lord.

ALL THE TIME!!

God Speaks I Am Sharing

December 2, 2011

camary1996 God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer John 2:5, Message from the Lord 9 Comments

"DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU TO"

John 2:1-5
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

The Lord has given me another message today for all.

The Lord is speaking to everyone. He has spoken in His word and has told His children through His word what He wants us to do as born again believers. Everybody has a gift or something they can do for the kingdom. Everyone has a gift or talent to be used to bring glory to God.

God tells some people by way of speaking directly to them. They know its God speaking and He confirms it to them. Some people read His word and God speaks to them through the scriptures. The Holy Spirit will lead you to do task throughout your day. Maybe you’ll speak to someone or maybe you’ll go to a church program and help out. We must be ready at all times.

Do you have helping hands….an outpouring spirit….a ministering soul…an obedient mind… a outreaching heart…a bold but humble mouth and a prayed up Spirit man? Are you equipped with the whole armor of God? Do you have the word of God hidden in your heart? Then you are equipped for service and you should do what Mary…the mother Of Jesus said……

“Do whatever he tells you.”

This is the time…the season to activate whatever God has put into you to do. Stir up your gift. Activate what is in your spiritual DNA… that is your unique service to the Lord. Don’t worry about what you haven’t done in the past…this is a new day…a new season….a new opportunity to bless the Lord.

Dust off that old instrument, get out those Sunday school teaching materials, get the old ordination out and get back into active ministry, start that soup kitchen, help that senior citizen down the street, adopt a serviceman’s family, follow your call to be a deacon, give those dollars to the poor and needy, go to the jail, clean that church’s kitchen, speak to your coworker about what God has done for you……