Week 18

Christ is risen!  I hope that you had a wonderful Easter celebrating our risen Lord.  But, just as last week we said that the crucifiction was not the end, neither  was the resurrection.  For after forty days, Christ ascended into Heaven leaving us the promise that He would return.  It is in that hope that we live each day eagerly awaiting the return of our Savior.  Who knows, it may even be today.  Let's make sure that we are living in a way that will welcome Him at His coming.

John 14:1-3
Your heart must not be troubled.  Believe in God; believe in Me.  In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you.  I am going away to prepare a place for you.  If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.

Week 16

This week is a very special week.  It the the time for us to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior.  As we spend time with our family and friends celebrating traditions, let us not forget the true meaning of the season and let us meditate on words of Mark 16:6.  Thank God for the cross, but praise be to God that it did not end there.  Three days later, the tomb was empty and death, hell, and the grave had been defeated.


Mark 16:6
And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified.  He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him."

Week 15

Faith.  The writer of Hebrews defines it as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we have not seen."  I hope that after the last few weeks of studying verses on faith, we are more confident and sure of our God that ever before.  But here's the question.  If we are to live by faith, where does fear fit into the equation of our lives?  Maybe it's just me, but often I feel as if I am controlled by fear in my life.  Fear of the unknown, fear for my family, fear of the world situations,etc.  Recently, I heard a well known author say, "Faith ends where anxiety begins."  Those words really spoke to me.  If I want to be a woman of faith, then I must let go of my fear.  What is fear anyway?  Fear is Focusing Entirely on Assumed Reality.  I do not  want to live my life on an assumption.  I want to live my life based on the truth of who God is and who I am in Him. Robert Morgan says, "Faith is being confident that God's positives are greater that our negatives, and that His providence is overshadowing our lives."  Even when we don't understand and perhaps find ourselves in truly frightening situations, let's learn to walk in faith and trust that God is greater than any perceived negative we may be encountering. 


Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Psalm 4:8
I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD,make me live in safety.

Week 14

Do you ever just lose track of time?  Yesterday my best friend, Dana, called and asked if I was behind on my blog.   I assured her that I had posted and then I realized that it was Monday and I was supposed to post again.  You know how it is.  We get so caught up in ball practice, piano lessons, church activities, etc. that we completely forget what day it is.  So, she suggested that this week we learn Jeremiah 29:11.  I readily agreed since this is one of my favorite verses and I am sure one of yours too.  Then I begin to think about the verse along with everything that has been going on in my life over the last weeks and I realized how wonderful and timely this verse is for me.  This past weekend, our church celebrated it's 100th birthday.  What a wonderful and exciting time!  As we looked back over the past, it was amazing to see the hand of God and His faithfulness during the past century.  But, looking at this verse I hear God speaking so clearly that He still has plans for us.  Wonderful and exciting plans that are for our good and His glory.  This is not only true in the life of the church, but in my life and yours personally.  God not only promises us a hope and a future, but in the next verses He promises that is we seek Him we will find Him.  God's plan for us is perfect.  We only have to seek Him, trust Him, and walk with Him in faith to see it come to completion in our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.