Happy Resurrection Sunday Everyone!!!!

Today I truly wish a Happy Resurrection Sunday to all!!!

(NKJV)

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Isaiah 53:5-6
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Luke 22
1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.
2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.
5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.
8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.
11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’
12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;
18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
21 But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.
22 And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
23 Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.
24 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.
25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’
26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.
29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me,
30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.
40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.
44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.
46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”
47 And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.
48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”
50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
53 When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.
55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.
56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
63 Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.
64 And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?”
65 And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.
66 As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying,
67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. 68 And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.
69 Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”
70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.”
71 And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

Luke 23

1 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.

2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

3 Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

4 So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.”

5 But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.

7 And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.

9 Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.

11 Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

12 That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

13 Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him;

15 no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.

16 I will therefore chastise Him and release Him”

17 (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

18 And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”—

19 who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

20 Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.

21 But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

22 Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”

23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.

24 So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.

25 And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

27 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’

30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

31 For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.

33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

And they divided His garments and cast lots.

35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine,

37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last.

47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”

48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.

49 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

50 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.

52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.

54 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.

56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Luke 24 

1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 

2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 

3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 

4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 

5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 

6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 

7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” 

8 And they remembered His words. 

9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 

10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 

11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 

12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marvelling to himself at what had happened. 

13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 

15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 

16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. 

17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” 

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” 

19 And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 

20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 

21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 

22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 

24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.” 

25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 

26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 

27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 

29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. 

30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 

31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 

32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 

33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 

34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 

35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. 

36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 

37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 

38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 

39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” 

40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 

41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marvelled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 

42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 

43 And He took it and ate in their presence. 

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 

45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 

46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 

47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

48 And you are witnesses of these things. 

49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” 

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 

52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 

53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

Groanings that Cannot Be Uttered

“Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26.

We Christians, in and of ourselves, have infirmities (feebleness, weakness) in prayer. We need help because of those infirmities. The Spirit of God, knowing our feebleness and our human limitations, helps our weaknesses because we do not know how to pray as we ought. We know neither the direction, what to ask for, what we truly need, nor do we comprehend all of the will of God. If this were not infirmity enough, we do not know the deepest degree of effect our prayer is having on ourselves, those around us, and the world generally. But, “The Spirit itself” (Himself) (Greek 846 autos…the reflexive pronoun self, used [alone or in the compound 1438] of the third person, and [with the proper personal pronoun] of other persons) maketh intercession, or intercedes on our behalf. This interceding on our behalf is done:

1) By the Spirit of God alone. “The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us.”

2) Intercession by the Spirit of God is done, “for us.” The “us” here is referring to those who are born again. We are told earlier in the same chapter under consideration, that the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. This same Spirit of God (there is only one), knowing we need help to live this Christian life, now assists we who are saved in our daily praying lifted up to the throne of God by interceding for us.

3) This intercession is done, “with groanings.” The primary thought in a groan is sound. A groan also conveys the thought of being loaded or weighed down. The Spirit, through a deep concern and love unfathomed, intercedes to God on our behalf for our frailties and concerns. Sometimes we may groan over our own needs and concerns, but the deepest groanings over us, the greatest bearing of the weight of our cares, is done by the Spirit. He is not limited as are we, and, knowing all things pertaining to us, is qualified to assist us.

4) The Spirit’s groanings “CANNOT be uttered.” Here we are plainly told that the groanings of the Spirit cannot be uttered. Thus we, in agreement with the scriptures, are compelled to conclude that though a groan conveys the thought of an utterance of a sound, yet the Spirit’s groanings in intercession for the saints cannot be spoken and therefore cannot be heard. On the basis of plain language of scripture, we must understand that no unintelligible “heavenly” words or language escape through the lips of the praying Christian. We are plainly told that this cannot be done.

The focus of this text is not on the Christian’s intercession in prayer, but rather on the Spirit’s intercession for the Christian in prayer. It is unnecessary for the child of God to attempt to utter what the Spirit is groaning on his behalf. The Holy Ghost, as with all of His mighty acts, does a wonderful job all by Himself!

We are not informed by this text of the Spirit of God speaking a language of heaven using the mouth of Christians. What is most certainly established here, however, is that the groanings of the Holy Ghost for the saints in prayer CANNOT be uttered. They cannot be announced, articulated, declared, divulged, exclaimed, made known, published, sounded, spoken, verbalized, voiced or whispered. If an unintelligible prayer language is true Christian doctrine, it is not verified using the text under consideration. Therefore, we must bid believers of such to move to their other “proof scriptures” to establish their belief.

Bro. Steve Hargrave

Verses on Sanctification

1 Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption

1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;

1 Thessalonians 4:4
that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

2 Thessalonians 2:13
[ Stand Fast ] But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

1 Peter 1:2
elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

John 10:36
do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

John 17:19
And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Acts 20:32
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Romans 15:16
that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours

1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 7:14
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.

1 Timothy 4:5
for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

2 Timothy 2:21
Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

Hebrews 2:11
For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Hebrews 10:10
By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:11
[ Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified ] And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

Hebrews 10:14
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:29
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Jude 1:1
[ Greeting to the Called ] Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ

John 17:17
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

John 17:19
And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Ephesians 5:26
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

1 Thessalonians 5:23
[ Blessing and Admonition ] Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:12
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Standing in Need of Prayer

Dear Father

Often Lord I do, say and think very stupid things. My husband does not like it when I say that I am stupid but Lord often I show that I am. I don’t have the understanding of anything that I ought to have. Give me your understanding. Please give me at least enough understanding to know your will and the ability to do that which you require of me. Please Lord fill me with your wisdom and give me the knowledge of your Holy One. You have descended from and ascended into heaven. You have and can gather the winds in your fists. You have and can bound the water in a garment. You have established all the ends of the earth. Your name is Almighty God. Your son is the Prince of Peace. I want to know you as you know me. I want to be one with you.
Your every word is pure and true. You are a shield to all those who trust you. Help me to fully trust you with all my heart. If I should ever add or subtract from your word, please let me know. But help me never to do that in the first place. Two things I request of you, Lord,  please deprive me not before I die and remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed my family and me with the food allotted to us; lest we be full and deny you, and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal, and profane your name my God.
Help me to be a good servant and to serve others as though I were serving you. Help me to love others as you love me. Help me to honour my parents. Help me not to be a curse to them but rather a blessing and to bless them too.  Make me be pure in you eyes and wash me of all my filthiness. Remove my rags from me and clothe me with your righteousness. Keep me from sinning against you and polluting everything around me. Help me to be generous to the poor around me and not deny the needy.

Help me be a giver not a taker. But when someone gives something to me help me to accept it with gratitude and love. Let me be satisfied by you. Let me never mock my parents or scorn them.
You are like an eagle, Lord, you allow me to learn to fly and when I am can’t, you are always there to catch me. When I am in the midst of the sea of life and being tossed about, you are there to give me smooth sailing. You are the wind in my sails.
Keep me from placing anything above my husband, other than you, in my heart. I want to do no wickedness towards him. Keep my ways, words, mind and heart pure. Help me to be a godly wife and to serve my husband as I ought to. My husband loves you Lord, let his glory shine through me for all to see. Because his glory is only a mere reflection of what your Glory is. Help me never to become a hateful woman towards anyone, especially not my husband.

Help me be a diligent worker like an ant is. Give me your strength and sustain me so that I may prepare the food for my household. Let me never become feeble Lord. Even no one is around help me be productive with my time. Let my hands be strong and skillful.
As the time nears for our next child to be born, help me through the pain that is to come. Be with me in childbirth and let it go quickly. Thank you for a husband who is such an awesome support to me. Be with us both and give us a healthy child. Help us to raise that one up too to be your child. Give us your might and help us to never turn away from the path onto which you have placed our feet.
I have often done and said foolish things. Lord, if I have been foolish in exalting myself, or if I have devised evil, put your hand over my mouth. For as the churning of cream produces butter so the forcing of wrath produces strife. I don’t want to live my life like that Lord. I want it to honour u in all things, not walk around causing strife and pain in peoples lives.
Thank you that you never abandon us even when we deserve it. Thank you for letting me come to your throne and sharing what is in my heart. Help me to always apply your every word to my life. Help me to grow in you every day. To grow strong in service to you. To serve my husband as if I were serving you instead. I love you and I worship you alone oh Lord. I ask one more thing for now, please be with me through this day. Be with me to get everything done that I need to get done and be with me when I will be in counselling. Help me to have true healing in all areas of my life. I pray these things in your Holy name. Amen.

Cambridge Reformed Bible Conference

Wow what an awesome weekend we had with Ray’s family!!! Ray’s brother and his wife invited us to go with them to a conference. The guest speaker was Dr. David P. Murry. He was an awesome speaker. I enjoyed it very much.

“Evidence of Faith”
Friday evening’s message
Notes taken from message:
-Call to faith is a divine call
-He sends out servants to call his chosen
-First servant he sends out is creation
-He sends out the call to faith through our conscience
-One of the servants is providence
-God’s voice goes out throughout the world calling people to himself
-Another way his call comes is through his Word … the Bible
-God does the calling … not the pastors or other people
-However God does the calling THROUGH the pastors and sometimes uses other people as well
-His call is a very well timed call
-When he calls us he is completely ready for us. He does not need to prepare anything. We will not be kept waiting
-If there is any lack of readiness … it is on our part not God’s
-When God calls us, it is a very personal and intimate call/invitation to the wedding feast of the bridegroom Jesus Christ
-We will only hear it and come if we have an attraction/desire to Christ in the first place … only God can give us this desire
-Even though it is an event, we are not called to the event but rather to the person at the event and that person is Jesus Christ
-We must believe the truths about Jesus, that is what faith is and is the basis of true faith
-God’s call is a generous call and we would be foolish to refuse such an awesome offer/invitation/call!!!
-The son of God is the reason and at the center of the invite
-Faith, however, does not save
-Faith has never saved anyone
-It is who we have faith in that makes the difference and will save us
-Sincere faith does not save, many have sincere faith but there faith is in the wrong things of people
-We are to put our faith only in God’s son and his name is Jesus Christ
-Everything our souls long for is offered to us by God himself at the wedding feast of his son
-His call is a gracious call
-God calls us in his grace even when we don’t deserve it
-He invites us whether we are good or bad
-He invites the successful in life and homeless alike
-There is no limit on the amount of people God can and will call
-Some people say that they would accept his call if they knew for a fact that they were one of the elect
-The question is not are we one of the elect … no where in the Bible will you find that the invite to Christ is only for the elect … therefore we ought to accept his invite and not worry about whether we are of the elect or not
-It is very important to remember that God’s call is a genuine and sincere call
-Even if we initially refuse his invite … he will keep calling/inviting us over and over again and hopes that we will accept him and his offer and be ready to come to his son’s wedding feast
-God gives his all to get us to come!!! He even willingly died on the cross for us
-God is persistent
-We must decide whether we will come or reject his invite
-There is no lack of desire or willingness on the part of God when it comes to our salvation
-The lack of desire is on our part
-Sometimes we just choose to be deaf to his call or just simply ignore it when it does come
-God passionately desires us to accept and come to his wedding feast for his son
-He comes to us again and again, hoping we will allow him to change our hearts
-God’s perseverance is amazing
-He is also extremely patient with us
-The most patient people are the most powerful people in the world
-NEVER mistaken God’s patience with being weakness
-God makes the invitation simple so that all people of all nations and age can understand it without difficulty.
-People make God’s call way to complicated. Many times they do that so that they can feel like they are the only ones that can explain God and his truths to normal people. This is not how God operates
-God does speak through pastors and other people to convey his message to people but this does not mean that we cannot hear from God through the reading of his word the Bible
-We need to come back to the simple gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
-God’s call is a solemn call
-His call is done in earnest, it is humourless, it is a formal call, it is an awe-inspiring wonder, it is reverent and full of joy, peace and love.
-The people who were invited in the text he read killed and hurt many of the messengers God sent to them, this made God angry
-We too have mocked, criticized and hurt many of the “messengers” God sends to us. But he still gives us more chances to accept him and his call on our lives
-There are extremely severe consequences for those who refuse and/or reject God’s call
-We ought to ask ourselves … what will we do with his call?
-There are 5 different responses we have to God’s call
1) Apathy
2) Amusement
3) Activity
4) Aggression
5) “Act”
-Apathy: when we hear the Gospel call and nothing then that is our decision
-We can say we have not made up our minds about accepting God’s call but we delude ourselves into thinking that because if we do nothing … that is a decision and the decision is rejection of God’s call
-Amusement: sometimes we make light of God’s call
-We downright mock and make crude jokes of his loving invitation … it is amazing that he doesn’t strike us dead!!!!
-Activity: sometimes we deliberately make ourselves too busy
-We seem to be experts at finding things to do that keep us away from God
-The devil leads and even drags many people to hell by keeping them extremely busy
-We may have all the best intentions with what we do but the road to hell is paved with good intentions
-We seem to have no difficulty finding things to do … even things that are important … things that are important can keep us too busy to answer God’s call
-The bad thing is that one day it will be too late
-One day we will no longer have time left to accept his call
-How horrible it will be then to fall into the hands of a living God!!!
-There is no greater killer of souls than busyness
-Aggression: outright hostility towards God’s call - physically, emotionally and verbally
-Physically we will fight or even kill people when they try and help us to know the Lord
-Emotionally we will manipulate and hurt people who point out to us things that we need to change or where we are not right
-Verbally we often bash people over the head so hard with words that it hurts more than if we had been beaten physically half to death
-We make excuses not to accept God’s call but one day when we stand in God’s court then none of our excuses will hold water
-"Act": when we walk through the banquet hall doors we are given a robe to wear
-Some people as they walk through the doors refuse to take and put on the robe because they think they are good enough … that what they are “wearing” is good enough for this wedding feast
-They are confident in their own abilities and preparation
-Many don’t feel like they need to rely on God and what he did for them on the cross
-But when God enters he will see the people who are not wearing the robes he has provided and will have his servants throw them out into the darkness where there will be gnashing of teeth and torment
-Doing all the right things is not good enough … it will not be accepted by God
-Our good deeds and works are not the same thing as accepting God’s call on our lives.
-Many are called but few are chosen
-Have we heard God calling us?
-Have we accepted his call on our lives?
-Are we walking in faith?
-If we cannot answer yes to these questions then we need to stop what we are doing and take time for God, take time to listen to his call, and once we hear it then accept it immediately
-Nothing in life is more important or urgent than that we answer these questions of faith

“Coming to Faith”
Saturday morning
Notes taken from message:
-What is coming to faith?
-How does one come to faith?
-What is involved in faith?
-The Bible helps us to truly understand and answer these questions
-Believing is involved in faith
-Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved
-We should be careful of our mindsets and not be cynics or the devils advocated
-Doubting is the opposite of faith
-There is repentance in faith
-To have real faith we take God’s word on faith, we take God at his Word
-We choose to believe
-When we are weary we are to “come” to Jesus Christ and have rest
-When we doubt we try to hide from God
-We try to put obstacles between us and God
-There cannot be faith without repentance
-We play hide and seek with God
-When we truly come to faith we repent of all our games that we play with God
-Through prayer and fasting we should move with the desire towards Jesus Christ
-We are fearers and tremblers but we are to be trusters in God
-God is our instructor in life
-When we trust our “instructor” (God) we will then become trusters and also confident
-God calls us to see
-We tend to blindfold ourselves
-We are blinded by unbelief
-God is the greatest wonder of all
-We choose to be blind and live in darkness
-Faith in God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to his truths
-True faith is seeing
-When we open our eyes in faith, we can then see the full beauty of his awesome salvation
-The more we learn to see God’s Holy beauty … the more we want to see
-When we are not trusting and believing God then we are not resters and he wants us to rest in him
-When faith comes the worker starts resting
-Why do we go and try to do all the work when God has already done it all for us? There is nothing left for us to do! Therefore we are to accept his gift of love and just rest in faith in him
-When we reject the Gospel of Christ it is a grievous sin!
-It is not a mistake!!
-The core of Christian faith is keep coming and resting under his wings
-Whoever receives God through Christ Jesus becomes a child of God and a joint heir with Jesus
-In true faith we need to receive everything from God and get rid of our “counterfeit” faith
-Believing versus unbelieving
-Believing = call from God
-Unbelieving = no call from God
-Faith is the thing that makes the difference
-When God calls us we are to accept his call and to confess all our sins
-Sometimes we don’t like what God has to tell us
-Sometimes we downright hate what he has to tell us but we must open our hearts and hear what he is saying to us
-When we don’t want to hear what God has to say to us … we will wander away from him but by God’s grace we can always come back to God
-God is always waiting with open arms ready to receive us back
-We are to turn to Jesus away from our sins
-We do this in faith
-Only when we do this in humble faith will it be true repentance
-God is our GPS
-When we have taken a wrong turn we must go to our “GPS” and find our where we are and where we are to go from there to get where we are to go
-God will keep us from going wrong if we trust him to lead us
-Faith in God turns us around 180 degrees when we are travelling the wrong direction
-We rebel against God’s commands
-We also rebel against God’s supplies
-He supplies us with all we need to walk by faith
-Rejecting God’s call carries severe consequences
-We are to part-take of Jesus Christ at all times … this is another picture of faith
-By part-taking of Christ we are renewed in the spirit
-Do we choose to eat “junk food” or even “poison” instead of the healthy food of God’s word of truth?
-God is a God of hope
-When we eat and drink of God’s word we get filled with hope
-We are to delight in the beautiful truths of God’s word
-God uses many word pictures (parables) to help us understand him and his truth
-Of our own we cannot do anything
-We cannot have faith of our own … it is a gift from God
-We ought to admit to God that we find it difficult to maintain faith
-He knows we do so we might as well be honest with him and with ourselves
-When we are honest with God and ourselves, God knows that we are at a place where he can use us
-We are no use to him as long as we live in denial
-If we are not heavenly right then we are no earthly good to God
-God desires to turn unbelievers to believers
-God sees us hiding from him and he calls us to come our of our hiding places
-He knows where we are hiding … but just like with Adam he asks us where we are … not that he doesn’t know where we are but to make us face ourselves and be accountable to him and to ourselves
-He wants to find us and wants us to let him find us
-Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved

“Living by Faith”
Saturday afternoon
Notes taken from message:
-We are not to walk by sight
-We are to walk by faith
-If we walk by sight instead of faith then we won’t think much of God
-We won’t even have a fleeting thought of him throughout our days
-When we get up in the night, do we think of God or our Facebook status etc.
-Ask the Lord to help you to fill your mind with thoughts of him
-Ask him for help to make him a part of your every thought and action all day long
-Ask God to help you make him a part of your work life
-Sight versus faith
-Sight = materialism
-If we walk by sight we will be consumed by materialism
-God does not even enter the equation of a person who walks by sight
-People that walk by sight push God out at all cost
-One day God’s judgement will consume them for all eternity. This is the way the life will end for those who walk by sight
-Don’t let your life be one that walks by sight
-Faith = spiritual
-If we walk by faith God will be the first thing we think of and the first person we go to in everything
-God is the equation of a person who walks by faith
-People who walk by faith will put God in the center of their universe
-These people will know and experience God’s love, joy and peace for all eternity in his presence. This is going to be only the beginning of those who love and have faith in the God of heaven and earth
-Let your life be one that walks by faith
-When we don’t make God a part of our everyday life then when we are on our death bed we won’t five him a second thought either
-Majority of people do not give the God who sustains us all a second thought
-God should be our all consuming
-Faith brightens and ministers to us
-We are to walk by the spirit
-Walk by faith
-We walk by flesh or faith
-Walking by faith or walking by flesh … these two are apposed to each other
-They cannot be compatible
-The flesh is at work in the life of a person who walks by sight
-The spirit is dead in the person
-The flesh is fully alive by God in the body of the person who walks by faith
-God helps us keep a perfect balance between the flesh and faith
-We cannot do this perfectly
-God will teach us to do this perfectly through his strength if we put our faith in him
-What does a believers life look like?
-A person walking by faith
-As a believer wakes or goes wakes in the morning or goes to bed at night, -God is at the core of all they are and all their thoughts
-A person walking by faith pauses often to make time for God
-Trusts God with their whole heart soul and mind
-What does the unbelievers life look like?
-A person who walks by sight
-From the time an unbeliever awakens to the time he goes to sleep he does not give God a second of his life
-A person walking only by flesh is constantly worried and consumed about physical things
-They trust in earthly things and have no time to think of heavenly things
-When the flesh attacks a believer he will try to get us away from studying God’s word and from spending time with God in prayer
-Faith is reasonable
-Flesh will try to discourage us
-Flesh will condemn us for even the tiniest mistake we may make
-Faith in God is like ripples on the lake … they will grow and grow until they touch everything and every area in our lives
-They may spread slowly … but over time as we look back over our lives we will see how much our faith has grown
-The believer sees everything in his life, including his job, as a calling
-It is an opportunity to serve God and to grow in faith
-The believers work is not a job or career to him, it is a divine calling and he takes it seriously
-A believer does everything as unto the Lord, as though it were Jesus personally that he were serving
-To the unbeliever his work is just a job or career. Often it is just a necessary evil. Even when he likes his job … that is all it is to him, a job or a career. He does not believe it is a special calling from God
-Our highest calling is the one that God calls us to
-Are we doing things from, for and with the Lord?
-We ought to be ambitious for the Lord
-We are not to fulfil the work of the flesh but rather the work of the Lord
-We need to watch out for all things through the spirit
-The spirit of flesh will try to discourage us, in every area of our lives
-When we focus on Christ the flesh loses its power to discourage us
-The flesh wants to destroy our witness
-We need to ask God for his help and listening for it
-Do things in the power and strength of God instead of our own strength
-If we let him, God will conquer, he will win
-We need to be fasting and feasting
-Fasting
-Fasting from things that are earthly so we can have more time for God
-Fasting from things like food or electronics etc
-Spending less time on Facebook and other sites so that we can spend more time focusing on God and his word
-Feasting
-Feast on the water and food of God’s word as though our life depends on it, like we would with water and food
-Taking extra time for God
-Spending time in his word and prayer
-Fasting can be from food but it can also be from other things
-If we chose to fast from electronically devices … it is not good enough to fast from using the electronically stuff physically when we are still allowing it to consume our thoughts
-Fasting from it means to not even allow one moment of it into our thoughts throughout the time set of our fast from it
-Fasting can be from food but it can also be from other things
-We must not just fast … we must also feast
-We must make sure we are feasting on the right things too
-We must feast on things that will grow our faith in God and build us up in him as well
-Let us all learn to walk more by faith everyday

The God of reconciliation and answered prayers

Father

Father, this weekend we have much planned. We are going to the place where your blessing and answer to our prayers is. My husband and I both want to thank you for so speedily answering our prayers for reconciliation. Be with us and fill us with your Holy Spirit and let nothing but your words and actions come from us. We want to thank you for all the blessings you give us. Thank you for our families. Even when we don’t always see eye to eye … we all wish nothing more than to serve you with all our hearts. Be with us and help us to not be too proud to humble ourselves when we wrong others … including family.

Lord often I put my big feet into my big mouth and out of pride will say things that I know will hurt others. I often will retaliate when I have perceived that I have been wronged. Sometimes I have been … sometimes I haven’t been wronged. But this doesn't seem to matter, I just can’t let things go at that and leave it to you. I feel the need to always stand up for myself even when nothing bad was meant towards me. My feelings often are wrong but I am far too proud to admit when I am wrong and ask for forgiveness. Please, Lord, change my heart of this sinful action. Lord, whenever I find a plaque, certificate or bookmark, etc. that has my name on it … after it gives the meaning of my name it always gives me the same Bible verse. The verse is in Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, o Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” I realize that you are trying to tell me something but often I stop up my ears to what you want to tell me. Please help me to stop doing that and to give ear to your word and let it penetrate deep into my heart and let it bear much fruit. 

Lord I thank you that you have begun a good work within my heart. I realize because I am sometimes so stubborn that you have your work cut out for you but I know that you enjoy seeing the changes that are very slowly happening in my heart. I also know that one of these days, or maybe years from now lol, you will have accomplished what you have set out to do. Help me not to fight you but to work with you. I want to be transformed to be more like you. I want to be a true sunshine for you to others that they will feel not just I, but you too, have entered a room when I enter it. You are my Rock and my Salvation, there is nothing else that I need. Yet you often bless me with far more than I deserve. Thank you for this Lord. Amen.

Dare to be Vulnerable

Dare to be Vulnerable

Matthew 5:38-48 …
38 You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
39 But I say to you, Do not resist the evil man [who injures you]; but if anyone strikes you on the right jaw or cheek, turn to him the other one too.
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your undershirt (tunic), let him have your coat also.
41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two [miles].
42 Give to him who keeps on begging from you, and do not turn away from him who would borrow [at interest] from you.
43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy;
44 But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?
47 And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that?
48 You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect. (AMP)

It is amazing how I can find God anywhere, that is, when I am looking for him. I find him everywhere and in everything. When I meditate on God, I have even found him at my place of employment. For example when I was working in wrapping at Kitchen Craft Cabinetry, I was overwhelmed with joy and basking in feeling the nearness of God. As the day progressed, I was becoming quite upset with the cabinets that have false fronts. It was then that I heard God impress upon my heart, “My daughter, you are just like one of these cabinets with the false fronts”.
Needless to say, I was quite taken aback by this comment. But as I thought about what he had said to me, I realized how true his statement was. Those cabinets look as though they have drawers, but the drawers do not open, as this is where the sink would be put. As I reflected upon his words, I realized how often I put up a false front in front of others so that, in this, I could protect myself from being hurt again, from being vulnerable. God showed me that if I do not allow myself to become vulnerable then I am not really living. Most importantly, I do not trust him to take care of me as he had promised to do when I gave my life to him. To be honest I do have a huge struggle with trust, but God is in the business of sanctifying his children. Just before the New Year of that year, I came upon this Bible verse:

Psalm 28:7 …
7) The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him. (AMP)

This verse was, in a literal sense, true for me since I could not stop singing praises to God. Everyone around me had no choice but to listen to my off-key singing. Besides, Christ commanded us to trust him in everything in his word:

John 14:1 …
1) Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. (AMP)

How do you suppose do we trust him if we will not allow ourselves to be vulnerable with others? How often have we refused to help someone who is in trouble because we know that this person is a difficult person to deal with, and there is a high chance we will get stung by them? Perhaps we should all search our own hearts and see if we struggle with allowing God to use us because we may get hurt. I wonder, how many of us find it harder to be vulnerable with ourselves than we do with others? The people who know me intimately know that I find it very difficult to be vulnerable with myself. It is called lying to yourself. I can be very honest with those around me but to myself I will say, “that did not hurt”. This is not true. But I cannot handle dealing with the truth about how things make me feel so I tell myself that things don’t really hurt when in reality they hurt tremendously. God, in his great grace is helping me work on this issue in my life. I have decided to take as my motto:

Psalm 13:5 …
5) But I have trusted, leaned on, and been confident in Your mercy and loving-kindness; my heart shall rejoice and be in high spirits in Your salvation. (AMP)

A few days after God had given me this insight, he impressed upon my heart a message again. This time he let me know how special and unique I was … and still am … to him. I had been standing there admiring this cabinet. It was a naturally stained alder cabinet; it is my favourite kind of cabinet. In fact, the more knots and cracks it has the more beautiful it is to me. God showed me how flawed this wood, like me, is. Yet at Kitchen Craft Cabinetry we do not remove any of the flaws or imperfections, rather, we perfect them. In the same manner, God does not remove our imperfections, but instead, he perfects them in us. He takes our imperfections and makes something beautiful out of them. The following verses are very meaningful to me and capture this thought quite well:

Hebrews 10:14 …
14) For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (NKJV)

John 17:23 …
23) I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. (AMP)

I try to let all people I come in contact with know that Christ loves them and wants to change them from the inside out. But when Christ changes them, he will not take away their flaws but rather perfect them. Christ made us the way we were for a reason. Sometimes the things we hate most about ourselves and find the most frustrating to deal with, are the very things that God will use in amazing ways to bring about healing in not just our lives but in the lives of many people we come into contact with. We should not criticize ourselves, nor others, for their flaws, but rather ask God to show you what it is he wants to accomplish through those flaws; ask him to let us see others and ourselves through his eyes. If he took away our imperfections then we many become somewhat self-righteous and egotistical. Even the apostle Paul said:

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 …
6) Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.
7 And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (pre-eminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted.
8 Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me;
9 But He said to me, My grace (My favour and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
10 So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). (AMP)

Sometimes I truly hate my flaws, but without them, I know that I would become an egotistical person. My flaws, in a weird way, make me feel special. They let me know that there is at least one person out there who accepts me exactly as I am. When I think on this I get filled with tremendous hope for the future. This message of hope is what God wants us to share with our fellow man and woman. Like one of my favourite hymns, “Just as I am”, we are to go to God just as we are. He wants us to come to him with all our shortcomings, all our hang-ups, all our imperfections and all our needs. When we do, he will not laugh at us nor will he reject us in the least. Rather, God will receive us with open arms and welcome us into his family forever; to be joint heirs with his son Jesus.
By God grace, we can change things without changing who God made us to be. By this, I mean that God gives us, through his grace, the ability to accept the things that we cannot change, which changes our hearts and thinking. That is where the changes need to start. First the heart … then the thinking will follow. God may not have changed or removed any imperfections, thorns in our sides, but has taught us to see that his Grace will help us through all things and that his grace is enough for us.
Another one of my favourite hymns is “Amazing Grace”. My heart is overflowing with gratitude that I do not have to get all things perfect or right because his grace truly is amazing, and it is enough for the purposes of God in my life. I wish all people could feel the way that God makes me feel. Perhaps I can show even just one person this by allowing God to use me to love others just as they are. I saw this post on Facebook, it said:

Instead of judging others by their past, stand by them and help repair their future. -Solitary Reaper-

How many of us are willing to stand by and help repair others futures? Some people have been so traumatized by the pain and abuse in their lives that they can barely make it from one day to the next. Often they come across as very hostile. You may feel like you have bumped into barbed wires when you get near them. But maybe that is why God brought them into your life. I was such a person. Just before I met one of the best friends I have ever had, God gave her a vision in which he told her that he was going to bring someone into her life that he wanted her to love. Nothing more … nothing less … just love. There were many times that she wished she hadn’t taken on the commission from the Lord. But today she sees how God has changed my life and this change from pure barbed wire to someone who loves the Lord and is on the journey to healing would not have happened if she had not been willing to do what God commissioned her to do … if she had not been willing to be vulnerable. Through her Christ has taught me so much about who God is and what he truly is like. I once heard somewhere that God has a commission, a job, for each one of us to do. If we refuse to do that job then there is no one else who can take our place. Let us let God use us in any way he needs to so that God can change and bless others through us.
Do you dare to be Vulnerable? I do not know about you, but I plan on going out there and winning at least one soul for Jesus. If I can have a small part in winning just one soul from hell, even if I never find out, then I believe that this is worth the pain of being vulnerable.

Trust in the Salvation of the Lord

Father

I want to trust you my Lord. But sometimes when pain and difficulties come that strip us of everything … including our dreams … help me to know that you are still in control and watching out for me and my family. Help me know with all my heart that you have not and will not ever abandon us, that you are not capable of abandoning those that you love and that love you in return. Even though right now I feel so alone and forgotten, my heart knows that you have not walked away. Thank you for not forgetting me even though at times like these it feels like you have walked away. Help me to always trust in your salvation. Help me to trust in you and your word. And remind me when I feel like this that you cannot lie, that when you have spoken that your word is true and will stand for all eternity. Please help me know that you don’t hide your face from me. Remove the sorrow that is in my heart and mind. Help me to meditate on your goodness and not what is happening around me. For if I concentrate on the sorrow in my heart then I will be overcome by it.

Please consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten the eyes of my heart. Please don’t let the evil one prevail against me. Help me to trust in your mercies and goodness. Help my heart to sing once again before you in joy instead of weeping. Please deal bountifully with me in your grace and love. 

Give me the desires of my heart. My desire is it to be the Proverbs 31 woman for you and for my husband. Which includes to have a place we can call our own while we live here on this earth onto which you have placed us. I ask that you put a hedge of protection around us so that the evil one cannot harm us. 

Thank you so much for the wonderful and godly husband you have given me who has once again been such an encouragement to me in this difficult and painful time. You, Lord, have made a covenant with us that you will love us and save us. Thank you for that. Sometimes when we don’t feel it, it is at those times that we need a godly friend, like my husband, to tell us and remind us of your covenant of unfailing love. I want to thank you with all my heart. As I am praying I feel that you are giving me that reassurance and peace that you will work everything out. I also know that as the days go by that the devil will try and put blinders onto me. It is at those times I ask that you will remind me of your love and reassure me that I can trust you in all things. Thank you for a husband who allows you to use him to do just that. 

Be with me through the rest of today and help me just make it through one day at a time. I put myself into your hands and rest in your love. Amen.

Armour of God

Father

Thank you Father for your love and amazing grace. Thank you for loving me enough to sustain me in all circumstances. Thank you for the gift of a godly loving husband who is there for me in all things and such a support to me, even in my new business venture. Thank you that he says loving and kind words to me and lets me know that he is proud of me. Help me to show my thanks to him everyday in many ways. Help me to remember to do my one way every day for and to him to show my love back to him. Thank you for my seven children you have given me and for the one I carry.
Thank you for your word, the Bible, that we can read it in our own language. Thank you that we don’t get persecuted for having your word in our homes. Be with me that I may make good use of it and read it every moment I can. And to make deliberate time to spend with you in your word. I know it is through your word that you begin to work in my life and to change my heart and heal my hurts, mind and body as well. Help me to be so engrossed in you and in your word that nothing else will matter. When I feel troubled and distressed that I will remember and be able to bring to mind the words from your word that I need and have the strength to understand and apply them to my life in every situation. You are all that matters. Help me not allow things to take me away from you and to distract me from your love to from displaying your love to all those around me at all times. I love you very much and I ask you to help me have the ability to demonstrate my love for you every day in every way. Especially to my husband, who also loves you, and to the blessings you have given me … my eight children.
Help me be strong in you and your word so that I won’t sin against you nor my godly husband in any way. Help me to stay away from sinful things and to fill myself with you and your love so much that I won’t have a moment to be idle in which I can fall prey to the evil one. Keep me safe from the evil one and protect me from his fiery arrows. Help me to put on the whole armour that you provide for all those who love you. Help me to be strong in you and the power of your might. Help me put on the whole armour you gave me so that I can stand against the tricks and cunning ruses of the devil. When I go through difficult times, remind me that my battle isn’t against flesh and blood but rather against evil powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Help me that I may be able to withstand in the evil days that I know will come upon me and my loved ones.
Teach me how to have my waist girded with your truth. There are so many faiths out there and everyone believes their faith is the most accurately inline with your word. Help me to know true truth from false truths. Please keep the evil one from deceiving me and blinding my eyes to your truth. Your truth shouts to me from your creation, help me never to lose sight of you and to stay grounded in your truth.
Help me to put on the breastplate of righteousness and to have the shoes on my feet, ready to share your gospel with anyone who you bring to my heart to speak to. Again I ask that you give me the strength to hold the shield of faith because I know at any given moment, without warning, the devil with shoot fiery arrows at me and try to destroy me. But you are my shield of faith and my helmet of salvation. You will do the battle for me. I need to just stand firm in your love and stand on your promises. You have also given me the sword of the Holy Spirit, which is your word. I know if I stand firm and am watchful and pray that your Spirit will give me the comfort and reassurance I need to continue in faith. And I want to lift up my hands in thanksgiving to you for the love you show me and for giving me your Spirit. But mostly I want to thank you for your gift of salvation, for dying on the cross for my sins and making it possible for me to not just here serve you but some day in heaven sing praises and serve you for all eternity.
On more thing I want to bring before you, Lord, today you heard what happened and how my heart was broken. Please make things right and please help me to trust that you can make things right. I ask you to please forgive my unbelief and help me stay strong. Don’t let these arrows of Satan harm me. Let me stay strong in you and help me know that all will be alright. I pray this in your Holy name … Amen.

Silent Cries of a Broken Heart (a modern day Psalm)

The tears flow silently
Cascading down my cheeks
The pains in my heart
Have surpassed their peaks

Where is my salvation
In my greatest time of need
For protection, love and acceptance
My heart earnestly pleads

I am being haunted
By memories of my past
The emotions are so intense
And my mistakes are so vast

What can I do
Where can I go
My heart feels so heavy
As my face can’t help but show

I feel so hopeless
No longer dare I dream
Is there any good from my past
That can yet be gleamed

In the blink of an eye
Life, like a vapour, is gone
I wish my life had been different
I feel like I’m all wrong

Oh God! My God!
Where are you
Why do you feel so distant
Show me your love so true

More than anything in life
your love I want to know
To feel it’s warm embrace
And in it to grow

My past was horrific
My present at times unbearable
The near to distant future
Seems to be very unstable

What have I left undone
What more do you want from me
I feel so lost and alone
I’m blind but want to see

Give me your sight
Please restore my life
Heal all my hurts
and stop the inner strife

Where is my refuge
Where can I hide
Sometimes life is like a slope
So slippery that far I slide

My life stretches before me
Like a vast wasteland
I feel so weak and empty
I can hardly stand

I don't want to just hope
I want to believe
That you will see me through
And my pain will be relieved

There is a cry
Deep within my broken heart
And all I ask for
Is to have a new start

written by
Regina Neufeld

I wrote this in a time when my heart was shattered and I was dying on the inside in tremendous pain
when I read this now .. it truly amazes me how far the Lord has brought me

Prayer for God's help in becoming the Proverbs 31 Woman

Father

Thank you for your love that you have given me since the womb. Thank you for the wonderful husband and provider you have given me! Thank you most of all for the blessings of having such a wonderful spiritual leader who is my “soul mate” because he worries more about my soul than my physical body. Thank you for the love you show me everyday in so many ways … thru my husband and thru my children. Help me not to give my strength to anyone other than you and the husband you have given me, nor my ways to things that would destroy even queens. Help me never to forget your law but imprint them upon my heart and help me apply it to every area in my life at all times. Help me to be just towards all people at all times.
Thank you for my godly and loving husband. Thank you for my seven children you have given me and for the one I carry.
Thank you that you have kept me from having a desire to drink and get drunk. Thank you that I do not even really like the taste of any strong alcoholic drink. I ask that you give me the wine of your word and help me get rid of the bitterness in my heart. Heal my heart and let nothing stay in there that will stand in the way of me being a true “ray of sunshine” for you in other people’s lives. Help me forget the past hurts and only remember them in the light of your marvellous grace.
I have had a hard and miserable life but I want to thank you for your sustaining power carrying me thru the many extremely difficult times … even when I didn’t even know you were there. You never once left my side. You cried when I cried. Your heart broke when I was being hurt, abused and assaulted. Not once did you condemn me even when I condemned myself to a life of pain and suffering and in the process hurt many that I loved along the way. However, you are a God of healing and healing me, you are in the process of doing and will finish this process until the day you take me to heave. You sanctify all your children even when they are in the midst of the storm. You have spoken when I could not speak. You listened to my pain even when I had no words to say, when I was in to much pain to speak.
You appointed us all to die … and I want to thank you for helping me die to my “self” everyday. It is excruciatingly painful at times but you are there to help and to carry me when I do not have the strength to walk or even move. Help me to remember that revenge is yours and not to take it into my own hands. This I often want to do. I plead my cause to you because I am standing here in need of your sustaining power every moment of every day. Often I feel extremely poor and need you more every day. Forgive me when I only rely on my own strength when in reality I can do nothing without you and your sustaining power. Without you I would be lost … without you I would have and be nothing … without you I could do nothing … without you I would be insane … without you I would be drifting like a ship without a sail. Thank you for the sail (with I know is you) and for the breath/wind of the Holy Spirit that set my course to the path you have chosen for me.
I ask you, Lord, to make it possible to be a virtuous wife for my loving husband. Help me to become all you meant me to be so that my husband will know, not just hope and want to believe, that my worth is far above rubies, pearls, sapphire and diamonds. Change me from the inside out so that my husband can safely trust in me in all things and will not have cause to worry about anything. Help me also be someone that my husband can financially trust in so that he will never have lack of gain. Help me to do him good at all times and not to do evil things towards him as long as I live in the body you have given me.
Help me not to be lazy but to be always willing to work with my hands and to be a number one employee. Whether I work with wool, wood, food or just cleaning my home, that when my husband comes home in the evening … help me to do it to your glory as though you will be the one coming over each evening. Help me to provide healthy meals for my family and give me the imagination to give very much variety in their diets as well. Help me not to be too tired or too lazy to get up earlier and provide my husband with a healthy breakfast before he leaves for work … and to provide good breakfasts for the children as well.
Be with me in my business, Lord, and help it to grow and be a blessing and help to my husband and family. I ask that you bless me with enough orders each day that I can keep busy and have the money we need to buy a nice piece of property of our own and to build our own family home on it. Help us and be with and in us when and as we consider where and which piece of land to buy. Help us to profit from the place we buy.
Help me to gird myself with your strength and to build up my body through good and healthy meals and exercise everyday that I will have the strength and energy I need to be a good companion and wife for my adventurous husband. You will remember that when I had lost 120 pounds that I had so much energy, help me to lose the 75 pounds I need to lose to be healthy, have my energy levels higher, and be with me that I will use that energy only for you and in the ways that would honour you. One of the ways I know it would honour you is through being the wife, mother, child and friend your word requires me to be. Help me to have the gift of discernment when I make purchases, and to do this in a way that will not make my husband cringe nor dishonour him and especially not dishonour you in anyway, no matter what. Help me to try with all the strength you give me not to go to bed leaving things undone that I could have accomplished for the day. Help me not to put off for tomorrow the things I know I can get done today. When I finally do go to bed for the night, Lord, help me and my whole household to sleep very well and awaken refreshed in the mornings. You know how much we need our rest because while you were walking here among us you many times took time to rest.
Help me stretch out my hands to the distaff and too keep my hands busy in the work that you have given me to do. Help me to always have open hands when it comes to serving and lending a helping hand and to be always willing to give to those in need and to do it openly and not holding anything back … to let it overflow from my hands and heart. Help me never to turn anyone away that you bring to my door to help. Help me not to fear things in this life and no matter what our circumstances are that I will be able to provide my children with the clothes, shoes and food they need to life a healthy good life. Help me not to be too lazy or unwilling to learn new things that will benefit my household. Give me a heart and mind that is willing to learn. Help me to teach my children to have this spirit of willingness to learn and to work.
Wherever my husband is … whether at work, church or in society … help that people will have a good opinion on him and that I play a healthy part in their reason for having a high opinion of him. Let me never put him to shame at anytime nor in any place or among any people.
Help me in my Mennonite Style Baked Goods business that I can sell as much as possible. Help me also to sell the crocheted goods that I make and sell. Help me provide and be a financial helpmeet to my handsome husband.
I ask that you clothe me with strength and honour and help me to be a strength to my husband and to honour and submit to him in all things, as I ought to do to you. Mostly I guess I should learn to honour and submit to you. Give me your joy so that I can rejoice in all things and in all circumstances too. Help me be a woman of excellence and of prayer. I beg you to help me learn to control my mouth. Let the words of my mouth and also the meditations of my heart at all times be acceptable in your sight my Lord. Help me not to gossip nor cut people to pieces with the truth. Help me not to justify myself by saying, “everything I said was Biblical”. Help me only to be justified by you not do that myself. I take too many things into my hands that I ought to leave in your hands, because that is where it should be. Help only wisdom and kindness come out of my mouth to all people. Help me to bless people with my mouth not curse or tear them down.
Help me to watch over my household and to take care of it in a way that would honour you and my husband. Help me not to be idle. Bless me with children who will praise, respect and honour me. Thank you that you have given me a husband who does this. Help me to live in a way everyday that he will want to delight in me everyday. In addition, that he will feel like I excel all other women on this earth in outer and inner beauty everyday. Help me to remember that charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but if I am a woman who fears the Lord in all things that only then will I be truly worthy of being praised. Help me to make my charm and beauty something that is in my heart, spills over into my everyday life, and will splash onto all those that I meet. Bless me with your grace in this matter because only you have what I need to accomplish my hearts desire. Be the well in my heart that splashes love and kindness on all those whose lives I touch.
Thank you for all the blessings you have already given to me. I do not deserve even half of them. Nevertheless, I ask that through your grace that you let me grow in the fruits of the spirit and let me reap a good crop. A crop at least 100 times than what you planted in me … not what I planted because that is way too painful to even consider, I‘ve planted too many rotten and horrible seeds in my life and into the lives of others. Fill my life with good fruits and help me to distribute them in a way that will honour you. Let my works speak loud and clearly to all that hear and see that you live within my heart and that you love them.
Again, I want to thank you for you love and the gentleness you show when dealing with me. I do not deserve your loving kindness. I appreciate all that you have done for me … especially what you did for me on the cross. You not only made it possible for me to be forgiven of all my sins and to have a relationship with you … but you also made it possible that through your grace I can become the Proverbs 31 woman for you Lord. This is my deepest hearts desire. In addition, I am eternally grateful to you for providing a way for me to be of service to you and to serve others through your love. You, Lord my God, are truly an awesome God and it is a privilege that I can be your child. Continue to bless our marriage and family and guide all our footsteps. I pray this in your Holy name … Amen.

Proverbs 31
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother
1. The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
2. What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?
3. Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
4. It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5. Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
6. Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7. Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
8. Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
9. Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy.
The Virtuous Wife
10. Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11. The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12. She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13. She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14. She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15. She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16. She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
17. She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18. She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19. She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20. She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21. She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22. She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23. Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24. She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25. Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26. She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27. She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28. Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29. “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31. Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.