Just a word...

Satan is real as we all very well know. He is out to devour us, not just trip us up - DEVOUR us. He is ruthless and cunning, an angel of light. We MUST be prepared for the fight. We MUST daily put on the whole armor of God. That takes action and obedience, never assuming the armor will just "fall" upon us because we are saved. Put on the full armor of God every day. Still there are areas uncovered, it seems, where Satan gets his grimy little hands in our life, but we MUST fight the fight and finish the race realizing we have a "great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on. (Hebrews 12:1)

We have a power in prayer. We cannot fail to lift one another up. In these last days even the very elect will be deceived; we are warned of that. Yes, we MUST ask questions and we MUST dig in the Word daily to recognize deception and false teachings. The blood Jesus shed those thousands of years ago hasn't lost its power. Let's plead the blood over one another through 2008, let's FIGHT with the Sword of the Spirit because we KNOW that "in this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"!!! (John 16:33)

Remember, we can, through the power of Jesus Christ, do all things. Nothing is left out there. We can find answers; we can be healed - emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually; we can minister; we can find that peace that passes all understanding; we can defeat the enemy! We can trust God enough to know that He is allowing us to pass through the fire to refine us as pure silver - PURE silver - so He can see His reflection in us.

Oh, friends, let us hold one another up. "Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed." Hebrews 12:12-13

Let us remember the POWER in prayer. Let us try to search out joy because God has told us to count it ALL joy. I'm the first to say, that's often a tough one to obey, but again, Phil 4:13 - it's still in there. We can - through Jesus Christ and His power.

And keep your hope!! "Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul." (Hebrews 10:35-39)

Hallelujah, brothers and sisters!!! We just have a little longer to tarry. Don't give up the fight! Read, study, memorize, hide the Word in your heart - and maybe Ephesians 6:10-20 would be a good place to start. Like David who faced Goliath we must remember - the battle is the Lord's (1 Samuel 17:47), we just have to take off the "armor" of this world, and put on the FULL armor of our God!

Jan
Isaiah 43:1-2

Were you born in a barn?

I don't know about you, but down here in the hills of TN, I've heard this question thousands of times. Usually as a child when I had my mind in too many places to remember to shut the door behind me when I came into the house -- ESPECIALLY in the unusual heavenly occurrence of Dad having the air conditioner on in the middle of August!! He loves the heat and one of his innumerable wise sayings is "Sweatin's good for you. You sweat out all the poisons." So, if he had the air conditioner running, trips in or out better be quick and few! :)

Yesterday, however, my brother shed new light on this saying for me (he's my pastor, you know).

Who is welcome in a barn? Some folks lock up their barns, but I don't know many cows and horses who have keys, do you? And in the Old West, the family slept in the house, but guests and strangers coming along the way, well, they slept in the barn. Mom and Dad's barn stores all those things there's no room for in the house, things no one wants or can use right now. Usually, barns aren't the most pleasant smelling nor the most clean, either. Even my dear, dear friend Kathy - one of THE best house-keepers I've EVER known, probably doesn't have Pledge in the barn! They have quite a farm, and though their barn is immaculate - for a barn - I wouldn't consider delivering a baby in there, you know? Get real! A barn?

But God did.

Why? Why choose THAT environment for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Savior of all mankind?

Because EVERYONE is welcome in a barn! Shepherds, kings, rich, poor, short, tall, fat, skinny -- EVERYONE!

Had God chosen a palace, it still wouldn't have been good enough for Jesus, but I wouldn't be welcome there - I'm not royalty. Had God chosen the Inn where maybe Mary and Joseph got the very last room - the next person coming by wouldn't be welcome because there would've been no room. Get the picture? He chose a barn so EVERYONE can come to Him! I love that picture!

"For God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

I'm a 'WHOSOEVER' and so are you! What a blessed hope!

Were you born in a barn? My Savior was... just for you and me.

Well, here it is...

Christmas, it's here. I just hope I remembered everyone. Even though I make a list, I'm always afraid I've forgotten someone or something. *sigh*

It's just so hard to REALLY keep the focus, isn't it? My daddy always says, "It's Jesus' birthday, not mine; don't get me a thing." Well, I've never NOT gotten him anything, but deep in my heart, I think if I didn't he'd really be okay with it.

Jesus has truly done so much for us, hasn't He? This week in our Bible discussions, we got to the point in Mark where Judas betrayed Jesus. I've felt betrayed, haven't you? But to betray Jesus after following in His footsteps, hearing His voice, seeing His miracles... wait - I'VE done that! I certainly can't be too hard on Judas Iscariot when Jesus has given me so much - His Word to guide me, His Holy Spirit to comfort me, His GRACE that saved me! And I still betrayed Him.

Even this time of year, I struggle to remain faithful. I go to sleep with my mind swirling with things needing to be done, I wake up rushing so I can get things done... I have to MAKE myself sit down to my devotional journal. There's just so much to do. Satan does a mighty good job of getting us so BUSY, we put Jesus on the back burner -- and like Daddy says, It's HIS birthday!

I don't mean to put Him on the back burner, do you? It's not intentional. I try very hard to keep the focus on Him, but I fall so short - the dinner, the glittering lights, wrapping gifts, lists, schedules, double checking the lists,... and this year our heat pump went out. Whew! An added item on my mind's swirling list.

I saw a bright red sign in front of Simonton's Cheese House here in Crossville yesterday - JESUS IS THE REASON. If it hadn't be for Jesus we'd have no Christmas.

My goodness, when it's one of our boys' birthdays, we go all out from morning to night making him realize what a special gift he is, how blessed we are to have him in our life, what a treasure that day is for no other reason than HE WAS BORN!

Well, I want to do that for my Savior this year. I want His day to be focused on Him! I mean really! He is my hope, my ROCK, my counselor, my friend, my REDEEMER!

My God is Jehovah Jireh - the Lord my Provider. He has provided me with all I need and more - even the recognition that HE is the reason and that because of HIS gift, I can give - and I don't mean only physical gifts. I can give a smile, a word of encouragement, offer hope, lift a prayer...

Yes, it can be difficult to keep our focus, but I'm determined to NOT betray my Savior. I want to give Him all I have. Won't you join me?

Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!

You know, it's like that song Randy Travis sings -- He had the birthday, but we got the Gift....

Joy and Perfect Peace

This morning I heard the sweet voice of our son before I saw his sweet face. His first words of the day? "It's December!"

The smile on my face came from my heart. The joys of children at Christmastime.

I lay in my nice warm bed looking out the window at the wind tossing leaves around thinking... December, the year is almost gone... Do I really want to dig into the "wrapping presents" scene today... where will I find a sturdy fireplace set that we can afford... Then I heard the patter of footsteps trotting toward my bed.

Our oldest son "whispered", "STOP! Leave her alone; let her sleep in!"

"I just want to tell her it's December!"

Dustin plopped up next to me. "Happy December, Mommy!" His smile was contagious and sparkles glittered in his eyes. A soft kiss came my way. "Now, I'll let you do what you let us do yesterday." He ran to the doorway.

"What's that?" I asked, puzzled.

"Sleep till you wake up!" He replied innocently.

"Okay, Thanks, buddy." He wanted me to have a peaceful morning, didn't he? But the excitement of DECEMBER (CHRISTMAS!!) just overflowed and he had to share the joy!

Last night we watched the movie Gods and Generals. It focused a lot on Stonewall Jackson and his part in the Civil War. His faith was amazing to say the least. Sitting tall and confident on his horse in the midst of battle - a seemingly easy target for the enemy. A soldier asked him how he could do that; how could he not fear the cannon? Jackson's reply penetrated my soul -- I know I won't get the quote word for word, but -- "My religious belief doesn't offer fear. God is in control of the timetable of my life. I won't die until He so chooses in His perfect will for me to do so. My only duty is to be ready."

I'm sure my countenance mirrored the soldier's - awe.

That assurance in God's ultimate and total control of a surrendered life yields perfect peace.

"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

This time of year we hear the word "Peace", but our hearts often feel far less than peaceful. I find myself there, anyway. Christmas lists. Christmas cards. Christmas parties. Christmas parades. Christmas shows. Christmas shopping. Christmas schedules. Christmas budget (or lack thereof) :)

The demands our culture has put upon this Holiday can be overwhelming. It is a challenge to even remember why we celebrate it sometimes. BUT I saw those sparkles in my son's eyes ... WHAT A HOLIDAY! Jesus came! I want MY joy to be so evident that it's contagious to anyone I meet. I want MY mind to be so consumed with Jesus that HIS perfect peace is evident in my confidence that HE is in control.

During this time of year when the lines are too long, when the ONE toy left that you reached for got snatched right out from under you, when the world tells us we can't say MERRY CHRISTMAS, when your schedule is bursting at the seams, and on and on it goes... Let us be careful. We must not let the gifts replace THE Gift.

Jesus came. "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves." John 17:13 Jesus prayed that prayer for us. Oh, that HIS joy will be fulfilled in us.

Joy and Peace - two traditional themes for Christmas. The REAL joy and peace can only come from the One who came.

Joy and Perfect Peace to all - through and only through The Gift of our Savior, MY KING!