The Names of God: Adonai-Lord

Adonai-Lord: Master

Adonai-Lord indicates the sovereignty of God. The Master is the one who assumes control of a situation. The servant, seeks to know and to do the will of his Master.

Genesis 15:2 KJV
And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

Abram was in a pickle. He was old, rich, and had no heir. He knew if he were to die, all that he had worked for, all that God had blessed him with, would go to some servant in his household, not his own flesh and blood. Never mind that he was being less than grateful or faithful. God had already made a powerful and bountiful covenant with him in Genesis 12:1-3 and renewed that covenant again in Genesis 13:14-18. God had assured Abram twice now that his seed would number as the dust of the earth. But Abram, like the rest of us doubted after time had passed and he was still childless. Abram was flesh, just like you, just like me. His faith faltered a little. He stumbled a bit in his walk. 

Yet the knowledge that God was still God was clear when Abram called upon Him in Genesis 15:2. The Hebrew for Lord GOD in this verse is Adonai-Lord, Master. There may have been a little doubt creeping in and beginning to clutch at his heart but the truth remained, the truth that God is Master, He is in complete control. And because He is our Master, we are to serve Him, trust Him, and have faith in Him.

And like the loving and merciful Master He is, when Abram reminded Him that he was still childless, God, Adonai, promised him his heart's desire. But not only did He promise Abram an heir from his own loins, He promised for the third time that Abram's seed would number as the stars in the heavens. 

Three times now, God had spoken to Abram and told him he would be the father of many nations, and somehow this was still not sufficient for him. Once again he got impatient, restless, and he took matters into his own hands, and Ishmael was conceived. 

Astoundingly though, God once again renewed His covenant with Abram after Ishmael's birth. This was a sure sign of His love and patience with us. Were it any other father and son, I imagine there would've been much yelling and throwing hands in the air. But He remained long-suffering, even through His promise to Sarah of a son as she laughed at the absurdity of a child at her age. 

Finally in Genesis 21, when Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90, Isaac was born and the rest is history as they say.

It took 25 years for Abraham to begin to see the fulfilling of the covenant God had made with him in Genesis 12, but that certainly did not mean that God was not in control every minute of those 25 years. And when you think about it, to only have to be reminded 3 times in a quarter of a century that God is in control, that He is Master and you are servant is pretty astonishing. It seems He has to remind me at least a dozen times in 24 hours. 

But He is. He is Master. And He is in control of each and every situation, whether it be spiritual, financial, physical, or mental, He is Master. He created the heavens and the earth...He can cure cancer with a single thought. He breathed life into dust and made man...He can put life in even the most barren of wombs. Through His Son, He took 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes and fed 5,000...He can see any bill paid, any mouth fed. 

He took one man's faltering faith and made him the father of many nations. 

Here I am Adonai-Lord, use me up, make me your righteous and faithful servant.

Adonai

One single drop of rain

Your salty tear became blue ocean

One tiny grain of sand turning in your hand

A world in motion

You're out beyond the furthest Morning Star

Close enough to hold me in Your arms

Adonai, I lift up my heart and I cry

My Adonai

You are the Maker of each moment

Father of my hope and freedom

Oh, my Adonai

One timid faithful knock

Resounds upon the Rock of Ages

One trembling heart and soul

Becomes a servant bold and courageous

You call across the mountains and the seas

I answer from the deepest part of me

Adonai, I lift up my heart and I cry

My Adonai

You are the Maker of each moment

Father of my hope and freedom

Oh, my Adonai

From age to age you reign in Majesty

And today You're making miracles in me

Adonai, I lift up my heart and I cry

My Adonai

You are the Maker of each moment

Father of my hope and freedom

Oh, my Adonai

5 Crowns of the Christian Life: The Crown of Glory

The Crown of Glory

1 Peter 5:1-4
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 
3 Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

The Pastor’s crown; it is given to the ministers who faithfully feed the flock of God and possibly includes all those who teach the Word of God in their respective ministries.

One of the greatest blessings about having children, is watching them learn about the Lord and His love for them. Seeing the smiles on their faces as they boldly and proudly proclaim that Jesus lives in their heart is one of the most joyous moments in a parent's life. To a child who is pure and innocent, there's no need to wonder about why they can't see Jesus because they can feel Him, they trust in Him, and they love Him. My boys are only 2.5 and 4 years old, and even though they don't quite understand what Salvation is, they are preparing their hearts for Him to move right in. But there was a time when I feared my boys would never know the truth of Jesus. 

One of the hardest things for me after Kieran was born was the worrying I did about how to teach Him about the Lord. Brandon and I were at odds over the ins and outs of religious doctrine and faith. For years there was painful tension anytime the Bible was brought up. So even though I went with him to "Bible study" with his family, I ignored what was being taught and I studied on my own. I hated getting into debates with him about doctrine and theory. We would just argue in circles, neither of us giving in. And we would finally just call it quits with "as long as you believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins that's all that matters."  I never doubted Brandon's Salvation, just his upbringing. 

So for the whole first year of Kieran's life I worried. And I did my best to keep us out of "Bible study." I believe the Lord had a hand in Kieran's naptime being precisely when study began, and me being a vehement believer in never waking a sleeping baby. But I had no idea what the solution to the problem was. I was terrified that taking Kieran to church would mean the end of my marriage. So I didn't bring it up. I didn't talk about taking him to church, I didn't sing Jesus Loves Me to him, I didn't pray with him, I didn't teach him from the moment he was born about the Man who gave His life to save his. I failed Kieran. I failed him miserably because I was afraid of the fight it would be to take him to church. 

I will thank the Lord everyday from now until I die, that I never had to have that fight and that my boys never had to face a future without Jesus. Just after Kieran turned a year old, and I was 5 months pregnant with Devlin, God moved in such a mighty way in our lives. Within a week, our life had been completely transformed. Yes, we lost a lot in the transformation, but we gained so much more. My boys may have lost one set of grandparents but they have gained the chance to learn about and accept eternal life, a chance that they likely would not have had. 

It has been 3 years since we have rededicated our lives to the Lord. 3 years of being back in church, growing in the Lord, and living a Christian life. So many things have changed in the last 3 years. Brandon answered his call to preach and is preaching his first revival in less than a week. He is a Sunday school teacher and he sings in the choir. He founded Help The Hurt Ministry and supported me in starting this blog. Now the only argument we have about the Bible is who gets to lead the family devotion at bedtime. 

Not only do our boys now have parents united in a love for Jesus but they also have a whole host of extended church family. They are surrounded by people who love the Lord and who love them, who teach them and minister to them. They are excited to go to church, and not just for the snacks Nanna Sharon brings them in Sunday School. Devlin loves to sing about Calvary and even though Kieran is shy and won't stand up in front of the congregation to say his Bible verse, he is listening and paying attention while the Pastor preaches and he is learning. They have relationships within the church with strong Christian men and women that they never would have had if God had not moved and worked in such an astounding way. They have a relationship with their Nanna and Poppa that I am so thankful for. There is a bond and a love there that grows each and every day. They will never lack for love.

So I may be wrong but I do believe that Crown of Glory is not only given to the God called preachers who have faithfully served as Pastors but also to the “elders” in Christian life. The deacons, the Sunday School teachers, the Song leaders, missionaries, evangelists, young preachers who are doing a service each and every day for the Lord, the men and women that my boys look up to, learn from and love. I also believe this crown is for those Mommas and Daddys who may not hold a position in their church but who teach their children and nurture and raise them in the admonition of the Lord, who make the chaotic and stressful trip to church with infants and toddlers and sullen teenagers because it matters, because even at 3 months, 3 years, or 13 years they need Jesus to permeate their lives. For the grandparents who pray unceasingly for the lost and backslid in their families, who love the unlovable, and who teach simply by living for Jesus. For the older generation in the churches who are teaching the younger generations what hard work means, what faithful and long lasting marriages mean, what living a testimony for Christ means. 

Each and every one of us have a ministry in our lives and it is up to us to faithfully and intentionally live out Christ’s love for us for the world to see Him in us. As C.S. Lewis says, we must shine, not so that others can see us, but so that others can see Him in us.

  

5 Crowns of the Christian Life: The Incorruptible Crown

1 Corinthians 9:24-25

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 

This crown is given to believers who faithfully run the race, who crucify every selfish desire in the flesh and point men to Jesus.

Our lives are the race. Each and every day spent barreling towards the finish line, knowing that at the end is Jesus. But how we run the race is just as important as crossing the finish line.

I have struggled with writing this blog for nearly a month. I wanted to begin the new series with the New Year. And I can't quite put my finger on the reason, be it discouragement, priorities out of order, or because my boys were sick for a very long 10 days. I just haven't been able to sit down and put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. I desire your prayers very much. I have been doing my best to balance my school work with our ministry, with being a Momma and wife, with being a faithful church member and a devoted daughter and granddaughter, my Momma and I directed our church Christmas play, I've recently begun leading monthly Women's Meetings for my church, and I've taken on the Easter Cantata, not to mention the baby quilt that I am trying to help embroider for my very first great-nephew. 

I have been trying my very best to run my race the best way that I know how and it has suddenly dawned on me that my best is simply not good enough. I can never do all of this on my own. There are just too many obstacles on this race track that is my life. By doing it all on my own, I've corrupted my crown. 

You see, He never meant for me to do it alone or to try to do it all. He wants my devotion, my faithfulness, my very best, but He wants me to let Him carry me when the terrain is too steep or too rough. 

There is a selfish desire within us to prove to the world that we don't need anyone's help, that we can accomplish whatever we set our minds on simply by willpower, that we are self-made men and women. It is a selfish desire to want the world to look at us and only see our accomplishments, only see the trophies we've won in the many races we've run. It is a selfish desire to do a service for our Lord just to see our name in lights, just to get the glory and recognition for ourselves. We think that the service in itself is enough for God, that our doing good works for Him is all He needs. What we fail to realize is that it's not our service or our works at all that God desires, but our desire to do the work for Him with the glory and honor going all to Him. We should have a servant's heart because it pleases Him, because in a servant's heart others are pointed to Christ, because in a race run by Christians desiring to see God glorified there are no losers, only receivers of Incorruptible Crowns. 

So as we run the race of life, we must be faithful and trusting that our Lord and Savior will be there to lift us over the hurdles, to carry us when we become weak, to catch us when we fall. He is there, the beaming Father in the stands, cheering us on, encouraging us through His Word, the Holy Ghost coaching us, molding us, and He is there with open arms when we reach the finish line, holding in His nail scarred hands this Incorruptible Crown that we've run so hard to receive. 

 These last few weeks, I've neglected my heart, I've neglected my race. But although I may feel like I've sidelined myself, I'm not stuck on the bench. I feel Him in my heart and I know I've got a race to finish, a crown to receive, a Savior to glorify and honor. 

I'm dusting off my running shoes 

~~~***~~~

The neglected heart will soon be a heart overrun with worldly thoughts; the neglected life will soon become moral chaos. -A.W. Tozer

5 Crowns of the Christian Life: Sneak Peek

The Incorruptible Crown

1 Corinthians 9:24-25

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 

This crown is given to believers who faithfully run the race, who crucify every selfish desire in the flesh and point men to Jesus.

We run the race to win. But why do we want to win? Is it to glorify God or ourselves? Do we want to win so that others can see us and our accomplishments or do we want them to look through us and see Jesus? Our lives are the race. My own teaching Sunday School and writing the blog…am I faithfully doing these things for the right reasons, the incorruptible reasons or corruptible? If I didn’t want to be recognized why would I put my name to the blogs? And I think that it is ok to be recognized for the work we do for the Lord, as long as we remember it is Him we do it for, it is Him that we owe our blessings and our very lives to. If what we are doing isn’t bringing glory and honor to him then we are running the race for incorruptible crowns…

The Crown of Rejoicing

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

19 For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 

20 For ye are our glory and joy. 

This crown is given to those who faithfully and joyfully are witnesses to the saving grace of God and whose lives point men to Jesus.

Have you ever heard of someone leading another to Christ by being ill and hateful, grumpy, whiny, crying and carrying on about how miserable they are? Me either. We know good and well that Christian life is not always a walk in the park. We know it and we expect it. But we rejoice at what is coming, not at what we’re living in presently. Don’t sit and stew about what happened in the past. Don’t sit and worry about what is going to happen tomorrow. Live in the here and now with Jesus and rejoice that He has saved your soul! We don’t know what the future holds, nor what the purpose of our past is until the Lord uses our story to bring glory and honor to His name. Be joyful in your life, you don’t know who is watching or what testimony you are leaving behind.

The Crown of Life

James 1:12

12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 

Revelation 2:8-11

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 

9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and [I know] the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but [are] the synagogue of Satan. 

10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 

11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 

This crown is for those believers who endure trials, tribulations, and severe suffering, even unto death.

Our only purpose in this life is to point others towards Him, in every thing we do, in every season of life we are in, no matter what that may be. Did I ever believe that losing my children would somehow bring gory and honor to my Savior? No I didn’t. I never thought for a second while I was in the midst of my first miscarriage, or when I was burying my son, or when I looked at that ultrasound screen nearly a year ago expecting to see the flutter of a healthy heartbeat and instead saw black emptiness, that I would ever use my life, my loss, to tell others about Christ. But here I am and I have learned that earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. And I can only hope and pray that I am doing good in the lives of others, that I am following His will and purpose, that somehow, somewhere in the lines of my blogs that I am pointing others to Jesus. Because if I am not it will be me, that has caused my loss to be for naught, to be in vain. Not Him.

The Crown of Righteousness

2 Timothy 4:8

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 

This crown is for those who look for the appearing of Christ, who anxiously await and look forward to the day when He will return for His saints. It is given to those who have lived a good and righteous life for God while here on this earth.

Advent is the preparation of our hearts for Christ’s coming. It is generally celebrated in the four weeks leading up to Christmas but truly Advent should be celebrated year round. We should continually be preparing our hearts for Him, looking for His coming, and love knowing that just any minute He could appear. We should be like kids waiting for Christmas morning.

The Crown of Glory

1 Peter 5:1-4

1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 

3 Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 

4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

The Pastor’s crown; it is given to the ministers who faithfully feed the flock of God and possibly includes all those who teach the Word of God in their respective ministries.

I may be wrong but I do believe that this crown is not only given to the God called preachers who have faithfully served as Pastors but also to the “elders” in Christian life. The deacons, the Sunday School teachers, the Song leaders, missionaries, evangelists, young preachers. I also believe this crown is for those Mommas and Daddys who may not hold a position in their church but who teach their children and nurture and raise them in the admonition of the Lord, for the grandparents who pray unceasingly for the lost in their families, for the older generation in the churches who are teaching the younger generations. Each and every one of us have a ministry in our lives and it is up to up to faithfully and intentionally live out Christ’s love for us for the world to see Him in us. We want them to want what we’ve got! And we want them to get it!

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Persecuted

Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Brandon and I have always planned on homeschooling our boys. But they're only 2 and 3 years old and I haven't begun to stress about what that really means for my sanity yet. So when I write about our homeschooling experience in 2 to 3 more years I may be singing a different tune. Lord willin' and a whole lot of prayer I believe, will make it an amazing journey though. For now, our oldest is in a pre-school program that meets twice a week, for a total of 3 hours. He is getting used to the idea of school and how to sit still and pay attention, as well as learning and making friends. His teacher is a family friend and there are only 8 other 3 and 4 year olds in his class. Next year, our youngest will join him. We feel like this is a safe environment and have been so happy with his experience thus far.

One of the biggest reasons we had decided not to send them to public school was the fear of what they would be exposed to and how they would be treated. Some may consider sheltering their children a bad thing, they may believe that learning from the school of hard knocks is just a way of life. But we disagree. Sheltering our boys is our job as parents. Teaching them about Christ is our number 1 priority and if it doesn't line up with the Word of God, then they don't need to see it, hear it, read it, say it, or know it. I want my boys to be so saturated in Jesus Christ that when a mosquito bites them, it flies away singing "There's power in the blood!" 

I realize that this is an unpopular opinion, that there are those that believe homeschooling is archaic, that my boys will have the social skills of cavemen and be uneducated rednecks. And I hate to tell them that I have 2 of the most rough and tumble, wild and rowdy boys around and I don't really expect them to walk upright or do more than grunt until the Holy Ghost gets ahold of them. I'm kidding of course. Well, kind of. But if this were true and my choices were to have knuckle dragging, club wielding, one grunt for "no", two grunts for "yes" sons and sons that had been exposed to foul language, sex, violence, false doctrine, immorality, and bullying all by the time they finished kindergarten, can you guess which sons I'd choose? 

The fact of the matter is that the world is and always has been hostile to Christians. We are cautioned and reminded that we are not of the world, only in the world. I want my boys to be rooted and grounded in their faith before I send them out on their own into a world that hates them simply because they serve Christ as Master and Savior. 

To be truthful and 100% honest, it is our fear of persecution that has lead us to a homeschooling decision. To persecute only means to pursue with harassing or oppressive treatment, especially because of religion, race, or beliefs; harass persistently, to annoy or trouble persistently. We have probably all faced that at one time or another in our spiritual lives, either by Satan or people we know at work, at school, or perhaps like Brandon and I, by relatives. And of course where you were in your relationship with the Father at the time of your persecution, greatly influenced the outcome. And it is this that we worry about as parents. Our boys have not accepted Christ as their Savior yet. They are under the age of accountability and thus innocent. It is now, while their innocence remains that we fill their lives with Jesus, so that when the Holy Ghost does beckon them, they will want to accept Him. Because if faced with spiritual persecution by their peers or adults in positions of authority before they have accepted Christ into their hearts, the damage could be spiritually fatal.

The persecution I have faced as a Christian is trivial compared to what the apostles suffered, those who were martyred for their beliefs in Christ, and what Christ Himself suffered for you and I. But I could be self-righteous and boastful and tell you that I could withstand being tortured, beaten, burned alive, beheaded or crucified for Christ's sake. I could. But I'd be lying. I can truthfully say though, that I want with all that I am to be able to if ever faced with that situation. I want to be able to withstand, having done ALL to stand for my Savior. And I know that to do that I must continue to grow spiritually. I must read and study and worship and praise my God continually in preparation of a day such as that. 

And I must prepare my boys. And I must let nothing stand in the way of that. God has blessed our family with the ability for me to be a stay at home Momma and I believe I need to take advantage of that and use my time to instill godly principles in my children. I know well that not every family is in the same set of circumstances that we are. This post is not meant to belittle any family that sends their children to public schools. But it is meant to say that we must prepare our children for the persecution they will face in the world for their beliefs. We have to teach our children what it means to be unashamed of our Savior. We have to teach them with our words and with our actions. One without the other is not enough because in a world such as we live in, persecution is inevitable. 

2 Timothy 3:12 
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

I pray to God that it never happens, but were it to, I want my boys to stand mightily as Stephen did. 

Acts 7:55-56
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

He kept his eyes on God and His Son and he met them in Their Kingdom.

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Pure In Heart

Matthew 5:8 KJV

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

I have had the blessing of knowing many special people in my life including my family. People who are utterly selfless and full of love. People who have celebrated the momentous occasions in my life with me.  People who prayed for me, held me, and cried with me as I lost each of my 3 babies.  People who love my sons abundantly and have become their family. But perhaps the most special people in my life are those who serve others out of love, people who are truly pure in heart. 

I don't think I have ever been more thankful for these wonderful people in my life than I am at this very moment. 

You see, I just read an article  about a mother, and I use that word loosely, who has spent the last 47 years caring for her son who has Down Syndrome. 47 years that she has spent every single day of wishing she had aborted him. She claims she has spent those 47 years loving and caring for him and yet openly admits of 2 other instances, aside from abortion, when she either nearly did, or wished she had, ended his life.

She claims that her son, Stephen, has completely reeked havoc, devastation, and unhappiness on her life. That had he been aborted, she'd have gone on to have another child to complete her perfect family. That although, Stephen has brought many magical moments to her life, she'd trade every single one for a son without Down Syndrome. 

How a Momma could ever utter those chilling and heart shattering words I absolutely do not understand. I would trade my very own life, just to have my Lachlan back for a single day. Just to see him open his eyes and look at me. Just to see him smile at me. Just to hear him laugh and call me Momma. I would trade it all just to see him play with his brothers, to hug them, to kiss them, to know their love as I do. But praise God I know I don't have to! I know that one day my Savior will call us home and there my babies will be, together at last. In heaven Lachlan can see every beautiful shade of the scarlet blood my Savior shed for me. In heaven Lachlan can hear the heavenly host proclaiming "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY." In heaven Lachlan can touch the nail scarred hands that saved my soul. In heaven Lachlan can whisper "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, the sweetest name I know." 

I know with every fiber of my being that although the chances are very high that if Lachlan had lived to be born here on earth where he'd have been deaf, blind, mute, and mentally handicapped, that I would have loved him anyway. I would have given every ounce of strength I had to care for him, to protect him.

And unlike this woman who wishes her son had never been born, I would have made sure that he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was thankful for him, that I cherished him, that I adored him.

She claims that only a parent who has known her struggle could understand. She even pleads with women who know they are carrying a baby with Down Syndrome to abort. 

And I say this, you haven't known the extraordinary people that I have.  The people who do it every day. The people who willingly welcome unwanted children like Stephen into their families to give them round the clock care and love. The people who sit up days and nights upon end to take care of dying parents out of love. The people who, having raised their own children, adopt their grandchildren, to give them a safe, loving and Godly home. People who struggle as single parents, sacrificing for their children. People who take on the role of step-parent and love their spouse's children as their own. People who take time out of their hectic lives to visit with their grandparents just to make them smile. People who drop everything at a moment's notice, bake a casserole and rush to a friend's side in a time of need. People who will simply sit and hold you as your world falls to pieces. People who above all, love the Lord and love you because you're one of His.

The people who are pure in heart and will surely see God. 

The Gospel

Psalms 3:3 KJV 
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalms 62:5 KJV
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Today I viewed the funeral of a 17 year old young man, taken tragically and unexpectedly from his family. I witnessed the sheer amount of love for him and the staggering volume of lives that his had impacted. As his Pastor said, Eleck lived much in such a short amount of time. He lived much for his Savior and his passion and his testimony have brought a community together like only the shared love of Jesus Christ can do.

As I sat with my boys and watched the service, holding them tight and thanking God for another day with them, the Pastor quoted Eleck and said "The Gospel is not about what is being done, it's about what's already been done." The weight of those words hit me and new tears sprang forth. The Gospel is about what my Lord and Savior did for me on Calvary. I'm not awaiting trial with no defense, I'm not awaiting a midnight death row pardon, I'm not sitting in purgatory waiting to be prayed out and into heaven. It is finished. I have been forgiven. He willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice to pay my sin debt long before I even existed because He already loved me. He didn't have to wait until I was born, until I was already filthy with sin, He didn't have to wait until I made the choice to love and accept Him as my Savior. He had already made the choice and signed my pardon.

The Gospel isn't about anything I'm doing or you're doing. It's about what He did and has promised to do. He has promised to return to us with a shout, to meet us in the air. He has prepared for us a place and He is coming again to take us there. And until then our souls wait only upon Him.  We live in the expectation of His promises and His sacrifice, we live by our faith, we spread His Gospel, and we thank Him for His glory.

O Lord, thank you. Thank you for being my shield and my protector from all harm's way, thank you for your sheltering arms. Thank you for being my glory, my light, my purpose. Thank you for lifting my head when it hurts to even get out of bed. Thank you for lifting my head to cast my eyes upon your majestic face. Thank you for lifting my head so that I can see your love and your sacrifice. Thank you.
In Jesus Sweet Name I Do Pray,
Love You Jesus,
Amen

Living By Faith

I care not today what the morrow may bring,

If shadow or sunshine or rain,

The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything,

And all of my worries are vain.

Though tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise,

Obscuring the brightness of life,

I’m never alarmed at the overcast skies—

The Master looks on at the strife.

Living by faith in Jesus above,

Trusting, confiding in His great love;

From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,

I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.

I know that He safely will carry me through,

No matter what evils betide;

Why should I then care though the tempest may blow,

If Jesus walks close to my side.

Our Lord will return for His loved ones some day,

Our troubles will then all be o’er;

The Master so gently will lead us away,

Beyond that blest heavenly shore.

Living by faith in Jesus above,

Trusting, confiding in His great love;

From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,

I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Meek

Matthew 5:5 KJV

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Titus 3:2-7 KJV

2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

James 1:26-27, 2:1-13 KJV

26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Our Ministry is called Help the Hurt Ministry because that is exactly what we strive to do. We want to help those who are hurting, whether they are lost or saved, old time saints or backslid Christians, rich or poor. Because whether or not you find yourself on a bar stool or church pew, one fact is true: you are a sinner in need of a Savior. 

In the past week and a half, this fact has become glaringly obvious in my life. It is a fact that Brandon and I cannot seem to get away from. This obvious truth, that no matter our circumstances, we are all the same: wretched and vile sinners. Christ came to save each one of us. Not just those who are debt free and wealthy, not just those in designer clothes and expensive cars, not just those with mansions and perfectly manicured lawns , not just the beautiful, talented, and famous. He came to save me and everyone like me who is up to their eyeballs in bills and living paycheck to paycheck, wearing hand-me-downs and driving upside down gas-guzzlers, living in itty, bitty fixer-uppers with ain't-had-time-in-two-weeks-to-mow lawns, sleep deprived, can't sing a note, unheard of selves. For God so loved the WORLD. The world y'all! He didn't just pick the cream of the crop to give eternal life to, He picked us all and we only have to believe in Him. 

And if our Creator, our Father, our Lord and Savior, didn't just pick those He deemed worthy, because let's face it, none of us would have made that list, then we ought not to either. We don't get to pick and choose who to love and who not to love, who to share the Gospel with and who not to, who we deem fit to darken the doorways of our churches and who ought to go back to where they came from. We all have sin in our lives, each and every one of us. None of us are perfect and none of us can claim to be. There are people all over this world, dying and going to hell because Christians will not take the time to witness to them, to share Christ's love with them because of the clothes they're wearing, the color of their hair, the piercings or tattoos on their bodies. Somehow, we Christians have become Pharisees and we are driving away the lost and the hurting in hoards. 

Please note that I am not talking about the "wolves in sheep's clothing" that we have all encountered at some point within our churches, I am talking about the lost and dying, the Christians who are backslid and walking afar off, who are in need of our love, our help and our Savior. I am not so naive to think that everyone who sits on our church pews are there for help or to praise and worship our Lord. I know that there are dangers, that there are those who would come in to flaunt their sin and to mock us but I believe the Lord gives us the discernment and the knowledge to deal with these situations as they arise. 

The scripture says it all, says more than I ever could. Blessed are the meek, the kind, the humble, the loving, the giving, to all men, for they shall inherit the earth. Pure religion and undefiled is this, to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. We must go to them, where they are, when they are hurting and cannot come to us. We've got to roll our sleeves up and get a little dirty once in a while. Sitting on a church pew service after service, never doing anything for God, never telling of His love and the blessings He has bestowed on you, causes a dangerous self-deception. When we do that we forget what we came from, we forget what God delivered us from, we forget that we are just as dirty and rotten as those we catch ourselves passing judgement on. We lose our meekness, our humbleness, our kindness, and our love for our brethren and for the world. We forget that we can be in the world, witnessing and sharing our Savior's love and still remain unspotted and not of the world if our faith and our hearts are where they should be. 

If we tear down the proud wall of judgement we've built around our hearts and we remember that in the end, none of us are worthy to be called His, that we've all been offered mercy and grace by the Master and King of Kings, then perhaps it won't be so hard to extend that same mercy and grace to those around us. 

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth...

Revelation 21:1-8 KJV

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Fruits of the Spirit: Temperance

Galatians 5:16-25 KJV

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Temperance Is:

The growing realization that one's desire to please self was crucified with Christ, and replaced with a desire to glorify God (Galatians 2:20).

To avoid spoiling watch for pride.

I did not want to get up and go to church this morning. I worked on homework last night until after midnight. My boys were up at 3:16 this morning, climbing into our queen sized bed, asking for water, squirming around, and finally falling back asleep. I was tired and weary this morning at 7:30 when Kieran had an accident in the bed. Water in the middle of the night is not a good idea. I was not looking forward to a service wrangling my overtired boys in the pew, trying to keep them quiet, trying not to be an utter distraction. I wanted nothing more than to climb back into bed and sleep until noon.

But I didn't. 

The Lord has been working on my heart in the last 6 months since we have started our Ministry and blog. I am closer to Him now than I have ever been. Had it been left up to me and my selfish, prideful desires, I would've made some excuse not to go. But I knew that my presence in the house of the Lord was important to Him. I knew that by being there, by being faithful to Him, by setting an example for my boys, that I was glorifying and honoring my Savior. And so I pressed on this morning. We got dressed and ready and made it to church on time. And the blessing we got in return today for simply going to church to worship Him was amazing. 

Today I witnessed what the power of God can do. I saw a man stand behind the pulpit and pour out his heart and soul to a congregation for his Savior. I saw him speak with power, authority, and reverence for God, from God. I saw a man weep with conviction and joy. I saw a man preach with love for a lost and dying generation and for saints in glory. 

I sat in awe of the power of God and I wept with thankfulness. You see this man I saw and heard today was my husband. A man I have loved with all of my heart for nearly ten years. A man I didn't think it possible to love any more than I already did. And yet, as I sat there and watched him give glory and honor to our Savior, I felt myself falling more in love with him and the new man he is becoming. 

Romans 6:6-10 KJV

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Crucified with the old man is our desire to please ourselves. 3 years ago, church was the last place you'd have found either of us. 3 years ago Brandon was more likely to have had a hangover than an overdose of Jesus. 3 years ago we were on the brink of divorce. Oh but what victory there is in Jesus! He has so transformed our lives they are nearly unrecognizable. He has given us love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and now temperance. He has built upon the love we had for each other and for Him, as deeply buried and as hard to find as it was sometimes, and he has multiplied in exponentially. He is continually changing our hearts, shaping and molding us in the servants He'd have us be. And I absolutely cannot thank Him enough. 

Galatians 2:20 KJV

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Heeding to the will of God, knowing that I put my selfish desires and my pride away this morning and practiced temperance, means that I am learning not only to live in the Spirit but to walk in the Spirit as well. It means that I am living by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, for you. It means that I had victory over my flesh, over sin, and over Satan. Victory in Jesus.

Victory in Jesus

I heard an old, old story,

How a Savior came from glory,

How He gave His life on Calvary

To save a wretch like me;

I heard about His groaning,

Of His precious blood's atoning,

Then I repented of my sins

And won the victory.

O victory in Jesus,

My Savior, forever.

He sought me and bought me

With His redeeming blood;

He loved me ere I knew Him

And all my love is due Him,

He plunged me to victory,

Beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about His healing,

Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.

How He made the lame to walk again

And caused the blind to see;

And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,

Come and heal my broken spirit,"

And somehow Jesus came and bro't

To me the victory.

O victory in Jesus,

My Savior, forever.

He sought me and bought me

With His redeeming blood;

He loved me ere I knew Him

And all my love is due Him,

He plunged me to victory,

Beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about a mansion

He has built for me in glory.

And I heard about the streets of gold

Beyond the crystal sea;

About the angels singing,

And the old redemption story,

And some sweet day I'll sing up there

The song of victory.

O victory in Jesus,

My Savior, forever.

He sought me and bought me

With His redeeming blood;

He loved me ere I knew Him

And all my love is due Him,

He plunged me to victory,

Beneath the cleansing flood.