Speak, Lord...

This song,

Speak, Lord In the Stillness

really touched my heart today

as I pondered life.

We rush about and hurry so in this generation.

Always something to do,

places to do,

people to see.

In the past few years, the Lord has provided me

with the opportunity to pull out of that 

hustle and bustle of life somewhat,

and to have much time to spend

at His feet while I serve Him in my home.

It is a blessing, to be sure,

to take the time to listen in the stillness

as God speaks.

I found answers to many questions...

"Lord, what about this situation, 

where falsehood is being proclaimed

in the very churches?!"

In the stillness, I found the answer...

sometimes when I wasn't even looking

for it, like this morning:

2 Tim. 2: 23-26

"Lord, how can I minister to my

friend entering the adult world

who is facing alot of fears?"

In the stillness, He speaks:

Mt. 28:19

"go...make disciples,

and teach her to observe all things

that I have commanded..."

Certainly Jesus often spoke of

not living in fear, but in following

and loving Him.

He promised to never leave us or forsake us.

"Lord, what about those who try to add 

to your Word and do not embrace the

simplicity that in Christ?"

In the stillness, He speaks:

2 Tim 3...

"It is the last days.

Many will fall away from the truth...

Women who are out of their place

will be swayed by imposters

who help them to rebel and believe

the false lies of satan...

Keep those things which you

have been taught...

Endure persecution,

and remember that

ALL Scripture has been

inspired by Me,

and is profitable

for anything you need 

in your life..."

"Lord, what about the abuse and neglect

and the hole in my heart

from those who were supposed to love 

and protect me?"

In the stillness He speaks...

"Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

"I will be your Father..."

"I set the solitary in families."

"Go love some lonely person today,

and I will make sure you have all

that you need."

"Lay down your own life,

and I will give you abundant Life in

Jesus Christ, my Son."

"What about all those horrible lies

that people believe about so

many things that are not so?"

In the stillness, I hear Him speak...

"Love them. Care about them.

Tell them the truth.

Release them to me to change them.

Do not be combative.

Be gentle.

Be courteous.

Love as a 'sister'.

Let me take care of things 

that are Mine to fix."

And my heart says

Amen,

Lord.

Doesn't mean there are no tears.

Or heartaches.

Or even times of being a fool

for the cause of Christ.

But one thing I have learned to love

is the stillness.

I don't have anything to prove.

The truth already stands

without needing me

to fight loudly for it.

I find in the stillness

the grace to never despise

any person or people group,

no matter how foolish or

hard-to-reach they may be.

I once was that person.

I once was lost,

but now am found.

Was blind, but now I see.

There is no room in the stillness

to harbor envy, pride, or 

selfish ambition.

All dreams die in the stillness

as I yield under the steady 

but loving gaze of a

Father who has my life planned

better than I ever could plan it.

In that place of safety,

under the shadow of the Almighty,

I find the deepest security and the

height of joy.

He is God and yet He chose me

to be His daughter.

I am a princess of the Most High King.

Who would have ever dreamed 

of such beauty and joy?!

Yes, the stillness is a place that

few find,

but it is such a wonderful

place to know.

Won't you join me in that knowing?
Perhaps you already know that

steady enjoyment of the stillness.

That is wonderful!

May we choose to shut out the

cares of life perplexing

each day and sit at Jesus' feet

in the stillness

and worship and learn of Him.

Let us, then be up and doing

His bidding, whatever He

speaks to us in the stillness.

The Pure Word...

A Useful Vessel...

I read some fascinating Scripture the other morning:

 

"But in a great house there are

not only vessels of gold and silver,

but also (utensils) of wood and

earthenware,

and some for

honorable and noble use.

 

So whoever cleanses himself

from what is ignoble and unclean,

who separates himself from

contact with

contaminating and corrupting

influences

will then himself

be a vessel

set apart and useful

for honorable and noble

purposes,

consecrated

and

profitable

to the Master,

fit and ready for any

good work."

 

2 Tim. 2:20, 21

 

And so I pondered...

 

In 1 Cor. 12:31

we are told to

"earnestly desire and

zealously cultivate

the greatest and best gifts

and graces

(the higher gifts and choicest graces)..."

 

God has a purpose for us each to fulfill.

He has an excellent way of love

(1 Cor. 13, the love chapter that follows

the 'gifts' chapter) for each of us

to follow.

 

He provided the Way for each of us

to walk in brokenness and surrender

so that we can be useful vessels.

 

But there is a process to getting

to that place of consistent usefulness.

There is a training ground we all

must take to get to the responsibilities

of maturity.

 

It is ok to be in that training ground.

That is highly necessary.

But I am earnestly encouraging

each of us to do what 2 Tim. 2 says

in cleansing ourselves of hindrances

and in separating ourselves from

what would contaminate and corrupt us

and cause us to stay stunted and in

a consistently immature place.

 

 

 

I looked back over my life since I

have been in the King's training

program for service.

And I saw places where He called me

to separate.

Friendships that were potentially corrupting.

Family ties that were hindering me from

going on with the Lord and in being the wife

and mother I was called to be in Him.

 

They were hard things.

Heart wrenching things.

 

There were the contaminating things

that I had to let go of...

books that were from Christian bookstores

that contained more psychobabble than

Scriptural counsel

that had to have their place of

honor in the bonfire...

movies that once I watched

that were not worthy to have

their place in a child of God's possession.

 

There were life styles I had to say no to.

The commonly accepted sins of the church

in work and eating practices

that smack of idolatry.

 

There were speech impediments I

have had say no to and train in

a better way...

gossip that isn't called

gossip by many Christians...

slanderous conversations

about people who wronged

me in the past...

 

I am a work in progress,

and still have leaky places in my

vessel that the Potter needs to

mend...

 

I tremble to think that HE would

even consider me and give me

work to do in His Vineyard,

but I humbly

and reverently

place myself at His Cross

and willingly accept all the

tasks His wisdom assigns me.

 

It has been my experience

that as I lay aside what

hinders me from becoming

useful in God's Kingdom,

the eyes of my understanding

increase in their enlightenment,

my life becomes freer

(no, the sorrows do not go away; this

world is not a friend to grace! But

I am free in HIM!),

and there is a peace and joy

in my heart that no one can

take away from me.

 

And as I labor in the Vineyard,

and see the fields that are

white unto harvest,

my heart cry goes out with

Jesus' cry when HE said

"Truly the harvest is great but

the laborers are few.

Pray the Lord of the harvest

that He may send for

reapers."

 

My encouragement for myself

and all of us is that we

will do as 2 Tim 2: 21 says

and prepare ourselves

to be vessels that are

profitable and useful.

 

I had to think of Hebrews 12:1

 

"...let us lay aside every weight

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us.

Looking unto JESUS,

the author and finisher

of our faith..."

 

In Him, we live and move and have our being.

Let us grow in maturity and become

useful vessels that can do much work

for Him in His Kingdom.

 

Love and blessings,

Marcia

Down Memory Lane...

The other day, my daughter moved a desk and found a card behind it that her older sister had made for me when she was 6 years old. My heart was so moved as I was presented this card for the second time, ten years after its original presentation.

On the front, in childish scrawl, was printed John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world

that He gave His only

begotten son,

that whosoever believeth 

in Him

should not perish

but shall have

everlasting life."

Inside the card was printed these words:

"Dear Mama,

What does begotten mean?

Please answer on paper.

I love you,

Angela"

and on the back of the card,

sure enough, there was my

reply,

carefully worded so a 6 year old

could understand.

My heart beats high with joy.

That same daughter, who ten years ago,

and barely able to write her own name,

wanted to KNOW...

and God has been growing her in that

knowing all these years,

dealing tenderly with her

and burning in her heart a

hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Certainly I have no greater joy

than to hear that my children walk

in truth...

What a mighty

 God

 I serve.

My heart has 

often been disturbed

by all the 

'what ifs' that could steal my children

away from being lovers of the Truth.

And I have

 prayed fervently 

that 

they will live 

godly lives

from a 

very young age

and be preachers 

of righteousness

for the Lord.

I am not stopping those prayers now!

The Pure Word...

Doing the Impossible...

Saw this today:

"Christians are not supposed to be doing what is possible. 

We're supposed to be doing what is impossible and outrageous!

 To accomplish our calling, we must put our hand in the hand of God,

 learning to be completely dependent on the Holy Spirit for everything."

Graham Cooke

and my heart leaped with inspiration.

I confess that the flesh sees little possibility of doing impossible things.

I confess that it is HARD work at times because

 faith sometimes needs to increase as the calling increases.

BUT...

"I love by faith to take a view

Of brighter scenes in heaven,

The prospect doth my strength renew,

While here by tempests driven."

Let's put our hands in the hand of God and 

find the power and strength to work til Jesus comes...

at things we likely will not see the fullness of fruit until eternity.

Let's walk by faith and not by sight.

I have been more challenged in the past 3 years

 than ever in all of my life...

I have walked through seemingly impossible, 

hopeless situations,

have wept at the feet of Jesus,

have stumbled on the steep climb of going higher

 in working without needing to see

with human eyes the results that in my flesh 

I think would increase my faith.

I have come to understand more fully 

that it is NOT my work...

but it is His work.

He can do whatever He will 

to accomplish His purposes.

Including leaving me in the dark.

Love and blessings on the beautiful day, friends!

~Marcia

Higher Ground 

The Pure Word...

In Psalms and Hymns...

In Spite of Difficulty...

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. 

 Forgive them anyway.

            If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. 

 Be kind anyway.

            If you are successful, you will win some

 unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  

Succeed anyway.

           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. 

 Be honest and sincere anyway.

            What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. 

 Create anyway.

            If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. 

 Be happy anyway.

            The good you do today, will often be forgotten. 

 Do good anyway.

         Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  

Give your best anyway.

         In the final analysis, it is between you and God. 

 It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa

To this, I only add:

IN JESUS ONLY

can this be done.

But it is the way of the Master.

Thanksgiving on Thursday...

God speaks anywhere, anytime, any place...

I heard Him speak at my Uncle John's funeral yesterday. 

Let me just say that I have never been to a funeral before

 that had such a note of victory in it and where the 

deceased person's testimony rang 

so clear in his passion for Jesus Christ.

 I was moved to tears many times, and once again, 

my heart beats strong with the knowledge that 

I have been blessed to call this man my uncle.

I have earnestly been praying about some personal needs I am dealing with...

in particular has been all the kingdom work to be done, 

and all the passivity and lukewarmness around me. 

I feel so helpless and sometimes hindered in doing 

what it is that burns in my heart to do...

and I grieve over so many messes in this world that affect me directly...

choices people make and have made that affect my family and I. 

But yesterday God spoke to me in the holy hush of that funeral service. 

The pastor who preached the sermon had been asked by my uncle 

to come preach the Gospel at his funeral.

 He spoke of how my uncle often prayed on trips to other parts of the world

 where he was involved in sharing the Gospel and loving orphans,

 that God would help his grown children and his grandchildren 

to love Him and choose wisely in life. 

He lamented to this pastor friend often that there is so much work to do, 

more than his mortal body was capable of. 

And when he got sick, he mourned for the work he left undone 

until he released his will to God's, 

knowing that these mission posts are God's, 

and that his work on earth was finished, 

and would be continued by others.

I heard God speak to my heart to go home, love my husband, 

and pour into my children's lives...

first of all. And to trust that I am exactly where He wants me, 

and doing the things He called me to do. 

I refuse to carry a false burden of responsibility 

for what is not mine to do.

 I heard Him tell me to go home and earnestly pray

 in the quietness of my prayer closet,

 and to let Him work out the details of these things 

I so desperately long to see 'fixed' and reached...

My heart wells in thankfulness today...

not only that I received direct answers for what I have been

 praying  and crying to God for many weeks now...

but also that I heard His voice in the funeral service of a saint who has died.

God is truly an amazing Father.

 I cannot imagine not putting my trust in Him completely.

Yes, I will still mourn for what breaks His heart.

But I will work where He puts me

 and trust Him to bring reapers for other parts of the field

 where I have not been called to be, and where it looks like no one is.

I will continue to give Him praise for reapers I find in other parts

of the field, and pray for them in their work.

Scripture says "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord",

 and calls their death precious to God...

Truly death speaks loudly to the living and while Uncle John 

is blessed to be cancer free in the arms of Jesus, 

I am blessed with encouragement by the testimony of his life.

I was blessed when his son told me that his dad was his best friend

 and that he had taught his children to know and live for Jesus. 

I was greatly encouraged to come home and do the same in my own home.

I was blessed by the songs Aunt Margaret picked for us to sing at the viewing...

songs about Jesus, heaven and God's care for his children. 

One song in particular really struck me. 

It is a song I learned when I was a little girl..and have loved it ever since.

 I believe it speaks loudly of what Uncle John lived for and how he could 

die with such peace and leave behind many youth who call him Papa John.

Uncle John...

you will be missed,

 but I am so glad you are in heaven with Jesus.

The World's Greatest Story
(the song I was talking about
that we sang at the viewing)

When God Says No...

Photo Credit: Sulley Mary Pacheco

PhotGod says no. 

And we in human thinking cannot understand, 

especially if what we long for and pray for is a good and godly thing...

and seems to be the best idea for us and our loved ones.

When God says no, be completely at rest that 

He knows exactly what He is doing. He is never early or late.

When God says no, be completely confident 

that He has YOUR best in mind...for His glory.

When God says no, do not be in despair. 

It doesn't mean He has left you.

 It means He in His infinite wisdom and love is looking out for you.

When God says no, be assured that 

He is grooming you for a later assignment.

When God says no, wait in the stillness, yielded and still.

When God says no, walk the dark hills with the Light of Life, 

Jesus Christ who is our Guide.

When God says no, weep in the midnight watches

 and release your emotions to Him 

who knows you completely and who loves you beyond comprehension!

When God says no,

trust and obey.

Live your life with open-palmed

yieldedness.

When God says no,

look around you

at all the places to serve

where you are.

They are many.

When God says no,

get up, wash your face

anoint your head with the

oil of joy in Him,

and reflect Jesus to

your loved ones.

When God says no,

know Him.

He is the Father who gives

every good and perfect gift.

There is more to the story,

and in due season,

you will know what it is.

So for today,

in the midst of complete brokenness

over a no I have received,

I look up there to what I wrote,

and share that this comes from 

lessons He is teaching me.

Love and blessings,

Marcia

" Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

¹² For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

Is. 55:6-13

Look Up...

Look Up

Our family has a friend who has chosen to 

have his family

stay out of the social media scene ever since

we have known him.

I admire and respect that,

and today, when I saw this video

I thought of this friend.

Some of his reasons for 

staying out of the social media scene

are presented here on this video.

There are many distractions in life

to draw us away from what we

really are called to be and do.

Social media is not the only distraction.

It can be anything.

Sleep.

Books.

Hobbies.

Work.

Love your family and friends today.

Look into their eyes.

Notice them.

Let them know that they matter.

Listen to their words.

Know their  heart.

I was convicted, and freshly inspired

to keep things in their proper order

in my life when I saw this video.

God bless you all.

Go light your world today!

The God of the Bible...(4)

photo courtesy of Heather King

...is the Creator of the world.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

 With these words the Bible announces one of the central themes

 in the first line of the first chapter of the first book.

 This may seem simple and significant, but in reality this is the core of the biblical worldview.

 If God created the world, secular humanism is not even a remote possibility.

 If God created the world, then God created man.

 If God created the world, then our view of truth, knowledge, and other ethics

 must be shaped by this single fact.

 The biblical worldview rises and falls with this simple concept.

Voddie Baucham

"Family Driven Faith"

PS

I hope I have inspired you to read the Word and find a deeper understanding of who God is...

And I hope that I have inspired you to read "The Family Driven Faith".

 It has really encouraged me in my understanding of family life and

 in my vision for raising my children to know God.

The Pure Word...

In Psalms and Hymns...

Receive Correction...

When reproved or admonished, don’t concern yourself much

 with the source of the correction. Don’t worry about whether it is a friend or enemy.

 [That others need to always "earn the right" to be used to admonish us is not taught in the Bible.] 

An enemy is often of greater value to you than a friend because he is not influenced by 

sympathy toward you. 

Keep your heart open to the correction of the Lord and be willing to receive His chastisement regardless of who holds the whip.

 The great saints all learned to taking a licking gracefully. 

That may be why they were great saints. 

- A.W. Tozer

Thanksgsiving on Thursday...

Thank God for the cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1), 

the faithful witnesses who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb.

 I think of many people in my life and history who are/were these witnesses, 

encouraging me to live my life

 purposefully and soberly 

because the days are evil...

Especially this morning I think of 

Uncle John.

I know I wrote of him in recent weeks but he lies heavy on my heart,

as his funeral seems like a near-future event.

With cancer riddling his body and rendering him weaker and sicker,

unless God does a miracle of healing,

he will die soon.

Yesterday as I sewed a dress that most likely

 I will wear to his funeral,

I thought of life and eternity.

I thought of my cousin, Priscilla,

oldest daughter of Uncle John.

We giggled and played together in our childhood...

whispering girlish secrets and talking about our hopes

 for the future days.

Now her life has taken a new turn

as she says goodbye to her father

and looks to a future where her 

children will not have their grandpa 

as they grow up.

Tears well up in my eyes as I ponder.

But I know that our times are in 

God's hands,

and that Uncle John's life

speaks loudly as he nears death.

One day, I look forward to

worshiping Jesus with him in heaven.

And for today, I thank God

that I have known such a fine uncle

as Uncle John.

I found this poem the other day

and was blessed by it:

So Let Me Live

So let me live that everyone *

Can say of me, that thing's he's done

Have been for other's happiness

Be this my aim and nothing less.

So let me live that when each day,

Has lived its span and fled away,

I may to God and Father come

And know I've earned His praise

"Well done".

So let me live that those who see*

The naked, open side of me

May say, "He's even purer when

You see the side not shown to man."

So let me live than when I see

The one's who've sacrificed for me,

I can in truth and honor say,

"I have not thrown your trust away."

So let me live, my whole life long,

That I may ne'er be in the wrong~

But if, perchance, at times, I am,

May I admit it like a man.

So let me live that here and there

I may relieve another's care;

That I may shun publicity

And clothe me in humility

So let me live that though all life

Should seem to seethe with hate and strife,

My  heart may pure and guileless be;

My words come forth straightforwardly.

*I know about poetic license, but it

is of utmost importance that it matters

most what JESUS thinks of us...

altho our fruits will be seen of men.

This poem so beautifully articulates

 the cry that springs up from the 

deepest places of my heart...

I want to be a faithful witness...

like Uncle John has been.