God Is Always There For You!

"In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old."  Isaiah 63:9 NASB

God knows your affliction.  He feels your pain.  The Lord promises to carry you through!  You are either in the middle of pain, coming out of pain, or about to experience pain...pain and affliction are a part of life until we see Jesus face to face! 

Someone Needs HOPE!  Often people turn to the Lord in the middle of a crisis of pain and affliction.  God Cares!  God is always there for you and those that He has strategically placed in your life that are experiencing situations where they need the Hope that comes from Him!

What are some simple ways you can share HOPE?

H - Share examples from your life when you received Hope from the Lord that helped you through your pain or afflictions?  Share Him & the Hope He has given you!  Jeremiah 29:11-13 says it best! "For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (NASB)

O - Share examples from your life when you Opened your life up to the Lord and asked Him to save you!  Share some examples of how He has helped you with your pain or afflictions?  Share Your Testimony With Others!  John 3:16 says it best! “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (NASB)

P - Share examples from your life about how the Lord has answered your Prayers & Pray for those that are experiencing pain or afflictions!  Romans 10:9-10, 13 says it best!  "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed....for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NASB)

E - Share examples from your life that will Encourage someone that is experiencing pain or afflictions with the encouragement God has given you?  Share God's Promises with those that are hurting!  Here are several promises from God's Word that say it best!; Isaiah 35:3 "Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble." - Romans 15:5 "Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus" - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:14 "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone." & 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20cor%201:3-7&version=NASB (NASB)

Also, when we share songs that are full of Hope, God often uses His Praise & Worship to minister to those that are experiencing pain or afflictions!  He inhabits the Praise of His People = God Is Always There For You!! 

Here is an example of one of those songs of encouragement that is based on the Poem "Footprints in the Sand" & goes so beautifully with Isaiah 63:9 NASB  "In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBLkbBEfjcc  (Footprints in the Sand - Leona Lewis)

God Is Faithful!

"...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has set us free..." Revelation 1:5 HCSB

Jesus is the greatest most faithful witness that we could ever model our lives after! As a follower of Jesus, He promises to teach and equip us as His disciple ( Background of Disciple The term “disciple” comes to us in English from a Latin root. Its basic meaning is “learner” or “pupil.” taken from Holman Dictionary from LifeWay's Online Bible Library @ http://www.bible.lifeway.com/)

Mt 4:19-20 The First Disciples “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people! Immediately they left their nets and followed Him." HCSB

How many times have you heard this statement: "If you and I were on trial for being a Christian, a follower of Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict us?" Let's make a list of the evidence that is in our lives and the evidence that you would like for there to be in your life to be a faithful witness as we remember what God promises in Philippians 1:6 "I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." HCSB

I often think about witnessing as if I am on trial because as a first-generation Christian I have had so many "trials" in this old world!! Witnesses in courtrooms are sworn to tell the truth. No speculation. No opinions. No hearsay. What "evidence" would people who know us give to support our claim that we are true and faithful reflections of Jesus? Jesus, who is called "the faithful witness" paid the ultimate price on trial for you and me...what more can we do than to testify and share with others the ways that He has ultimately, radically, and miraculously changed our lives from unfaithful to faithful until He returns...let's take as many others with us as we fill the courtroom of our lives and TESTIFY for HIM!! May all who come behind us find us faithful to "The Faithful One"! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s392HyzQ79M

God Knows Exactly What We All Need 4 Summer!!

"For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 HCSB


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8i460c3ejw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8i460c3ejw&feature=related (Just Give Me Jesus! Ann Graham Lotz & Fernado Ortega)

Ways To Support Our Troops For The Summer

"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer." 2 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

Summer is here and we are all making summer plans that may include some new adventures and some needed vacation time. As we all make our plans, would you be able to join us in supporting our troops that are serving at home and away?

Here are some possible ways that we can all be used by the Lord to support our troops for the summer:

• Pray
• Encourage
• Affirm
• Care
• Evangelize

As our troops serve to keep our Freedom we can be used by God as "PEACE-makers" as they serve! We can Pray for them and their families, Encourage them with supportive notes, words and actions of Affirmation, take time to Care, and ask the Lord for souls to be saved through the witness of Military Chaplains and Christian troops that God has place in strategic places across our world!

If you would like someone specific in the military to support for the summer, or even longer, please e-mail me and I would be glad to share the address of one that we know personally!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c-dgz9Ykvo

Build On The Solid Rock

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who build his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a fell with a great crash."
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

On a recent trip to the Oregon Coast to experience God's beautiful Pacific Ocean, we came upon a huge pile of drift wood on the beach. Within the piles of drift wood someone had made a house out of the wood upon the sandy beach. As we admired the work that it took to lift the large pieces of driftwood and arrange them into some kind of order that resembled a house, my heart turned to one of the greatest lessons God teaches us in His Word about The Wise and Foolish Builders.

As today's Christian women that are striving to build our lives upon God and His Word, it is beneficial to look at the blueprints from time to time what we are building our lives upon? Let's take a moment and evaluate the kind of evangelistic example and leadership that we strive to model! There are some simple questions we can ask ourselves as we evaluate:

• Who and What are we building our lives upon?


• Who and What are we modeling to others to build their lives upon?


• What are some of the Solid Rock evidences of our lives in Christ?


• WHEN the storms of life come into our lives, list some Solid Rock ways to respond?

As the tide rolls in and the storms of life come upon the drift wood hut in the picture above, we can imagine how this house will be swept out to sea, BUT just above the shoreline as I gazed upward there were many homes build upon the hard rock of CONCRETE that sustains each house through the same storms that beat against the shoreline! The Solid Rock foundation makes all the difference in the world!

On Christ, THE SOLID ROCK, we stand all other ground is sinking sand!

Thank You, Lord for being our SOLID ROCK, as we build our lives and ministry upon You, Lord and Your Word, we pray that we can Share JESUS with others that may be in sinking sand! AMEN!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQgD_Wg9DG4 (On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand!)

♥VICTORY in JESUS♥

"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the VICTORY that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only thee who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."!

1 John 5:4-5 (NIV)

When is the last time you watched a sporting event? In every event there is the thrill of VICTORY and the agony of defeat!

As we just experienced a victory at a college baseball game, my thoughts turned to the many times in our Christian walk that we are faced with some of the same things that take place much like what athletes go through.

Here is a list of a few things that happen in our lives on "the field" of evangelistic ministry: opposition, things that are for you, things that are against you, rules, time, authority, rejection, pressure, encouragement, discouragement, good calls, bad calls, cheering and booing, ups and downs, errors, mistakes, good plays, working together, teammates, coaches, role models, trainers, on the field, on the bench, safe, out, sportsmanship, friendship, and much more...

We see in 1 John 5:4-5, that because of JESUS we will always have VICTORY, but "by faith" we must daily overcome the difficulties and defeats that try to come into our lives! Without the competition and battle, there could be no Victory. Without the ups and downs of real life living we would not appreciate the Thrill of VICTORY in JESUS!

As a witness in a world that needs the Lord, take heart, Jesus has overcome the world! Just like in a sporting even there are innings, quarters, rounds, matches...as a witness for Jesus Christ it often feels like we are in one overtime match after another battling towards VICTORY and wondering how each situation will work out....Good News, there is Always Victory In JESUS no matter what we have to overcome in this old world!

As a witness in situations that you would not believe, I can honestly share with you that if it was not for the Battles, the Victories would not be so sweet in our Lord!

It will be worth it all because of Jesus, and someone needs to hear those very words TODAY! I am amazed at the opportunities to share "worth it all" words of Victory over and over with those that are one step closer to the Cross, one step closer to a life Full of VICTORY in JESUS♥!

GO GOD!! JESUS ALWAYS WINS!! Who needs to hear us Cheering Them On Towards VICTORY?!

Let's Shout Evangelistic Encouragement From The Bleachers Into The Precious Lives That God Places In Our Path Towards Victory in JESUS!

Cheering You On In Jesus With Joyful Everlasting ♥VICTORY♥

Evangelism Through Trials"

"Consider it pure joy, my brothres, whener you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-3)

How do trials have anything to do with evangelism???? The way the 'world' sees us going through difficult situations can be a shining witness to the glory of God! I have thought a lot about one of the teachers at the school where I teach. Her twelve-year-old son, Bradley, got a staff infection and almost died before he got to the hospital. As he wavered between life and death for several days, the amount of people coming to the waiting room to pray for him was astounding. Others in the same intensive care unit saw the people and heard the prayers. Food and gift cards were given in abundance to Bradley's family to the point that his family was able to share with other families in desperate situations. Those in the waiting room heard the family thank the Lord for Bradley's life, pray for his healing, but also acknowledge that God is the One who gives and takes away.

God answered all the prayers and Bradley survived the staff infection....only to find out a day later that he also had leukemia! That was a real blow to the family. However, that news started a journey of three months in the hospital where the whole family was able to minister to nurses, doctors, other parents of children in the hospital, technicians, maintenance people, etc. as well as through a blog that was updated every day. God carried and is still carrying this family through a tremendous trial. Bradley is still having treatment of chemotherapy, but is getting stronger. Only God knows what is around the corner, but true evangelism took place between words acknowledging the peace and strength that comes from Christ, actions, and prayers. God is a God of peace and He carries us through trials. May we all trust Him with the situations that occur in our lives! And may His light and the Word of Truth shine through us!!