Jeff & Angie

I just have to say this silly comment to get a smile from you this morning:
“Are we frogging or blogging?” Ya’ get it ??? (I know that was corny, but sometimes I say something corny to make people laugh- it’s good for you!) One day, I’ll share with ya’ll ’bout my frog story. It’s a hoot! I better get down to business though on today’s devotion.

Today’s scripture reference: Colossians 2:1-7

Good morning sisters! It is so good to have you over today. Grab a chair and a cup of Chia Latte Tea. Let’s sit down at the table and talk a little bit. Beth is sharing some very interesting thoughts. Look back at verse 3. Beth brought to our attention that “What Paul is saying is that God is the fullness of all security and mystery. He meets all our emotional needs as well as all our mental needs.” I like that explanation! (Please excuse how I look today, but I’m holding on….. by faith.)

It astounds me, how God can meet our every need if we stay in tune with Him. You know He cares about the details of our life. I remember when my husband had an automobile accident in 1996, he had to have surgery on his broken leg. We had not been pastoring the church here very long, but he was laid-up for a while. While he was still in the hospital, I came home one day to bring him some fresh p.j.’s and going home clothes. I remember looking through his closet and thinking “I know he’ll have many visitors when we get home and he don’t even own a housecoat.” Not that- that was such a big deal, but we didn’t have the money to go buy one. I gathered him a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt and my clothes and headed back to the hospital. When I got back to the hospital, he had lots of visitors. I’ll never forget this special visitor that came. A soft spoken lady from our Church with such gentle ways, always a beautiful smile, and a deep hearty laugh, came in carrying a beautifully wrapped box. She handed it to my husband and to my amazement was a gorgeous, plush, navy-blue bathrobe! I know she probably thought I was crazy as I teared-up over a robe, I looked at my husband and said, “just what you needed, thank you, Lord!” I had not told anyone, and I didn’t even say the thought aloud while I was standing in our closet at home, but God knew! You may think this is so trivial or vain, but God cared- He cared about what I was concerned about. God is mysterious and we can never completely understand His ways.

We can rest in God’s love. (Would you care for more tea?) Let’s back up a minute and re-read vs. 2. Paul said, he wanted “their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery-Christ.” Sisters, let your “heart be encouraged as we join together” everyday in our Bible study because truly God is giving us the “richness of more understanding and knowledge of the mystery of Christ- The One and Only.”

Now vs. 4 has a few words that went leaping off the page at me. Paul said in the NKJV, that he was “rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” I want to have “good order and steadfast faith.” (Angie, that’s why I continually feel I need to get organized! Sorry, girls I’m having a little trouble in this area of my life, too much to do and too little time.) I guess my faith is being tested, here lately, at His “service station” spot checking the “steadfast” part. Steadfast- this is immovable faith or unshakable faith. I pray my faith will stand strong in the Lord, my rock, and not the shifting sands of this world.

Beth’s last statement was so powerful and true, where she wrote: “No matter how often we seek Him, we will always be stunned by His greatness.” I’ll close now with a prayer because my legs are so tired from hopping around so much on this blog today.

Dear Lord, help us to walk in you, staying rooted and built up in you. Please establish us in the faith, just as we have been taught, always abounding in it with thankful hearts. Colossians 2:7.

Keep smiling and growing in Christ. Love all of you Sisters of Faith!

Keeping the Faith,

Aimee

Scripture references Luke 9:28-36

About eight days (Brothers Matthew and Mark both say 6 days…but I agree with the commentary I read that the good Dr. Luke’s recordings were most likely the more accurate), have passed since yesterday’s conversation.

Beth asked the question, “Why would Jesus choose a mountain as the ideal spot for Him to reveal His glory to His closest friends?”

It made me think. About my own mountains. Have you ever been climbing? Well, I haven’t climbed any huge rocks…but I have trekked with Jeff, up a mountain to reach the top of a water fall. The journey was tricky. I even lost my footing a time or two. I was hit with branches, worried about poisonous plants, even envisioned some snakes crawling along. Yes, don’t forget the snakes. But when I reached the top—oh my goodness.

The air was the first thing you notice. Of course you are out of breath from the climb, but then the view takes your breath away! I cannot fathom how anyone who ventures out into creation can possibly even entertain the thought that there is no God.

Girls I can tell you from my experience in actually climbing said mountain (It was up Minnehaha Falls in Rabon County Georgia, that God’s beauty is all around–in the tiniest detail of the plenteous Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel, to the spiders making their way along the most fragile spun web, it’s all God.

This is a picture of the very falls we climbed. Now–I was MUCH younger when I trekked the whole way, and it was not easy even then. The way was very slippery. We were in and out of the water. But the view from the top was, as Beth said of the journey for Peter, James and John, “worth the climb.”

His glory can be viewed with our window thrown wide, or even in the tiniest peep hole. But if we choose to look only through a peep hole existence, we must realize that we are only allowing ourselves a peephole experience with God.

And girls, there is so much more!

He is so much bigger than that!

When I was studying this today, I use Matthew Henry’s Commentary a great deal in my reading, and this is something I found very interesting….

¹“Lastly, The apostles are here said to have kept this vision private. They told no man in those days, reserving the discovery of it for another opportunity, when the evidences of Christ’s being the Son of God were completed in the pouring out of the Spirit, and that doctrine was to be published to all the world. As there is a time to speak, so there is a time to keep silence. Every thing is beautiful and useful in its season”.

Sometimes the LORD gives you a nugget of truth for your life. One for a day to come. Perhaps the near future, maybe further off a bit. But sometimes, like Mary, the mother of Jesus, we need to “ponder these things” in our hearts a bit. At the right time, He will pave the way for us to share them. That is sort of how I’ve been with many details around the time of Wanda’s home going. Even still. I know that there will be a day and time when I will share much of my experience of her exit from this life into the next. Until that day…I hold them dear and near my heart. And in the meantime, I thank you my faithful friend for sticking by us and praying for us.

I loved Beth’s prayer today and am sharing it—I have ENJOYED this so much! I am feeling the growth in my own life and heart. I hope you are as well. I know that our conversations have been deeper. And, I am listening more.

“O Lord my God, You are very great, clothed with majesty and splendor. You wrap Yourself in light as if it were a robe, spreading out the sky like a canopy, laying the beams of Your palace on the waters above, making the clouds Your chariot, walking on the wings of the wind, and making the wind Your messengers, flames of fire Your servants” (Ps. 104:1-4), do in each of our hearts as You would. Teach us Your ways, shine the light on the path we are to take. Help us to grasp a firm grip on Your hand as You lead us in the paths of righteousness. Up the hill, to view the magnificent creation You have blessed us with! I am clinging tight. I know You won’t let go. Guard the lives of each of our dear sisters that are journeying with us. Bless their homes and hearts. Help them to see the miracles in the meeting of their everyday needs. In the mighty and holy name of Jesus—praying, believing–EXPECTING—~Amen.

Keeping the Faith,

Angie

¹ Henry, Matthew. “Commentary on Luke 9.” Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 01 Mar 1996.14 Oct 2008.

Scripture Text: Luke 9:23-27

Peter and I seem to have some things in common. Sometimes the Lord has to tell me two or three times until I finally get it. Beth reminds us that Peter was invited to follow Christ “three times before Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father.” The scripture verses in today devotion clearly expressed how to follow Him.

Taking up a cross daily does not necessarily have to be bad. I heard it said once that “if you pick a calf up everyday until its grown, you can pick him up when he’s a grown cow.” (I guess you build some muscles. Ha!Ha!) What about this in a spiritual sense? If we take up our cross daily- – if we don’t just get lazy (ouch) and pick it up only when we need Him. If someone gave you a brand new car and you didn’t maintain it, keep it clean and running good, it would eventually stop running. Jesus paid the price for an eternal gift to us, but we do have to maintain our walk with Him once we accept His precious gift.

What does it mean to take up a cross? I believe it is different for everyone. Maybe your cross is your wayward child, maybe your cross is a dependent family member, maybe your cross is your lost spouse, maybe your cross is a stressful job, maybe your cross is the bad habit in your life that you set healthy boundaries so you won’t go back to it, or maybe your cross is simply loving someone that does not care about you or has hurt you. Whatever your cross is, go ahead and pick it up and march on. He will “make your burdens light.” We must keep following Him! He is leading us to “the Promised Land.” I am longing to go there more than ever, but I must do more for Him, that’s why I am still here.

I like what Beth said , “the key to true ‘follow-ship’ with Christ is the recommitment to take up the cross daily.” She also stated, “live life one surrendered day at a time.” – one step at a time. Salvation is not a one-time commitment, it’s a daily walk. Crosses are supposed to be comfortable, but “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13. I like this one, too: “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;” Colossians 1:11. Have a great day friends. Keep carrying your cross and one day you’ll “Trade the Old Cross for a Crown.“
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Keeping the Faith,

Aimee

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-23

What did you think of the weekend studies…did you finish Saturday and Sunday? Remember everyone is on their own. No guilt trips here if you were not able to get to them. Usually, I tie Saturday and Sunday into one sit down session for myself. Usually Saturday is SWAMPED….anyone else? But I have to tell you…the devotion from both days…caused tears to spring to my eyes. The miracle of the fish and loaves…well, I won’t say more…but my highlighter got a work out!

Now on to today. We are almost at our half-way point. Can you believe it? Do you feel Him? In your everyday life? Whispering in your heart? I have.

After you read the passage for today, I am going to head straight to something powerful that really hit home with me, “2) All Satan needs to have momentary victory over a disciple is for us to have in mind the things of men. Satan doesn’t have to get us blatantly thinking satanic thoughts to have victory over us. All he needs is to get us looking at life from man’s perspective rather than God’s.”

…and then I was hit with THIS….

“What Peter didn’t understand is that what may have seemed best in the short run would have been disastrous in the long run. Had Jesus saved His disciples the anxiety of His betrayal, trials, and death, He wouldn’t have saved them at all.”

Did you see that?

What did that do to your heart?

How many times have you been like me….worked the solution to whatever problem out in your head and just expected God to “see it your way”?

I cannot tell you HOW many times when troubles or anxiety have overtaken my thought processes that I have absolutely come up with something or some way to fix it…and totally left out the fact that God might have other ideas or plans….Well of COURSE He has other plans! I mean…He is God after all!

It is for us to CONFORM to His plans, NOT the other way around….why, oh why, do we waste precious time trying to solve an issue that we have prayed and asked God for the answer??

I’m trying —really I am. I know we don’t see the big picture. We don’t see what He is working out of us in the process of all the trials we are currently enduring. All we see is the current pain, instead of the blessing to come. The blessing is hidden from our view by the daily tears of frustration. We can’t build it, nor fix it to suit ourselves. If it is not God’s making…it is for naught.

So girls, let us “hold fast to the faith” that the work He is doing in our lives will one day reveal such beauty, the scars of the battle will be jewels in our crown of life that we will cast at His feet. I know I sort of got off the track of the lesson today, but these things burned in my heart even as I studied the “miracle of the fish and loaves”. What God wanted to “show the disciples”….He wants to show us as well. Let’s take a look at what He’s holding in His hands…

Father God, You just blow me away sometimes. The way You love us without hesitation. You are teaching us to do the same. To love and to follow You without hesitation. We do. Today we choose to listen and obey. We give you this day and everyday. Create in us what You desire us to be. In the holy name of Your only Son, Jesus~Amen.

Keeping the Faith,

Angie

Jesus commissioned the twelve disciples to go–with special instructions. I especially re-read vs. 8b. “Freely ye have received, freely give.” This is a passion of mine- sharing Jesus!

Periodically, we have a class at our church called “E.E.” which stands for”Evangelism Explosion.” I took this class a couple of years ago and what a blessing I received learning how to share Jesus and sharing Him! There is a lot of scripture memorization along with an outline to learn. Our whole church would get involved when we have this class. Only a certain number can take the class itself, but many are involved. First, we have a Scout Team that locates the target areas in our community. Some get to be the prayer partners that prays for the E.E. Team and the prayer needs, along with the people visited , some are on the Visitation Team that would go out ahead to take a prayer plant to the different homes and they would take prayer request with that. (Even sinners have prayer request!) Next the E.E. team would follow up with our visit to “share the Gospel.” This is not something thrown together, there are instructions to follow. A lot of planning is involved – and wow- does miracles happen, lost saved, and people blessed!

Beth explains the meaning of the word dorean- or freely in vs. 8b, meaning “freely, gratis, as a free gift.” Jesus has given us a free gift, because He paid the price. We must share though, not keep it to our self. We do not earn it. He gives us the gift just because He loves us. Angie, recently gave me a gift and I asked what was it for and she said, “Just because.” (She’s so thoughtful!) Christ gave us a gift and says, “Just because” but He wants us to “Pay It Forward” (that was a good movie by the way, if you have not seen it, you need to rent it- it’s an older one – but a goodie)

I’m the type person when I try something new and I like it, I want everyone else I know to get it, too. If it’s a new recipe, I’ll share it. If it’s a new item from Wal-mart, I’ll show it to everyone, so they can get one, too. I pray my life will speak to others that I enjoy being a Christian and want everyone to know Him. Let me challenge you today – talk to two people about Christ. Share your testimony with them. (If you are saved, you have one.) Ask them, “May I ask you a question? Do you know for certain that if you were to die today that you would go to Heaven, or is that something you are still working on?” Share the gospel with them, if they are uncertain. Pray for them and with them. It’s our commission, “the Great Commission.”

Let’s close with Beth’s prayer today. “Lord, I know we have not received the spirit of the world but Your Spirit, in order that we may know what You have freely given us in Christ. I pray that we will also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by Your Spirit (1 Cor.2:12-13). We desire to give freely, Lord, out of the abundance we have received.” In Jesus name- – Amen. Keep smiling sisters!

Keeping the Faith,

Aimee