God! Let people thank and enjoy you!

God, mark us with grace and blessing! Smile! The whole country will see how you work, all the godless nations see how you save. God! Let people thank and enjoy you. Let all people thank and enjoy you. Let all far-flung people become happy and shout their happiness because You judge them fair and square, you tend the far-flung peoples. God! Let people thank and enjoy you. Let all people thank and enjoy you. Earth, display your exuberance! You mark us with blessing, O God, our God. You mark us with blessing, O God. Earth’s four corners—honor him! (Psalm 67:1-7 MSG)

Do you enjoy God. The writer of the message chose those very interesting words. As a matter of fact the statement, "Let people thank and enjoy you" is repeated often. Can you argue with its purpose? Should you NOT thank and enjoy God? My life, all that I am, all that I have, and all I'm going to be is specific to the grace of my loving God! My God has yielded a magnificent harvest of grace in my life. I can not repeat enough the simple saying, Thank you Lord! He has not judged me fairly. I have recieved a judgement immensely less severe than I deserve. Praise God for that wonderful majesty! Praise God for his saving grace! I truly enjoy your presence. I enjoy you through your word, your intervention on my behalf, and your amazing love. To say I enjoy you is not enough. I can not imagine a day without you. I praise you Lord!

My heart is breaking!

My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! (Psalms 42:4 NLT)

My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be! 

I definitely agree with that statement. I love the technology advancements seen over my life time. I love the changes in my own life with kids, grandkids, careers and certainly my spiritual growth. Change is good. Growth is good. Progress is good. I am not saying we should live like the Amish. My heart is breaking over the morality and identity of our country. It started in the 60's with the break down of our families and the sexual revolution. Drugs and sex became accepted in everyday life. It continues today. Everything is ok! Nothing is wrong and nothing is absolute. I am saddened by the acceptance of behavior and "lifestyles" that are just not natural. God created us Man and Woman. There is no debate that men and women are different and even if you don't believe in God, you can't argue that we were made different for a very specific reason. We are changing ourselves against the natural laws and it greatly saddens me. Everything is ok!? Nothing is wrong!? Everything is right!?

I am saddened to see these changes as progress. I am saddened to see so many people working to redefine themselves trying to fill holes in their lives. In my 55 years of life, I have only see one thing work to fill those holes, that is a relationship with Jesus Christ! My heart breaks as I see Christians that stand up for their beliefs, viciously attacked for sharing those beliefs. My heart is breaking! please Lord Jesus, come. We need you now more than ever. I need you now more than ever! Make your presence known in my life and the lives of my friends, family, and coworkers. We all need your presence.

Holding Grudges!

But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21 NLT)

I have been spending time reading Genesis. I love this book and the fantastic stories of the beginning of life on this planet. This verse is at the end of the story of Joseph and his being sold into slavery by his brothers. We could learn much from these verses. Joseph had every right to punish his brothers. No one would have blamed him if he would have severely punished them. He chose not to because he understood Gods plan. 

Holding grudges is the norm. Getting even is standard operating procedure for our society. You have heard it said, "An eye for an eye....." But Jesus taught a different way. In a time when our nation is greatly divided, when we really hate each other, we need to constantly remind ourselves of Joseph and how he treated his brothers. We need to build bridges with our enemies and not tear them down. We need to build relationships in positive ways and love our neighbors. Itš not easy when our disagreements are major, when our beliefs are so far apart. But, those differences are not a reason to hate, to judge, and to punish. Judgment and punishment belongs to the Lord alone!

Dear Lord, Thank you for the wonderful messages from the book of Genesis. They are old stories but they are just as relevant today as ever before. May we learn from these stories. May we apply the truths of the bible to our lives today. Thank you Lord for your love. Thank you for your mercy and grace. May we share that same love, mercy, and grace with those we see today. Amen!

Success

The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. (Genesis 39:2 NLT)

I don't think we give the Lord much credit in our lives. Most people keep their "business" or "professional" life separate from their spiritual life. That's just not how things work. As Joseph knew, God is in the center of our lives, ALL aspects of it.

My life as a school teacher is not separate from my life as a follower of Jesus Christ. I have been blessed as a teacher, not because of ME, but because God working through me . I constantly ask God to lead me through my day. I ask him to be involved in my attitudes towards my students, their parents, and the community. I pray constantly for my administrators and fellow teachers. I try to represent my savior in everything I do, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. I'm not perfect and in many ways I am striving for these goals! I have not achieved them. My intent is not to USE my relationship with Jesus for monetary gain, but success is a byproduct of a sincere relationship with him. 

Joseph was in a situation he did not want and in a place he didn't want to be, but because of his wondeful relationship with the Lord, he became a great success. He did not let anything get in the way of his love of God. We need to do the same thing. Our success can be directly attributed to our relationship with Jesus. If you are wallering in your life or your career, you might also be stagnate in your life with Jesus. Change that! Draw closer to him, build that relationship with the Lord as a priority and then sit back and see how your life changes. You will be able to deal with set backs, stresses, and enjoy success like you have never seen before! Give God a chance to really impact your life.

Dear Lord, thank you for the successes I have had on my life. I know that they are directly attributed to you. I am humbled with the ways you have blessed me and continue to want to draw closer, to know you more. I praise you for all that I am. I love you and the grace you have given me. Thank You Lord! Amen!

Praise God for County Line Church of God!

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached. All the tribes of Israel—the LORD’s people— make their pilgrimage here. They come to give thanks to the name of the LORD, as the law requires of Israel. Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David. (Psalms 122:1-5 NLT)

I miss my church. Yes, Stephanie and I have been away from our church quite a bit this spring. We have attended multiple church visits with our Cma family, traveled to DC to honor our vets, and camped with the family. It's been busy and I miss my church. County Line Church of God is home. I am glad, jubilant, when we get to attend a Sunday worship. We have a great pastor, worship leaders, and a loving / caring congregation. That church IS a house of the Lord. But, God calls us to be away. 

I am a servant of the most high God and I will serve him as he is guiding me. Right now that is at school as a teacher, with my Cma family, and with my own family. He calls me away from my home church often and I will obey. But that doesn't mean I don't miss them. I long for a good sermon from Pastor Stu, the wonderful County Line Choir led by Kevin McIntire, and the leadership that serves the congregation. I am blessed beyond belief with this wonderful group of Christians. 

Praise God for great churches and great leaders that help us worship the Lord. If you don't have a church that you TRULY miss when you are gone, find one that you do. Church is not a chore. Church is not an obligation. Church, true worship, is a gift God gives us through great Christians. It is a gift to each of us and God weeps when worship inside and outside the church becomes a burden. Don't let it become stale, old, uninspired, or mundane. Serving the Lord should be a great  joy in your life that is best shared with a group of faithful believers. 

Praise God for County Line Church of God! I hope to see you this Sunday!