With great joy and thankfulness to my God for bringing my son Pat home safely from Iraq I want to publically declare God's steadfast love and faithfulness to us!

"Blessed be the Lord!
For He has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
My heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to Him."
Psalm 28:6-7

Here is a working link to the article I just told you all about at Purple Cellar!

The Purple Cellar: Life Lessons from a Toothbrush

Perspective... interesting word... the definition from Miriam Webster online dictionary is, "Aids in the vision of"....

I'm sure you've had those moments of perspective thinking... for example.. I am having a horrible day, nothing is going right and then i remember my son, and all our soldiers, risking life and limb in Iraq and Afganistan and then I realize that my day isn't so bad after all. Remembering what my son in Iraq is going through "aids in the vision" of how my day really isn't quite so bad!

Lydia, over at the Purple Cellar blog wrote a great article today about perspective. You may have to copy and paste the link. Here is the link:

http://purplecellar.blogspot.com/2007/10/life-lessons-from-toothbrush.html

I highly recommend you go and read it.

May God give you HIS perspective today. No matter what else is going on in your life ask yourself this, "Is it well with my soul today?"

Blessings to you! Go and read Lydia's blog!

I am so encouraged this morning! I am encouraged because I was at church yesterday! I have not been at my church for 2 Sundays due to travel. It was SO good to be back with my church family. It was GOOD to sing songs proclaiming the gospel and thanking God and worshiping Him through song! It was GOOD to be taught from God's Word! I wrote an email to some women that I am in bible study with this morning and thought I would post this email on this blog to encourage whomever might stroll by and read it today! May it encourage you as we treasure Jesus together!

Good Morning friends,

How are you today? I hope that the songs of worship yesterday, as we sang about the glories of the gospel, served to encourage you and boost your confidence in the faithfulness of God!

I just finished listening to one of Piper's sermons from this weekend (There was a huge Desiring God conference this weekend and videos of all the speakers are online) and I am so encouraged to FIGHT for delight in Christ.. to treasure HIM above all things.. above health, above family, above worldly possessions and worldly promises and wordly expectations...etc etc... and I just wanted to pass that along to you today..

At whatever time you read this email I trust that you will be encouraged to switch your mind and your heart from whatever is occupying its thoughts to the glories of God as found in Christ Jesus! That you would treasure Jesus above all things.. Nothing but Jesus is worth anything! So, delight in HIM today and glorify Him by delighting in Him! Magnify him by delighting in Him! That is my prayer for myself today.. may it be yours as well.

Romans 8:31-39
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written,

"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

With a promise like this how can we not delight in Jesus!? May God's Word give you joy today!

love,
diane

My dear friend Carrie's husband, Will Pavone, is about to release a new CD at the end of this month! God has given him a great gift and talent that he uses to bless and glorify God and encourage the body of Christ! Go to his Myspace and listen to some of his songs! They will direct your eyes to the cross and the mercy of God!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=45784740&MyToken=336e6ece-fa53-472f-9606-3cfd748b7c33

I encourage you to visit one of my new favorite blogs!

The Shepherd's Scrapbook a Cross-centered blog

http://spurgeon.wordpress.com/

You will not be disappointed!

Blessings my friends! Keep your eyes on the cross!

We have great sin but we have a greater Savior!

This is a MUST READ at Challies.com:

http://www.challies.com/archives/articles/emergent-church/the-gospel-conventional-versus-emerging.php

My son Patrick has been in Iraq for over a year now. God has been so merciful to us, to him, to his fiancee... we have moments of worry and then God builds up our faith in his great kindness and mercy. In one of my "mommy" moments I wrote the following poem. I had a day of reminiscing and then wrote what was on my heart...needless to say I am very proud of my son. May God bless him and all those soldiers who sacrifice their lives, hearts and minds for what God has called them to do.

MY Hero

a little boy
pudgy
so cute
JI JOE!

"MERICAN HEWO"!

a growing boy
moving to va
crying
sad
new friends!
phil
josh
matt
mark
doug
nells
play war
paint gun wars
a college boy
rotc
twin towers
pentagon
"I must help"!
"let me give blood"!
NO!
too dangerous downtown
today
a
MAN
a
SOLDIER
airborne
iraq
a
war
no!
too dangerous!
"I must go"
"I must help"
a
war
a soldier
my
son
my
American Hero!

This morning I sit here amazed yet again at God's incredible mercy and grace. I just finished reading a devotion from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening book where he discusses the gravestone heading for William Carey (known as the Father of Modern Missions, died in 1834)... He wrote in his will that he desired the following on his gravestone:

William Carey, Born August 17th, 1761; Died-
"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm
On Thy kind arms I fall."

WOW! He understood his helpless estate. Here is a man who as a christian "did" many great works.. and still he understood that even His best works needed the blood of Jesus and the grace of God upon them.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about John Piper's response to Rabbi Kushner (see my August 7 blog entry) and that Dr. Piper understood that even his own righteous anger at biblical truth being compromised was stained with sin.

It is good for us to remember that for all of life in all we do, think and say we need the grace of God. Oh how wonderful it is for christians that we fall into the everlasting arms of our God. It is good that we remember it is not on our own works that we rely on. We do not rely on our works before we are saved and we still do not rely on our works after we are saved. It is on Christ and Christ alone on whom we depend to bring us safely home. He alone is sufficient to save and sanctify. There is nothing we can add to our salvation.
Our hope is always in Christ alone.. not anything we do. Even our obedience that results from salvation is a work of God in us.

It is good that we remember that it is onto God's kind and everlasting arms we fall.

"The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
Deuteronomy 33:27


I love the following song from Sovereign Grace Ministries which reminds me of the surety of God's promise to complete what he has begun in me:

Jesus, My Only Hope
Item # M4005-01-51

Words and music by Mark Altrogge
As recorded on All We Long to See


Listen to song sample


Lyrics

I come into Your presence
With nothing in my hands
I only bring thanksgiving
For Jesus, God, and Man
I cast myself on mercy
I cast myself on love
I trust Your gracious promise
To wash me with Your blood

I will not fear Your judgment
For me no wrath I dread
For it was spent on Jesus
Poured out upon His head
When Satan’s accusations
Make my poor heart afraid
I hear my King declaring
“Father, that debt is paid!”

Jesus my only hope
My only plea
My righteousness
My Great High Priest
Who intercedes for me
Before the throne
Jesus, I trust in You alone

Though I am poor and naked
Your prodigal come home
You place Your robe upon me
Your holiness alone
Though I be dry and barren
By grace this love springs forth
Love for You and Your Kingdom
Joy in Your glory, Lord


© 2002 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).
Format: MP3 download

May you be encouraged and amazed today by the reminder of JESUS who is our only hope and plea before God. May you be encouraged and amazed, as you surrender it all to Jesus, that underneath us are God's everlasting arms. His mercies and grace are greater than all our sin! May we spurred on to love and obedience as we press into God and His Word. My prayer today is that we be captured by the beauty of Jesus Christ. He is good.

Quotes from my Pastor's (Steve Whitacre) sermon yesterday:

"The Son of God bears the wrath of God for the people of God."

"The anger of God was poured out for every sin of every person that Jesus came to save."

"For the Christian, every sin was punished. Every sin is forgiven. This should bring great joy!"

"It is finished... if you are a christian there is no more wrath left for you."


My Lord and my God! Thank you for your death on the cross. Thank you for drinking the cup of God's wrath for my sin! Thank you Jesus that because you did bear the wrath of God for my sin, I will never bear the wrath of God. Thank you that because you willingly went to the cross for my sin I do not have to cower in fear of God when I sin, but I can go to Him with confidence of receiving grace. Oh Lord, thank you for capturing my heart with the beauty of Christ. Lord, may my response be increased love and affection for you and help me bear the fruit of obedience. I need Thee every hour! My Lord and My God. Thank you.

The following article by Tim Challies is an absolute must read!!!

http://www.challies.com/archives/articles/the-weight-of-hell.php

This is where I am today.. meditating on and praying through Psalm 91.. may it also be an encouragement to the readers of this Psalm today.

Psalm 91
My Refuge and My Fortress
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

9Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14"Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

I was reading John Pipers blog this morning, specifically his response to a radio interview he heard with Rabbi Kushner. http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/750_response_to_rabbi_kushner/

The following sentance written by Piper provoked me to think of the severity of my sin and God's great mercy.

The most astonishing thing is that God’s grace is so great neither the Rabbi nor I was struck dead by God during the interview—he, because of his blasphemous belittlings of God, and I, because of my contaminated anger at what he said.

I was struck by John Piper's humility and understanding that even his righteous anger at the remarks made by Rabbi Kushner were contaminated by sin. Surely we should be righeously outraged at the remarks made by the Rabbi!! And yes, we should be.. but we must also understand that even our most righteous anger at wickedness and sin is contaminated by our own sin! THUS, the need of a Redeemer and Savior!

Oh how I long to have an even deeper awareness and understanding of my own sin.

CJ Mahaney spoke at my church this Sunday about "the cup" that Jesus had to drink. I was reminded that Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath so I could drink the cup of salvation!!! Oh Lord, thank you!!!!

In reading Piper's blog I am reminded of total depravity.. not that I sin to the most extreme all the time but that ALL my life and all parts of it are tainted by sin. This rememberance makes me all the more grateful that Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath that I was supposed to drink.

Oh Jesus! Thank you so much for drinking the cup of God's wrath that is deservingly mine so that I could drink the cup of salvation. May my life be worthy of the calling. Work in me oh Lord to make me more like you! Thank you for refreshing in me the joy of Thy salvation!

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God"

My son Patrick is a soldier in Iraq and has been there for over a year and will be there for a while more. God has been so merciful in blessing me with a faith to trust in HIM and be at peace about Pat being at war. There have been moments where my heart was not at rest but those times have been few and far between.
Today is one of those days when I have to press into my Savior and God and pray extra hard for my son and pray for my faith to increase.

My mother's heart is sad that my son has to endure the rigors of war and all that war entails. Yet, I KNOW that God is sovereign in all things.. in war and in my son's life both physical and spiritual.

I have been thinking about King David this morning. He was a warrior! He was a soldier's soldier! He was a mighty mighty warrior! YET, he was a man after God's heart. What a precious picture that is to me.. of this manly man, this soldier in battle with a tender, precious, surrendered heart to God. I pray that this is how God will work in my son.

All morning long the following hymn has been running through my mind. As you read the words may God direct your gaze to the cross. Whatever your "trouble" is today, whether it is a job change, a move across the country, a troubled marriage or friendship, ill health or a wayward child.... sing this hymn and meditate on:

Psalm 46:10: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!

BE STILL MY SOUL by Katharina A. von Schlegel (1752) http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh534.sht

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Following is a prayer from the book of Puritan Prayers, Valley of Vision:

GOD OF MY END,
It is my greatest, noblest pleasure
to be acquainted with thee
and with my rational, immortal soul;
It is sweet and entertaining
to look into my being
when all my powers and passions
are united and engaged in pursuit of thee,
when my soul longs and passionately breathes
after conformity to thee
and the full enjoyment of thee;
No hours pass away with so much pleasure
as those spent in communion with thee
and with my heart.
O how desirable, how profitable to the Christian life
is a spirit of holy watchfulness
and godly jealousy over myself.
when my soul is afraid of nothing
except grieving and offending thee, the blessed God,
my Father and friend,
whom I then love and long to please,
rather than be happy in myself!
Knowing as I do, that this is the pious temper,
worthy of the highest ambition, and closest pursuit
of intelligent creatures adn holy Christians,
may my joy derive from glorifying and delighting thee.
I love to fill my time for thee,
whether at home or in the way;
to place all my concerns in thy hands;
to be entirely at they disposal,
having no will or interest of my own.
Help me to live to thee forever,
to make thee my last and only end,
so that I may never more in on instance love my sinful self.

Okay, so this is a little gross but hear me out. :)

Let's see, about 10 years ago my husband was stationed with the Army in Korea and I was at home in Virginia with our 4 children. It was a long year but a great year as God worked in both Dennis and I to depend on HIM more and ourselves less.

Anyways, it was the day before Dennis was coming home... honestly, I do not remember if he was coming home on leave or for good... but I was "preparing" for him to come home... getting the house cleaned up, getting myself cleaned up... doing all the things I could to welcome him home. That day I was at my church for a bible study and as I was leaving my dear friend, Jill (who is now at home with Jesus, she finished the race well), stopped me and asked about my preparations for Dennis's arrival. We talked about how excited the whole family was. There were other women with us as she was talking to me. Then she looked at me closely and said, "You have a looooong hair on your chin.. you better get that out before Dennis comes home."
hahahaha.. funny now.. but at the moment I was embarassed and offended.
She must have picked up on it because when we had a moment alone she asked me if she offended me and I said yes that I was embarassed in front of the other women. She quickly apologized and all was forgotten. Until today.

I was getting ready to go out this morning and sure enough saw one of those loooooong hairs that us women in our 50's have to contend with.(Oh Lord, give me grace as I age :) ) ... I quickly plucked that little offender and then remembered Jill being so kind to point out my "stray hair" those many years ago.

Did you notice I used the word "kind"? God has given me a different perspective now. He has shown me how it was indeed kind of her to show me that hair, that my dear sister was assisting me in preparing for the return of my husband. She, in her kindness, wanted me to look absolutely radiant for him, not one "hair" out of place.
Then I was offended.. but now I see the grace and the loving kindness in her pointing that out to me.

Christian, we as believers are waiting for our husband to return! JESUS is coming again! He is coming for His BRIDE! He is coming for His church! That's us!!!!! Are you ready? Do you bristle when a dear sister or brother in Christ points out your stray hairs? Your sin? Are you aware of the kindness that brother or sister in Christ is doing for you? Or do you turn away in your pride feeling offended and judged? Do you shout "legalism" or do you humbly see the love behind the one who observes your sin and shows you?

Let me share a couple of Scriptures with you:

Revelations 19:6-8

6Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

"Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure"--
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

James 5:19-20

19My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Oh fellow Christian! Do not be offended when a brother or sister points out a sin in your life... He is helping you to make yourself ready for your Bridegroom! Do not be embarassed or offended but receive their observations with love and turn to Jesus in faith and repentance!

Lord God, I thank you for the local church! I thank you for dear brothers and sisters in Christ who humbly come alongside and cheer us on in our walk with You! Give us humble hearts when someone points out that "stray hair".. that SIN in our lives! Help us to receive this kindness and turn away from our sin! And Lord, keep me humble. If ever I must confront someone in their sin help me to do so humbly and in love with grace and compassion for You have treated me with the ultimate grace and mercy and compassion. You are worthy of all glory and honor and praise oh Lord!
Make me ready! Prepare this bride to receive her Bridegroom, Jesus. Amen.

The following selection was written by myself almost two years ago on an old blog of mine! I decided to republish because it is a lesson I continue to need to learn! :)


God's lessons through my Puppy

So we have a new puppy, we named him Rufus! Rufus is a chihuahua mix... He weighs about 14 pounds ...He's absolutely adorable! I can't take any personal credit for the selection of our pup.. all blame, I mean all credit goes to my husband and youngest son! One Saturday morning they went to the local Petsmart to their "adoption day." No sooner did they get out of the car when Sam spotted and fell in love with Rufus!

As they were going through the process of completing the paperwork the woman who was handling the process said, "now, I have to warn you, this dog has resource guarding issues." In other words Rufus's philosophy in his thus far 4 months of life was this, "EVERYTHING IS MINE! IT ALL BELONGS TO ME." haha! oh boy this was going to be fun! Sure enough once Rufus was home he snapped and growled and protected everything from his food, to his toys, my son's bed, he even started protecting certain rooms, not letting us near those things he decided were his! I did some quick internet research on chihuahua behavior.

Apparently resource guarding is very typical behavior for a chihuahua. I found out the way to fix this behavior is to teach the chihuahua that NOTHING belongs to him and that EVERYTHING comes from his master, you must train the dog that his very life depends on his master. The way it's done is for 2 weeks you only let the dog ear a few nibbles at a time ONLY from your hand. After 2 weeks you let the dog watch you put the food in his bowl and you keep your hand near the bowl... Eventually the dog learns that his sustenance comes from the master and this transfers to other things that the dog regarded as hisown. IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In just 2 weeks Rufus learned to stop growling and snapping.. He began to trust me and the other members of the family ... he realized that we have his best interest at heart and we will provide all he needs.

I thought to myself, "wow! in just 2 weeks my Rufus learned what God still tries to teach me!!!!" I think of how peaceful and at rest my puppy is now... how muchmore so are we, as believers, at rest when we trust inour Lord and Master Jesus!? How must more at peace I am when I realize that nothing is mine! Not my house, my work, my husband, my children, my car, my ministry, my friends, my health, my LIFE!!! How much more content are we when we realize and live out daily the truth that our God provides for our every need, our very sustenance and to let him have HIS way in our life!

God took care of our biggest problem, which was our sin by sending Jesus to live, to die as payment for our sin and then be raised up from the dead! If He took care of our biggest problem won't God take care of our lesser problems? Of course he will! I know that when I walk by grace and trust in the full promises of God I am not "growly and snappy" like Rufus! Most of all , when I walk in trust, satisfied that at all that I have is not my own but from God's hand and when I am satisified in Jesus alone as my highest treasure GOD is glorified!!!

How kind of God to give my a puppy to teach me lessonsof His Kingdom!

An update on Rufus: He has been with us for almost 2 years now and he is the sweetest dog ever! He is affectionate and loyal.. yea, he barks alot but he's a sweetie. We can even let him out the front door and he won't bolt! I guess he realizes that it's best and safest near his master. Do you realize that today?

Blessings Christian. May God remind you and me that it's best to stay near to Him.

James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded."

Jesus
on a
colt
on cloaks
on a
road
to Jerusalem
HOSANNA!
The King has come!
to die for our
sins.
Blessed is HE who comes
in the name
of
the
LORD!
He has come
To die.
Jesus
on a
colt
on
cloaks
with
branches
on
the
road.
A King has come!
to die
on the
Cross.
A King has come!
prepare
the
way.
Jesus
on a
colt
on
cloaks
on the road
to the
temple.
Jesus at the temple!
NOW
God with us!!
IMMANUEL!
Hosanna to our
KING
He has come!
Jesus
THE
KING
has come!
blessed is HE
Who comes
in the name
of the
LORD!
Jesus
God
With
Us
IMMANUEL! (written by: diane)
(Mark 11:1-11 .. based on a sermon given by my pastor, Steve, this morning)

Our family has had the blessing of watching God at work in the lives of a little bird family. We watched as a mom and dad bird built a nest in between the screen and the window of my daughter's room. We saw them gather grass, twigs and anything else which makes for a good and safe nest and then they built this incredibly intricately beautiful home.

How do they know what to get and where to get it?

We watched as the birds settled into their new home. We watched as the mommy bird took care of her eggs. Before we knew it there was the joyful squawking of newborn baby birds!! (Much to my daughter's chagrine, their "joyful" squawking was not necessarily music to her ears at 6 AM every morning)!!! :) I was in awe as I watched the mommy and daddy birds bring food to their babies. We watched as the mom and dad birds looked to the right, to the left, up and down assessing whether danger lurked any where before they flew to get the food.

How did they know to be cautiously looking out for danger before they ventured out into the world?

How did they know where to go and get the worms, bugs, slugs and other nasty things that birds eat? How did they know when they came back to the nest which of all these wide open mouths crying out for food did they already feed?

Then one evening my son, who has avidly been watching these birds, came running downstairs all excited because the baby birds were learning how to fly. It was so incredible! They would fly up the window in between the screen and window.. so if they fell they fell unto their soft nest instead of plummetting to the ground. We were entertained for quite some time as we saw them perfect the art of flying.

The next day our little family of birds were gone. What a beautiful gift God gave us as we watched the cycle of life of this bird family!

I thought of the following Scriptures as I watched these birds:

Matthew 6:25-27 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, not about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"

and

Matthew 10: 28-31 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows."

These Scriptures answered all the questions I posed above... My Father God takes care of these little birds. He made them so they KNOW where to go and get the food, and He made them so they KNOW how to build their nests and watch for danger before they fly away from their safe haven. The Scriptures tell us that not one of these little birds fall to the ground apart from the Father's will. AND, we are of more value than these birds to our Father and look at the meticulous care He gives to them! How much more does He promise us!!!??

Oh Christian, why do we waste our time in the sin of fear? Trust God! Are you fearful of a new job? Moving to a new home? Lost your job? Are you sick? Are you fearful of man? Whatever it is that we fear the answer is the same, trust in God for we are of more value than the many sparrows that God cares for.

Oh mighty, generous and gracious Father. Thank you. Thank you for the great care you give to me daily. Thank you that you provide for all that I need. Thank you for your faithfulness! You are WORTHY to be trusted. Lord, You took care of my worst problem... my sin. You sent Jesus to live a perfect life, to die for my sins, to take the wrath and punishment that is due to me for my great sin upon Himself, You raised him from the dead and now he lives at Your right hand !! AND He will come again!!! You brought me to faith and repentance and now You work in me to make me more like Jesus everyday! OH Lord, such care you give to me!!! You saved me to live with You eternally .. how easy for You, then, to see to my daily needs and care for these! Lord, help me to keep this perspective as You keep my eyes on the cross, as you keep my eyes on Jesus. Oh Lord God thank You for Your gracious care of me! Amen.

"One day He got into a boat with His disciples, and He said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the like." So they set out, and as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke Him saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even winds and water, and they obey Him?"

Luke 8:22-25



I read this scripture this morning and wondered to myself, "Why did I read this and not marvel?" Sometimes I read scripture and just pass over it like it isn't anything marvelous! Do you? And then I began to think, "How CAN I just pass over a sentance like, "And He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm" and NOT marvel!!!!??? It is a fantastic thing to be able to rebuke the winds and calm the raging waves. Can you imagine being present and watching Jesus do this? I imagine jaws dropping and hitting the deck of the boat.. how long was it before they could speak? Did they stammer and stutter as they asked the question, "Who then is this?" ? Oh, how I want to marvel at things Jesus did! He walked on water, He calmed the seas, He healed the lame and the blind... Are you starting to get it? WE SHOULD BE in AWE of these things...



BUT.. even MORE amazing is this:

"but God shows His love for us in that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

how about this:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

one more:

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."



Do reading these Scriptures cause you to marvel!? Are you AMAZED by grace? Jesus bore the wrath of God and took the punishment for your sins and mine!!!! Oh christian, be amazed!! Marvel at God's great grace!





Are you amazed yet? I am now indeed amazed this morning but I confess that there are some mornings that I simply am not. I'm too busy, or my heart is too hard. Join me in prayer....



My Lord and my God, I come to you this particular morning amazed and I marvel at Your great deeds, yet I confess that I am not always amazed. I often take your gifts of grace for granted ... Lord, my prayer this morning is that you would change my heart so that I am always at amazed at your grace and the great gift of salvation! I am even amazed as I think how your grace is what causes me to marvel and be amazed!!!! Oh Lord, I want more, please give me more of your grace for it is the only way I will love you more, it is the only way I will remain amazed. Increase my affections for You, increase my love for Your Word. Oh Lord, help me to walk through this day amazed by Your Word, by Jesus, by Your great gift of grace!!! Amen.

PRIDE
rears it's ugly head
it's just there
result of what is in my heart
lofty thoughts of
MYSELF
that belong for only
God
Yet I steal them
claim them for
MYSELF

CARELESS WORDS
quickly spoken
in the air now
like pollen floating around
can't take them back

Did they they harm?
Did they pierce?
the heart of the listener?

Oh the sorrow
please forgive
the pride of my heart
Oh please remove
lofty thoughts of
myself
careless words from
myself

Please replace with
humility
and
lofty thoughts of
YOU oh GOD!
with careful words from
YOU oh LORD

Grace abounds
I receive
FORGIVENESS
from
YOU oh LORD

Be exalted
Be glorified
Amen.

by

diane boucher

"Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:5-7

My Lord and my God, I come to you on this day of celebration of America's Independance. Most gracious God please have mercy on our nation. You have been so generous and so kind in your dealings with America. Lord, how I long for you to be glorified by this nation. Lord, how I long to glorify your name. I pray Lord for you to open the eyes of those who do not know their need of a Savior. Help them to see their depravity and respond to You with faith and repentance. Lord, please protect our soldiers as they serve in Iraq and Afganistan. Lord, may these soldiers serve YOU as they serve their country. There are many soldiers who do not know you Lord through Jesus Christ. May these soldiers hear the gospel and respond to the gospel.
Lord, I pray that we in this country would turn from our sin and turn to you. I pray Lord that the politcal pundits on both sides of our democratic process would use words of kindness rather than cutting words of sarcastic barbs. Lord, I pray for Republicans and Democrats ... that you would reveal to them that no law or legislation will change a heart, but only Jesus Christ! Oh Lord, help our nation!
Thank you that we can freely worship you in this country! May you be glorified this day as we celebrate Independence day. In Jesus precious name I pray .. Amen.

Psalm 119:28-29
"You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;you are my God; I will extol You. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever."