The Saturday after Thanksgiving, we went to to a tree farm to cut down what we hoped would be a beautiful little tree for our house. We took it home and decorated it, thinking it lovely with all the cute ornaments and lights. We breathed deeply its wonderful pine scent and admired the new angel top we purchased for it.
We enjoyed that little tree for a total of 7 days. Then cringed as it began to.....change, the next 7 days.
Not sure if it wasn't cut right or what, but that tree became very dry and brittle. The branches were drooping and the ornaments were starting to slide off. It had a brown tint to it and if you barely touched a branch, all the needles dropped to the floor. We haven't turned the lights on for fear of a spark igniting it in flames. It didn't matter how much we watered that tree--it's life was gone. I marked its time of death around 9:30 this morning when I undecorated it and took it outside. The trail of needles left in its wake when I took it outside was enough to carpet-cover a forrest. I think Charlie Brown's Christmas tree was more beautiful than that one.
Later today, I will be looking for an artificial tree. I look forward to not having to clean up piles of needles everyday, and it will be much simpler to pull it from the garage every year and know that it's going to last a long time.
That dead tree made me think of life without being rooted to Jesus Christ. Many people go through life trying to hide their emptiness and pain with pretty decorations and bobbles that they think will satisfy, but all it does is cover up the deadness for a time and they are always left wanting more. So many are thirsty for love and acceptance, that they go out to search the world to find something, anything that will quench that thirst. All the while missing the hand of God that is reaching out for them to grab and take hold of.
Eventually, nothing will hide that deadness. Your pretty decorations will drop and fall because the weight of the world and all it demands from you will cause you to droop and sag. There are many out there whose lives are dry and brittle just like those needles. All it will take is one more problem, one more mistake, one more pressure from the world and they're gonna drop and break.
My prayer for those of you who are feeling dry and brittle; who've flatlined with no hope of anything shocking you back to life---is that this Christmas, you will reach out to the One who can take something dead and give it new life. Jesus is waiting to give you a long lasting life. He wants to quench your thirst with His love and mercy, grace and forgiveness. He will take you now--just as you are, deadness and all--and make you His. His is the love that forever satisfies. Won't you take His hand today? Won't you hand over your dead life and exchange it for the eternal one He has for you? I pray you do.
Here is a scripture that I hope you meditate on and savor for awhile. The Lord placed it on my heart this morning when I was asked Him to give me the scripture that would go along with this blog:
"As for you, you were dead in your transgression and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich and mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:1-10
I pray you all have a wonderful Christmas and experience and share the love of Jesus!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thanks in the Face of Adversity
How many of you out there have already started listening to Christmas music? If I could raise my hand and type at the same time I would. I love Christmas time and the joyous spirit it brings to my heart. But lately I've really been reflecting on Thanksgiving and why we celebrate it.
I've been thinking a lot about those brave souls who followed the call of God and set sail to America, so that they could have the freedoms that we Americans take advantage of today.
The pilgrims--or Puritists--were people who held Scripture high and wanted to be able to read the Word of God for themselves. They believed that each individual was responsible to God and answered only to Him, rather than a priest or bishop. Many were persecuted for taking a stand for what the Word of God proclaimed. The Puritists who established the Massechusetts Bay colony had been forced out of England and Holland for their beliefs.
These brave people, who faced much death, much sickness and disease, the threat of attack by the Native-Americans, harsh weather conditions and the untamed land, continued on with the constant adversities that confronted them. All for the sake of being able to worship God freely and purely.
So I encourage you this Thanksgiving, to really reflect and give thanks to God for the Pilgrims who set out and gave us the framework for the freedoms we have today in our nation. But mostly, give thanks to God for sending His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our freedom. Thank Him for the ones who lead you into knowing Jesus as your Saviour; for those who took the time to pray for you and encouraged you; for those that listened to the Lord's direction and out of love and obedience to Him, spread the Gospel of Jesus to everyone they met.
I give thanks to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for saving me from an eternity in hell by dying on the cross for me. He gave me freedom from death and a life filled with sin.
If you do not know Jesus, and would like to have the same freedom, I urge you to pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus,
I am a sinner and I know I do not deserve your forgiveness. But I believe what the Bible says, that You came to earth to die on the cross for me. I am sorry for my sins and I ask that you come into my heart and cleanse me from those sins. Give me a new life in You and thank You for Your grace and mercy and forgiveness. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.
My dad pointed out to me yesterday that I can look up on my stats about my blog and see how many people have looked at it and all the different countries where people live that have seen this blog site. I never really played around on it before and I was humbled and thrilled to see the Stats. I mean, wow! Someone in Russia read my blog!
But it is for His glory alone that I write these messages. Knowing He had given me a gift or talent in writing, I always thought I would be writing books someday. But then one day, I realized that it was more for my glory than His in that dream. And then the Lord pressed upon my heart to start writing these encouraging messages. I only thought a few people would read them.
Every time I write one, I pray before and after I write it. I ask the Lord to give me the words and the message and when I finish it, I ask Him to bless it and use it for His glory. And now to see that someone in Russia and wherever else are reading it? Wow, cool God.
Some of these countries that may see my blog, are ones where they do not have the freedom to openly worship God. But to you I say, you do have the freedom and you can worship him freely!
If you can, I encourage you to click on the link below and listen to the message that was given in our church today by a guest speaker from Trinidad. In the message, he reminds us about how from a prison cell, the Apostle Paul preached the Good News of Jesus. Remember that it is in Spirit and Truth that we worship God. Whether it's sitting in class at school, a prison cell, at home, in your car on your way to work, at work---no matter where you are, you can worship Jesus. And NO ONE can stop you from doing that. We are called to spread the Good News of Jesus to everyone, and if they threaten you with death--then worship and praise him into eternity!
http://calvaryopenbible.org/index.php?nid=28484&s=hm
Here are some great verses that you can read around the table on Thanksgiving day:
"I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17
"I wll give You thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you." Psalm 35:18
"Let us come before Him with Thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the Great God, the Great King above all gods. In His hands are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our God, our Maker, for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under his care." Psalm 95: 2-7
"Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4-5
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed say this--those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south." Psalm 107: 1-3
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." 2 Corinthians 2:14
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
Remember, when the Pilgrims sat down and gave thanks, it wasn't to the turkey who sacrificed his life to satisfy their taste buds and fill their bellies--it was to God for guiding them to that place where they could live freely for Him. For being able to learn to read and write and coming to know the truth in God's word.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I thank you all who read this blog and send it on to others. May the Love and Peace of Jesus Christ abound to you in the days to come!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
I've been thinking a lot about those brave souls who followed the call of God and set sail to America, so that they could have the freedoms that we Americans take advantage of today.
The pilgrims--or Puritists--were people who held Scripture high and wanted to be able to read the Word of God for themselves. They believed that each individual was responsible to God and answered only to Him, rather than a priest or bishop. Many were persecuted for taking a stand for what the Word of God proclaimed. The Puritists who established the Massechusetts Bay colony had been forced out of England and Holland for their beliefs.
These brave people, who faced much death, much sickness and disease, the threat of attack by the Native-Americans, harsh weather conditions and the untamed land, continued on with the constant adversities that confronted them. All for the sake of being able to worship God freely and purely.
So I encourage you this Thanksgiving, to really reflect and give thanks to God for the Pilgrims who set out and gave us the framework for the freedoms we have today in our nation. But mostly, give thanks to God for sending His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our freedom. Thank Him for the ones who lead you into knowing Jesus as your Saviour; for those who took the time to pray for you and encouraged you; for those that listened to the Lord's direction and out of love and obedience to Him, spread the Gospel of Jesus to everyone they met.
I give thanks to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for saving me from an eternity in hell by dying on the cross for me. He gave me freedom from death and a life filled with sin.
If you do not know Jesus, and would like to have the same freedom, I urge you to pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus,
I am a sinner and I know I do not deserve your forgiveness. But I believe what the Bible says, that You came to earth to die on the cross for me. I am sorry for my sins and I ask that you come into my heart and cleanse me from those sins. Give me a new life in You and thank You for Your grace and mercy and forgiveness. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.
My dad pointed out to me yesterday that I can look up on my stats about my blog and see how many people have looked at it and all the different countries where people live that have seen this blog site. I never really played around on it before and I was humbled and thrilled to see the Stats. I mean, wow! Someone in Russia read my blog!
But it is for His glory alone that I write these messages. Knowing He had given me a gift or talent in writing, I always thought I would be writing books someday. But then one day, I realized that it was more for my glory than His in that dream. And then the Lord pressed upon my heart to start writing these encouraging messages. I only thought a few people would read them.
Every time I write one, I pray before and after I write it. I ask the Lord to give me the words and the message and when I finish it, I ask Him to bless it and use it for His glory. And now to see that someone in Russia and wherever else are reading it? Wow, cool God.
Some of these countries that may see my blog, are ones where they do not have the freedom to openly worship God. But to you I say, you do have the freedom and you can worship him freely!
If you can, I encourage you to click on the link below and listen to the message that was given in our church today by a guest speaker from Trinidad. In the message, he reminds us about how from a prison cell, the Apostle Paul preached the Good News of Jesus. Remember that it is in Spirit and Truth that we worship God. Whether it's sitting in class at school, a prison cell, at home, in your car on your way to work, at work---no matter where you are, you can worship Jesus. And NO ONE can stop you from doing that. We are called to spread the Good News of Jesus to everyone, and if they threaten you with death--then worship and praise him into eternity!
http://calvaryopenbible.org/index.php?nid=28484&s=hm
Here are some great verses that you can read around the table on Thanksgiving day:
"I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17
"I wll give You thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you." Psalm 35:18
"Let us come before Him with Thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the Great God, the Great King above all gods. In His hands are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our God, our Maker, for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under his care." Psalm 95: 2-7
"Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4-5
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed say this--those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south." Psalm 107: 1-3
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." 2 Corinthians 2:14
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
Remember, when the Pilgrims sat down and gave thanks, it wasn't to the turkey who sacrificed his life to satisfy their taste buds and fill their bellies--it was to God for guiding them to that place where they could live freely for Him. For being able to learn to read and write and coming to know the truth in God's word.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I thank you all who read this blog and send it on to others. May the Love and Peace of Jesus Christ abound to you in the days to come!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Misdirected
Sorry It's been such a long time since I've written a blog! I've had one on my mind to write for awhile now, but busyness has distracted me. I'm making the time now, so here goes!
Last month we went to join my husband's parents up in McMinville. Half way there, knowing which way he was suppose to go originally, my husband decided he wanted to try a different way to get there at the last second. He veered off onto the Albany exit and from there on out, it was nothing but delays, wrong turns and frustration.
We ended up having to stop at stop-light after stop-light. And then we ended up back on the I-5. As soon as we got onto the I-5, the traffic was backed up and crawling due to a wreck somewhere up ahead. Fortunately, we live in the day and age of the cell phone!
So I called my father-in-law and he looks up on the map and lets us know what exit to take off the freeway. Even more fortunate--it was located before the traffic was merging into one lane!
Feeling good about getting back on track, we take the exit he had told us to take around the Salem area. Unfortunately, Salem is a crazy place to drive around in if you don't know the area. The signs are confusing, or non-existant, and we ended up going in circles around town a few times.
Meanwhile, in the back seat, our son is reminding his father that he could just stop and ask someone for directions. Out of the mouths of babes.....
We finally did just that, and were well directed by the gas station attendant. As Jon got back into the car--our son reminded us that we should have done that in the first place. Can't wait till he's a teenager....
Finally, we were headed in the right direction and we ended up at our destination later than we would have if we had just stuck to going the way we knew was right. It's not all my husband's fault, because I could have told him like a loving wife should, that he should stick to the way he knows is right. But being the directionally challenged woman I am, I trusted his direction instincts.
Life is so like that in a lot of ways.
We head off in the right direction, but somewhere along the way we get distracted or tempted to go another way that we think is probably better or will get us into a more successful position faster. But instead, we make a mess out of things. We get turned around, lost, confused, frustrated because nothing seems to be going right at all. Our way is usually not the better way.
It's good to know that we can call on our Father in Heaven at any time and get the guidance we need in this confusing world. He's given us the map in His Holy Word, and He sent His Son to tell us just where we need to turn to get to our final destination. He told us in John 14:6--"...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me..."
If you are feeling a little lost or misdirected, call on Jesus, He will make your paths straight.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Last month we went to join my husband's parents up in McMinville. Half way there, knowing which way he was suppose to go originally, my husband decided he wanted to try a different way to get there at the last second. He veered off onto the Albany exit and from there on out, it was nothing but delays, wrong turns and frustration.
We ended up having to stop at stop-light after stop-light. And then we ended up back on the I-5. As soon as we got onto the I-5, the traffic was backed up and crawling due to a wreck somewhere up ahead. Fortunately, we live in the day and age of the cell phone!
So I called my father-in-law and he looks up on the map and lets us know what exit to take off the freeway. Even more fortunate--it was located before the traffic was merging into one lane!
Feeling good about getting back on track, we take the exit he had told us to take around the Salem area. Unfortunately, Salem is a crazy place to drive around in if you don't know the area. The signs are confusing, or non-existant, and we ended up going in circles around town a few times.
Meanwhile, in the back seat, our son is reminding his father that he could just stop and ask someone for directions. Out of the mouths of babes.....
We finally did just that, and were well directed by the gas station attendant. As Jon got back into the car--our son reminded us that we should have done that in the first place. Can't wait till he's a teenager....
Finally, we were headed in the right direction and we ended up at our destination later than we would have if we had just stuck to going the way we knew was right. It's not all my husband's fault, because I could have told him like a loving wife should, that he should stick to the way he knows is right. But being the directionally challenged woman I am, I trusted his direction instincts.
Life is so like that in a lot of ways.
We head off in the right direction, but somewhere along the way we get distracted or tempted to go another way that we think is probably better or will get us into a more successful position faster. But instead, we make a mess out of things. We get turned around, lost, confused, frustrated because nothing seems to be going right at all. Our way is usually not the better way.
It's good to know that we can call on our Father in Heaven at any time and get the guidance we need in this confusing world. He's given us the map in His Holy Word, and He sent His Son to tell us just where we need to turn to get to our final destination. He told us in John 14:6--"...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me..."
If you are feeling a little lost or misdirected, call on Jesus, He will make your paths straight.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Comparing Head Lice to Sin
Well, this is certainly not the message I was originally going to write. But the Lord works in mysterious ways. And lets just say this message just sort of.....creeped up on me.
How many of you have ever encountered or were invaded by head lice? Maybe growing up you got them or you had to deal with a child that got it. For those of you who have, you know exactly what I am talking about when I say, "Man! Those little buggers are creepy!"
My daughter, as well as a couple of the neighbor girls, had the unfortunate experience of getting head lice. And when I found the first of the little nasties in my daughter's hair, I looked at it under a magnifying glass. That thing was hideous and it gave me the heebie-jeebies. It made me furious to know that it and it's little pals were crawling around in my prescious daughter's hair, multiplying and making themselves right at home in her beautiful curls.
I tried to call everyone I could think of that she had been around lately, warning them of the dreaded little bug and then sent my daughter to the shower, so I could comb through her hair more easily, which came up with quite a few more of those little demonic pests.
After treating her hair with the lice killing lotion, that would suffocate those nasties who dared to make their home on my daughter's head, those little buggers were gone. All that remains are a few little shriveled up nits that we have to search for and remove, making sure none of them might have survived the treatment.
We labored over cleaning EVERYTHING in our house: vaccuming, washing clothes, towels, blankets, pillows; bagging up stuffed animals, tossing out brushes and hair things--anything that could still have the lice on them, and vaccuming our cars until they smelled new and clean. Let's just say, I slept really well last night, just knowing how fresh and clean our house was, rid of the tiny little bug that set up to invade our happy home.
You know, sin is a lot like lice.
It just takes one little itty-bitty sin...such as a partial truth or a tiny white-lie (Still not sure why we call it a white-lie) to enter into our life and before you know it, you are invaded with sin. It turns into other sins and it makes a home in your heart, and then it spreads into the lives of those you love and encounter on a daily basis, hurting them in the process.
Like lice, sin does not like the light. When the light of Jesus shines upon it, sin will try to scurry and flee, it's comfortable where its at and it doesn't intend on leaving.
Like lice, when your sins are revealed, or you've been confronted with them, and you take a real close look at all those sins you've allowed to master you, they look really hideous. You suddenly feel ashamed or embarrassed that they've been found out, or that you allowed yourself to get that far with them.
If you are a believer in Jesus, then your conscience really starts to get to you, because you know you were wrong allowing those sins to have free reign in your life. They make you squirm and they bother you until you can't stand it anymore and you need to be rid of them.
Jesus is the only treatment for ridding you of sin. He is waiting and willing to be your "nit-picker" or should I say "sin-picker"? The first step of having a "clean house" is letting Him come in and clean sweep it. You sincerely apologize to Him and then let Him and His grace, mercy and forgiveness get you back on the right track. Sometimes it's a long process. You've got to confess to those you hurt and apologize. You have to be willing to follow His leading and right the wrongs you committed, before you can rest easy with a pure heart. Sometimes, it takes a lot of tears, heart break and bravery to do what you know is right. But Jesus is always there to help.
A perfect example of this happened the same night we discovered my daughter had lice. I was working the closing shift at my job, and a woman came in, and asked to speak to the pharmacist. When he went to the woman, I could hear parts of their conversation. She told the pharmacist her name and said that she was the woman who had been calling in fake prescriptions to different pharmacies for a popular controlled medication. I could tell she was trying to keep her composure, but I could hear the shame in her voice. She told the pharmacist that she was a Christian and that she knew that what she had been doing was wrong. She wanted to say she was sorry and understood if he needed to take down her name.
The pharmacist basically told her thank you for apologizing and hoped that she learned her lesson and hoped that she would no longer do it.
After hearing her confession, I was amazed because every once in awhile we get fake prescriptions called in by people claiming to be a nurse or people bringing prescriptions in that they had written themselves on a stolen doctor prescription pad, and that woman was the only one I have ever known to come and apologize after she had been found out.
I was hoping for a chance to say an encouraging word to her, but she left and went shopping. Fortunately, just before she left out the door, I was able to catch her eye and wave her over. She came back to me and said humbly, "I remember you were here that day I came in."
Honestly, I have no idea what day that was that she was thinking of, I just recognized her name and new what she had been doing. I think maybe I was there the day she might have tried to pick up her fake prescription, but I have no idea if that was the case.
Looking her in the eye, I leaned over the counter and said softly, "You know most of us back here in this pharmacy are Christians. I want you to know that none of us are perfect, we all mistakes."
"But that's not my heart," she said, starting to cry.
"I know, and I really admire how you came in here to apologize, and I know God admires you even more. It's how we choose to learn from our mistakes that make us better. A lot of us have to learn the hard way. You're forgiven, now you need to turn back to God."
She nodded her head and wiped her tears, thanked me and said good-bye. I wish now I would have been able to say more. Because I thought of King David and how he was an adulterer and then had his lover's husband murdered. Yet, because of His fierce love for God, because he repented of his sins, and worshipped God whole-heartedly, God said of David that "he is a man after God's own heart."
But the lesson here is that when the woman's sins were found out, she saw them for what they were and knew she was wrong. She took the first steps in following Jesus on ridding her "house" of her sins. She was brave and confessed not by phone, or email, or in a letter--she went to those she had wronged--and confessed face-to-face, knowing there could be serious consequences.
I will be praying that there will come a day very soon when she can rest easy because she's letting the Lord deal with her sins. He's picking them out one by one, and terminating them for her as she repents of each one.
If you find yourself struggling with sin, here are some verses to help you out in your treatment to get rid of them:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claimed we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives." 1 John 1:9
"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it DESIRES to HAVE you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:7
(this verse is regarding Cain, just before he chose not to master it and killed his brother Able. The consequences were not good.)
"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but ONE sinner destroys much good." Ecclesiastes 9:18
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." Galatians 6:1
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10
"To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "if you hold to My teaching, you are really my disciples, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Acts 3:19
There are a couple of others, but since they are a bit long, you can look them up on your own time and chew them like cud: Hebrews 12:1-3, 1 John 1:5-10, Romans 6:18-19, Romans 10:9-10, and Ezekial 33:10-20
I hope you all have a wonderful day, sin free, and I'm sorry if what I wrote made your head itch!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
How many of you have ever encountered or were invaded by head lice? Maybe growing up you got them or you had to deal with a child that got it. For those of you who have, you know exactly what I am talking about when I say, "Man! Those little buggers are creepy!"
My daughter, as well as a couple of the neighbor girls, had the unfortunate experience of getting head lice. And when I found the first of the little nasties in my daughter's hair, I looked at it under a magnifying glass. That thing was hideous and it gave me the heebie-jeebies. It made me furious to know that it and it's little pals were crawling around in my prescious daughter's hair, multiplying and making themselves right at home in her beautiful curls.
I tried to call everyone I could think of that she had been around lately, warning them of the dreaded little bug and then sent my daughter to the shower, so I could comb through her hair more easily, which came up with quite a few more of those little demonic pests.
After treating her hair with the lice killing lotion, that would suffocate those nasties who dared to make their home on my daughter's head, those little buggers were gone. All that remains are a few little shriveled up nits that we have to search for and remove, making sure none of them might have survived the treatment.
We labored over cleaning EVERYTHING in our house: vaccuming, washing clothes, towels, blankets, pillows; bagging up stuffed animals, tossing out brushes and hair things--anything that could still have the lice on them, and vaccuming our cars until they smelled new and clean. Let's just say, I slept really well last night, just knowing how fresh and clean our house was, rid of the tiny little bug that set up to invade our happy home.
You know, sin is a lot like lice.
It just takes one little itty-bitty sin...such as a partial truth or a tiny white-lie (Still not sure why we call it a white-lie) to enter into our life and before you know it, you are invaded with sin. It turns into other sins and it makes a home in your heart, and then it spreads into the lives of those you love and encounter on a daily basis, hurting them in the process.
Like lice, sin does not like the light. When the light of Jesus shines upon it, sin will try to scurry and flee, it's comfortable where its at and it doesn't intend on leaving.
Like lice, when your sins are revealed, or you've been confronted with them, and you take a real close look at all those sins you've allowed to master you, they look really hideous. You suddenly feel ashamed or embarrassed that they've been found out, or that you allowed yourself to get that far with them.
If you are a believer in Jesus, then your conscience really starts to get to you, because you know you were wrong allowing those sins to have free reign in your life. They make you squirm and they bother you until you can't stand it anymore and you need to be rid of them.
Jesus is the only treatment for ridding you of sin. He is waiting and willing to be your "nit-picker" or should I say "sin-picker"? The first step of having a "clean house" is letting Him come in and clean sweep it. You sincerely apologize to Him and then let Him and His grace, mercy and forgiveness get you back on the right track. Sometimes it's a long process. You've got to confess to those you hurt and apologize. You have to be willing to follow His leading and right the wrongs you committed, before you can rest easy with a pure heart. Sometimes, it takes a lot of tears, heart break and bravery to do what you know is right. But Jesus is always there to help.
A perfect example of this happened the same night we discovered my daughter had lice. I was working the closing shift at my job, and a woman came in, and asked to speak to the pharmacist. When he went to the woman, I could hear parts of their conversation. She told the pharmacist her name and said that she was the woman who had been calling in fake prescriptions to different pharmacies for a popular controlled medication. I could tell she was trying to keep her composure, but I could hear the shame in her voice. She told the pharmacist that she was a Christian and that she knew that what she had been doing was wrong. She wanted to say she was sorry and understood if he needed to take down her name.
The pharmacist basically told her thank you for apologizing and hoped that she learned her lesson and hoped that she would no longer do it.
After hearing her confession, I was amazed because every once in awhile we get fake prescriptions called in by people claiming to be a nurse or people bringing prescriptions in that they had written themselves on a stolen doctor prescription pad, and that woman was the only one I have ever known to come and apologize after she had been found out.
I was hoping for a chance to say an encouraging word to her, but she left and went shopping. Fortunately, just before she left out the door, I was able to catch her eye and wave her over. She came back to me and said humbly, "I remember you were here that day I came in."
Honestly, I have no idea what day that was that she was thinking of, I just recognized her name and new what she had been doing. I think maybe I was there the day she might have tried to pick up her fake prescription, but I have no idea if that was the case.
Looking her in the eye, I leaned over the counter and said softly, "You know most of us back here in this pharmacy are Christians. I want you to know that none of us are perfect, we all mistakes."
"But that's not my heart," she said, starting to cry.
"I know, and I really admire how you came in here to apologize, and I know God admires you even more. It's how we choose to learn from our mistakes that make us better. A lot of us have to learn the hard way. You're forgiven, now you need to turn back to God."
She nodded her head and wiped her tears, thanked me and said good-bye. I wish now I would have been able to say more. Because I thought of King David and how he was an adulterer and then had his lover's husband murdered. Yet, because of His fierce love for God, because he repented of his sins, and worshipped God whole-heartedly, God said of David that "he is a man after God's own heart."
But the lesson here is that when the woman's sins were found out, she saw them for what they were and knew she was wrong. She took the first steps in following Jesus on ridding her "house" of her sins. She was brave and confessed not by phone, or email, or in a letter--she went to those she had wronged--and confessed face-to-face, knowing there could be serious consequences.
I will be praying that there will come a day very soon when she can rest easy because she's letting the Lord deal with her sins. He's picking them out one by one, and terminating them for her as she repents of each one.
If you find yourself struggling with sin, here are some verses to help you out in your treatment to get rid of them:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claimed we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives." 1 John 1:9
"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it DESIRES to HAVE you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:7
(this verse is regarding Cain, just before he chose not to master it and killed his brother Able. The consequences were not good.)
"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but ONE sinner destroys much good." Ecclesiastes 9:18
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." Galatians 6:1
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10
"To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "if you hold to My teaching, you are really my disciples, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Acts 3:19
There are a couple of others, but since they are a bit long, you can look them up on your own time and chew them like cud: Hebrews 12:1-3, 1 John 1:5-10, Romans 6:18-19, Romans 10:9-10, and Ezekial 33:10-20
I hope you all have a wonderful day, sin free, and I'm sorry if what I wrote made your head itch!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Prayer
It has been so precious to me to see my kids growing in their prayer life. To see them develope from their cute little "lay me down to sleep" type prayers, into seeing their sincere compassion towards those they are concerned for when they pray.
Lately their prayers have consisted of praying for all the places that have been affected by earthquakes, for the parents of their friend Kailee who went to be with the Lord almost a year ago, for those they see standing on the street corners, who need food and shelter. And every night they add something new.
It touched my heart one night to hear my daughter pray for one of her little classmates, Albert, that he would come to know Jesus. Just today, our son heard his daddy sniffling and he asked, "daddy would you like me to pray for your nose?" Jon said yes, and immediately Patrick asked God to help clear his daddy's nose so that he could breath good.
Last Sunday, in the message he gave, our Pastor mentioned how our prayers are like incense to God. "...And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."
Lighting up some incense in the church, the pastor said how in time, that scent will just permeate a room, saturating everything with that particular smell. If our prayers are like sweet incense to God, just imagine how much He relishes hearing from us on a daily basis!
Sometimes we grumble and groan about how our prayers seem to go unanswered or answered in a way we didn't want. I remember a Garth Brooks song that talks about how one of God's greatest gifts is unanswered prayer. Which I've found to be true. Somtimes God delays a request or says no, because He has something so much more meaningful and wonderful for us instead and He gives us those answers in His perfect timing. I've found that in my own life and I thank God for some of the "no" responses to my prayer wish lists.
Lately I've found myself sending up little bitty prayers. Like:
"Lord, forgive me for my bad attitude..."
"Lord, place your healing hand upon so-and-so, who's dealing with this....."
"Lord, I need your calming hand upon me on this stress filled day...."
"Lord, thank you for this beautiful sunshine today..."
"Lord, help me not worry about..."
I find that the more I continuously pray throughout the day, the more I draw closer to God and my relationship with Him grows deeper and stronger. By keeping the lines of communication open to Him throughout the day, the better and more peaceful day I end up having. On the days where I noticed I was more lazy in my praying, I had more of a negative attitude about everything, and my day was less peaceful and I felt like a wall was blocking me and God--a wall I had put up there myself.
If you have that same type of attitude or feel distant from God, I encourage you to seek the Lord and say you're sorry for not talking to Him more. Then start praying about everything and anything--for those who come to mind that need prayer for whatever reason. By the end of the day, I think you will find that the wall between you and God is removed and you'll end up having a more peaceful and better day.
Here are a few more verese regarding prayer:
"Be joyful always; pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." Matthew 5: 43-44
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Romans 8:26-27
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:13-16
"On reaching the place, he [Jesus] said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.' He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:40-42
There are many verses in the Bible regarding prayer and Jesus himself praying. If it was so important for Jesus to go off to a quiet place and pray, then how much more important it is for us to pray!
So I pray you all have a prayer-filled day as you draw near to God!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Lately their prayers have consisted of praying for all the places that have been affected by earthquakes, for the parents of their friend Kailee who went to be with the Lord almost a year ago, for those they see standing on the street corners, who need food and shelter. And every night they add something new.
It touched my heart one night to hear my daughter pray for one of her little classmates, Albert, that he would come to know Jesus. Just today, our son heard his daddy sniffling and he asked, "daddy would you like me to pray for your nose?" Jon said yes, and immediately Patrick asked God to help clear his daddy's nose so that he could breath good.
Last Sunday, in the message he gave, our Pastor mentioned how our prayers are like incense to God. "...And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."
Lighting up some incense in the church, the pastor said how in time, that scent will just permeate a room, saturating everything with that particular smell. If our prayers are like sweet incense to God, just imagine how much He relishes hearing from us on a daily basis!
Sometimes we grumble and groan about how our prayers seem to go unanswered or answered in a way we didn't want. I remember a Garth Brooks song that talks about how one of God's greatest gifts is unanswered prayer. Which I've found to be true. Somtimes God delays a request or says no, because He has something so much more meaningful and wonderful for us instead and He gives us those answers in His perfect timing. I've found that in my own life and I thank God for some of the "no" responses to my prayer wish lists.
Lately I've found myself sending up little bitty prayers. Like:
"Lord, forgive me for my bad attitude..."
"Lord, place your healing hand upon so-and-so, who's dealing with this....."
"Lord, I need your calming hand upon me on this stress filled day...."
"Lord, thank you for this beautiful sunshine today..."
"Lord, help me not worry about..."
I find that the more I continuously pray throughout the day, the more I draw closer to God and my relationship with Him grows deeper and stronger. By keeping the lines of communication open to Him throughout the day, the better and more peaceful day I end up having. On the days where I noticed I was more lazy in my praying, I had more of a negative attitude about everything, and my day was less peaceful and I felt like a wall was blocking me and God--a wall I had put up there myself.
If you have that same type of attitude or feel distant from God, I encourage you to seek the Lord and say you're sorry for not talking to Him more. Then start praying about everything and anything--for those who come to mind that need prayer for whatever reason. By the end of the day, I think you will find that the wall between you and God is removed and you'll end up having a more peaceful and better day.
Here are a few more verese regarding prayer:
"Be joyful always; pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." Matthew 5: 43-44
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Romans 8:26-27
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:13-16
"On reaching the place, he [Jesus] said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.' He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:40-42
There are many verses in the Bible regarding prayer and Jesus himself praying. If it was so important for Jesus to go off to a quiet place and pray, then how much more important it is for us to pray!
So I pray you all have a prayer-filled day as you draw near to God!
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Overhauled
So it's been awhile since my last posting, I apologize for that! Procrastination is never a good thing. And the Lord lets me know it when it comes to what He wants me to write for Him! I end up having crazy dreams that confirms what He wants me to write about. Then He lets me know through other things or people, or whatever, until I get off my rear and do it!
So, ok Lord, here it is!
Have you ever seen the show Overhaulin'? If not, its a great show about old cars getting overhauled and becoming awesome rides! These people practically rebuild some of these old cars that have just been sitting in peoples garages, surrounded by clutter and junk. They've become more of an eyesore than anything. And its sad, because at one point in time they were some fine running machines with a purr that would make a man weak in the knees.
So they swipe these old cars, pull some pranks on the owner, making them think it was stolen, at the permission of one of the owner's loved ones or friends, of course, and they rebuild it into something so beautiful and cool. Something even better than it was when it was first made. And when the owner finally sees the outcome of their once hunk-o-junk car, they practically weep.
I got to thinking about how much that compares to what God does, when we finally give him permission to enter into our hearts and clean house. Just let Him have at it.
He takes the clutter we've accumulated that has no place in being there, and dumps it. He revives our engine (our very soul), cleans it up and puts a Holy fire into it, giving us strength to rev it up and be what He needs us to be.
I believe that is what He's wanting people to be reminded of right now. We can't clean ourselves up, only He can. And He won't shove Himself inside our lives either; He won't go where He's not wanted. We have to be the ones to open the door and let Him have control.
I had a dream a couple of nights ago. It was about the Rapture. Some people went up, some people stayed. To those of you who wonder if you will go to heaven or not, this message is for you.
Jesus is the ONLY way to get into heaven.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." John 3:16-17
Jesus is ready and willing to wash away those sins of yours and restore you into a new you. You just have to give Him the permission. That's all He's waiting on.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
I was reminded of that verse in church today, and it confirmed what the Lord was wanting me to write about.
When I gave my life over to Christ, there was no big boom, the earth didn't shake, or anything else like that. But I did have a refreshing peace warm me and fill me. I felt cleaner and a little lighter. No my problems and struggles didn't go away instantaneously, but I wasn't as worried about them anymore. I knew there was Someone now greater and stronger than I to help me with them. I also have no doubts about where I am going when I die, and that's a great thing not to have to worry about.
After my Rapture dream, I got up and took a shower and prayed that the Lord would let me know what He wanted me to do with it. He said to tell you that He's coming soon. Sooner than everyone may think. And He wants us all to be ready for Him. I asked Him if there was a verse I should put in my blog to share, and He put this one on my heart:
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20
Will you open the door of your heart to Him today? I pray that this Easter you will come to realize the life-changing sacrifice that Jesus did for you on the cross. I pray you give Him the permission to overhaul your life and make it clean fresh.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
So, ok Lord, here it is!
Have you ever seen the show Overhaulin'? If not, its a great show about old cars getting overhauled and becoming awesome rides! These people practically rebuild some of these old cars that have just been sitting in peoples garages, surrounded by clutter and junk. They've become more of an eyesore than anything. And its sad, because at one point in time they were some fine running machines with a purr that would make a man weak in the knees.
So they swipe these old cars, pull some pranks on the owner, making them think it was stolen, at the permission of one of the owner's loved ones or friends, of course, and they rebuild it into something so beautiful and cool. Something even better than it was when it was first made. And when the owner finally sees the outcome of their once hunk-o-junk car, they practically weep.
I got to thinking about how much that compares to what God does, when we finally give him permission to enter into our hearts and clean house. Just let Him have at it.
He takes the clutter we've accumulated that has no place in being there, and dumps it. He revives our engine (our very soul), cleans it up and puts a Holy fire into it, giving us strength to rev it up and be what He needs us to be.
I believe that is what He's wanting people to be reminded of right now. We can't clean ourselves up, only He can. And He won't shove Himself inside our lives either; He won't go where He's not wanted. We have to be the ones to open the door and let Him have control.
I had a dream a couple of nights ago. It was about the Rapture. Some people went up, some people stayed. To those of you who wonder if you will go to heaven or not, this message is for you.
Jesus is the ONLY way to get into heaven.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." John 3:16-17
Jesus is ready and willing to wash away those sins of yours and restore you into a new you. You just have to give Him the permission. That's all He's waiting on.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
I was reminded of that verse in church today, and it confirmed what the Lord was wanting me to write about.
When I gave my life over to Christ, there was no big boom, the earth didn't shake, or anything else like that. But I did have a refreshing peace warm me and fill me. I felt cleaner and a little lighter. No my problems and struggles didn't go away instantaneously, but I wasn't as worried about them anymore. I knew there was Someone now greater and stronger than I to help me with them. I also have no doubts about where I am going when I die, and that's a great thing not to have to worry about.
After my Rapture dream, I got up and took a shower and prayed that the Lord would let me know what He wanted me to do with it. He said to tell you that He's coming soon. Sooner than everyone may think. And He wants us all to be ready for Him. I asked Him if there was a verse I should put in my blog to share, and He put this one on my heart:
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20
Will you open the door of your heart to Him today? I pray that this Easter you will come to realize the life-changing sacrifice that Jesus did for you on the cross. I pray you give Him the permission to overhaul your life and make it clean fresh.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
Monday, January 4, 2010
Touch Therapy
As I was getting a WONDERFUL massage from my AWESOME massage therapist cousin tonight, I started thinking about how powerful it is to be touched.
My cousin took her time working out all the thousands of knots I've accumulated, pressing firmly and slowly, massaging out all of the stress and tension in my shoulders and back. Occasionally she would ask if her pressing on a certain spot was okay or not, and I would say I was fine, because I knew in order for me to feel better, I had to go through some discomfort to get the knot worked out.
As the massage drew to an end, my shoulders felt more relaxed, my sore calves had less knots from going ice-skating with the kids the other day, and the tension from an emotionally stressfull day at work yesterday began to ease away.
I thought about what an awesome gift the Lord has blessed my cousin with. To be able to do that for people, has got to be such a great feeling. And He equiped her for her specific gift, by blessing her with strength in her arms and hands, giving them endurance to give massage after massage. And then He balanced that strength with a gentle, compassionate spirit. He blessed her with understanding and knowledge of message therapy and provided her with room in her home and a place of work where she can utilize her gift.
I got to thinking about touch in our spiritual lives. And how important it is to us and to God. Like Crystal, when we finally go to Him and ask Him to work our issues out, He needs us tobe willing to go through a bit or a lot of discomfort in order for us to feel really great in the end.
There's those certain knots He'll come across, where he'll tell us, "I need you to go through a bit of discomfort right now. You need to go say you're sorry to so-and-so, or confess what you did." Or, "I need you to forgive this person for what they did to you and you need to tell them personally that you forgive them."
And if we are willing to do it, the end result is wonderful! Less "knots" bringing us down, tightening us up and stressing us out. You feel looser and freer than ever before as he begins to ease those issues out.
It's so funny how the Lord puts these things on my heart to write. He used Crystal's gift to get me in gear and use my own gift that he's given me so that He could then bless others more.
I hope you come to realize the unique gift He's given you and that you'll ask Him how you should go about using it for Him, so that others will be blessed too.
I pray that you allow Him to touch your life in a deep and personal way, and that you'll be willing to go through some discomfort in order to feel better and freer about yourself; about your life. Below I am listing a few verses regarding touch and how important that sense is that God created:
"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings." Colossians 2:21
"Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched." 1 Samuel 10:26
"And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak , and all who touched him were healed." Matthew 14:36
"So after they had fasted and prayed they placed their hands on them and sent them off." Acts 13:3
"When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied." Acts 19:6
"His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him." Acts 28:8
May you allow the Lord to use your hands today to touch another person's life.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
My cousin took her time working out all the thousands of knots I've accumulated, pressing firmly and slowly, massaging out all of the stress and tension in my shoulders and back. Occasionally she would ask if her pressing on a certain spot was okay or not, and I would say I was fine, because I knew in order for me to feel better, I had to go through some discomfort to get the knot worked out.
As the massage drew to an end, my shoulders felt more relaxed, my sore calves had less knots from going ice-skating with the kids the other day, and the tension from an emotionally stressfull day at work yesterday began to ease away.
I thought about what an awesome gift the Lord has blessed my cousin with. To be able to do that for people, has got to be such a great feeling. And He equiped her for her specific gift, by blessing her with strength in her arms and hands, giving them endurance to give massage after massage. And then He balanced that strength with a gentle, compassionate spirit. He blessed her with understanding and knowledge of message therapy and provided her with room in her home and a place of work where she can utilize her gift.
I got to thinking about touch in our spiritual lives. And how important it is to us and to God. Like Crystal, when we finally go to Him and ask Him to work our issues out, He needs us tobe willing to go through a bit or a lot of discomfort in order for us to feel really great in the end.
There's those certain knots He'll come across, where he'll tell us, "I need you to go through a bit of discomfort right now. You need to go say you're sorry to so-and-so, or confess what you did." Or, "I need you to forgive this person for what they did to you and you need to tell them personally that you forgive them."
And if we are willing to do it, the end result is wonderful! Less "knots" bringing us down, tightening us up and stressing us out. You feel looser and freer than ever before as he begins to ease those issues out.
It's so funny how the Lord puts these things on my heart to write. He used Crystal's gift to get me in gear and use my own gift that he's given me so that He could then bless others more.
I hope you come to realize the unique gift He's given you and that you'll ask Him how you should go about using it for Him, so that others will be blessed too.
I pray that you allow Him to touch your life in a deep and personal way, and that you'll be willing to go through some discomfort in order to feel better and freer about yourself; about your life. Below I am listing a few verses regarding touch and how important that sense is that God created:
"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings." Colossians 2:21
"Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched." 1 Samuel 10:26
"And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak , and all who touched him were healed." Matthew 14:36
"So after they had fasted and prayed they placed their hands on them and sent them off." Acts 13:3
"When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied." Acts 19:6
"His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him." Acts 28:8
May you allow the Lord to use your hands today to touch another person's life.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Alyssa
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