Replenished Supply

Did you ever think of how the Lord replenished things for the Israelites? Daily He provided manna and quail for them to eat. He provided protection their whole lives and allowed them to be defeated a couple of times to humble them. When they were in the wilderness their clothes didn't wear out, neither did their shoes. Amazing! If only that would happen with my favorite skirts and shoes.
But really I was thinking of how they were in the wilderness because of their disobedience and they were there until all those that came out of Egypt died off. And to think that the God that replenished the Israelites' necessities is the same God I serve today. He will provide for me everyday, everything I need and even things I want. He will keep me safe and just like the Israelites humble me when needed, which seems to be very often. Praise the Lord that the God I serve is the same God that led Abraham, that comforted Ruth, convicted David of sin, gave Esther courage, endowed Solomon with wisdom, sent His Son to the cross, allowed Paul to live and serve with his infirmities, and give me the strength to live each day. What a privilege to live for God and not have to worry about anything! Because He still provides the same.

Such Great Compassion

I was reading in my devotions part of Psalm 78 this morning and I was struck by verses 35-39. The children of Israel are known for their murmuring and complaining, that's a given. But in verse 35 they knew the Lord was their rock, their redeemer. He took care of them, provided, protected, and promised them a great inheritance. They knew all the things the Lord said, the things He did for them, they grew up hearing all about it and seeing it. Then in the very next verse it says that they were hypocritical. They said one thing and did another, not just to people, but to GOD! And they knew He knew all. It was downright rebellion.
Verse 37 tells us why. It was simple, they weren't right with Him. They let sins get inbetween them and God, eventually they were bold enough to be hypocritical with God. What a scary thought! I pray that I never get to that point.
Yet in all this, outright hypocracy, lying, and forsaking what they knew, verse 38 begins with the word "But". What a great word! Despite their gross, outright sins, it says that He had compassion on them. He forgave all their sins. AND He didn't kill them! What compassion! What Love!
Then the Lord went on to explain in His blessed book why. "For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again." verse 39. That verse thrills my soul! He forgives us over and over because:

• He knows we're human
• We are only here for a little while
• We aren't ever coming back once we've gone. (I guess that proves reincarnation is false!)

Now that doesn't give us the right to sin, since He forgives us every time. But it does give us assurance that He forgives us, and when He does we know He forgives and forgets. And his compassion never ends,
"...His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." (Lam 3:22-23)
What loving compassion the Father has for us sinners! Praise Him!

Fed Up With Myself

I look at myself and I want to change so bad. I watched a preaching DVD of David Gibbs this morning and it is one of my favorite messages, Doing the Impossible. This is an amazing message, if you want to hear it there is one on sermonaudio.com that I think is the same thing. I haven't checked. In my book this sermon is one I've listened to numerous times but I still need it, I guess it's like Jonathan Edward's Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God.
I've been struggling with the whole concept that we have good churches full of people who are unwilling to leave their comfort zone and do something for God. Yes, I know we have to have those faithful ones who remain at home to take care of the church, but I fear our churches grow larger and larger because people become too comfortable.We have people that are called to go but they stay. I fear that might happen to me and I pray it never will. I'm not saying that we should all go to the foreign missionfield, home is a missionfield all in itself. Nevertheless, we need to beware of becoming too comfortable and not willing to do whatever God says. I've realized though that I can't change anyone else, just myself. I can voice my concern, but I've got to look in the mirror.
I just know I don't want to be a stagnant believer, sitting in my good church, serving in my ministries that were created for me. I don't want to just be a good Christian, I want to be a great believer for Christ. But I don't want to have people look at me and say "Look what she did for God!", I want them to say, "Look what God did!" Yet, I want to be out there, I want to be on my missionfield, wherever that is. I'm ready, willing, excited, and I guess impatient to get there. I feel like we have so little time left here on earth and I myself am not using it wisely enough. I think I'm failing. Mediocrity scares the life out of me! I'm so afraid of becoming just another run-of-the-mill "Christian". And I guess I feel alone, I feel there aren't many out there that feel like I do. This isn't something I should feel alone in, yet I do. I'm just petitioning others to not become so tangled up with your lives that you become comfortable where you are.

A Lesson From Germany

Spending time with my family yesterday got me to thinking about one of the biggest things I learned while I was over in Germany. I seemed to have forgotten some of the things I learned. How could I forget? It's a good thing I wrote in a journal everyday, so I'll never forget it. But back to the lesson I learned...

While in Germany I was away from my family and friends, of course. Though the Robinson's were wonderful and I called home twice a week it still wasn't the same as being with my family. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love my family and spend much time with them. And I love and missed my friends, you know who you are: you're there to encourage me, rebuke me, love me, and care about me. Being away from everyone though was just what the Lord knew I needed.

You see, I realized how much I had taken my family for granted. Hard to believe, isn't it? I also learned that not even your friends or family could be there for you all the time, and know just the right thing to say to you.But, I found a friend that I seemed to have taken for granted. He was there with me, always telling me the exact thing I needed. He fights for me, loves me, cares for me unconditionally. Yes, the Lord became my best friend, I could talk to Him about everything, things I couldn't even tell friends. He knew what was in my heart even if I couldn't find the way to say it. I learned to fully rely on Him. He showed me how precious my family was and how I had taken them for granted, how I let things come between us. I cared more about my friends and their lives than my own family. The realization that my family and my Lord were the only real best friends in this world hit hard. No matter what I say, think, and do, good or bad, I know that I can always go to them. They are there and will forgive me for anything. They understand me better than anyone else ever will. They're there for me no matter what. I still love those of you close friends, but I realized you all will be moving on in your lives, we may drift apart, but my family and my Lord are always there.

So just a quick challenge: Are you taking your family for granted? Do care more for your friends than you family and your Lord? Let your Lord and your family be your best friends, the ones you go to first.

We Need Revival

There was a time when the Spirit of God,

Moved in a mighty way.

There was a time when the people of God,

Lived in a godly way.

Something's wrong, it is time to turn around.

Somethings wrong, it is time to heed the sound.

Verse Two

Now is the time, and this is the place,

We are the ones who must make the choice.

Now is the time, we do not hesitate,

The people of God must lift their voice.

We must be strong, in the power of God's might,

We must be strong, this darkness needs our Light.

Chorus

We need revival, all across the land,

We need revival, it is time to take a stand.

We better fall on our knees and pray,

And turn from our wicked ways,

We need revival all across the land.

A Quote to Think About

I was reading a book the other day, Christy, by Catherine Marshall, and though it is fictional there was a part in it that I thought, "Wow! That is so true in our Christian lives. So will post it.

"What do you do when strength is called for and you have no strength? You evoke a power beyond your own (Christ's power in us) and use stamina you did not know you had. You open your eyes in the morning grateful that you can see the sunlight of yet another day. You draw yourself to the edge of the bed and them put one foot in front of the other-and keep going. You weep with those who gently close the eyes of the dead, and somehow, from the salt of your tears, comes endurance for them and for you. You pour out that resurgence to minister to the living." (p.477)

I thought it was neat how God can use anything to teach us a lesson. Sometimes we "know" we can't go on anymore, we just "can't" do it. But we are wrong in one sense, We cannot do it but God can through us. "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me." Phil.4:13

Then when we actually do it and we look back, we know the only way we got through that trial was with the Lord's help. I just thought it was neat.

Do We Really Want Revival?

I mean do we really, seriously want a revival that will change our life? Like that of the old days. I am reminded of the time at college when we went up for teen visitation and were told that we were going to stay on campus and pray for the upcoming revival. That was one of the best moments of my life and the lives of others. We spent that time praying, really praying, that God would send revival to everyone but more specifically to us individually. And it was amazing! We spent time searching ourselves for any sin that would be in the way of God getting a hold of our lives and making us more like Him. Why is it we don't have revival? Even my 9 year old brother Josiah, after learning about the Great Awakening in history, said "Why can't we have a revival like the Great Awakening? I wish we had a revival like that." This coming from a 9 year old! Yet you never hear things like that coming from adults. What a sad world we live in and what carnal Christians we are!
I want revival, I want the Lord to change me and make me more like Him. But how can I help make it happen? I mean we have revivals and they are wonderful but they aren't like I believe they could be, so what do we do?
I read a really great book called The High Cost of Compromise & Worldliness by Glen Spencer Jr. and in it he speaks about how we can obtain revival. So I am going to put some quotes from the book and hopefully it will help remind me to do my part in helping to bring about a revival.

"It is only when God's people repent and separate from ungodliness that God can hear from Heaven and pour out a might revival." (p.20)

"Christianity is suffering today because the bible has been replaced by television, pleasure, sports, and just about everything else the Devil has thrown out. What's the solution you ask? A God breathed heaven sent revival is our only hope! How can we have it you ask? Junk the television, movie going, money mongering, jungle jazz music, card playing, public nakedness(mixed bathing), cigarette sicking, cocktail drinking "sipping saints." Then get rid of these pussyfooting, back scratching, ear-tickling, gospel-dodging, compromising, soft-soaping, corner cutting, aim-at-nothing, hit nothing, modernistic, cemetery seminary, manufactured, assembly line preachers, and get some Daniels, John the Baptists, and Elijah's. Then, and only then, will we see an old fashioned, Holy Ghost, sent from Heaven, God-breathed Revival." (p.23)

We need to forsake our worldliness and get focused on doing what God's Word says. And I'm just as guilty as the next person. We never reach that peak of perfection, where we've done it. It's an everyday process of denying the flesh. So pray with me and strive with me to do our part to bring about an old fashioned revival.