Thanksgiving

Unto the One who is worthy of all praise, let there be blessing and honor and glory and praise forever and ever.

Praise be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is right to give Him thanks and praise. 

Blessed (happy) are those who live in grateful praise. 

Blessed be His Name.

Happy Thanksgiving!

James 4:14,

Camelot

Mystery of God's Wisdom

We speak about the mystery of God’s wisdom. It is a wisdom that has been hidden, which God had planned for our glory before the world began. But as Scripture says: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God. “Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can teach him?” However, we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:7, 9, 10, 16 GW)

 We have the Spirit of God living in us. As we walk through this life, we have a choice to either give Him absolute sway and allow Him to have say in our words, our actions, even our reactions or we can choose to listen to our feelings, our past, or others.

God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment. 2 Timothy 1:7

This is how we should live Holiness and Hope ...

Present Day Holiness - Our Christian walk is not an endless climbing up a hill of obedience to reach the checkpoints of holiness along the way, but rather a moment by moment yield to Him who is Holy in all that He does. If we are attentive to His Voice, then the Spirit of God(the Mind of Christ) is actively having His Way. 

Future Hope - I heard a message recently about being on The Verge. The preacher was talking about the moments before deliverance or before a miracle. I could not help thinking of riding a wave...when you are on the top of the wave if you close your eyes you do not realize what is about to happen, but the most exciting part of being on the top of the way is the anticipation and hope of the ride once the wave breaks. 


I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11

James 4:14,
Camelot

Give me Your Eyes.

I am so grateful to the myriad of testimonies that others can give and I can remember from my own life about how God has changed my perspective so that I can see from a "closer to reality" viewpoint.

Yesterday after church my husband, Sam, and daughter, Emily, were both trying to find me because we wanted to do our Operation Christmas Child box and maybe even a local present for a child here. While they ran out of the local children ornaments, we were excited to go and fill two boxes for OCC. If you have participated before, you know the joy of picking out the items and filling the box.

This year following the mission trip that Emily and Sam went on this summer, things were different. Even though I had did not go with them, it was like as soon as we decided to fill a box for a 5-9 year old boy and one for a 5-9 year old girl, their minds immediately went into gear. They were transported back to their trip. At one point  I was holding up an small pet toy for the girl and Sam immediately grabbed the princess nail polish and said it would be better. I was floored, but then I remembered how they all sat with the orphans last summer and the girls spent hours painting each others nails and showing them off.

Amazing what a one week trip will do, and I am sure that I have not seen the half of it, yet.

 ^"I thank my God for all the memories I have of you. Every time I pray for all of you, I do it with joy. I can do this because of the partnership we’ve had with you in the Good News from the first day you believed until now. I’m convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6

Mother Teresa said, "The reason we have no peace is we have forgotten we belong to each other."
We truly do need each other.

Lord, Increase our Peace, Increase our Vision, Increase our Intimacy with You. Amen.

James 4:14,
Camelot

Hunger Games

Last night my daughter and I went to see the second edition of Hunger Games on the big screen. While the ending was a cliffhanger as you would expect from any second movie in a trilogy, the conversation on the way home gave me more anticipation than the waiting for the third movie to debut.

We were talking about why the girl who was in the games made the decisions that she made. The fact that throughout the "game" she was being watched, just like in the first movie. There was a scene where she was hiding on a tree limb and realized that the sound she heard as the zooming in and out of a camera lens in a knot on the tree. With this realization there were key decisions that she made in order to make it through the game alive.

If we know that someone is watching us, we may choose to do things differently. Not necessarily wrong or right, but just differently. When my husband who is quick to through things away is watching, I may choose to throw a wrapper away before I sit down to eat rather than throw it away when I get to cleaning up the dishes. So when I think about living my life before an audience of One, it is not judgement that I think about because I know that the Holy Spirit will let me know if there is anything between us, but more along the lines of respect and love. There are things that I think of doing just because I have His perspective in mind as I walk through my day.

Lord, may the "movie of my life" be acceptable and bring You Glory! Psalm 19:14 And as soon as I pray and write this, He brings to my heart the reality that we are in the "movie" together and it is the truest of Love Stories.

James 4:14,
Camelot

Come Close...

The first part of James 4:8 says "Come close to God, and he will come close to you."

Certainly God uses many things to increase our faith: 

Trials: "My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything." James 1:2-4

Prayer: "May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give our brothers and sisters peace and love along with faith." Ephesians 6:23

Miracles: "But these miracles have been written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and so that you will have life by believing in him." John 20:31

  

I have found that when my faith increases so does my vision of who His is. So whether it is a miracle or an answer to prayer or even a trial, my response, eventually is praise. As the song says, "To see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of Your Glory, Pour our Your power and love as we sing Holy, Holy, Holy."

After the prayer that Paul prays for the believers in Ephesis, that God would give them peace, love and faith. He says in verse 24, " His favor is with everyone who has an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ."

Whatever causes us to come a  little closer is a miracle in and of itself because of the blessed truth that if we will come close to Him, then He will come close to us. I know He lives in me, how much closer can you get...but don't you love the inside hugs that increased intimacy brings. 

James 4:14,

Camelot 

Actively Resist

Suppose a person carries meat set aside for a holy purpose and he folds it up in his clothes. If his clothes touch bread, boiled food, wine, oil, or any kind of food, does that make the food holy?” The priests answered, “No.” Haggai asked, “Suppose a person becomes unclean by touching a corpse. If he touches any of these things, does that make them unclean?” The priests answered, “That makes them unclean.” (Haggai 2:12, 13 GW)

We as the Church of the Living God have been given authority by Jesus Himself. It is our responsibility to be active in prayer and thought not only resisting the enemy of our souls, but invading the darkness with our words and prayers. We speak life. If we are passive in our relationship with Christ, it is a reality that our lives will be tainted by the world. Evil is contagious like mold in a dark, moist place. 

BUT

When Light shines in the darkness, the darkness not just flees, but deceases...darkness is the absence  of light.

“You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. (Matthew 5:14, 15 GW)

Be Light. Go Shine! is written on the wall as you walk outside of my church. While "be" is a passive verb, this is a very active command. 

Lord, awaken me and rise up within me that I would not drift passively in Your Name, but that I would believe aggressively and stand tenaciously on Your Word. Not only have absolute sway in my life, but make my life kindling for Your Light to shine brighter. In Jesus name.

James 4:14,

Camelot

You have Promised.

²⁶ 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 through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:26-30)

 Father, Thank you for your strong arm that has worked salvation for us. I am humbled by what You have done for and through the scrappy lump of clay I handed to You on the day we met. Miraculous, indeed! You are Faithful, You are True... and You have promised that in the midst of chaos and distraction that those whose minds are stayed on You, those that love You will know that Your eye is on the sparrow and not only do You see me, but Your Hand works all things for the good of those who love You. You have promised and it will be done. In the Name of the One called Faithful and True, Amen.

James 4:14,
Camelot

Project Galilee

This Thursday, I am participating in Project Galilee, a time of rest and revelation with other pastors and leaders, a time to make extra room for the Presence of Jesus in our lives.

We are gathering off the coast of North Carolina, not the Sea of Galilee, but the call is the same as the angel's message in Mark 16:7

"But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’"

Pastor Kerry Willis is leading this conversation as we all seek to intentionally look on the horizon of our lives and increase our peace, joy, hope and grace by gazing into His face together.

Here was the view from my window the last time I woke up at the Sea of Galilee a few years back.

Spiritually speaking, I am looking forward to the Light on the Horizon of this week as we entire a time of intentional Holy Spiritual Community. Anyone interested in spending a few sunrises and sunsets with us receive the invitation...

ProjectGalilee.com

James 4:14,
Camelot

Asleep in the Light

Jesus said that, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."
 He then instructs those serving alongside Him to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send workers.

With the week of My Hope with Billy Graham and the sermon yesterday at Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene, As Christians, living in the light of this perspective, we are either working alongside Him and praying for the harvest, we are asleep in the Light.

Another highlight from the heart of one harvester, Keith Green.

 

Here it is on Youtube... Asleep in the Light

The last line says, "Don't turn away and pretend the job's done."

Lord,

Wake us up.

James 4:14,

Camelot

The Sheep and The Goats

This morning my pastor in a passionate, compassionate message on hell, unveiled the most ignored aspect of the true perspective on eternity. We will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. Without the His forgiveness, we are condemned, but with it we are found, accepted, adopted, forgiven, made new, restored, and heaven bound.

Keith Green, who passed away in an airplane accident along with 2 of his 4 sons in the 1970's sings the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25.

James 4:14,
Camelot

Rest

"God’s promise that we may enter his place of rest still stands. We are afraid that some of you think you won’t enter his place of rest." Hebrews 4:1

 I was having a conversation with a family member about the things of God. At the conclusion of our talk, we were talking about an ongoing, alive relationship with God. It became very simple. Any relationship that you have includes conversation, getting to know each other, thinking about each other, and giving to each other in some capacity.

It dawned on me that some people may go for days or weeks or more without thinking about God, reading His word, praying or giving anything of themselves to Him.  When asked who they put their faith in, I wonder who they mean when they say, "God."

There are also people who pray, read, and think about God, but they are so down on themselves that they are paralyzed to give of themselves because their past or circumstances or others tell them of a God that is not real...

God is good, He gives good to His children, if you will put your trust in Him, then you are His child.

The place of rest that exists is inside the life of faith in the Son of God, who came to save the world from sin.

What love the Father has lavished on us, that we, those who walk by faith, should be called the children of God, at rest in His presence. Live there cause that is what we are! (1 John, 2 Corinthians and Hebrews mixed)

James 4:14,
Camelot

Used to

One of the most devastating things to me in the Old and New Testaments are the stories of people who were followers of God, who served Him with all that they have and then for whatever the reason it became something they used to do. God is a very present God, who is jealous of His position and relationship in our lives. As dearly loved children, it is right to give God all thanks and all praise, to submit our lives to Him and offer ourselves for His service.

"I will remove those who have turned away from following the Lord
    and those who no longer seek the Lord or ask him for help.” Zephaniah 1:6 (GW)

"And I will destroy those who used to worship me
    but now no longer do.
They no longer ask for the Lord’s guidance
    or seek my blessings.” Zephaniah 1:6 (NLT)

One of many things that distinguishes relationship from religion is the "right now" aspect of it. Religion is a one time decision or ancestral heritage thing that can be forgotten about after you label yourself. Relationship is real time. Relationship is dynamic and alive. Relationship either exists or it does not. It is either waxing or waning, growing closer or growing apart.

He is still pursuing us by His mercy and grace. He is still welcoming us into a relationship through the blood of Jesus. For now, but a day will come when either our love and obedience or our rebellion and complacency will be our final decision.

"For God says,

'At just the right time, I heard you.
    On the day of salvation, I helped you.^'

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NLT)

 "This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies." Zechariah 1:3 (NLT)

James 4:14,
Camelot

Have a Great Day!

Last week I received this card in the mail...

The verse on it is Philippians 4:6

"Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks."

The results of obedience to this command follows in the next verse...

"Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus." (v. 7)

Now the abundance that follows...Freedom from the bondage of negativity and doubt. We are free to fill our minds with the "good stuff" 

"Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable." (Philippians 4:8 GW)

Thanks Paul the Apostle and Pastor Paul at Living Well Church of the Nazarene for the reminder today.

Truly a great day!

James 4:14,

Camelot

Go and Rest(Serve)

T.W. Manson was a Professor Biblical Criticism and Exegesis in the mid 1900s. He is quoted about serving.

"In the Kingdom of God, service is not a stepping tone to nobility. It is nobility."

Two of Jesus' disciples asked Him if they could sit on either side of Him when He comes into His Kingdom. In response in Matthew 20:26, Jesus told His disciples  "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" 

The balance of work and rest is I believe found in service.
Hebrews 4:9-11 talks about the Sabbath rest of God...

⁹ There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; ¹⁰ for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. ¹¹ Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

The rest of God is through surrender not the absence of work.

May my life be an offering unto to You, O God! Use me as You will.

James 4:14,
Camelot

What a Day!

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see.
To look upon His face
The One who saved me by His grace
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me to the Promised Land
What a day! Glorious Day that will be!

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20

James 4:14,
Camelot

It's All About Perspective

Yesterday I went into the local Christian bookstore to pick up a book. As I browsed a little I found this small advent candle holder.

I have been looking for one like this on sale for a few years now, a family style size set. 

Notice the broken candle. (Hence the Half price) Sometimes,for some reason, I go into the Thanksgiving and Chrstmas season leaning out, a little off. This year is definitely different. I am leaning in. 

I have so much to be thankful for. My daughter, of whom I am so proud of, is celebrating Christmas with us as a full time resident for the last time (probably). There are many other things to be thankful for. At different times throughout the season, we will spend time with all of the grandparents. We will have a chance to travel with this candle set to celebrate in Lynchburg, Florida and then home for the holidays. 

First, My daughter will light a purple candle, then my 4 year old nephew, the the pink one will be lit by Sam's mom, and finally the last purple one by my mom, lighting the candle for the last time at our house with my husband, my daughter and my mom. 

Truly my heart is swelling withe the verse inscribed on the little pewter holder... Prepare ye the way of The Lord. Mark 1:3

I know I know 55 days left til Christmas, 

Some say this is too soon, there are 55 days to go

Some say there are only 55 days left.

I guess it's all about perspective ... And Jesus of course!

James 4:14,

Camelot