Challenge for November

Psalm 95:2a "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,...."

I was trying to think of something to do with my boys in the month of November that would make them think and really think of what they are thankful for. My cousin, Lynn, replied to a post on facebook and gave me a wonderful idea. From this I thought I would give you who read my blogs a challenge. You may post here or you may do as I'm going to do an have each member of the family do a journal type book.

The challenge is to everyday of November write down 5 things you are thankful for. The Bible says we are come before his presence with thanksgiving. Have we thanked our Lord for all he has done provided, given, or just the daily things air to breathe, water to drink. How about our salvation?! How often do you thank the Lord for your salvation?

It would be neat at the end of November to hear from some of you and how your Thankful Journal went.

Verse for the day

Romans 14:13 "Let us not therefore judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way."

We Want America Back

This is the title to a CD I listen to often, my former Pastor speaks on this CD about the "old" America and how we want America back. Prayer back in school, Bible reading back in school, how about Bible classes back in school....

You know I grew up in Christian School and had the privilege of going to a Bible College. No one was offended because I wanted to pray or read my Bible. I can't imagine going to school where they get offended because I want to pray to my Lord and Saviour.

Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."
What has happened to our nation? I can tell you from my point of view and anyone who opens their eyes.... SIN we are to focused on "I" not on God. At our church we are entering our fall program and I love the theme "Hunting for Jesus"
1. Hunt for Jesus in his word
2. Hunt for Jesus through Prayer
3. Hunt for Jesus through soul-winning
4. Hunt for Jesus by asking for wisdom and becoming more like Him!
What an Awesome thing we can do!

We want America Back!! Back to the Old Time Religion, Back to Prayer and the Bible, Back to being concerned about man's soul.

George Washington said, "It is impossible to govern the world without God. He must be worse than an infidel that has not gratitude to acknowledge his obligation."

Abraham Lincoln said, "We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined that all things were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us."

Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...."

A Lamp unto my feet.....

Psalm 119:105 "They word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

As I searched for a picture of a light that would be like a lamp to guide our feet. I found many different types. Some were dim and wouldn't of helped one along the way, some were so bright that it was like daylight out, then I found the one picture above... It shines, gives the light needed to guide one along. This is how God is for us, he's a light unto our feet, how? Through His word, the Bible.

I was also thinking children like the nite lights. That little lite that children depend upon in the middle of the night to show them the way to mommy, or to the restroom is very important. So shouldn't the light of God's Word be important. We can go on our own depending on our eyes to guide us, but will they guide us right? Will they help us to see the stumbling block? Will our eyes see the danger that is ahead? The answer to these questions is Not Always! Why? Because we're human we don't always see that dip in the road or the crack on the sidewalk that will cause us to fall. If we don't let God's word light our path in our daily walk with Him, the Lord knows what is coming up in our lives. He see's the pitfall, he see's the pain we will endure, he knows where we'll need a little more love, or extra grace to get through the day. If we ponder the words of the Lord, if we depend on his promises he will always be there for us. He will be the Lamp unto our feet and the light for our path.

Did you forget to pray and read your Bible before you left your room this morning?
Did you forget to ask the Lord to be your light for the day to show you the path to take?
OR
Did you go to the Lord in prayer and Bible reading?
Did you go to the Lord asking him to be the light of your path?

Which set of questions did you answer yes to?
Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

The Power of Friendship

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
Proverbs 27:10 "Thine own friend, and thy fathers's friend, forsake not...."
Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."
Proverbs 18:24 "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly...."

A friend is one who shares my yoke,

Whose every presence doth provoke

New visions into view,

Endures me when I fuss and pout,

And helps me when in doubt,

To do what I can do

A friend is one, when dark occurs

Who helps me through life's hazy blurs,

To see what I can see

A friend is one whose voice assures,

And prods me on, when case allures,

To be what I can be

A friend is one who helps conceive

The things he knows I can achieve,

And helps my faith to grow;

He aids me to my hopes retrieve,

And spurs me on, till I believe,l

To go where I can go

A friend is one who amplifies

The voice of God when duty cries,m

And bends me to his ear;

Who silences the static near

And foreign sounds that interfere,

Then bids me list to voices clear

To hear what I can hear.

~~Dr Jack Hyles~~

God is Good!

Bill and Janet Seavey Jr Saved Feb 28, 2010 "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Looking out the back room where my mother in law met her Lord. Looking out over the sheep pasture and at the beautiful heavens our dear Lord made himself!! "In the Beginning God created the Heavens...."

How can anyone deny that there is a God?

To look at this and see the wonders of the heavens to know that He died on the cross for you and me is enough to say that we have a heavenly Father who loves us and cares for us.
I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Isn't that just a wonderful thought?

I know that today's devo is a mixture of things but over the past wk as my dear mom in law graduated to heaven I thought of many of things. God never gave up on her, Even though mom Seavey waited for 74 yrs to accept our Lord, God knew the future and knew that she would come home. Praise the Lord for his love and watch care.

Thank God for Heaven!!

Peacemaker or Troublemaker??

Which are you? Do you bring Peace to a situation or trouble? Tonight our preacher taught on the beatitudes and he focused on the Peacemaker. We arrived home and I got to thinking about our family, what we are currently going through and how my children have acted lately.

One statement our preacher made about the parents being the peacemaker hit home! Do you scream and yell and then say Now if you scream and yell at _________ one more time I'm going to discipline you?! If you stop and think the child is ONLY doing what he sees and hears mom and dad doing. What is that? Screaming and Yelling! This is just one of many examples he gave.

The question is: Are YOU a peacemaker or a troublemaker???

Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."

WOW!! That really hit home. I'm going to use my family here, today has been an emotional day for us. The children knew Mom wasn't in her normal mode of things and they were pushing the wagon a little to far. As I look back over my day, I was ready to help my children meet Jesus early ( not literally) they had just argued, bickered, fought, kicked, disobeyed one time to many. Discipline had already been issued and they still continued. Well, daddy has been gone for over a wk, we aren't sure when he's coming home so.... I decided I'm going to Preacher, he will set them straight and we'll be good! Then he preaches this message OUCH!!!

Was I peacemaker today? no not really
Did I have a reasonable reason to not be totally peaceful? Maybe, but probably not
Could I have prevented some of the stress today? YES
Why were the children troublemakers today? The Holy Spirit wasn't leading mom to be the peacemaker cause Mom wasn't allowing him to. You know we're all human and at times we mess up. However, when we came home from church tonight the peacemaker was here, the Holy Spirit was in control and our evening went 99% better! Did I rant at my preacher about them? No I simply applied the message to my situation.

We can be the peacemaker in play, work, church, with our spouse, with our children, with our parents, you name it and if there seems to be, or is a troublemaker around. We can step up and be the peacemaker.

I love verse 12 of Matthew 5 "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Because the beatitudes were followed now we can Rejoice, and be exceeding glad! Isn't that wonderful?!

You decide today, will I be a Peacemaker or will I be the troublemaker. Will I allow the Holy Spirit to control what I do and say so I bring peace? or Will I ignore him and have more trouble than I know what to do with? "Blessed are the peacemakers...."

Are you Balanced?

II Kings 10:28-31 "Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, they children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to sin.

Jehu was a man of Zeal. However he was what we would call a one dimensional Christian. Why is this? Although he was full of zeal and he made sure Baal was destroyed because of it being a false god. He overlooked the other false worshipers also.

Jehu didn't give his whole heart to the Law of God. Just as he didn't do this, we as Christians do the same thing. We say, God you may have everything in my life but __________. You fill in the blank. What are you keeping from God. What is keeping you from being a well balanced Christian. As my preacher says that doesn't mean your bubble in the "middle" is balanced *laughing. Some of us maybe very well balanced that way; But God means that we need to be balanced in our Christan lives.

How can you be balanced?
1. After salvation you become involved in your church. Bus Ministry, Soul-winning, choir, children's church, what ever your Pastor has that you maybe able to be involved in.
2. You read your Bible daily
3. You Pray daily
4. You enjoy your family (Don't be to busy for your family!)
5. You discipline your children when needed
6. You love your children
7. You need to know when to play and when not to.

I love the verse: A time to play a time to work, a time to mourn a time to rejoice.... I don't have it quoted exactly but you get the jest of what I'm saying. In order for us to Well Balanced and not to be to a Dimensional Christian.

What can you do today that would make you more balanced in your Christian life.
Jehu was a Man of zeal but he wasn't balanced. Do you want to be a Jehu or do you want to be different and not loose your balance!!

Heaven

Jeremiah 31:37 "Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord."

Is there anyway to measure the joys of heaven? I don't know exactly but I do know Heaven is sounding sweeter every day. I have grandparents, aunts, uncles and even dear dear friends in Heaven. The most recent friend who went to Heaven was about 4 yrs ago, Mrs Dotty Waddle, she had cancer and it took her quickly. I've not had any family pass recently, but I have a dear Mother in law who's close to meeting her Saviour! She was diagnosed with a cancer a little under a yr ago, then in February of this year she and my dad in law accepted Christ.

As I'm typing this my wonderful and loving husband is in Maine with his mom. This morning when Hospice stopped in the lady said, that Bill needed to stay which indicates that mom isn't doing well at all and will be seeing Jesus sooner than we think.

To those who have already been praying for my dear mother in law thank you! To those whom have just learned of her situation we cherish the prayers for the family.

Heaven is a wonderful place and there's no worries or fears of going to heaven. God is an awesome God and Heaven is sounding sweeter every day.

How do we measure heaven and it's joys?
I believe it's:
1. By us knowing 100% sure that we ourselves are saved and going there!
2. By the assurance that our family and friends are saved and have a home eternal.
3. That we have a God who's prepared us a place in heaven.
4. Those who have gone on before us we WILL see again.

Jeremiah 31:37 "Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord."

God's Wish List

Psalm 134 "Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion."

We know that God can have anything and has everything. Did you ever think though what if God had a wish list. What do you think He would wish for?

1. that as servants we would die to self.
2. That we would take a stand, and Guard what is right.
3. Work, yes work for our needs but more importantly work for the Lord
4. Use our hands, feet, eyes, mouth for who?? The Lord be involved in your church.

In this short passage I had these few things written beside it. I'm not sure where I heard it, but you know as I was reading my Bible today I came across these notes. How many of these things do we really do? Just a short message for us to think on today.

If God had a wish list for us are we fulfilling it??

Quality or Quanity

Do you spend to time with your children to say I put in my hour (Quantity) or to say I got to know more about them (Quality) ?



Today I went out with Samuel and Jason leaving undone dishes, unmade beds, school materials not finished for next wk but had good quality time with them. See I, as any other parent, when they have a day to "catch up" have a tendency to push aside the children and say later. You know what? Later 99% of the time NEVER happens!!



When we tell our children we will do something for them or with them we really shouldn't let ANYTHING interfere with that date and time. Our children will get to where they say, "Ok they said this but will it really happen?" We tell our children not to lie but yet we'll lie to them at the drop of a hat. My former Pastor, Dr Jack Hyles didn't let ANYTHING come between him and his time with his children. Now I realize he was a Pastor he needed to that. But wouldn't it be just as important for us a lay people to do the same for our children?

In Exodus 21 we're told, "Thou shalt not lie." Doesn't that apply to parents also? You know sometimes I believe we think, well, I'm the parent I have to work, clean the house, fix the car, do the laundry, buy the groceries etc. that we say, I don't have to be totally honest with my kid. WRONG!!! "Thou Shalt not lie" refers to ALL of us.

Next time you are trying to decided to do I give my children quality or quantity time why not say Quality. You'll find you're making memories with your children (no matter the age) that will stay with them for life.

Praise the Lord for you children! I do.

Raising Godly Christian Children

I don't often recommend other blogs. Why? You can't always trust their content. However if you want to know more about what is in the world and you want to learn from a Christian Lady who researches and then blogs on what we need to be on the look out for then go here: Radically Persuasive . I can asure you that unless your looking to be offended you won't be and you'll be grateful for her blog!

Why do we need to be so concerned about our children? Look around you... what is out there?
Drinking, cursing, sex, drugs, rock music, you name it if it's not Christ honoring more than likely your children need to warned about it. Not just in church either, they need to see that Dad and mom are against it.

We can't tell our children rock music is wrong and then listen to it in our car. We can't tell our children swearing is wrong and then cuse up a streak. It's so sad when I'm out and I hear a mother cursing her children because the dropped an apple or they accidently bumped her. What is this world coming to.

Parents if we truly want to protect our children and raise the them seperated, godly Christians it MUST begin at home!

Hebrews 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore brethern by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Adding to or Taking away

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed."

Are our children adding to their knowledge or taking away from it? This morning during our Math class one of the kids was doing a problem where he had to work the ( ) first then had to add and subtract. He was not really complaining just wanting to know why he couldn't add first then do the ( ) then subtract. So I said, ok you try it your way and I'll do the way it says to do it. We'll see who comes up w/the right answer.

Well, after some work we compared answers and with him having done the problem incorrectly his answer was off by 2. Not bad but incorrect. Then I showed him step by step the correct way to work the problem and we came up with the correct answer. This is why I ask, 'Is your children adding to his knowledge or taking away from it?"

If we go through our Christian life doing things "our" way we won't learn the "test" the Lord has set before us and we won't be "adding" to our knowledge. I love the verse, "Study to shew thyself approved...." Are we looking for approval? No not really we are looking to become a workman that doesn't need not to be ashamed.

I have one son, he will work and work and work. He studies hard, turns in all his work and is learning the importance of his responsibilities. He has gained respect of many people here at the our church. Why? He studied, he wasn't ashamed to put forth his best and then he increased (added) knowledge.

Now, I have another son, who's the opposite. He doesn't want to work. He doesn't want to do his schooling and if I'd let him he'd sleep till noon. Has he added to or taken away from his knowledge? Well, in some area's he's taken away. He has because of some problems made it where people do not always come to him for help. I've applied to this little Math idea to his situation and he has started to "add" to his knowledge.

So what are you teaching your children?
Are they being taught to:
be lazy?
have an I don't care attitude?
OR
to work hard?
to not be ashamed and study/work hard at all things?

Just a little thought that came to me while teaching my son how to follow what is taught and do the work right.

Have a great day ALL!!

Are you being a Tattletale or telling....

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."

(I got this from an e-mail an wanted to share it. Reason being I have children at home all day w/home schooling and then also children will tattle and this is an awesome way to curve it.)

My son could hardly wait to talk to me one day during our school time. I could tell he had something important to say and was anxiously waiting to share the news. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, I knew where the conversation was headed. Midway through his first sentence, I interrupted him, and a surprised look crossed his face. I asked, "Are you telling on your sister for a particular reason? No one likes a tattletale."

Home school children are no different from those who attend a school and they want to "tell something on another". By natural nature they have a strong sense of right and wrong, but they often misuse this sense by tattling to make their sibling/friend look bad. As parents we need to teach our children to confess their own sins not others sins. They need to help others in their mistakes instead of condemning them. I Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

Romans 13;10a says, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour...." By keeping that bit of "juicy" news to yourself it becomes difficult when you are w/friends. Do you think it your responsibility to expose the failings of others? Here's two questions for you: 1. Do I need to share this information to keep someone from being hurt physically? 2. Am I sharing this news to get someone in trouble or out of trouble?

Remember, love covers a multitude of sins. Why not ask God to give the wisdom needed to help you, help that sibling/friend rather than condemn them.

How to Keep your Joy

This past Wed night our preacher, preached an awesome sermon on Joy. I'm going to share just a few of his "ingredients" how to keep your joy.

Salvation is the KEY to your Joy.
Have a daily walk with God to produce Joy.
Praying and seeing answer to Prayers will produce Joy.
Reading God's word will produce Joy. Jeremiah 15:16
Finish what you start will produce Joy.
Enduring your burdens will produce Joy. Psalms 30;5 James 1:2
Soul-winning produces Joy. Philippians 4:1
Seeing your converts grow in the Lord. III John 4

What are you doing to keep your Joy?

J - Jesus
O- Others
Y - Yourself

J is for Jesus he is the way
O is for others tell them today
Y is for you my friend why don't you come to Him.
Joy is the way you feel when you let Him in!!!

Self-Control Saturday

Proverbs 16:32 "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

Self-control, do we truly have self-control?
I was told the other day about this "diet" that if you have a strong will and good self-control you can have wonderful results with the diet. Well, do you realize if we had self-control in the first place we wouldn't need to do all these diets. I do understand that health sometimes cause weight problems, and having children can cause it too. Trust me I know about that one :) After 5 children I'm still working on regaining my proper weight.

Self-control - letting the Holy Spirit control your spirit. How many of us do this? We allow the Holy Spirit to have control but do we do it all area's of our lives.

Put self on the back and let God lead through the Holy Spirit.
This can be applied to so many areas, Internet, TV, eating, waisting time, cleaning house, schooling just to list a few....

Proverbs 16:32 "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

Life's Outline When Things aren't Fair

Hebrews 2:13 "And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me."

1. Pray - alone with God "Pray without ceasing"
2. Don't Quit - if you do Satan will be the winner.
3. Go forth - cont serving God
4. Do something for others
5. Point people back to God!

Just remember whatever God puts in our lives it's there for a purpose. We are not given anything we can't handle. "...I will put my trust in him...."

Friday's Faith

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Faith is such an important part of our life. We have faith that when we sit in a chair that it will hold us. We have faith in the Pilot of a plane to get us to our destination. We have faith that (you insert what you put your faith in).
If we put our faith into worldly things why can't we put our faith in God whom loves us and died for us?
It' only takes the faith of a mustard seed, or the faith of a child.
Have you noticed that children have such strong faith? What happens to that faith as they (we) grow up?

Have faith that:
-God will supply your every need.
-will never leave thee nor forsake thee
-God will forgive you of your sin and give you a home in heaven

These are just a few things we SHOULD have faith in!
Why not today decide that your going to have Faith in your heavenly father to take care of you, not only on Friday but all week, all month, all year, and even ALL of your life.