Family

F - Forgiving
A - Always there for you
M - Memories
I - Inspirational
L - Loving
Y - Yours to claim

I was sitting here thinking as my daughter has grown up an is now at college, dating and at the stage that marriage is possibly in her future. Then as my oldest boy will be graduating from High School in just over a yr. Our middle child is 2 yrs from graduating, that family is really special, or it should be!

I know of people who say bad things about their family and who never talk to this parent or sibling because of this or that. Now since I don't know all details and because I'm not God, I can't say a whole lot. However God created the thing we call Marriage, and it is meant to be between a Man and Woman and NO other combination. God made it where man is attracted to woman and vise versa. The bed is to be undefiled and is to be enjoyed by a husband and wife.

Children are special also, they are gift from God, loaned to us to raise and train in the way of the Lord. I have never understood how a child can blame God, mom or dad for they way they are. God made us each unique individuals and we are to accept that. I also have never understood why a wife would be critical of her husband to everyone but God. After all God knows all go to him, he's the ONLY one that change your husband. This is the same for the husband if there's a problem with your wife don't go complaining to the people at work, take it to God.

Now before I go further none of this happened to me where I felt I needed to say something. I just was going through things and found a few special treasures from my daughter that really got me to thinking about family.

Now, I know there are couples without children, and I will be honest. I hurt for you not knowing the thrill of raising a child from birth. I can't say I understand how you feel, because I don't. I'm excited for those who God allowed to adopt and make that child their own. Let me just say, God is in control and he knows your heart ache and he knows that woman desires to mother. I have a very special friend, and if she reads this she'll know it's her, but this friend doesn't have children of her own, but she has I dare to say 50 or more "children" who LOVE her. Why? She took that love of a mother and through her baby sitting, and working in nursery's and things gave her love to others children. In a way, I would say she has a family that is very large and that LOVES her dearly! I know of at least 3 families that think the world of her! Yes we (all 3 families) have moved away but we ALL LOVE her!!

So how do you look at your family? Do you see that sister as a pain? Do you think mom and dad are crazy in the way they raise/raised you? Do you LOVE them? Lets rather than pulling away from family put forth the effort to pull them closer to us.

When you look at the word F-A-M-I-L-Y what do you see?
F- fearful or Forgiving
A -Anger or Always there for you
M - Mean or Memories
I - Insensitive or Inspirational
L - Lethal in the speech or Loving
Y - Yearning to get away from them or Yours to claim

Just a thought for us today.
...as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
What God hath put together let no man put asunder.
Marriage is of God!!
Children are of God!!
Family should have the Holy Spirit as the center of their home!!

Speaking the Truth

Ephesians 4:15 "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"

Do you speak the truth or lies? We need to make sure that we speak truth not only in our everyday talking and communications, but also when we are talking to others about Jesus. What is the truth?

Jesus came to earth and lived for 33 yrs.
He then died on the cross, was in the grave for 3 days.
Jesus was resurrected from the grave and Lives today!!
He is not still on the cross, and he isn't still in the Grave!
Our Lord Jesus Christ Lives and is sitting at the right hand of the Father!

This is the truth.
What is the truth of salvation?
You must realize you are sinner.
Ask the Heavenly Father to forgive you of your sins.
Trust in Him that he has forgiven you.
Ask Him into your heart and accept his grace!

For by grace are ye saved through faith not of works lest any man should boast.
Our works don't take us heaven! The blood of Jesus and by His grace are YOU saved!!!
This is the truth!

What is the truth?
Thou shalt not lie! Mom, Dad, son, daughter, brother, sister, friend EVERYONE "Thou Shalt Not Lie!" Once a person tells a lie, he has to lie again to cover up the first lie and before you know it you honestly believe you are telling the truth when you are actually telling another lie to cover all the other lies. How do you stop lieing? Just decide that you are going to THINK, before you SPEAK!

What is truth?
What I have shared with you today is TRUTH.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are TRUE, whatsoever things are HONEST, whatsoever things are JUST, whatsoever things are PURE, whatsoever things are LOVELY, whatsoever thing are of GOOD REPORT; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things.

So I ask you What is truth? It looks like everything that is Positive, good, true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good reports! I think we ALL can think on these things and we ALL can speak the truth!

Bible Reading

Just checking in, if you are doing the 90 day read through the Bible you should be on day 21 today. I pray you are up todate, if not don't be discouraged just keep working on it.

If you did another Bible reading plan I pray you too, are up to date with it.

I have another challenge for you: 21 Day fast now this isn't 21 days of no food, there are different things you do each day. if you are interested go to youversion.com and click on the plans then go to the 21 day fast. It's very encourageing and uplifting.

Those who are praying for my Grandma thank you no changes as of late last night.

Do you have Unsaved loved ones?

Good morning to everyone. I have a questions for you do you have a husband, a wife, a mom, a dad, a brother, sister, uncle, Aunt that is unsaved?? You may even know of a friend who is not saved but yet you cont to go places and do things with that person. Did you realize that as Christians we're not to be buddy with the unsaved.

You know the time is short and we need to tell everyone we can about Christ. II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Our Heavenly Father doesn't want anyone to go to Hell but yet we talk to people daily and don't even tell them or share through a track how they can avoid the torments of Hell.

Dear friends, if you know someone that may not be saved write a letter, or give them call. Maybe even go visit with them and witness to them. You say, Paula, I really don't know how to witness, Then let me ask you? Do you know how you got saved, what the situation was that brought you to your knees before the Lord. Use your testimony!!! Or you may write back to me and I will share a basic simply plan of salvation to use. It's really very easy to lead a person to the Lord.

Do you hold on the past?

This statement is so very true! WE need to forget and forgive the past. What happened in the past can't be changed, but what happens today or even tomorrow can be new.

Be Positive!!!

Faithful Friday

Being faithful is so important! Doesn't matter if it's faithful in school, in a relationship, in marriage, in church. You need to be faithful!

What are you needing to work on being faithful at?
Have a great Faithful Friday!!!

Thankful Thursday

What are you thankful for?

Oh give thanks to the Lord, he makes no mistakes he knoweth each path that I take!!
So when I am tried and purified I shall come forth as gold.

Wonderful Wendnesday

What about today is Wonderful for you?

Is it wonderful because of Salvation?
Is it wonderful because you went to church?
Is it wonderful because of a blessing?

Wonderful grace of Jesus, great than all my than all my sin.....
W - Wonderful
O - Omniscient
N - Never Ending
D - Deliverer
E- Everlasting
R - Redeemer
F - Forever Love
U - Understanding
L - Love
Wonderful Grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin, how shall my tongue describe it, where shall it's praise begin!!!

Trusting Tuesday

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.

Are you putting your trust in Jesus?
If we as Christians would only trust in the Lord and let him have control of our lives we would find things and life are much better for us.

A simple thought for for Trusting Tuesday :)

Merciful Monday

I did this a few yrs back each day had a different "theme" as I was going through my blog book I thought I would do this again.

If you'll read Matthew 5: 1 - 12 our key verse will be verse 7
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.'
Merciful -

Showing or exercising mercy: "the will of a merciful God that all should be saved".

(of an event) Coming as a mercy; bringing someone relief from something unpleasant.

So do you show mercy to others as God has shown us mercy? 

God is a merciful God and as Christians we are to show mercy for others.

If you are a parent, lets say your child comes home from school and has done something dreadful. Now as the parent you are to discipline them, BUT you are to also show mercy. Don't discipline the child to where he feels he can Never do right again, but let him know. God loves you, I love you and I'm going to discipline you, but I want you to know that I believe in you and I'm going to be give you some mercy in ___________ and what ever it is. 

One thing we do, something happens lets say on the Internet. We bring each child in and question them. Then we bring them together and say there will be mercy or there will be a price to pay. If the child admits to his/her wrong we are merciful in the discipline, but if no one owns up to it. No mercy is shown and all of them are disciplined. You say that is just wrong! No it's not it's showing them we won't tolerate that kind of behaviour. This process has worked more than once and mercy was shown in the type of discipline.

So the thought for Merciful Monday is do you show others mercy?

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 

Wisdom

Proverbs 16:21, 23 - 24, 27 & 30
The wise in heart shall be called prudent; and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
An ungoldly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is a burning fire.
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

We are to be careful what we say, and how we say it. Did you know that changing a statement just slightly can make it evil? In today's world we as Christians we NEED to be very careful with what we say and especially what we repeat.

Love one another, care for them, but at the same time be careful what you say.

Cry out to God

Psalm 77:1 - 3
I CRIED unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice: and he gave ear unto me.
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
I remember God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

WOW!!! Do we CRY to the Lord? Do we complain to people or the Lord?

Now I'm not talking asking advice or seeking council, I'm talking about.....
Hi so-n-so did you hear that I had the worst day ever I just believe my husband did......
Then so-n-so says, yea you know my neighbour is so stupid I just wish.....

You are complaining and even heading into gossip when conversations go like this.

When the Psalmist said I CRIED unto God, he went to God an poured out his soul and the Lord heard him. vr 1
Yea, we all have days were it seems trouble is all around and there's no escape. Don't be like the Psalmist and refuse the comfort of the Lord. God want to comfort you through the night and day.
Sometimes our situations can be plain overwhelming but God is there, rather than complain or gripe to a person give it ALL to God. I love the children's song:

My God is so big so strong and so mighty there's nothing my God can not do.
Your God can take that pain, take that trouble and he's so big, so strong, so mighty that HE CAN handle it for you!

So lets cry unto the Lord and let him have our second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year etc. It's all HIS!!!

What fellowship do you seek?

Galations 6:2, 10
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

In talking with a friend in another state, we thought why now let our children (who don't know each other) start talking with each other. Why would we do this? She is raising her children to server the Lord,  love the Lord and do right, just as we are raising our children to serve God, love the Lord and do right.
This is can do several things, first it allows children in Christian homes to get to know other children beyond his/her area. Second it allows those children to share spiritual things, prayer request and so forth.

After all think about it, we as adults have friends all over the world in many cases, and we talk with them, write and fellowship when we can. So why can't our children do the same. Yes make sure your children are actually corresponding with a child, and you can NEVER be to careful of this. Allow your children to share a burden as Galations says, "Bear ye one another's burden...." this doesn't mean everytime you speak with a person you "dump' ALL you troubles on them, but rather if you are really burdened about something share it with another Christians.

Hebrews 10:24, 25
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works'
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Be considerate of others.

Bible Reading

I've updated the Bible Reading pg also. I hope you find it as helpful as I have.
Paula

Spiritual Growth

II Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

I Peter 2:2, 3
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I Timothy 4:15
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all

We are into Feb of the new year. Are you farther along in your spiritual growth than last yr at this time?  If not maybe you need to check and see what the problem is:
Not studying the Bible II Timothy 2:15
Not Praying as you should
Not serving God as you could
These are just a few things that could be why you haven't grown.

Or are you a step above what you were last year at this time. Each person will grow differently just as we each grow different physically. Just as our physical growth is important even more so is as Spiritual growth as Christians.

So today's challenge is: Grow more today than you did yesterday. Read a chapter more than you did yesterday. Pray longer today than you did yesterday. What will you do to grow?

Love of God

With Valentines coming up in a wk, you hear alot about Love. What about the Love of God?

Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16
For God so LoVed the world
                    thAt he
     gave his onLy
                     bEgotten
                   soN
                      That whosoever
                  belIeveth
                     iN him should not
                    pErish but have
            everlaSting life.

(if this works Valentines will be spelled out in the verse horizontally.....)

I John 4:7-12
Beloved, let us lone one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his ONLY begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to lone one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Some other references to Love are I John 4:16 & 19; John 15:9 - 13, 17; Ephesians 3: 17 - 19; Proverbs 8:17; Jeremiah 31:3; Hosea 2:19; John 14:21; Psalm 42:8; I Corinthians 13:13 and Romans 8:38 & 39.  These are just a few verses on Love

Do you love your neighbour as yourself? Do you Love the Lord the way we are suppose to.
Happy Valentines Friends!!

Need Courage to get through LIfe?

Romans 8: 38 & 39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord

Need I say anything? NOTHING can separate us from the Love of God!!! Isn't that awesome! The fact that once I was saved NOTHING could separate me from God is WOW!!!

Isaiah 43:2
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned: neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

I Peter 4:12 & 13
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings: that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Deuteronomy 33:27
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Just a few verses that if you are discouraged you ponder and allow the Lord to encourage you.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Make a Joyful noise....

Psalm 100: 1, 2 & 4
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

I was reading a young ladies post on Facebook and she mentioned how serving the Lord is the best business to be in. Do you feel that way? I agree with her all the way, we are to serve our Lord with gladness. No matter what we do for our Lord should be done with gladness.

As Christians, we need to make a joyful noise, serve with gladness, come before him singing and give thanks!!! We have so much to do but we can and SHOULD do this without hesitation.
You may say, I can't sing. However, to the Lord when we sing his songs in praise to him it's a joyful noise to the Lord.
You say, but I'm not healthy enough, well... in some cases yes but in general what you and I say I'm not healthy enough to serve is just a cop out. I know of a very dear Lady in our church who serves, rarely misses church and almost daily has severe headaches and she also has Lupus. She serves with gladness to help others. We can go with a little pain, or sore foot, maybe something more severe. If the doctors haven't put you on strict orders to stay home, you should to the best of your ability be serving God
We ALL should be thankful Daily for what the Lord has done for us.

May God bless each of you!

Grace

G - God
R - Righteous
A - Abundant
C - Christ
E - Everlasting

Ephesians 2: 8 & 9
For by grace are y saved through faith; and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

F - Father
A - Abba
I - Interceded
T - Trusting
H - Hallowed

Praise the Lord for his Grace and the Faith he provided for us to believe in him!

Bible Reading Challenge

I found a program that help you read through your Bible in 90 Days!!!
I started it and I'm enjoying. You read 16 Chapters a day 8 in the morning and 8 in the evening. I'm only on day 2 but I am truly enjoying it. I've read my Bible through I don't know how many times, but I'm enjoying this challenge to do it in 90 days.

You can go to: http://youversion.com they have a lot of different programs you can follow.
Hope someone will join me on this program 90 days through the Bible!

Colosians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

We can encourage one another through song! I love singing and I enjoy hearing singing. Why not choose a song for the day. Sing it no matter where you are. My boys have been doing that even as we walk through a store they will start singing a song, and there are times I'll even join in with them.

as the verse says, "...teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs...." We need to do that at home, in the car, at church, in the mall, in the grocery store.... It doesn't matter where you are you can do this.

Just a simple thought that is encouraging and helpful for anyone!