Praise the Lord

Scripture: I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.  Psalm 9:1 NIV

Observation: The Psalmist speaks of praising the Lord.

Application: We must praise God in all things. Even when our car dies and taxes come due, we must praise God and remember all of the wonderful things he has done and provided for us.

Prayer: Lord, you have blessed me with so much. Help me to focus on your blessings on my life and not on Satan’s attacks which are designed to draw me away from you. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

Doug

She’s My Hero

Scripture: That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV

Observation: Paul is speaking about a mysterious affliction that he has suffered from and how dealing with it has made him strong in Christ.

Application: Paul actually reveled in being afflicted, abused, persecuted, and mistreated. When he was able to withstand all of that before his oppressors he stood as a witness for Christ.  That is the attitude I should have and that is so foreign to my character. I’m basically a baby. When I get a chest cold–I know it’s lung cancer.  A backache, is kidney disease. My lovely wife is so different from that.  She is going through a miserable time in her health life because of her thyroid. She just feels lousy all day and night every day. Yet, she always has a smile on her face and a kind word for people that she meets. To me, that’s a testament of her Christ-like demeanor and calm spirit. When I grow up I want to be just like her, she’s my hero for Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I know that persevering through oppression can be seen as evidence of a Christian attitude. I feel that my Sweetheart exemplifies that attitude daily.  I would like for her to not have to feel ill any longer.  I’m going to be selfish and ask that you ease her symptoms and allow her to feel better.  I also ask that you guide her surgeon’s hand when she has her surgery later this month.  I thank you for being her strength so that she can be a testament to others. Thank you Father. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

Doug

Names (பெயர்கள்)

The following blog entry is compliments of Pastor Leon Hiebert, Community Care Pastor of Generations Church, Andover, KS.  Pastor Leon sends his S.O.A.P. out via email to many people with whom he regularly corresponds.  The top S.O.A.P. is his original post; the bottom is the same S.O.A.P., transcribed into the Indian language by a pastor and friend of Pastor Leon’s who acted as translator when he was on a mission trip to India a few years back. The Indian transcription was sent throughout India and potentially reached and was read by millions of saved and unsaved in India.  Pretty cool, huh?
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 2:27 The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel: Maaz, Jamin and Eker. 28 The sons of Onam: Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur.
Observation: These verses are the middle two of a chapter full of hard-to-pronounce names. And this chapter is both preceded and followed by similar chapters. I may not be able to pronounce these names, but God has no trouble. These names might not be important to me, but they are to God! I may not be acquainted with the people named here, but God knows them perfectly.
Application: And so it is with me. Others may not know or be able to pronounce my name, but not God! Others may not even be aware that I exist, but not God! He knows my name! He knows me! And as he was careful to have these names included in the Bible, he is careful to have my name recorded in heaven. When I was born into His family by receiving Jesus’ as both my Savior and my Lord, He wrote my name in the Book of Life. (NOTE: Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12&15; 21:27; 22:19 These verses give the importance of my name being written there—and it not being removed!)
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation so full and free. Amen. And thank you, Lord for writing my name in the Book of Life! Amen!
1சாமுவேல் 13, 1 நாளாகமம் 2,3; 2கொரிந்தியர் 12
பெயர்கள்
Scripture வேத வசனம் : 1நாளாகமம் 2:27 யெர்மெயேலுக்கு முதற்பிறந்த ராமின் குமாரர், மாஸ், யாமின், எக்கேர் என்பவர்கள்.
28. ஓனாமின் குமாரர், சம்மாய், யாதா என்பவர்கள்; சம்மாயின் குமாரர், நாதாப், அபிசூர் என்பவர்கள்.
Observation கவனித்தல் : இந்த வசனங்கள் உச்சரிக்க கடினமான பெயர்களைக் கொண்ட ஒரு அதிகாரத்தின் நடுவில் உள்ளன இந்த அதிகாரத்தின் முன்னும் பின்னும் வரும் அதிகாரங்களும் இதே போன்றே உள்ளன. இந்தப் பெயர்களை என்னால் உச்சரிக்க இயலாது போகலாம், ஆனால் தேவனுக்கு உச்சரிப்பதில் எந்த பிரச்சனையும் இல்லை . இந்தப் பெயர்கள் எனக்கு முக்கியமானவைகளாக இல்லாதிருக்கலாம், ஆனால் தேவனுக்கு அவை முக்கியமானவை! இங்கே குறிப்பிடப்பட்டிருக்கும் நபர்களுடன் எனக்கு பரிச்சயமில்லாதிருக்கலாம். ஆனால் தேவன் அவர்களை மிகவும் நன்றாக சரியாக அறிந்திருக்கிறார்.
Application பயன்பாடு : இவ்வாறாக என்னைக் குறித்தும் கூட தேவன் அறிந்திருக்கிறார். மற்றவர்கள் என்னையோ அல்லது என் பெயரை உச்சரிக்கவோ அறியாதிருக்கலாம். ஆனால் தேவன் அறிந்திருக்கிறார். நான் இருப்பதைக் குறித்து கூட மற்றவர்கள் அறியாதிருக்கலாம், ஆனால் தேவன் அறிந்திருக்கிறார். அவர் என் பெயரை அறிந்திருக்கிறார். என்னை அறிந்திருக்கிறார். இந்தப் பெயர்கள் வேதாகமத்தில் சேர்க்கப்படுவதற்கு அவர் அக்கறையுள்ளவராக இருந்தது போல, என் பெயர் பரலோகத்தில் பதிவுசெய்யப்படுவதற்கும் கரிசனையுள்ளவராக இருக்கிறார். எனது ஆண்டவராகவும் எனது இரட்சகராகவும் இயேசுவை ஏற்றுக் கொண்டு நான் அவருடைய குடும்பத்தில் பிறந்த போது, அவர் எனது பெயரை ஜீவ புத்தகத்தில் எழுதினார். (கவனிக்க: பிலிப்பியர் 4:3; வெளிப்படுத்தல் 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12&15; 21:27; 22:19 எனது பெயர் அங்கு எழுதப்படுவதற்கான முக்கியத்துவத்தையும், அதிலிருந்து என் பெயர் கிறுக்கிப் போடாமலிருக்கப்படவேண்டும் என்பதையும் இவ்வசனங்கள் கூறுகின்றன)
Prayer ஜெபம் : என்னை இரட்சித்ததற்காக நன்றி கர்த்தாவே. என்னை பூரணமாக்கியதற்காக நன்றி ஆண்டவரே. கர்த்தாவே, உமது பெரிய இரட்சிப்பை எனக்கு முழுமையாகவும் இலவசமாகவும் தந்ததற்காக நன்றி . ஆமென். மேலும் எனது பெயரை ஜீவ புத்தகத்தில் எழுதியதற்காகவும் நன்றி! ஆமென்

I am Ruth

Please read the whole book of Ruth when you have an opportunity.

Scripture: But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.   Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”  Ruth 1:16-17 NIV

Scripture: Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”  Ruth 2:11-12 NIV

Observation: To understand my connection to Ruth I need to give you a little history.  Elimelech and his wife Naomi along with their two sons Mahlon and Kilion left Judah during a time when there was a famine and settled in Moab.  During that time Mahlon and Kilion married Moab women.  Mahlon to Orpah and Kilion to Ruth.  Moabites were not believers in the God of Abraham.  They were pagan worshippers.  In the years that followed Elimelech, Mahlon and Kilion all died.  This left the three women alone.  Naomi desired to return to her home in Judah, so she told her sons’ widows to return to their mother and father to be with their own people. Ruth begged Naomi to allow her to stay with her as she now believed in the same God that Naomi did.  She knew going back to her people would lead her back into the Moabite lifestyle of sin, (my interpretation).  She also felt a responsibility to care for Naomi.  So together they travelled home to Bethlehem in Judah.

Observation: The Lord gave me the same opportunity as Ruth.  Let me explain.  I was raised in a home of non-believers.  My parents worshipped each other and their god was the god of prosperity.  I spent most of my life trying to understand the ways of Christ.  I always fell terribly short since there was no Christian faith practiced in my home, let alone modeling Christ like values for me and my brother.  Our home was full of self-centeredness, distorted family values and  continual worship the idols of this world.  Just to bring reality home for you, during a conversation with my mother she was telling me about a “really good” person see had met.  I asked her what made this person good.   She replied,  “he has a lot of money, he’s a doctor, and he’s good-looking.”  Her impression of what “good” was had nothing to do with the character of this person.  He literally could have been an axe-murderer.  As you might imagine this way of thinking was a huge influence on me as I was growing up.   Many times I prayed for deliverance from myself.  I knew God was real, I just didn’t understand how personal he could be and how he wanted to provide guidance and safety for me. I read in the Bible how he loved me and that I was his child. After many years of prayer and declaring the Lord as my King he answered my prayers.  Just like Ruth the Lord gave me an opportunity to leave my past and seek out a place where I could grow as his child.  For Ruth it was Judah; Laurie it is Kansas.  Ruth had the responsibility of caring for her Mother-in-law, Naomi.  I was blessed with the responsibility of helping a wonderful Christian man raise his two amazing children Andrew and Ashley through their teenage years.  People who don’t understand may say “she ran away from home.”  However, believers understand that sometimes it takes a paradigm shift for someone to break the chains of sin and live a life of freedom according to God.   Just like Ruth,”May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge,” Ruth 2:12 NIV, married a good man named Boaz, I have prospered in so many ways with Doug. He is a blessing from the Lord to me.  As for those I left in California the Lord has told me he will redeem them in his timing.  I pray for the Lord to be speedy in that.

To those of you that are struggling as Christians, look at your life.  Pray for the Lord to instruct you in what areas of your  life you are struggling with sin and ask for deliverance.  Remember to stay the course in obedience to Him.  Share your deepest concerns, he can’t help you unless you confess to him.  Wait on the Lord to give you counsel.  Christ wants you at your best with the ability to worship and serve him without distraction.  He wants you to be strong with the ability to weather any storm that comes.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your deliverance.  Without your patience and love I would be lost to Satan.  Thank you for seeing my love for you during the toughest times in my life.  Lord, thank you for my loving husband who blesses me with his love for you, his protective nature over me and his wonderful friendship.  Lord help us to share your love and truth with those we have in our family and those you bring into our lives. Lord, give us the strength to face Satan’s attempts to draw us away for you.  Amen

Laurie