"Time ... "
" But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one
day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with
a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned
up. (2 Peter 3:8-10 KJV)
It seems like this year that I have just noticed that so many young people are dying.
I think since losing both my parents so close together that I am just more observant of loss. The truth is we just don't
know how long we will live. When we were young we thought we were invincible. I think young people think
they are going to live forever. I read the local paper here last weekend and there was an article of a lady and her
cousin who roomed together in an assisted living home here. One was 110 and one was 103! Not a nursing home -
assisted living. The 110 year old still attends church most Sundays. Neither one looked their age. Wow, I bet
they have seen a lot in their lifetimes. I couldn't imagine living that long, but the Lord is obviously not done
with their mission here on earth.
Do you ever think about your mission? Do you ever think, "Am I doing what makes
the Lord pleased?" Is this where He wants me to be? Can I be doing more to help others see His Glory?
Do you pray? Are your prayers a conversation with God? Or are they just a desire for wants? I pray
today that your relationship with the Lord becomes more and more with each day you wake up. Pray for your family and
friends, pray for your church. I hope you all have a great weekend. Invite someone with you to your church service
this Sunday. If you don't go to church, why not? Why don't you pray this very second for the Lord
to show your where you need to be and start attending worship services. Believe me there is no perfect church, but Jesus
can and will show you where to be in fellowship to hear His Word! Have a great weekend.
Love,
Tracy
Through It All, Jesus Makes The Difference!
"Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences
come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and
cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to
be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee
to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Take heed that ye despise not
one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is
in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep,
and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which
is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety
and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little
ones should perish."
(Matthew 18:7-14 KJV)
When I read this verse this
morning I couldn't help but think of an episode of Little House on the Prairie. My sisters will know what I am talking
about. Ma Ingalls was caught at home alone in a storm, she had injured her leg and an infection set in. She was
reading the Bible and it was this verse. For dramatic effect the line "cut it off" was emphasized.
As a child you really thought she was going to cut her leg off! But, really what this verse is talking about to me is
Salvation, things that make you stray away from who the Lord wants you to be need to be removed from your life. If we
stray, the Lord is going to convict our hearts of the sin in our lives that is causing us to stray. We are to keep our
eyes and our hearts open to heed the warnings that He gives us.
Knowing that the Lord knows best for us, even
if it is something we desire in our hearts should teach us to know the way to go. Always trust in the Lord my friend.
Some people say always go with your first instinct when you are making decisions. I agree with that, IF you
have prayed and asked the Lord for direction - not if you are trying to make the decisions on your own. Our ways are
not always God's ways. I pray that if there is something in your life that is hindering you from a walk with the
Lord that His power of conviction touches your heart today and the way you walk is changed. I hope you have a blessed
Thursday - stay warm :-)
Love,
Tracy
He Knows Me, Yet He Loves Me!
"Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the
belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the
nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not,
I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not
afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 1:4-8 KJV)
I love this verse in Jeremiah. It is hard to actually imagine,
even though I have had two children of my own; what a miracle the birth of a baby really is. To actually have a perfectly
healthy child what a blessing. To think that when we were nothing God already knew us. He already knew the
person we would become. Even through our hard times, He is in our corner - He gave us an advocate, Jesus.
To bring us through those hard times, to take us out of the valley's - that He already knew would be there. I know
a few people that had hit the bottom of that valley and thought about ending it all. Thinking that would solve their
problems. Oh, thank the Lord for His saving Grace! He does solve every problem but through Him. In every
single circumstance He has used that valley to help another person who feels that despair. To Jeremiah the Lord says,
I knew who you are and what you'd become before you were even born. To You the Lord says, I knew you and who you
would become before you were even born! Have faith in me. Trust in me. I will give you rest.
Yes, life's circumstances can
weigh heavy on our hearts. Marriage can be hard, parenting is a challenge, finances can have you bound. But in
the end, the Lord will sustain you. My Mom always used to say "this too shall pass." Sometimes we say
that and don't believe it ourselves, but it will. Life is such a journey - what kind of journey will you make
it? The Lord always knows the direction He is sending you, are you following that path? Are you stuck in the valley
because you are not turning your eyes upon Jesus for a way out? Is the directions our kids are going in the wrong way
because they are a carbon copy of us? Can you just say "whoa, wait a minute - we need to back up and start over."
It is not too late to do that. Do not let the voice of pride take over and allow you to feel defeat, when Jesus is saying
Here I am, have faith.
My prayer list just seems to be growing and growing. The older I get the more desire I have for the coming
of the Lord. Please remember my friend (boss) Jackie and her family in prayer. Her brother found out last week
that he is at the end of his journey. Please pray for her mother and father (Jo and Fred Brown) as they were already
trying to deal with Fred's declining health. I am praying for each of you and your circumstances, I know that your
problems seem big ... but GOD IS BIGGER. Restore your faith to what it once was. If I have learned anything in
these last 8 years it is that we have to live life to the fullest and that means serving the Lord and a desire to walk
closer to Him. It does not mean, live in the world, spend every penny you make and just have a good time. Pray
for those around you today. There might be someone to your right or left that is going through a deep valley and you
don't even know about it. Pray for a touch from the Lord today on our nation that has grown so cold to Him.
I hope you each have a blessed Wednesday.
Love,
Tracy
Jesus, Name Above All Names!
"Lord,
I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before
thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep
the door of my lips."
(Psalms 141:1-3 KJV)
When you cry out to Jesus, isn't this your prayer? Help me Lord! Every one
of us has different circumstances, even those that are traveling the same valley have a different journey. Are we calling
out to Jesus in frustration or have we come to a place where we finally realize that He is our Rock and He is our Redeemer?
When
I read through the Psalms, I can't help be feel David's pains as mine. With each Psalm I can say ... "Yes,
Lord ... touch me today." Sometimes I am not the one in the valley, sometimes I am standing in the Gap for a sister
or brother in Christ and I still receive that touch from the Lord. He knows our circumstances before they are known
to us! He is our Rock. I was thinking about the two boys that were found this week. I thought about their
parents, boy what a valley they faced! Sometimes we think we have it bad don't we? What torture those families
faced for all that time! I wonder if they stood on the Rock?! How else could you get through it? No matter
what I face today, I know I have a roof over my head, two healthy children, a husband who loves me and most importantly Jesus,
my Savior, my Rock who loves me and will take care of me. It doesn't matter what else is going on ~ with Christ
I will always get out of the valley. I may face another one, but Jesus will be right there. It is in the valley
where we are drawn closer to the Lord and where He teaches us such valuable life lessons.
I pray that you realize that in the valley you face
today you are not alone. You can fight the fight, because Jesus is your ROCK!
Trust in Him today. Even if He has kept you in the valley, maybe it is time to release and surrender all your pain
and hurts to Him. Please your faith in His hands. He loves you.
Have a blessed Tuesday.
Love,
Tracy
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