Call on Jesus "But now thus saith the
LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee
by thy name; thou art mine. 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. For
I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I
have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring
thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;" (Isaiah 43:1-5 KJV)
I
received a few e-mails yesterday, some were just forward, some were prayer requests, and some were notes of encouragement
to me - boy did I need those. Did you ever have a day (or a week) were you were just so drained emotionally that you
did not want to get up in the morning? But you do and with the strength that God gives you - you make it through!
As I think about days like that I have to thank God for giving me strength. I meditate in my thoughts, trying to
come up with a good reason to feel this way - but I come up with nothing. For so many people truly have struggles.
I am truly blessed by the Lord. Today, I don't have cancer, I don't have illness, we have stable jobs, we have
a beautiful home and we have wonderful friends and family. The Lord has honestly blessed my family more than we deserve.
Each morning
as I sit in my quiet time and write these devotions, when I come to that last line "count your blessings ... for you
are surely blessed." How does that make you feel? Can you say, Yes, Lord! I struggle today, but still,
I am blessed abundantly. When I think of what the Lord gives me to get through each day - I am amazed. What an
Awesome God He is that cares so much for us. Our church is going through a few things right now. I know everyone
has an opinion, but if we would just stop for a second and look and listen for what the Lord is about to do and stop
talking about issues we have with the circumstances, God will move. Revival starts within our hearts. No
matter where you are, don't get caught up in "Circumstances." Trust in the Lord, He will always
work it out for His glory! Turn to Jesus to revive your heart.
I hope you all have a great weekend. Invite someone to church
with you this Sunday. If you do not go to church, pray and ask the Lord to lead and guide you to a Church that stands
on His Word. Count your blessings my friends ... for you are surely blessed! Love, Tracy
The Wonders of the Lord
"Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward:
they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." (Psalm 40:5 KJV)
Have you ever just sat and thought about the blessings you have received in all of your life. Even in times
of struggle you can see how God worked in your life. It always amazes me. Have you ever done something for someone
else, just out of the goodness of your heart - and you are the one that receives the blessing. The journey that you
are on in this life will bring you closer and closer to the Lord. Look at what God is doing through you either with
your children, your friends, your family.
I hope you all have a great day today ... count your blessings ... for you are surely blessed! Love, Tracy
Why Don't We Share The Good News?
"He
said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem!
This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours,
but God's. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz,
and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight
this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD
will be with you.' " (2 Chronicles 20:15--17 KJV)
For some reason I have found myself caught up in watching the media reports on the life of Anna Nicole Smith. She left home when she was 15 years old. 15! I remember being
15 - there is no way I was ready for the world at 15. Neither was she. I can't even imagine what her mother
was like. Her concern now is a little late I think. The life style she lead; drugs, alcohol, pornography.
All for fame - but at what expense? Why wasn't anyone loving her? Why didn't anyone tell her about
the Lord? The lifestyle she lived, every interview she gave - she was crying for help! Why didn't anyone help
her? I wonder how so many people can be interviewed and not one person even mentions how they tried to help her over
the years. She was surrounded by people that thought what she did was her business I guess, but now those same people
are in shock that she has passed away. God doesn't fool around. How long do we think He will stand for the
sin that people celebrate in this world?
I was watching another sad case - Brittney Spears.
Where is her mother? Again, another Hollywood "role model" that our kids are looking at. Where are the
people who love her? Why aren't they telling her you can't find peace and love and happiness in a bottle
or in a drug? Last night as I watched TV it was making me depressed looking at the waste of life, at the waste of the
lives of these beautiful woman. The waste of the talents God has given them. This is an example of people trying
to get through life on their own terms. Turn it around Brittney! And don't think well they are in the Hollywood
lime light, it can't happen to someone I know! Trust me - it can and it will. Many around us may not have
the money these people have, but we can get caught up in sin just like Hollywood.
If you are not living the Christian life that you believe would
please the Lord, why not start today. Even when we are in a valley, or should I say, especially when we are in the valley
- we have a testimony to share of what the Lord has done and is doing in our lives. Share that with someone! You
never know how that might touch the heart and help a stranger, a friend, a family member in their time of need. We live
in such a proud society today. People need the Lord! Encourage one another in the Lord today. Count your
blessings ... for you are surely blessed!! Have a great Wednesday! Love, Tracy
Where to Turn Not Only In Your Hour Of Need
"As
for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:
and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many
with me. God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore
they fear not God. (Psalm 55:16-19 KJV)
Most people turn to Jesus when all else fails. If I am honest I have even found myself saying I am praying
about something but when I think about it, I might have given it a 2 second prayer - Lord, help me get through this for I
can't do it alone. That should actually be a daily prayer. When it comes to raising Children, being married,
living the Christian life - it all applies because we can't do it alone.
Who is your confidant? Is it your spouse, your sister, your brother,
a friend, a teacher, a pastor? Who is it that you share your innermost thoughts with? How do you make it through
a day without talking to the Lord? I find on those days my answer is "barely making it." Sometimes,
when I think of the love God has for me it is overwhelming. That should not be sometimes - but all times. The
movie Facing The Giants grabs my heart. At the end of the movie the main character sees all God has done in his life
and he cries out, "Oh God, I am so overwhelmed!" Did you ever feel the love of someone so much it is overwhelming?
God loves you that much! That is the message of this movie - God loves you so much, if you just trust in Him you will
begin to feel the strength of His love. It is when you are so far from Him that you can't feel it. In the
Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, God has promised us so much! His Word is true and His love for you is deep.
Don't wait for a crisis to occur
in your life. Turn your eyes to Jesus. Look up and things will turn around. No matter what you face, no
matter what you have done ... call on Jesus and He will direct your path. I pray that you all have a great day.
Count your blessings ... for you are truly blessed! Love, Tracy
Amazing Love
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful. 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. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:15-17
KJV)
This morning I've been thinking
about what I am thankful for. I know it is so easy to complain about all we don't have, or what we "wish"
was different in our lives. But how often do we just sit and think of all the things we can be thankful for. I
was thinking about how cold it must be in New York today, my house is a little could this morning, but I thank God that we
have heat and that we have jobs to make money to pay the gas bill. What about the people that are homeless today?!
I started thinking about how hopeless they must feel. I wonder do some of them ever think "how did I get here?"
Sometimes I wonder
that myself. How do we get so deep in despair? How do we let our thoughts carry us there when we know Jesus is
the answer! My preacher had a good word for us yesterday. One of the things he was talking about was a funeral
service he did yesterday for a 7 year old boy who died this week. He said - we don't know a lot of things.
There are just some things in life that we can't explain a reason why. But there are some things we do know - we
know, "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." (John 3:16 KJV) And
he quoted a few other promises from the Word of God. But as I listened I thought about the father of the 7 year old.
There are no answers that could comfort him this day, but maybe one day. I pray that he is surrounded by the love of
Christians and that he draws his strength from Jesus and feels the love of Jesus from those who are sent in his path in the
following days.
Jesus
will pull us out of the pit of despair, but we just can't sit around and wait and wallow in our valley's. We
need to seek him. What are you thankful for today? Start a list, you will be amazed at all you have to be thankful
for and that you can say is surely the presence of the Lord is in my life! Thank Him, praise Him and give a testimony
today. I hope you all have a great Monday. Count your blessings ... for you are surely blessed! Love, Tracy
|
