I AM ONE too. . .

Last night at bible study Beth Moore was explaining the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant (which applies to us today). She said that in the days before Christ that God primarily worked through external events. For example. . .the burning bush. . .parting the red sea. . .making water flow from a rock. . . making a whale swallow Jonah. . . you get the picture! All of these things are external manifestations of God at work. Also He worked through people like Moses, Abraham, Joseph, Esther, Daniel, and so on. . . BUT. . . there were really only a few people who were filled with God's Spirit. Everyone else depended on those few to be a voice for God. Well. . . . . that brings us to now. . . after Christ. . . after Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples. . . after He was crucified. . . buried. . . and rose again. . . . . The New Covenant. Now God primarily works through His Holy Spirit which He has given freely to all believers. Isn't that awesome!!! He has deposited Himself into our heart. He took the law on stone tablets and transplanted them in to the hearts of men. God's main priority is to do a work in our hearts. Then Beth said, "Don't get me wrong and think that God does not preform miracles today, because He does. . . I am one." That got me to thinking. . . and you know what. . . Me too!! I AM ONE too!! A MIRACLE of God that is. So here are some things I've been pondering today.

• My dad tells me that the first time that he saw me I was surrounded by doctors and was bouncing on the hospital table like a basketball. When I was born my lungs were collapsed and I could not breath. The doctors told my dad that if my lungs did not inflate quickly that they would have to do surgery and manually inflate them. My dad said that He went and prayed and I began to breath on my own. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• When I was maybe 4 or 5 our family was going to the beach for vacation and we were involved in an auto accident. The other vehicle rolled over. My dad rescued the people from that car. No one was injured. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• Somewhere between age 6 and 9 my mother was diagnosed with a mental illness. She was in and out of the mental hospital numerous times after that. I took on the parental role early in my childhood. I was afraid to leave her side and felt like it was my job to take care of her. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• Our kitchen caught on fire several times in my childhood but never amounted to anything really, really serious. My dad was always able to get it under control and no one was ever hurt. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• My parents separated and divorced when I was about 11 or 12. My dad was awarded custody. My mom was not well enough to take care of me. She would be well, then have a relapse, be well, and relapse. I had to tell a judge which parent I wanted to live with. I told the judge my dad because I knew deep in my heart that my mom could not take care of me. I got to visit her on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month. For a long time (many, many years) I lived with the guilt of that. Now as an adult I know that the judge did not base his decision on what I said. He really did what was best for me. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• Soon after my parents divorced and the custody battle was over. My dad and I were at church and I accepted Jesus as my personal savior. I don't remember praying a prayer. Although I may have. What I do remember is this urgent feeling that I needed Jesus to be my Savior or I was going to die. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• My dad worked swing shifts and at a very early age I had to stay by myself when he worked 2nd and 3rd shift. I AM A MIRACLE of God. One time he did not have anyone to take care of me. We lived too close to the school for me to ride the bus, and he took me to school early in the morning probably 6:30am and left me sitting in the dark by the school door so that he could go to work. It was still dusk and I was only there for maybe 15 minutes until someone got there to open the doors, but it felt like forever. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• One day I was at home alone while my dad worked 2nd shift and I was feeling kind of sad and lonely. I was watching the 700 Club. I think that is what it was anyway. And the preacher on that show was praying for people who had called in with their request. I was sitting on the floor watching and crying and all of a sudden that preacher began to pray for what he said was a "young girl sitting in front of the TV crying with beautiful blue eyes." He said that he "did not know why she was crying but that she was very sad," and he asked, "that God would heal her." I thought to myself. . . that's me. . . I have blue eyes. . . YES God heal me, heal my broken heart!!! I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• Later in my teen years 15, 16, 17 I got away from God and fell into peer pressure, and doing my own thing smoking, drinking, drugs. When I was 16 I was in a car accident where I broke my arm, busted my mouth open, and totaled a friends car all while I did not even have a drivers licences yet. I lived to tell about it. I AM A MIRACLE of God.

• Two days before I turned 20 I married my husband now of 18 years. He did not know Jesus as his Savior at this time, which was not a concern of mine because I was not in God's will. We were married 3 years before our pitiful attempt of being happily married drove us to the feet of Jesus. He was saved and I was in love with my savior all over again. This time forever. He did AND is doing a BIG work in both of our lives. I just have to say. . .WE ARE A MIRACLE of God.

• One day my husband and I were running late for work and we were the first to drive up on the scene of a fatal accident between a drunk driver and a gravel truck. If we had been seconds earlier we would not have been able to avoid it. WE ARE A MIRACLE of God.

• One day my first born (about 2 months old), and I were ran off the road by a driver that went to sleep at the wheel. He drove all the way down the drivers side of my car. A few more inches over and it would have been a head on collision. No one was hurt. WE ARE A MIRACLE of God.

• Shortly after my husband & I started going to church my mother had a big relapse with her mental illness. Now that my brother & I were grown up it was our time to take care of her. Let me just say that it is very difficult to take care of someone who doesn't admit that they are sick and thinks that everyone is against them. God has taught me very much about trusting in Him through all of this. And over the years has healed a deep wound in my life where my mother is concerned. I AM A MIRACLE of God. Also I need to add that I don't think that I ever told my husband about my mother before we were married. At times my mother was very mean to him but my beloved husband has always been there for me. HE IS A MIRACLE of God.

I could go on and on. I have so much baggage, and so much bondage that I don't even feel free to share here because I would not want to dishonor any of my loved ones. So you'll just have to take me at my word when I say that My Lord has rescued me from many a pit therefore I AM A MIRACLE of God. And get this. . .God's word says. . .

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16.

Did you get it. . . inwardly we are being changed!!! That's the New Covenant. God's promise to me. God in me doing a good work. Praise Him for He is good. Sing to Him a new song. Give Him honor and glory. Rest in His shadow. Shout the wondrous works of Him who loves me and is especially fond of me. Why me Lord? What is it that you saw in me that made you love me so? Your mercies are new every morning ~ thank you!! You are my everything!! Oh Lord, may all that I experience in this "short" life draw me closer to you, so that I may know you. Be a wellspring of life in me just overflowing so much that I can't help but get you all over those around me. I love you Lord Jesus. Bless your Holy name. Amen.

This is my bible. . .

I had a Sunday School Teacher once who every Sunday made her class hold up their bible and repeat after her:

"This is my bible, the inspired living word of God."

And then she would teach us God's word in Spirit and Truth. You could not come away from her lessons the same person you were when you walked in the door. She taught with such passion it was obvious that she had walked with our Lord that week. Her passion was definitely contagious in my life. When I sat under her teaching I realized that I wanted what she had. I desired to know Him the way that she did. And her influence changed my life forever. I will never be the same. My bible is my most prize possession. God's word really is alive and active. You cannot sincerely seek to know Him through His word and not be changed.

During a recent Tuesday Night Bible Study that I attend we all sat and talked about how the Bible tells us about Jesus from beginning to end. From Genesis to Revelation. What was for told in the Old Testament came true in the New Testament. And what has not yet come true will be because what God says. . .God will do! He is a God of promise and cannot break His word to us. Cut the Scriptures anywhere and they bleed with the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Think about it. . .

In Genesis, He's the breath of life. . . In Exodus, the Passover Lamb. . . In Leviticus, He's our High Priest. . . Numbers, the fire by night. . . Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice. . . In Joshua, He is salvation's choice. . . Judges, law giver. . . In Ruth, the kinsmen-redeemer. . . First and second Samuel, our trusted prophet. . . In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign. . . Ezra, true and faithful scribe. . . Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives. . . In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage. . . In Job, the timeless redeemer. . . In Psalms, He is our morning song. . . In Proverbs, wisdom's cry. . . Ecclesiastes, the time and season. . . In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream. . . In Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace. . . Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. . . In Lamentations, the cry for Israel. . . Ezekiel, He's the call from sin. . . In Daniel, the stranger in the fire. . . In Hosea, He is forever faithful. . . In Joel, He's the Spirits power. . . In Amos, the arms that carry us. . . In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior. . . In Jonah, He's the great missionary. . . In Micah, the promise of peace. . . In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield. . . In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival. . . In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage. . . In Zechariah, our fountain. . . In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings. . . In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah. . . In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven. . . In Romans, He's the grace of God. . . In Corinthians, the power of love. . . In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin. . . Ephesians, our glorious treasure. . . Philippians, the servants heart. . . In Colossians, He's the Godhead Trinity. . . Thessalonians, our coming King. . . In Timothy, Titus, Philemon, He's our mediator and our faithful Pastor. . . In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant. . . In James, the one who heals the sick. . . In First and Second Peter, He is our Shepherd. . . In John and in Jude, He is the lover coming for His bride. . .

And In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords He is, He is!!

A Father's Love ~ is Measureless

Thank you, Abba Father for your measureless love. I pray that I will be able to grasp exactly how deep & wide it really is for me. Fill me with the understanding and awe of it. May I learn to rest in the truth of it. I love you Father! Amen.

Empty Spaces. . .in my homework

It's MY Friday off. I could not wait for it to get here. Usually, I get up and go have lunch at the school with my kids & Jonathon. That's right I eat 3 times. First with Sara, usually something very small (fruit). Then, with Jonathon I eat lunch and before that is over it's Phillip's lunch time, and when he is done we have ice cream. This has been a treat that we have enjoyed every since I started getting every other Friday off. I always missed the chance to visit my kids at their school because of my job and now God has blessed me with that opportunity.

But today. . .it's MY Friday. . .and like I said I could not wait! I needed some ME time, and I became very aware of that need Tuesday night at bible study. We just started another Beth Moore series called "Measureless Love", and it was time to share what we learned during our homework time the week before. Basically we were to spend time thinking through a few questions about measuring up:

• Who are we trying to measure up to?
• Who are we trying to measure up for?
• Who are we trying to measure God by?

As I did my homework that week the first question came pretty easy to me. Since being a mother (8 almost 9 years now), God has been teaching me that I spend my days trying to live up to "my idea" of the perfect mother, perfect wife, and perfect christian. Because of my past I set the standard for those things so high that defeat was always at my back door. This makes me exhausted and empty. When I got to the second & third question I had a more difficult time answering my homework because. . .time is not my friend. . .thus explaining the empty spaces on my homework sheet that became very obvious to my bible study friends when I was not sharing very much. This is why I could not wait for MY Friday, I had made an appointment with God. I needed time to ponder these questions and allow God to speak to me and to fill me. Let me just say God showed up this morning (thank you Jesus), and helped me answer those questions.

In Ephesians 3:14-19 Paul prays for me to *be strengthened in my inner being so that *Christ may dwell in my heart, *and that I may have power to grasp the love of Christ *so that I may be filled to the measure with the fullness of God.

As I pondered those verses it occurred to me that all of my "measuring up" may come from my past experiences with the people in my life but the root of my problem is ME. I am my worst enemy.

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 tells me it is not WISE for me to compare myself to ANYTHING but the field God has assigned to me.

Beth Moore brought our attention to the word field. Get this. . . the Hebrew word for field is kanna~a reed, a measuring rod. Our word is canon, which is the Bible. So what is the field God has assigned to me?? His word. . .of course. That should be my measuring rod. Not past experiences, not others, not even my idea of who I should be. No one has got it all together, not even Paul did (Philippians 3:12). So why in world would I ever expect to have it all together?? You know, or maybe you don't. . .we are a messed up people that's why we needed a Savior.

Here is a truth I need to sink deep into my heart: GOD IS NOT MESSED UP! He does not have a "love tank" that I need to fill up. HE IS LOVE!

I don't need to do anything to merit His love. He loved me before I was even born and could do anything. I realized this morning for the first time I think that my focus lately is all wrong. I have been discouraged because I have felt like I haven't been doing much for God. God is not interested in me doing something for Him. He can handle things just fine without me. He desires a relationship with me and out of that will flow a life of doing.

Beth Moore says "God does not condemn me, Satan does. God convicts me so I can see my error, surrender to Him, pucker up and kiss it good-bye!" So that is what I am doing this morning. . .the last question of my homework.

• What are you kissing good-bye?

I am kissing good-bye the idea that God has a "love tank" that I need to fill up for Him to be happy with me. And I am going to replace it with His Measureless Love for me. Because when I look outward it easy to become discouraged. And when I look inward it seems hopeless. But. . . when I put my hope in His love He delights in me, and there is hope, encouragement, and victory. And I am going to rejoice in the fact that I've got my eye on the goal (JESUS), I'm running towards Him, and I AM NOT going to turn back. PRAISE THE LORD :-) !!!

What if. . .

What if we treated our Bibles like we do our cell phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we never have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!