Sowing and Reaping

In Galatians 6:7 we read... "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows that he will also reap." and verse 8 says "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption... "

What does this mean to you?

I learned this verse as a child and never, ever forgot it. It was powerful in a way, however, I only understood a very negative part of the verse. Sowing seeds of sinfulness and the end result. After all 70 plus years it has dawned on me through study of the Word and by the Holy Spirit, (Bless Him) that there is more, much more to this message than Galatians 5:17-21.. Do read it.

Praise God-- Galatians 8:6b goes on to show the beautiful bright side of this great truth.

"BUT he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (emphasis mine)

And verse 9 goes on to say... "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

And verse 10 goes on with...

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

WOW.. can you see this?

Don't you just love God's 'BUTS' in His Word?

But he (or she) who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life and do not lose heart. See how it goes on to say.. "'do good to all' especially to those of the household of faith."

And this later part of the verse crosses all boundaries and means everyone who is -- In Jesus. And how do we know who they are? Are they just the ones we worship with in OUR CHURCH? How blind we are if we think so: because we cannot see the heart and only God the Father knows who have been cleansed by the blood of His dear Son.. Jesus.

So, as I see it... it behooves me to be very careful how I judge others and who I consider to be in the 'household of faith.' For sure, it doesn't seem to say only those with whom I worship and fellowship with each Lord's Day. I'm afraid that this has been my thinking and very narrow at that, for many years. He raised my sights to see beyond my denomination.

His CHURCH has no boundaries -- it is limitless and vast! Hallelujuh!

Praise God, someone must have been praying for me as Paul prayed for the Ephesians in chapter one verses 17 -

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,"

(and ) 18-"the eyes of your understanding (or heart) being enlightened;

that you may know what is the hope of His calling,

what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,

according to the working of His mighty power which He worked

in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and

seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above

all principality and power and might and dominion,

and every name that is named,, not only in this age but also

in that which is to come."

So what will we reap if we do not lose heart? According to Romans 6:8 it will mean eventually living with Christ, as I see it. However, there are many seeds we are able to sow and reap in the mean time. As we go back to read in Galatians 5:22 and 23.. we find the fruit of the Spirit and all those fruits have wonderful seeds that I see in my Christian friends all around me. "Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.. all being sown by you and me. May God bless you, each one in your sowing and reaping. May your harvest be blessed. Until next time..

Garbage Truck, Dumpsters and Hearts

That is a strange title for a paragraph in my Spiritual Blog, for sure. But let me explain.


As the garbage truck came this Tuesday morning, as it always does, and was clattering away I was drawn to the window. There it was just below our 3rd floor window doing it's thing.



But this morning as I watched, I thought, 'God has given so much wisdom and 'know-how' to people so they could come up with different inventions. And this one is amazing. How the driver of the truck knows just how to lower the arms of the pick-up mechanism and place them 'just so' in the slots on the dumpster so as to lift it up, then to raise it just right, waiting for the cover to open up so he can lift the dumpster even further and let the covers fall away perfectly so the junk all falls into the truck. Swoosh.. in it all goes. And it is all then packed away by another mechanism and the driver then lowers the arms and sets the dumpster down on the pavement all clean and neat ready for more trash to be collected.


God kind of gave me a picture of myself.. full of garbage from, who knows how far back. Then I saw myself being lifted up and turned upside down and shaken so all the garbage could fall out of my heart and soul. What a vivid picture it was. All kinds of junk and yucky stuff came tumbling out. Unlike the dumpster, however, which is now clean and ready for more garbage, my heart is not so square and smooth. Don't you know there are crevices and little corners where junk is still clinging to the walls? So I'm reminded that this is an on-going process of Confession and Cleansing by the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, God understands and because He does not give up on us we can count on Him to reveal those hidden areas that need His attention. May His Name be lifted up by you and me. May we all bring Honor and Glory to His Name which is above every name in Heaven and on Earth.

I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is Faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Thank You Father. In Jesus Name. So be it.

Voice of the Martyrs Weekend September 13th-14th

This has been an awesome weekend. For years we have been supporting VOM-

Voice Of The Martyrs and finally have had an opportunity to hear first hand...

what is being done for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are in Chains in Hostile lands.

Praise God for the Vision of VOM. David Witt came from AZ to share and the weekend was 'electric' with all the information and interest.

Along with all the information and literature regarding VOM, David shared his own passion. He has his own Ministry with The Spirit of Martyrdom which includes work with the Islamic community.

Thank you, David, for coming and sharing this important Work of God.

Too busy.. need to update more frequently....

This is the front of our Complex..

The Vintage of Richland.

Our apartment is on the third floor and we call it "The Penthouse" because we have such a lovely view to the east. We sit up on a high place and I have a vision of God's glory shining about the place as He is 'held up' by some of the people living here. His very own people who love Him and honor Him in their lives.

My Spiritual journey of late, has been exciting and sometimes bumpy but altogether blessed. How good to see God 'Abba' Father leading and guiding, sometimes shining His spotlight deep into my soul.

Leading From Your Strengths- Workshop

Be sure to come back and visit this blog.. cause I've just attended a fantastic Workshop regarding Strengths and Weaknesses in our 'makeup'.. Our Character versus 'pancake makeup', that is.

Well, here I am, finally. This week has been a bit hectic but not unexpected after the intense study we have just gone through.

Of course our decisions are going to be challenged and temptations are going to increase. But
Our God is so ABLE to meet our every need.

There were about 18 or 20 of us. A good mix of gender and age, too.

The leaders of the Workshop were outstanding.. a husband and wife team- Nelson and Barbra Fox. They were quick to give examples and to help us understand the 'whole picture'.
It was so helpful and a lot to chew on. Not finished with the study by a long shot. There is so much to digest and put into practice.

This has been a desire of mine for some time.. in fact, I heard about a similar workshop back in April but missed the deadline for signing up. Then again about a month later, another one was going to be held in the Desert Stream Bible Church but the deadline for signup eluded me then, as well. Of course, God had it all well planned, as usual and as usual, His timing was perfect.

I believe that "all things work together for good" and this was one more proof. It was held in The Garden Christian Church, very close to home, where, I not only, enjoy attending Saturday evening worship but find it is alive and the messages are very thought-provoking. Not the run of the mill, traditional church but God's presence is there and the freedom that comes with Salvation is very evident.

Since we were encouraged to share the message with others, I've been doing this at every opportunity. John was keen to know what I had learned, so we looked it over together then sent for the book "Leading from Your STRENGTHS". This came with a free online assessment which John decided to take advantage of.

I had taken it before the course began, (as all the participants had done,) so we all would have something to work with. What an eye opener. Not necessarily information that was new regarding our strengths and weaknesses but how they impact our relationships with others was a biggie. Something to really work on and seek God's guidance and blessing.

This is something that I can highly recommend to any Christian seeking to have more impact on his environment and to be more effective in his or her ministry.

It is highly recommended for small groups and even husbands and wifes can benefit from the study and exercises.

Here is the website. http://www.leadingfromyourstrengths.com/

This is one more 'link' in my Spiritual Journey. Praising God for His guidance and blessings all along The Way.

Sacajawea

It's been quite a while since I've blogged but not to say, it's been quiet here. On the contrary, so much has been going on- the pace so fast and information- revelation- so strong- it's hard to know where to begin this entry.
First though, and of greatest importance, God, our Father is still near and so willing to listen and to speak. Although, there is strife and din all around: TV and radio with messages of doom and gloom; how blessed it is to turn to the Word of God and find peace and joy. This morning brought a blessing indeed when reading Psalms 25:1,2 "Unto You, O Lord, do I bring my life. O my God, I trust in, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me." Amplified Bible

Yesterday, John and I went to the Columbia River, (close to home,) for a walk... but not before I quickly packed a fried egg sandwich and coffee at 7:00. This was so we could enjoy breakfast in the 'cool of the morning' by the river.

We were not disappointed in any of the events that followed our decision. John drove to one spot but we were not satisfied so we pulled out and went on a little further East, where we found just the right spot and soon knew that God was surely leading because the area He chose was all new to us.

There before us was a pavilion with a low concrete and beautiful stone wall on which to sit with roof for shelter. It was a bluff over-looking the river on one side and near the road on opposite side we noticed a beautiful Sculpture of an Indian Maiden which we determined must be the likeness of Sacajawea.

All of a sudden, a pick-up truck drew up into the parking area and a man emerged with a towel which he shook out with purpose! We watched, assuming he was a park attendant, as he began to wipe down the Sculpture. We imagined all kinds of things as we watched his careful attention to each detail ending with a thorough polishing of this statue.

As he finished and headed back to his truck we called out to him and asked if he was a park attendant?

His answer? "No, actually, I'm the 'Sculptor'. This is my sculpture of Sacajawea, which we placed here yesterday." (And although I had my camera, I missed that photo op!!) So sad. At any rate, he went on to say that "Tomorrow is the dedication so I wanted to make sure she was ready for the occasion." He went on to give us his name as Tom Mcclelland and to shake our hands!
















This is the Statue of Sacajawea..

It was later, after lunch, that while leading the Bible Study here at the Vintage, that the whole scenario came together.

I mentioned earlier that my life has been anything but quiet.. Well to tell you the truth God has been dealing with me in deep and wonderful ways.. like Isaiah speaks of the Potter and the clay. He my glorious, kind, loving Abba, (Daddy) Father has been carving out the pride, need for more respect for my husband, failure to seek counsel with my Consultant-"The Holy Spirit", lack of love and always reminding me of the need for more of Jesus and less of me.

Sometimes it has been painfully clear but always with the deep joy of knowing His love and concern. He's been polishing this 'work' of His which he has promised to do in Philippians 1:6 "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." Amplified Bible
PRAISE AND GLORY TO GOD.
"Centering Down" with Liz

The Call DC

The gathering at DC for prayer and fasting.

Wonderful Conference in Richland

"World, World, listen and see what the God of the Universe has to offer. Just look at the heavens at night and the sky during the day.

"The heavens decare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, and their words the ends of the world."

Psalms 19:1-4

This is the view from our apartment. It is a constant reminder of what all those lights mean. So many people who might not know our Lord!

The past few weeks have brought many blessings into our lives. We started in the first part of April... listening 0n the net to Todd Bentley holding Revival and Healing Services down in Lakeland, FL. God has opened the Heavens over Florida and the word has spread as far as England, Germany and Australia touching lives in between along the way. What an outpouring of the Spirit! Then we heard of a Prayer and Healing Conference to be held right here in Richland! My heart has been crying out for just such a blessing as this. Food for the Soul, and Water of Life for my parched and hankering inner man. God is so good. He truly knows our longings and desires. The beautiful Columbia River is full of water to satify our physical needs but it definitely does not meet our Spiritual needs. John and I were able to take in 7 services from Thursday evening 'til Sunday morning. Revelation after revelation came pouring out of the speaker's mouth. His name is Cal Pierce from Spokane, WA. It was sponsored by the Healing Rooms of Richland and surrounding areas as far south as Oregon and east to Idaho even taking in some of Colorado and Montana. It was beautiful to hear the Scripture expounded in its fullness. I just wanted to soak in the music and Word of God.

"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 He is the same Jesus who declared in John 14:13,14 "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may glorify the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it." Hallelujah. Praise and Glory to the Father. Paul speaks of this same declaration in Ephesians 3:19,20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" It's that same power, too, that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 1:19 "And his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms",

Some thoughts to contemplate

These are some thoughts which have come to me over the past few weeks.

To realize that God is looking down on us and knows our innermost thoughts even the intents of our hearts is cause for examination on a regular basis.

As it says in 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him….”

When the Israelites called on God and looked to Him with all their heart in obedience He was with them in battles and caused the enemy to flee before them. Is God any different today? NO. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His eyes are still roaming the earth to find the righteous who love and honor him in all of their ways.

“Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37,38 Spoken by Jesus to the Pharisees.

When we are examining our hearts, what should we look for?
In Proverbs 6:16-19 we read:
“There are six things the Lord hates,
Seven that are detestable to him;
1. haughty eyes,
2. a lying tongue,
3. hands that shed innocent blood,
4. a heart that devises wicked schemes,
5. feet that are quick to rush into evil,
6. a false witness who pour s out lies and
7. a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Notice the first one on the list? Pride. There is a lot about this in the Scriptures.

PRIDE.. as we study the Scriptures we find that it comes straight out of Hell.. Satan's domain.

How we should shun it and flee from it. One graphic result of pride can be seen in Daniel concerning Nebuchadnezzar in Chapter 4. God does not tolerate pride. Remember the first of the detestable things God hates? A haughty look.. Pride. This chapter reads like a mystery of sorts.. it is well worth our time to peruse it and spend time thinking about God's reaction to our PRIDE.

How can we expect God to bless us if we allow Satan to blind us with his craftiness to think we are something we are not? Let us remember that he is the Father of all Lies. It is time we took this sin seriously, don't you think? Let us humble ourselves before our Creator and show him our love by falling on our faces at His feet.

To God be the Glory and praise for showing us His desires for us through His Son's obedience and results. He was honored by His Father and given a Place at His right hand and rule over everything. Philippians 2:9-11 and in Romans 8:34 "Christ Jesus ... is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."

Paul tells us in Philippians 2:5 what our attitude should be. Like that of Christ Jesus. Then in verse 8b it says 'He humbled himself (to His Father) and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross.'

Praise God for this revelation of His hatred for Pride and sin.

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. and what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.