John 21:17 KJV
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
How many times has the Lord asked me this same question?? And how has my life, not my words, answered Him back? I do love the Lord but I haven't been all that great at showing it. This morning when I read that verse, it definitely pricked my heart. Jesus wanted action behind Peter's declared love. Peter had surely been active when he ran away from knowing Christ in his denial of the Savior... Why is it so easy to give our whole heart, mind, soul and strength to another human being and not to the almighty God who loved us with the Cross? I, for one, am thankful He lovingly forgives and is active in his love toward me when he asks me the question "Tonya, lovest thou me?... " and he gives me another chance to show Him. He's so awesome...
Monday, January 20, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Phil 4:8 Sunday School series (week two)
“Whatsoever things are HONEST…”
This is week number two in the Phil 4:8 series “oh be careful little mind what you think” and boy am I excited to share with you kids about honesty. Do you remember last week when we talked about the Truth of God’s word? …about how Noah believed it with all his heart? What happened when Noah thought on the True things of God and trusted in them? Yep, that’s right; God saved Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed the earth.
Well this week we are going to talk about another man named Samuel. He was a prophet of the Lord who always spoke the truth, even when it wasn’t popular and even when someone he loved might not like it. He followed God …and HIS word says “thou shalt not bear false witness”; it is one of the Lord’s commandments to us as His children.
The story about Samuel I want to share with you today is from 1 Samuel chapter 3. Remember Hannah, Samuel’s mom?… she had prayed hard for a son and the Lord blessed her with Samuel; she too was an honest woman because the promise to the Lord she made to dedicate her son’s life to Him was kept. Samuel had lived with the priest Eli from the time he was two years old until now. He had grown up serving the Lord and this night was no different.
Although Samuel had never heard directly from God, he knew he was real and he honored Him. But on this particular night, the Lord has something He wanted to say to Samuel yet when God called to him, Samuel thought it was the priest Eli calling for him. When Samuel heard the Lord's voice he would run to Eli and say, “here I am for thou callest me” but Elli hadn’t called Home. Nite. him so he told him to go lie back down. But, kiddos, after Samuel came to him the second time, Eli knew something was up. He believed it was the Lord God speaking to Samuel so he told Samuel to go lie back down and if he heard the voice for the third time to say, “Speak Lord; for thy servant heareth.” And Samuel did just that. In verse 10 it says that the Lord came and stood, and called as at other times “Samuel, Samuel” then Samuel answered, “Speak for thy servant heareth.” And guess what guys?? God DID have something to tell him but it wasn’t easy for him to share with his friend Eli. Eli was like a father to Samuel.
The Lord had told Samuel He wasn’t pleased with the way Eli’s sons had behaved AND with Eli; Eli knew their sin yet never corrected them. He tried to just let them be even though God had warned him about not straightening things out and making his sons does right. So, the Lord had told Samuel that no longer would he let their sins go unpunished. He was going to bring an end to their sins and wickedness. Now can you imagine how Samuel felt when Eli asked him to be honest when he told him what the Lord had said?? I am sure it wasn’t easy for Samuel to tell his friend that the Lord was displeased, that he was going to be punishing them; God was bringing judgment to Eli’s household. That wouldn’t be easy for ME to tell a friend, how about you? But, you know what guys? Samuel DID…Eli was a good friend in encouraging him to tell the truth too. We all need godly friends like that. Samuel went on to serve the Lord and be a great prophet of God who was honest and the people around him knew it and they believed in God’s power because of it.
You see, when we are people who are honest and trust the Lord to do what he says, we bring HIM glory and honor. That’s why the bible says, “Whatsoever things are honest…. Think on these things!”
Activity/craft
Honest Harriet the Honey Bee
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Oh be Careful Little Minds...
Whatsoever things are TRUE…
This week I thought we could start a series of lessons called
“Oh be careful little minds what you think”… learning about Philippians 4 verse 8
‘Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ‘
It is very important the Bible says to be careful what we think upon. We are to take those thoughts and make sure that we are loving Him with them. Remember our verse about loving God? How are we supposed to love Him? Right, with not only all of our hearts, soul and strength but our MIND too!
Today we are going talk about the first thing Phil 4:8 says we are to think upon… ‘Whatsoever things are TRUE… ‘ Did you know that God’s word is true? It is a FACT… God can NOT lie. So all the stories you hear in Sunday School and church…well they are real. Remember talking about the baby Moses in the basket? What about Jonah and the Whale? What about Daniel in the Lion’s Den? YEP… all true…they are facts… the Bible says in John 17:17 that “His word is truth!” We can count on it. When He makes a promise He means it… He can never go back on it. So when He says He will NEVER leave us …He means it… when He says that if we seek Him we will find Him…well, it is true. And when we believe that, we can get through anything. When we trust His word, the Bible says He will guide our footsteps.
Today I want to talk about a guy who did just that…He trusted in God’s word…His promises.
Noah was a man that loved the Lord…He had found “grace in the sight of the Lord” during a time when the world was a really mean place. The Lord was sad he had even made the world because people were so evil. But the Lord loved Noah and Noah loved the Lord. God came to him and told him that He was going to send a flood to destroy the earth and for him to build an Ark. He was to take every living thing and lead them two by two into the Ark as well as his wife, three sons and their wives as to escape the flood. In verse 22 of Genesis chapter 6, it says “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him.” He trusted in God’s word as truth! And kids, it was truth! And even though the rains didn’t come right away, and people thought Noah was crazy. (You see it hadn’t rained upon the earth and they didn’t believe Noah when he preached and warned them that God was upset and was going to destroy the earth.)
But eventually the rains came and it rained for 40 days and 40 nights…the only people safe were Noah and his family because of their trust in God to keep his promise and he did just that. When it was safe for them to come out of the Ark they built an altar to God to show how thankful they were and so they would never forget what He had done. Noah had belief that God’s words were TRUE! You can too!!
Sometimes when we trust the Lord and HIS truths, the world thinks we are silly; but just like Noah, who takes care of us? God does … because we are what to Him? Special!!!
So when you begin to wonder about things and aren’t really sure what is true in life…you can ALWAYS trust that the Bible and the Lord’s promises are real and very true…you can count on them to help you know what to do!!
Activity/craft:
Truvy the Tree of Truth…
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Clear Direction
This morning I was really moved by this sermon! I pray it encourages you as it has me! Blessings to you all,
Tonya
1-9-13. Charles Stanley
http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio
Having Clear Direction (pt.1)
How can I be sure I'm making the right decision ??
Ps 25:12
What man is he that feareth the Lord ? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
How do we have clear guidance?
1. Clear the pathway... God has to get us ready to hear his discernment ...
**Clear it of sin ( sin fragments our thinking, confuses us)
**Clear it of strong desires (submissive neutrality, to a place where no matter what we want we need to submit our wants unto him) a pure heart and clear direction go together ...
^Repent and submit^
2. Exercise patience...refuse to rush in ahead of Gods timing...
Back off
Psalm 27:14 KJV
[14] Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord .
It takes a great deal of strength to wait
Psalm 25:3 KJV
Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
You will never be ashamed waiting upon the Lord.
And when he says MOVE, move!! When the direction is so clear yet we have fear, we can still move with confidence!!
The stronger my desire the harder it is. To wait...
3. Be alert to pressure...
Exterior (people will tell you how you ought to think and what you should do...this is unreliable...people will tell what THEY want for your lives and it has nothing to do with how God wants it to go...
*Godly advice is different
You have to be extremely careful!
It can be one person or many...not listening to everyone's opinion...you better sift all the advice you get through the word of God...you may have to make a decision that goes against what others think
Circumstances...time never runs out on God...no matter what the circumstances, do not step in to something because of the pressure of your circumstances
Internal pressure... Fears, anxieties, attitudes, exaggerated feelings (should oughts musts) ... Be careful you don't listen to the wrong voices ...
Monday, December 16, 2013
http://ht.salemweb.net/zcast/love-worth-finding/2013/12-16/379868/love-worth-finding_2013-12-16_is-there-anything-too-_20131203114457.mp3?type=streaming
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 78:18,41)
We limit The Lord by having a spirit of unwillingness and with our attitudes of unconcern or indifference. Just look at the church of Laodocia (rev 20) so many of us are lukewarm Christians who are full of preconceived ideas and unreasonable ways that bind the precious nail scarred hands from bringing us the peace and joy of His full blessings! Our Iack repentance and sin separate us from His presence. (is 59:1-2). Unbelief that he can and will do all that He has promised limits the Holy Spirit from manifesting fully in our walk with Him!
"We are creatures of time , God lives in eternity" his thoughts and techniques are different than ours...there is no problem he can't handle and no promise he will not keep...if he is asking you to wait, then wait! If he is calling you to move, then move! He is mighty!! There is no prayer he can not answer, no problem too big, and no promise he will not keep...trust Him!!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Best. Birthday. Cards. Ever.
I'll not ever forget the sermon my Pastor preached the night before my 40th birthday two years ago. It was entitled, "Being at the Mercy of the Water" the passage of scripture was from Ezekiel 47:1-12. He talked about how the water is like unto the Holy Spirit and how we can be ankle deep, waist deep or swimming in the water of the Holy Spirit.
For your life to change and be used of God you have to get down in the water, be at the mercy of the flowing Holy Ghost...let it move you and wash over you.
when water is just around your ankles, it doesn't control your movement yet...but as you wade out a little farther, that is when you start to tell the difference. The ebb and flow of the water begins to push you. Today, on my birthday as I read His word and think about how different my life is...why wouldn't I want to go swimming? My savior walks on the water!!!
Last year on the service before my Bday...
The next year on 12-8-12, my Pastor asked us...
"Do you have any room for Jesus?"
During His ministry even His own received Him not... The Romans didn't have room for Him; but there was a small band of common folk who were there and that little group was who He built His church upon!
The world has no room for Him...
There is all kinds of room for pleasure, lies, anything that doesn't pertain to the truth, even other religions that are false... but it has not tolerance for His truth!
They compromise!
They Substitute ceremonies and rituals for Jesus! He wants your heart not your sacrifice...he wants you to have personal faith.
There is only one place that God wants... It's the throne in your heart! Where your treasure is there is your heart also!
When he in the throne there then He renews your mind and works things out in your life unto service with Him...he changes your mind and your heart
There is a lack of fear of God and the peace that it brings
If you have no room for Him you have too many affairs of this world!
The cares of the world will fill you up...
The pleasures of the world pull you away too...
These crowd out Jesus!
Sin keeps your from making room for Him in your heart and life!
Will you make room for Him in your heart?
Wow! As a woman of God, that stirred my spirit to convict my soul to draw closer to Him and be careful of what I "crowd" Him out with!
Now, again this year, was another sermon that was exactly what I needed...
From Isaiah 40:28... With patience we wait upon The Lord
Why we wait is just as important as how we wait..because we trust in who God is and what He can do!
It is good to wait...Lamentations 3:22-26 (25.26)
Blessed are those who wait on Him...Is. 30:18
Those that wait upon him shall not be ashamed...Is. 49:28
Those that wait will be honored...Prov. 27:18
He will save those that wait upon him ...Prov 20:22
We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation...Is 25:9
Always remember who is asking you to wait...be confident that God will do everything He says He will do!!
Could NOT have been a better message to my soul ...I'm so thankful I have a Heavenly Father who longs to talk with me and sends me the best Birthday. Cards. Ever.
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