31 December 2010

the journey ...

As this year comes to a close
I find myself reflecting
Quite a bit ...
On everything that has transpired this year
On everything that awaits me next year


Many are finished with Christmas
But it stays with me throughout the year
I identify with Mary
Pregnant with a promise from God
Promises to be truthful
Unable to fully explain what I feel to anyone
Wondering what 'that day' will look like
when it all comes to fruition
Questioning whether I will have become -
all that I need to become
In order to properly nurture and care for God’s gift.
Mine is not an actual baby
But it could not be more precious,
for I know God planted it there

So today,
I make a special request
as I listen to this song,
most accurately capturing my feelings today.
I ask that you listen with me,
And pray for me
Even as I pray for you


I pray that each one of us will give birth
to what God has planted inside of us,
Taking comfort in His Word of Promise,

I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded,
And if you run, you will not stumble.
Proverbs 4:11-12 NASB

The New Living Translation States
I will teach you wisdom's ways
and lead you in straight paths.
When you walk, you won't be held back;
when you run, you won't stumble.

We have a confirmation of what He has done,
We have a confidence in what He is doing,
We have an assurance of what He will do.

Through many twists and turns through this wilderness
After countless ‘circles' around the mountain
The true journey begins -
The road of destiny
Taking possession and occupying
Every promise God has made

2 0 1¦1

Let the journey begin …

Happy & Blessed New Year’s Greetings to All!

30 December 2010

behold, angels come!

No matter what storm has raged this past year,
Despite any challenge that presently confronts,
The Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent One
Is with you

He cannot ‘not’ be at your side
He is everywhere

Testing and trials are but for a time
Our Savior has gone before us,
Enduring tremendous trying storms
Yet there was a day when it ceased


'Then the devil left Him,
And behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.'
Matthew 4:11



The Message Version
states
'The test was over.
The Devil left.
And in his place, angels!
Angels came and took care of Jesus' needs.'

Likewise, God has appointed angels
to care for your every need
And as surely as aide was sent to our Savior,
He sends strength our way
To bless us after the storm
to keep us in the midst of the storm.

I saw this poem today and had to share -
May it speak to your spirit and bring refreshing hope

THE EYE OF THE STORM
 from Streams in the Desert

"Fear not that the whirlwind shall carry thee hence,
Nor wait for its onslaught in breathless suspense,
Nor shrink from the whips of the terrible hail,
But pass through the edge to the heart of the gale,
For there is a shelter, sunlighted and warm,
And Faith sees her God
through the eye of the storm.
"The passionate tempest with rush and wild roar
And threatenings of evil may beat on the shore,
The waves may be mountains, the fields battle plains,
And the earth be immersed in a deluge of rains,
Yet, the soul, stayed on God,
may sing bravely its psalm,
For the heart of the storm is the center of calm.
"Let hope be not quenched in the blackness of night,
Though the cyclone awhile may have blotted the light,
For behind the great darkness the stars ever shine,
And the light of God's heavens, His love shall make thine,
Let no gloom dim thine eyes, but uplift them on high
To the face of thy God and the blue of His sky.
"The storm is thy shelter from danger and sin,
And God Himself takes thee for safety within;
The tempest with Him passeth into deep calm,
And the roar of the winds is the sound of a psalm.
Be glad and serene when the tempest clouds form;
God smiles on His child in the eye of the Storm”

28 December 2010

exceedingly, abundantly


Back on the fifteenth of December,
I spoke of my fascination with snowflakes.

I love their uniqueness
and
the accumulated snow just makes everything beautiful!

I noted in that post,
‘We’re expecting snow …
nothing like what we would get in Boston, MA where I grew up.’

Well, we got snow that week –
And we got a ton of snow this past weekend –



I have been forced to eat those words which I spoke not too long ago.

Thirteen inches of snow!
It immobilized our city – and not just our city
All along the east coast, and even into the deep-south,
there are reports of the havoc the snow has wrought.

Exceedingly, abundantly
above all we could ask or think!

SNOW!               SNOW!               SNOW!               SNOW!

I know it has been a traveling nightmare for many.
It has also caused significant power outages
the weight of the snow has burdened tree limbs
causing them to snap and fall on already compromised power lines
It is not a great situation and I would not wish it on anyone.

However, I cannot get fully disappointed by all this snow
It has actually been termed a ‘blizzard’
a long severe snowstorm;
an intensely strong cold wind filled with fine snow;
an overwhelming rush or deluge

An overwhelming rush or deluge –

That is my favorite definition and why I am excited and energized by all of this snow.
This has been a somewhat unnatural natural occurrence –
both the volume and regions affected.
Millions of unique snowflakes have made up this winter storm
and caused accumulations unlike anything many of these states have seen in some time.
The snow totals here in Virginia were third greatest since the 1800’s!
It truly is more than we ever would have anticipated.

Eventually, it will melt as all snow does –
But today, while my yard is still filled fluffy white goodness,
I grab hold of this takeaway:

Behold, the former things are come to pass,
and new things do I declare;
before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isaiah 42:9

God thunders with His voice wondrously,
Doing great things which we cannot comprehend.
For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,'
And to the downpour and the rain, 'Be strong.'
Job 37:5-6 NASB

He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!'
and the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!'
No one can escape the weather—it's there.
And no one can escape from God.
Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens,
When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.
It's God's breath that forms the ice,
It's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
Job 37:5-6 MSG

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
“The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
Isaiah 55:8-11 NLT

AND WHAT HAS THE LORD SAID?

Look at the new thing I am going to do.
It is already happening!
Don’t you see it?
I will make a road in the desert
And rivers in the dry land.
Isaiah 43:19 NCV

However that which is spiritual was not first,
but that which is natural,
and afterward that which is spiritual.
I Corinthians 15:46 NKJV


I feel another blizzard on the horizon –
I have been feeling it for quite some time now – long before the snow fell
This natural snowfall, this blizzard, this overwhelming rush or deluge –
It speaks to me of something significant that is occurring in the spiritual. 

Proverbs 31:21
When speaking of the virtuous woman notes,
'She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

Like her, I do not fear for my family – naturally or spiritually
For we are clothed in scarlet – covered by the blood of the Lamb

Door have been opened that no man can shut
(Rev. 3:8)
God is indeed working all things together for the good
(Rom. 8:28)
He is supplying every need according to His riches, which are unlimited (Phil. 4:19)
He is revealing long hidden mysteries through dream and visions
(Joel 2:28-29)
He is doing exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask or think
(Eph. 3:20)

So I say –

Let it snow!     Let it snow!     Let it snow!

27 December 2010

the LORD with you ...



This poor man cried,
and the LORD heard him
and saved him
out of all his troubles.
Psalm 34:6 NASB

Have not I commanded you?
Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous.
Be not afraid, neither be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 AMP

It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer;
and while they are still speaking, I will hear.  
Isaiah 65:24 NASB

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Psalm 32:8 NASB

Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
your walls are continually before Me.
Isaiah 49:16 AMP

God is always on the alert,
constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to Him.
You were foolish to go for human help when you could have had God's help...
II Chronicles 16:9 MSG

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth
to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.
II Chronicles 16:9 AMP

The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe] and each of them He delivers. O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him. O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear.
Psalm 34:7-9 AMP

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry.
Psalm 34:15 AMP

God keeps an eye on His friends,
His ears pick up every moan and groan.
Psalm 34:15 MSG

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
and to him who lacks might
He increases power.
Isaiah 40:28-29

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

My Prayer For You Today
The Lord bless you
and watch, guard, and keep you;
The Lord make His face
to shine upon and enlighten you
and
be gracious
(kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you
and
give you peace
(tranquility of heart and life continually).
Numbers 6:24-26 AMP

26 December 2010

gift exchange

Yesterday was fantastic!

Now today is here
The day after Christmas and typically the biggest day for returns.
Today is the day where people will spend time standing in long lines
To return or exchange the gift
That someone else spent time searching for and standing in line to get.

It is the day when the stores suddenly decide
that what you paid thirty-dollars for last week
is now worth eight dollars and fifty cents.
They have to move the inventory,
clear the shelves and get ready for the next big merchandising event –
uh, I mean holiday.

Sadly, however, material gifts will not be the only thing exchanged today.
Many also will return/exchange the gift of the Christmas season:
- Connecting with friends and family
- Thinking of others
- Sacrificing to give to others
- Listening to uplifting music
- Indulging in sweet treats
- Enjoying fun-filled gatherings

They reject and/or put away the season
 and many of the things that are enjoyable about it.
Some do it boldly as they always have.
And, while I do not agree with their sentiment,
I do respect their honesty.
Others do it quietly, returning the gift of the Christmas season discreetly.
They hope that no one will see or notice –
just like they hope that they will not run into Aunt Wilma at the mall
 as they return the sweater that she gave them.

They put down peace and pick-up worry. 
They go back into self-preservation mode rather than embracing selflessness. 
They count it a blessings that they will not have to see certain relatives again until next year –
not realizing that this might have been the last Christmas they would have to spend with them. 
They box it all up, bag it all up, stuff it all away and boldly declare,
‘Thank God it’s finished!’

Yet, even worse than returning a material gift,
or the gift of the Christmas season,
is the returning of the gift of Christ Himself.
However, there will be those who unfortunately make that choice as well.

Christ and Christianity do fit with their lifestyle
Scarlet is not their color, although He wore it valiantly for us all.
Neither do they care for the majestic hue of purple,
reminding us that He did indeed arise,
overcame death
and is now seated on His heavenly throne
with unending rule as LORD and King.

They count the gesture of salvation as meaningless –
even though God ‘stood in line’ orchestrating salvation throughout all the ages
(See Mt. 1:1-18 and Luke 3:23-38).
They count the gift of salvation as worthless,
despite the tremendous price which was paid.
How could they? 
Who would render their own Child
as payment for a gift
for somebody else?
(See I Cor. 7:23)

But none of that matters.
To some the gift will still be discarded.

However, they cannot exchange it for something comparable in value –
There is nothing that compares.
They cannot get a refund
Nothing can match the price which was paid,
Not to mention, they did not pay for it.
Any reimbursements would need to be remitted to the Supreme Giver.

Best and blessed
Are those who receive the gift and hold onto it as precious 
(Jn. 15:5, 7-8)

Worse
Are those who refuse the gift altogether
(Jn. 15:6)

Worst
Are those who receive the gift and then later return it
As if they somehow,
After tasting the incomparable greatness of His glory,
Have now found something more valuable, pleasurable and life-sustaining.

‘For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit [Prov. 26:11]” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”’
(II Peter 2:20-22)

Refuse to give back or go back

If you received Him this Christmas season –
For the first time,
Do not allow the enemy to steal back what was freely given and received.
(Mt. 13:20-21)

If you received Him long ago –
Yet realized this Christmas season that the Gift keeps on giving,
New revelation, inexpressible peace and abounding joy
Do not return by picking up the worries of the world.
(Mt. 4:18)

If you have not received Him ever –
Never realizing that One last special gift at the tree which has your name on it.
Recognize that the gift of Jesus is yours today and all the goodness which follows.
(Jn. 3:16)

 REJECT  RECEIVE  RETURN  REMAIN

The choice is yours

24 December 2010

come and worship ...

Merry Christmas!

During this season we,
Celebrate His birth,
Reflect on His life,
Remember His death
Rejoice over His Resurrection
Proclaim that He Reigns!
Hallelujah!

Come and Worship,
Jesus Christ, our LORD and King!





23 December 2010

change ...

Two days before Christmas -
Two days after the official start of winter

I feel change coming ...

I have not listened to this song in years,
Yet, it was on my heart so strong tonight - 

Enjoy!



Look at the new thing I am going to do.
It is already happening. 
Don't you see it?
I will make a road in the desert
and rivers in the dry land.

Isaiah 43:19 NCV

21 December 2010

praying for you ...

I had to share this ...
I have been listening to and singing this song for the past hour ...

Praying for you that you will encounter God as you listen to it!
Praying that God will flood your neighborhood, your home and, most importantly, your spirit with PEACE!!!
Love You Much ... God Bless!

Worshiping You by Deluge...

the gift of encouragement

Are you an encourager? Do people always seem to come to you because you possess an ability – a spiritual gift - to encourage and uplift their spirits? When friends are troubled, you encourage them with a visit. When family faces illness, you selflessly encourage them with care. When strangers come to your door, you encourage them with the welcoming love of Jesus.


But –
What happens when you, the encourager, needs to be encouraged?


In the course of our days, we can get so busy caring for everyone else –
We forget to pause and care for ourselves


Yesterday was a challenging day for me –
Certainly was not as bad as the difficulties that some face,
Yet it was a troubling to me

It was one of those days where everything came to a breaking point.
I found myself utterly exhausted and it culminated in a stream of tears.


Now, I have had countless interactions with friends, family and acquaintances – listening, encouraging dreams, speaking love, combating fears, sharing God’s Word, giving hugs (still an area of opportunity for me), and strengthening spirits.


Yet, I found myself needing some encouragement yesterday. No doubt my feelings about the day were compounded by a weakened immune system – my first time getting sick in three years.


I just needed ‘a minute'. I needed to go back and read some of the things I wrote. I had to listen to songs about the Lord – and sing them too. I had to encourage myself. But – the real encouragement came last night


God sent a friendto come visit me

She is one of the greatest friends that anyone could ask for:
She listened, really listened, and responded -
She empathized, but refused to let me wallow in self pity -
She shared the Word of God, what she had studied and what He had been speaking to her heart
It was a word in due season for me!


She encouraged mejust like I had encouraged her many times


It is amazing!
This friendship was arranged by God. And He never allows us to be in the same place at the same time – emotionally or spiritually. When she needs a boost of faith, I am soaring high. When I hit rock bottom, she is at the mountaintop.


God is so faithful!


Today, it is my prayer that God will bless you with just such a friend – That you will open the door to receive the gift of encouragement that He sends your way. If He has already done so, that you will cherish that friendship

Recognize relationships like that for the true gift that they are.


Do not rob your friends of the gift of being the encourager.
Do not rob yourself of the prize of being encouraged.


When writing to the church in Rome in Hebrews 1:11-12 NLT, Paul says, For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.’ The Message version of those same verses ends by saying, You have as much to give me as I do to you.’


It is more blessed to give than it is to receive’ (Acts 20:35)
Yet, you can give all the time and still be the most selfish person around.
If you will not receive from others, you rob them of the blessedness of giving.


God’s Word is true –
‘My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 4:19) He supplies all your need – spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, etc. And He often addresses that need through one sincere friend


So, to all the encouragers out there, I say –
Accept the gift of encouragement and,
Be Encouraged!

17 December 2010

Merry Christmas!

Good Morning!

Hope you all are doing well this day!
To my friends around the globe and here in the United States,
I continue to be amazed how technology brings us together.
I might not ever get the opportunity to meet you face-to-face,
But I did want to say ‘Thank You’ for visiting this blog,
For granting me the honor of speaking into your life.

Below is my humble attempt to say,
 Merry Christmas!

Here are just some of the languages,
Representative of our readers here at Revive!
I apologize in advance for any misspellings or inaccurate translations

If you don’t see your language listed
Please leave it in the comment section

Merry Christmas!
******************************************************************
                                                            Veselé Vánoce!
        Frohes Weihnachten!                           Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus!
                         Vidám karácsony!            Веселе Різдво!                  Joyeux Noël !
    God jul!                 Bellas Festas               Buon Natale!        
Feliz Natale!                           नाचते-गाते-खाते क्रिसमस की!
میری کرسمس!                     Рождеством Христовым!
    MERII KURISUMASU           圣诞快乐!              거운 성탄!
                 メリークリスマス!            นคริสต์มาสแล้ว!
Maligayang Pasko!!!!            SELAMAT HARI NATAL!                                                Gesëende Kersfees!
                   Mere Kirihimete                                    Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas!
God Bless...