Category: Keeping The Faith

majesty

What is Man That You Should Think of Us?

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Why Does He?

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers–the moon and the stars You have set in place–what are mortals that You should think of us, mere humans that You care for us?
You made us only a little lower than the angels, … You put us in charge of everything You made, … the sheep and the cattle and all the wild animals… O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of Your name fills the earth!” – Psalm 8:3-9

As I read this passage, I think of the shepherds in that field near Bethlehem so long ago. They probably had an amazing view of God’s creation day and night. They may have even taken it for granted, perhaps complaining when nature didn’t cooperate with what they planned.

Yet God, in all His wisdom and majesty, chose these mere humans to share the good news of great joy. The lowly shepherds were the first to tell everyone about the Savior, baby Jesus, born to save us.

What are mere humans, that God should think of us?

He loved us enough to send Jesus!

Glenae

If you would like to know more about following Jesus, click here

Christmas PRayer

What to Pray for this Christmas

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“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
-Proverbs 1:7

What is the Biggest Issue in our Society Today?

I believe that the biggest problem plaguing our society today is that few people heed this very true proverb.

Entitlement,

selfishness,

rebellion, and

staying on an “even keel” with others’ opinions or beliefs has rendered too many people ignoring God. People seem to forget that God Almighty, Creator of all, is the very reason we exist.

People seem to forget that God Almighty, Creator of all, is the very reason we exist.

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All the riches in the world, the highest education attainable, fame, and all that the world deems notable is nothing,…

NOTHING…

compared to Almighty God and the wisdom He gives.

Accept or Reject

For centuries, some have accepted and some have rejected all that God offers us. Pray, especially during this Christmas season of love and giving, that the wisdom of our Lord will fill us. Pray that more and more people will come to know Him.

As we celebrate the greatest Gift of Love that God brings, ask for the wisdom to share Jesus with everyone you meet!

As we celebrate the greatest Gift of Love that God brings, share Jesus with everyone you meet!

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With Christmas Love,

Glenae

true value

What Has True Value in this Life

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VALUE

noun. – the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.

This post is inspired by the PROMPT: VALUE from Kate Motaung and the Five Minute Friday crew. The challenge is to write for five minutes. No editing. I encourage you to go to the link-up and read what others were inspired to write.

Value Re-defined.

Our world has re-defined what has value. Today, according to the world we have value because we have stuff, we have amazing talents, we know people. King Solomon said that life has no meaning or value.

But God values us as His children. Actually, He gives us our value.  We are His children.  And because of this, we have great value. We are nothing without him. We can do nothing without Him.

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unconfessed

On Unconfessed Sin

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Unconfessed sin?

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness… If anybody does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
-I John 1:9-2-2

Does anyone else recall a conversation like this?

Adult: “Who did this?!”
Child: “It wasn’t me!”

It’s exasperating when someone named Not Me is always to blame! We wish they’d ” ‘fess up,” as the old saying goes; they won’t admit it for fear of consequences.

Yet don’t we as adults behave similarly with God?

Maybe we have spoken harshly to another, are slightly less than honest in a situation, are holding a grudge, or we even withhold love from someone. We think we’re justified in our actions until God convicts us of our sin.

Then what?

Well, then we should confess. Once we admit our sin, the Lord will forgive us, and our heart and soul are relieved of trying to hide what God Almighty already knows.

I once heard a woman in a prayer circle pray this prayer:

“Lord, take anything out of my heart that don’t need to be there.”
Oh, that we could and would all pray that prayer daily!

Each of us only needs to confess our sins, believing and receiving fully the grace God offers through Christ.

Today is a new day…begin it with Jesus!

What are you holding on to today that is keeping you from being truly free?

  • grudge?
  • unforgiveness?
  • hatred?
  • angry words?

You can leave them at the cross of Jesus and He will forgive. He will help you deal with the guilt and the consequences. Give it to Him today.

We would love for you to consider knowing Jesus personally. There is nothing like letting go of all the guilt and letting Him remove it as far as the east is from the west. If you want more information on how to know Christ personally, just click on the image below.

knowing Christ

Click on the image for more information on knowing Christ

lonely

A Random Note at My Door

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When I read this article, I could so relate to the loneliness Laurie felt. I, too, was very lonely when I first left for college. I asked Laurie if I could reprint her article here on the blog and she graciously accepted.

A Random Note at My Door

Laurie Rambo, guest contributor

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
 my fortress where I will not be shaken.

My victory and honor come from God alone.

He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him
for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:5-8 NLT

Off to College Far, Far Away

With a state college just a mile from my home, it seemed a bit random to choose a college in Kentucky when I had never really left my home in New Jersey. But I had heard men like Dennis Kinlaw, Frank Stanger, Victor Hamilton, and Roy Lauter preach at Delanco Camp Meeting and it left me hungering for more- more teaching, more understanding, more of Jesus. And so I went to Asbury, leaving behind my family, the love of my young life, my friends and all that was familiar.

Lonely Arrives

While I made some friends and many acquaintances, I found myself desperately lonely. When I thought I could not bear it any longer and wanted nothing more than to pack up and go home, our Resident Director left a little note at my door with verse 8 from Psalm 62 at the bottom.

Reading that note was if God had written that verse just for me in that moment rather than thousands of years ago through the psalmist. I grabbed my Bible and rushed to my prayer closet (also known as a storage room) and read the rest of the Psalm. Sobbing, I did just what it said, poured out my heart to Jesus in a way I had never quite experienced before. With a clear understanding that He was my refuge; my shelter. And I could trust Him- trust Him to take my fear, my loneliness, my longing to be home, and work in that to draw me closer to Him.

I could trust Him- trust Him to take my fear, my loneliness, my longing to be home

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Jesus Arrives

It was in that loneliness that Jesus met me and helped me understand who He is and how He was shaping me even in the depths of loneliness. It was through those hard days of being away that I learned to sit quietly before Him and trust Him, to stand upon Him as my Rock. I treasure that time of desperation because in it I found what I wanted at Asbury- more of Jesus. The lessons I learned in those years were foundational to my faith and shaped me into who I am today in Him.

In ALL Our Moments Jesus comes

There have been so many times over the years, at points of deep pain, that I have gone back to what Jesus taught me in those moments of desperation and to the “love note” of Psalm 62. When I can do nothing about circumstances I can count on Him implicitly. He alone is my Hope in whom I trust, my Rock and Salvation, the One who holds my heart when I pour out my pain; He is my refuge.

Are you needing to pour out your heart to Jesus today, to draw close and rest in Him alone? He will meet you wherever you are, even at this moment. His faithfulness will not fail you!

Laurie Rambo

Laurie has been married to David, the “young love of her life,” for nearly 39 years. Together they have raised four children and have 10 grandchildren. When not caring for grandchildren, she serves Jesus in her local church, through Delanco Camp Meeting and by producing the Titus Women’s e-news at the Francis Asbury Society in Wilmore, KY

burdens lifted

Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary

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Too often we carry our burdens around by ourselves. I heard a preacher say that we live in a DIY society and it’s true with our Christian lives as well. We try to Do it Ourself. But God says we should bear one another’s burdens.

Do you know that 2 horses can pull three times the weight of one horse? So with us, if we share our burdens with one another the weight is much much lighter.

Not only that, If we share our burdens with Jesus, the weight is even lighter for he says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Hymn of the Week: “Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary”

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fa from god

Feeling Far from God?

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God’s Faithfulness

“I have heard all about You, Lord, and I am filled with awe by the amazing things you have done. In this time of our deep need, begin again to help us, as You did in years gone by. Show us Your power to save us.”-Habakkuk 3:2 NLT

Too many times, we feel far from God.

We know He is there. We know all He has done and will do. But sometimes there is a distance between us. If we really examine ourselves, our hearts, our intentions, our motives, we will often find that it was not God that moved away from us. Quite the contrary. Continue reading →

Search for a perfect pastor

In Search of the “Perfect” Pastor

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Pastors are People, Too

Our church has just begun the adventure of searching for a new pastor. It’s a daunting job when you look for the perfect pastor. Basically, because there are no perfect pastors because pastors are people, too.

there are no perfect pastors.

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pray for believers

Pray for the Believers

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Introducing Glenae Atchison

May I introduce my college friend, Glenae Atchison as a contributor to this website. You may recognize her name if you have been to my Facebook page, Leaving a Legacy. She posts there on a regular basis.

Glenae AtchisonGlenae is a native of Indiana and a long time resident of Mississippi. She graduated from Asbury College in 1983 with a BS in Music Education. She and her husband, Skip have been married for over thirty years. They have two married children and three grandchildren. Glenae is active in choir, two group Bible studies, United Methodist Women, and is a certified lay servant in the United Methodist Church. Her favorite activities include singing and playing the piano, sewing, quilting, making Swedish weave blankets, and, of course, spending time with her grandchildren.

As you will see she is ‘made from the same cloth” as I. And now her first post on the subject of prayer. Continue reading →

How Hannah Prayed

Two Lessons from Hannah’s Prayer

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10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 11 And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.

.

Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

1 Samuel 1:10-11, 18 (NLT)

When I read about the anguish in Hannah’s heart, my own heart is pricked.

Do I Pray with Deep Anguish?

First, while I had a great desire to have children, I don’t know this kind of pain of waiting years to be blessed and seeing others around me having children when I did not, however, I do know about pain of a different kinds=. I have actual pain from my chronic illness, I have aching pain for family members that are far from God, I know the pain of rejection.

But I wonder at times if my pain has been deep enough for me to cry out to God in “deep anguish”. I wonder if I have ever fallen before God begging him to work in my life or in the lives of others. Do I fall prostrate before God, asking and fasting while I pray for Him to intervene?

When we say that we are praying for someone, do we really pray for them or do we just hope that things will get better for them? Do we actually take the time to stop and focus on God and ask Him to intervene?  I have recently made an effort to always place the person’s name in my prayer journal app. (See Prayer Popper) I don’t say I will pray unless I place them in this journal. This brings them to my mind occasionally and I do lift them up in prayer for a moment. But I still wonder if I am praying or just wishing and wanting. Do I get serious about intercession?

Secondly, Do I Believe God will Answer?

After Eli blessed her and asked God to grant her request she “went and ate with her family and was no longer sad.” She accepted with confidence that God would now answer her prayers. She was no longer distraught over her situation. She left it in God’s hands.

When we are distraught over our situation, do we take it and lay our concern on the altar and then go away “no longer sad”? Or do we pick up our concerns and take them with us?

Are we content to trust Him no matter what His answer may be?

Hannah was able to leave her request at the altar. She went home and was happy. She had not received her heart’s desire yet but she now found joy in her God. Her faith held her up.

Our hope should be in God not in our desires.

Are we devoted to God regardless of whether God has met those desires? Are we willing to give back to God the very things for which we are praying?

I challenge you to lay your burdens on the altar of God and leave them there. Remember, he promises to give rest to our souls if we bring them to Him and let Him do the work.