The Voice Of One Crying From Cyber Space

I Have A New Blog Site!

2016-09-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

Hi! For those of you following my Blog and those of you who have landed here, please know that I know longer post on this site. I have a new Blog page on Word Press. I invite you to head over to it now and check it out. Please add your name to the Follow list. I think you will be blessed by it...at least that's my hope. The address is thevoiceofonecryingfromcyberspace.WordPress.com

Real Men Do This

2015-08-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

A real man is faithful to his wife and family and loves them as Christ loves His church. I'm tired of hearing about Ministers that can't go to the beach without lusting after women. I'm tired of hearing about Christian men that are hooked on pornography. I'm tired of hearing about men on websites like Ashley Madison and young men like Josh Dugger. I want to hear about the men who are faithful to their marriage vows they made before God, the men who work hard and come home to eat at the dinner table with their wives and children and who take an interest in what their kids did at school that day, who listen to their stories, play ball in the yard with them, help with the dishes, and let their children see them hug and kiss their mother. Real men change the babies diapers, stay up at night rocking a sick baby so mom can rest, lead devotions with the family and pray for their families. Wimpy men drink, womanize and are selfish. If this post makes you upset, take it to God because His Word teaches what a REAL man is. He's calling you to be a real man. Real men know and serve Jesus.

You've Already Got It!

2015-08-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

What exactly is faith? If your a student of the Word you will probably quote "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 NIV This is the Biblical definition of faith.

Faith is not something you do, however, to make God move! That is legalism. Yet, that is what most Christians think when you mention having faith. They think they have to do something and then God will move. No, that's not it.

This is more accurate: Faith is simply your positive response to what God has already done by grace. Get it? God as already done it and your responding in a positive way to what He has already accomplished.

Another way to say it is like this: Faith is simply how you appropriate what has already been provided by grace.

Most Christians think they have to do something to make God move in their behalf, but God has already provided everything we need on the cross. He's already done it and we've already got it! We just simply make a positive response to what He's already done.

You're not trying to get healed...your already healed! Just reach out and take it by faith, because you've already got it! Got it? Release your faith right now and receive.

The New Normal Is Not Normal

2015-04-17T12:19:00.002-07:00

The times they are a changing sang Bob Dylan back in the '60's and he was right. The world is certainly changing and has changed in many ways. I'll be the first to admit I like all the modern conveniences we enjoy. I remember seeing my grandmother wash clothes in a wash pot with lye soap and a scrub board. I like throwing clothes in a washer in my nice laundry room and pushing a few buttons. I like having a world of information at my finger tips by going to my laptop and logging on to the world wide web. I like Facebook to an extent because you can connect with family and friends living miles away. I like not having to go out in the backyard and ringing a chicken's neck for dinner. I like these things. They make life comfortable, easy and nice, but there are other changes I do not like.

I don't like our Federal Government sticking it's nose into our business. I think they have way too much control that they shouldn't have. One thing that I particularly dislike is the government redefining marriage and family. Marriage and family was instituted and ordained by God himself in the Garden of Eden. Man is not to mess with God's ordinances. When man interferes with the plan of God, he gets in trouble every time. God's ways are higher than ours and He knows best what's best for man because He created us. Who are we to question God?

Redefining marriage and family concerns me a great deal. It is now acceptable for 2 men or 2 women to live together as marriage partners. This is not what God ordained. In fact, His Word, the Holy Bible, absolutely condemns a man and a man burning in their lust for each other. This is not normal and is absolutely contrary to God's plan.

God's plan is for a man to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. He is to love his wife as Christ loves His church. If we had more marriages like this, raising children in a Godly home we would have less crime, less health problems, and just to be honest, less mess!

Man makes a mess when he interferes with God and His plan! Just look at Abraham and Sarah. Abraham is called the "Father of the Faithful". He did follow God and left his home to look for the Promised Land after God called Him. But there was at least one occasion where Abraham failed to trust God. God promised Abraham and Sarah a promise child, an heir. When this didn't happen as soon as Sarah thought it should, she took matters into her own hand and convinced Abraham to sleep with her maid servant, which Abraham did as she suggested. What happened? The bond woman conceived a son and the result was Ishmael. Ishmael brought confusion to the household. Sarah did later conceive the promised child, Isaac, but when Sarah thought Ishmael was making fun of Isaac, she then convinced Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away.

That was a sad day. Abraham hated to do this, but to bring peace back into his house he obeyed his wife. If you study this story out, you will see to this day there is still confusion and chaos because of Abraham and Sarah's decision to take matters into their own hands.

We must follow God's laws, or commands. When we follow His plan, life will be good. God is a good God and He knows what's best for His children, just like you and I know what's best for our own children. We will walk in His blessing. Life will be orderly.

The Best High Is The Most High

2015-04-16T09:08:00.001-07:00

My senior year of high school found me living in Phoenix, Arizona and attending a large school, around 4,000. The night I graduated there were a little over 700 seniors in my graduating class. It took awhile for us all to march across the stage setup on the football field to receive our diploma and the band was dragging by the time it got to the end, plus it was hot in that Arizona sun.

I'll never forget the 60's. It was a time of great change in America. President Kennedy was assassinated in November of 1963, which everyone living then can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing, the Viet Nam war was raging and controversial, the Civil Rights Movement was in high gear, drugs were everywhere it seemed, the Hippie Movement and their Woodstock concert, the Beatles invaded America and changed the music we listened to, and the Jesus Movement. Lots of changes.

I managed to live through that era with the help of God. Lots of changes going on in our country, but it didn't change me. I went to high school with drugs all around me, partying, girls sleeping with their boyfriends, smoking and drinking and the world saying God was dead, but I knew better!

I knew God was alive and He was living inside of me. I'm so thankful I knew the Word and what God did for me was true. You see, I accepted Jesus when I was 8 years old and fell madly in love with Him. No boy, no drug, no alcohol, no music could take the place of Jesus Christ in me! I was high alright, but I was high on the Most High which is the best high of all.

The Bible says I'm seated with Him in Heavenly places, so that's pretty high. It's a high I never want to come down from and the best part is someday He's coming back for those who have made themselves ready. To be ready you just have to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Just confess your sins, ask Him to forgive you and invite Jesus to live in you too. He'll come in and make your heart His home. You'll be high too!

God's Train of Favor

2015-04-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

     One of my favorite persons in the Bible is Joseph. I admire him because he lived an exemplary life in the midst of a pagan nation and prospered in spite of it. Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. They talked ugly about him, plotted and schemed against him, even discussing murdering him, but who knows you can't stop the plan of God!

     God did indeed have a plan for Joseph's life. When Potiphar's evil wife tried to seduce young, handsome Joseph, he ran. That should be an example for today's youth, or anyone for that matter. When the devil tries to seduce and entrap you, run! God will always make a way of escape. Don't linger around the devil and his playground.

     When Joseph foiled the devil's evil plan by running, Potiphar's wife lied and told her husband Joseph tried to seduce her. The devil can do nothing but lie, but even she could not stop the plan of God in Joseph's life. Joseph had the favor of God on him. He was a Godly young man and God's favor was on him.

     Joseph was wealthy and he was wise. Why? Because he served God and gave Him first place in his life. Be encouraged today and learn from the life of Joseph, who is a type of Christ. If you walk in love and forgiveness, you'll also have the favor of God in your life. The devil can't stop God's train of favor! It will run over him every time.

Ain't No Place Like The South

2015-01-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

Some friends of ours traveled out west and stopped to eat lunch. They related how every time they spoke the waitress would grin. When she came back to the table to bring their drinks she brought another waitress with her and they would both grin whenever our friends spoke in their slow, southern, Alabama drawl. They knew the servers were making fun of their southern accent, but as any true southerner knows, it happens.

My family experienced the same response when we traveled to Philadelphia one summer. We were city center and decided to eat at this rather posh restaurant. By that I mean it wasn't your local Bar B Q dig that's so familiar in the south. We noticed a group of waiters and waitresses standing in a little huddle close enough to our table so they could hear us speak and every time we did, that familiar grin crossed their lips.

One of my favorite Jerry Seinfeld episodes is the one about the Soup Czar. I like it because I can totally relate to the frustration of trying to order, but can't spit it out fast enough. Again, in Philadelphia, my daughter and I stepped into a sidewalk cafe to order a sandwich. I told her to order because she speaks fast. She speaks fast, but with a southern accent. She placed our order and I was relieved that it went down so well, until we turned to walk out the door. The cook from the kitchen hollered out, "Hey, are you guys from south Philly?" We didn't know if he was being serious or playing us. I think it was the latter.

I'd always heard of Southern hospitality, but didn't think it really existed until our trip to Philadelphia, Boston, and Richmond. Easterners don't make eye contact when meeting someone on the street. In the south, you not only make eye contact, you give them a big hello. Never mind that you've never met the person before. Your just being polite. Another thing I noticed were people in the northeast wear dark colored clothing, like black, browns, greys, navy blues. Southerners wear bright, pops of color, like magenta, orange, reds, pinks. When a server takes your order in the northeast they just take your order. I mean that's what their getting paid for, but in the South the server comes to your table wearing a huge smile and they introduce themselves. "Hi, I'm Mary Beth, I'll be your server today! Now, what can I get you?" They don't seem to be in any hurry and they may even start a conversation with you at the table, like asking, " what part of Alabama are ya'll from. Oh, my aunt lives there!"

I realized after traveling to the northeast that Southern hospitality is alive and well. I enjoyed our visit to all the historic places and eating at different restaurants, but to be honest I couldn't wait to get back down below that Mason-Dixon line and order me up a plate of that good 'ole Bar B Q we all love so well (there's 2 in our small town) by a waitress named, Lily Beth, Mary Ann, or Jimmie Sue.

Yep, there ain't no place like the south and we like it that way down here in the heart of Dixie.

Make Others Shine

2014-12-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We just got back from our trip to Tampa, Florida, where it was sunny and 81 degrees! It felt like summer time. Sunset one evening consisted of a pinkish backdrop next to a black silhouette of a lone palm tree. It was gorgeous.

Needless to say, we're now wanting to pack up our RV and head to sunny, balmy Florida to stay. BTW, there are plenty of RV parks all across Florida.

We had a good time and now it's time to unpack and get ready for our next trip in just a few weeks. It's nice to be retired, or refired, as I like to say.

We listened to Joel Osteen on Sirius radio coming home and I want to leave you with a quote from him that I really liked. "True greatness is not how much you shine, but how much you make others shine." Isn't that good? He is such a positive, encouraging speaker.

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2015 is going to be a year full of God's Blessings!

Christmas Blessings

2014-12-15T09:15:00.001-08:00

Climbing up on a chair to dust the light fixture hanging above our dining room table, I could now see the top of the bookshelf and all the dust that had collected there too. Dust, dust everywhere it seems! And how appropriate! Especially this morning, because I received a text as I was struggling to awaken that another marriage had bit the dust. How sad, because it seems just about everyday there's news that another marriage has ended in divorce. (I hate that word.)

Yesterday, after lunch I told my husband I was going to lie down on the sofa and watch Hallmark Christmas movies. The reason being, I was feeling a little down and alright, a little depressed. The tears were just on the rim and I knew if I blinked, they would begin to flow...so, my goal was to not blink!

I grabbed my new, gray, fleece throw, and flipped to the Hallmark channel and I was not disappointed. There were plenty of sad, love relationships gone awry, nothing turning out right for Christmas, movies, that I could sob right along to in silence, beneath my fleece blanket of gray. How appropriate again! My blanket was gray and I was feeling gray, but I digress. (Love that word, by the way:)

After watching three of these heart wrenching stories back to back, I decided enough was enough. I felt I had overdosed on depression a wee bit too long. It was time to shift gears and be happy. I could do it. I just had to decide to be happy.

So, I threw back my fleece blanket of gray, inwardly and outwardly, so to speak and got up off my sofa. After a dinner of Pizza Hut cheese sticks and vegetables, I felt much better. It's all a matter of mind over matter and it does matter what you mind.

Back to this morning's dust. Yes, we all have dust and I'm not talking about just the dust on our furniture. I'm talking about the dust in our minds. Sometimes, life's dust, clouds our thinking and that's when we need to count our blessings. The best thing to sweep away the dust from our thinking is to sweep our minds with the Word. I mean His Word. The living Word of God.

Psalm 73:26 reads like this: "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." Isn't that good? God's Word works. It cleans those ugly cobwebs right off of our hearts and minds. His Word also tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength!

Many of my friends are facing some really difficult situations this Christmas season. A young man's mother passed away a few weeks ago and his father's ailing health is something he must decide on how best to care for him, while caring for his own little family. A wife, just found out her husband has cancer and their facing difficult days ahead. A couple who have been married several years are facing divorce. A woman in her retirement years is now facing it alone because her spouse died a few years ago. Another family is dealing day to day with a special needs child and another family with a special needs child are having to explain why he can't get his driver's license without injuring his feelings. A grandmother cries, because she feels sorry for her grandson and her son. Another has made mistakes for which they are sorry, but the damage has been done. A man is struggling with alcohol addiction and he's losing everything he holds dear, but this demon has him in his grasp and won't let him go. Another, has committed adultery and because of that his marriage has ended. On and on the list goes.

The problem is a SIN problem! There, I've said it. A SIN problem is what we have, but there is answer. People don't want to hear they have a sin problem. Oh, it's something I can handle. I just need counseling or vacation time or more sleep. No! You've tried all that and how is it working for you? Be honest, it's not. The answer to our sin problem, our loneliness, our health issues are all found wrapped up in a little baby boy long, long ago, born in Bethlehem of Judea, one dark, starry night. His name is Jesus! He's the answer to any problem your dealing with this Christmas season.

This is why Jesus came..."Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3 Jesus Christ is the answer. Call upon Him today. Let Him show Himself mighty on your behalf.

Merry Christmas Blessings to all!

So Thankful For The Blood!

2014-11-14T14:06:00.002-08:00

When I was a little girl a missionary visited our church every year. I always looked forward to hearing him because he told such wonderful stories about what Jesus was doing in foreign lands.

I will never forget him speaking one night about the blood of Jesus. He said in some countries talking about blood was the same as cursing and that some translations of the Bible were taking the word blood out of the Holy Scriptures.

But for Believers the blood of Jesus is power. In fact, as a child we sang, There Is Power In The Blood quite often. It was one of our Top Ten Tunes!

Without the blood of Jesus being shed, there would be no remission of sins. That's why I'm so thankful for the blood! It has power to wash and make the vilest sinner clean. There truly is power in the blood of Jesus, so I will not stop talking about the blood. I will forever praise the One who shed His blood for me, because the blood of Jesus is yours, mine, and the whole wide world's victory!

Mississippi Moon

2014-10-29T08:53:00.001-07:00

Uncle Arthur and Dad

The above picture was taken when my dad was a ten year old boy on his family's farm in Mississippi. That's where he was born and grew up until age 15 when he left home and headed north. He said he left because... "I didn't want to pick cotton the rest of my life." I picked cotton half a day one time, so I can totally relate to my dad's reason for leaving and looking for greener pastures. Picking cotton was the hardest work I've ever done. It was cotton pickin', back breakin' work. None of it was for me either!

This picture gives me a happy feeling, because it shows my dad as a little boy with his family and his dogs, Mattie, Mutt and Jeff, doing what boys do, hunting being one of them. That's his older brother, Arthur beside him and his older sister, Miffie is standing on the porch holding her baby girl, Martha. This photo brings back fond memories of visiting his family in Mississippi.

We would leave home in Indiana as soon as dad got off from work at the plant. We'd load our clothes,snacks, pillows, and blankets into the old family Chevrolet and head south. It was at the end of summer, extremely hot and humid and we had no air conditioning in cars back then. It was in the 1950's. Dad liked to drive at night because it was cooler and all of us children would sleep. Except for me. I was the oldest of 7 children and I could never sleep. It was too hot and too crowded in that car. However, I'd pretend to be asleep. I still remember the hum of the car engine, fumes burning my eyeballs because we drove with the windows down, and the whir of passing cars. Other than that, it was dark and quiet except for the country songs playing on the radio. Dad liked country music, especially the Grand Ole Opry. He was wearing his white cowboy hat. My dad was tan, with curly black hair and green eyes and his first name was Kelley. That was his mother's maiden name and her family was of Irish descent.

We'd drive for hours until dad would turn right and start down a long, dirt road passing through cotton fields on both sides. Then he'd pull the car to a stop and get out. I peeked over the front seat to see what he was doing. In the still darkness of the night I could see him by way of the car headlights opening a metal gate and swinging it back. He then got back in the car and pulled it through the opening. He got back out of the car. I peeked out the back window and saw him shut that metal gate and walk back to the car and drive on down that country road. It all seemed surreal. A huge white moon hung above the white cotton fields on both sides, illuminating them in such beautiful simplicity. It's kind of ironic that I still find cotton fields so beautiful to this day after the fact that dad left his home state because he didn't want to pick cotton. I call cotton, "southern snow".

Soon we pulled up in front of a small, country farmhouse and dad honked the horn. I can still hear the creaking of that old screen door as it swung open and pa and ma came out to greet us with smiling faces. Soon children were wiping their sleepy eyes, laughter and warmth was spreading around like warm butter dripping off a hot biscuit as we entered that little abode and laid our tired bodies down on those huge feather beds.

I looked out through the window after everyone was asleep and again I think I was the only one awake, but I felt that peaceful feeling covering me like a warm cloak. In the sky I saw that big, happy, Mississippi moon and a million twinkling little stars in the sky smiling and I smiled right back!

God Uses Ordinary People

2014-10-06T17:22:00.003-07:00

Are you ordinary? Yes? Then, I've got good news for you! God can use you! Yes, you! Just look at the 12 Jesus choose. Peter, Perpetuous Peter. He stuck his foot in his mouth on more than one occasion. The Sons of Zebedee, or Sons of Thunder. They wanted to call fire down from Heaven on some people, one time. Have you ever wanted to do that? Judas, who was a thief and the one who betrayed Jesus. Just a word of advice for you Pastors. Don't ever choose a thief for your Church Treasurer.

The point is, these were ordinary people that Jesus chose. Why? Because that's all He had to choose from. We're all ordinary. There were and still aren't any extraordinary men, or women. He has to use ordinary men. Jesus prayed all night about His choices. The next day He called them. They were ordinary, but chosen men of God.

There are no supermen, except in comic book's and men's imaginations. Jesus chooses ordinary people, then equips them with His power and might to do extraordinary things! He turns the ordinary into extraordinary. The Holy Ghost is the extra---the Power! This Power from on High gives us the anointing to do great and mighty things for the King of Glory. It's the greatest honor to be used of God.

Just think about it. Mortal hands build His immortal Kingdom. Mortal lips, speak His immortal words of life. When Jesus is number one in our lives, we who were once a 0, become a 10, with Him beside us.

Seek the honor of God and not the honor of men. Please God and not man. All the wisdom of man will not save man. Become immune to the praises of man and become immune to the criticisms of man also.

God recognizes the human factor, that's why He factored in the Jesus factor. Be faithful unto death and He will give you the crown of life. It will be worth it all!

Praise Him, Not Man

2014-05-26T15:41:00.001-07:00

How many times have you been to church and during worship time you just got tired, bored, and wanted to sit down? It's happened to me more times than it should and I think the reason is because the worship is not on God, it's on the Praise Team or Worship Leader.

Worship is about praising God for who He is. It's entering in to the Holy of Holies, the very throne room of Almighty God. Too many times, however, it's about the performers (whoops, did I say that?), I mean people on the stage. They may be jumping around, dressed inappropriately, singing songs that are in a key too high to sing, or singing songs that are not focused on God, or songs that are just too difficult to sing. When anyone of these things happen, it's easy for the congregation to loose interest and just sit down.

Male worship leaders don't need to be up on stage in too tight jeans, or with the the top 2 or 3 buttons not buttoned. Female worship leaders should make sure their dresses or tops are not so low they are showing cleavage, or that their pants, or dresses are too tight. Please make sure to dress modestly. You don't want to bring attention to yourself.

Make sure you pick songs that are focused on Christ and what He did at Calvary. He is the only One worthy of praise. The songs should lift Him up. The song key should also be where most of the congregation can sing it. The songs should also be fairly easy so the congregation can join in and sing. Too many times, the song choices are so difficult that it ends up just being a performance.

We come together to worship God, the Creator of Heaven and earth and Jesus Christ, so let's make it about the Holy Trinity of God. A good worship leader will pray and select songs accordingly. When this happens it will truly be a time of worship.

You've Already Got It!

2014-04-27T17:40:00.001-07:00

Andrew Wommack

This is a great sermon by Andrew Wommack, entitled, "You've Already Got It." It's part one of a series of messages he's done and I have listened to it a dozen times. It has blessed me. Andrew is a mighty teacher of the Word of God. I invite you to listen to it. I believe it will bless you also.

It's funny that some people on the internet are calling him a dangerous man! To me that's just proof that he's on the right track. The devil is mad and doesn't want the truth of God's Word preached.

This type of teaching is foreign to the church world today, but it is truth and the truth will set you free.

Family~A Beautiful Thing

2014-04-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

My dad, mom, me and little sister

There's nothing more beautiful in my eyes than a man who is priest of his home, a loving, faithful wife, and their precious little children sitting together in God's house worshiping Him. God made and ordained the family. It was His idea, therefore, it was a God idea-a good idea.

God created a man and a woman to live together in a covenant relationship with each other with total devotion to Him. That's the Biblical way. With Him as the center of that relationship, all is right with the world. Children are happy and secure. When earthly father's lead in the ways of God and love their wives as Christ loved the church, then children have a model, a concept of what their Heavenly Father is like. They see that God is love and God is good.

My heart is so burdened today for the family. There are broken families all around us lying in ruins. Why? Because individuals make choices. They make selfish choices. It's about "me" in this day and age. That's why we have millions of babies aborted, divorce is rampant, people are addicted to drugs, pornography.

The good news is you can change! When individuals humbly bow and admit they need a Savior, who is Christ Jesus, He can restore that individual back to Him and thus restore the family. When America has strong families, America will be strong.

Take Me To The King (a beautiful song)

2014-04-18T16:00:00.002-07:00

I heard this song only a few weeks ago while listening to an online radio station. I went around the house humming this tune all day. That very night one of the contestants sang it on American Idol. She did a fairly good rendition of it, (much better than I could do), but Tamela Mann sings it perfect and with much feeling.

If you haven't heard this song, give it a listening ear. I believe it will bless you too. We need King Jesus. He's our only help and our only hope in this world.

Why It's Called Good Friday

2014-04-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

What is Good Friday and why is it called Good Friday, when Jesus, the only Son of God died a bloody, gruesome death on Calvary's cruel cross. What's good about that?

Good Friday is a religious holiday, observed mostly by Christians to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of Passover. Good Friday is a widely-instituted legal holiday in many national governments around the world, including in most Western countries as well as in 12 U.S. states.

Crucifixion is a form of slow and painful execution in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead. This type of execution has been since antiquity and is still practiced in some countries today.

Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb when the Holy Ghost overshadowed her. She had never known a man, thus His birth was a Virgin birth. He came to this earth to take back what the devil had stolen from the first man, Adam. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command, the devil became the ruler, prince of this world. Sin ushered in pain, death, and dying for all mankind, thus, when you and I were born, we were born sinners into a sinful, dying world. Christ came to save us. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Phillipians 2:8 He was the perfect, sinless, Son of God. A lamb without spot or wrinkle. The perfect sacrifice. The only One who could take away our sins, which were crimson, and make us white as snow!

Although, He had never sinned, (the Bible says, no guile was found in his mouth), He became sin for us. He took our sins upon Himself at Calvary and the full wrath of God was poured out on Him! That's why He cried, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me!" He knew what it was like to be totally separated at that moment from His loving, Heavenly Father.

We know what that feels like. We are all sinners and in need of Savior. We have one in Jesus Christ. He became sin, so we could be righteous. He died, so we could live. He was separated from His Father, so we could be reconciled back to Him. He won the battle for us. He died in our place, though us dying could never purchase our salvation.

The cross, represents punishment, cruelty, suffering, shame, guilt, blood, and death, but that's the irony of the cross. To the Christian it represents freedom, love, life, and not only life, but abundant life. That's why the Apostle Paul says, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." I Corinthians 1:18

Stricken, smitten, afflicted, pierced, wounded, bruised, He died so that we might live. Thank you Lord.

Minister or Ministry?

2014-04-05T19:43:00.001-07:00

It seems like everyone these days feel they have to have a big time ministry in order to minister for the kingdom of God and that's not so. Now God does call some into national or international ministries and they are big. There's nothing wrong with a big ministry if that's what God's called you to do, but I think some feel they can't minister in the kingdom if they don't have a pulpit.

God can use the little grandmas who are teaching their grandchildren the ways of the Lord. He can use the mechanic working on cars to witness to his customers. He can use the receptionist at the front desk of a big corporation. He can use a teacher in the classroom. A doctor. A nurse and even a child. God can use anyone who will allow Him to minister to others.

We all need to let our life shine for Him. I Timothy 4:12 says, "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." One thing the world needs to see is good examples. They need to see believers walk in love and purity and faith in their homes, in their schools, and in their businesses.

The Apostle Paul exhorts in Romans 12:17 to live above reproach in the sight of all men. Other scriptures teach us to shun the very appearance of evil. You should conduct yourself in a way that no one will have any doubt that you are a child of God. Your example will go a lot further than your words. The place where you work or go to school or even in your neighborhood might reject or argue with the words you say, but they'll never refute or forget your acts of love.

Bloom where your planted and let your light shine so that men may see your good works and glorify God. You can be a minister of the Gospel wherever you go or whatever your doing. You don't have to Pastor a church or have a pulpit to minister the Gospel.

Little ways to encourage others in those "down" times

2014-03-12T12:01:00.003-07:00

Have you ever been down? I mean really down? I'm not talking about lying down on a bed, or in the bed sick, or falling down on the floor. No, I'm talking about those days when you feel lower than a snake's belly. I'm talking about those periods in life when we feel just down right depressed! Can anyone relate? We all can, because life has a way of just knocking our legs out from under us at times. Thankfully, it's not all the time, but it does happen and sometimes when we least expect it!

When your depressed the last thing you want is to be around people, especially happy people. Why? Because they just remind you of how unhappy you really are! And they make you envious because you want to laugh and enjoy life once again.

If you have been feeling depressed for more than a few weeks, I would highly encourage you to see a doctor. You need a complete physical exam to rule out any health problems. Also, if your clinically depressed you may need counseling and even medication to help you through this dark time. Depression is totally the pits! I know. I've been there! But I would like to offer you encouragement today and say, "don't give up!" There is hope and you can get better.

If you see someone who seems to be a little "down", here are some suggestions to brighten up their day.

1. Invite them to go with you for a cup of coffee. Talking over a cup of coffee can lift someone's
spirit. They may just need a listening ear. Who doesn't in this day and time! Everyone is so
wrapped up in their own lives. Learn to be a good listener and just sharing really helps.
2. Send them a card to let them know your thinking of them. Jot down some things you like
about your friend. This will encourage them.
3. Pick up the phone and call them. Again, be sure to listen and ask about them. Let them talk.
This is not the time to share all your operations or the trouble you've been having lately.
4. Go for a walk with them at the park. Just getting out of the house helps and this is usually the
last thing they want, but it's what a depressed person needs.

Depression hurts. It feels like a black cloud is hanging over your head raining only on you, while the rest of the world is experiencing sunshine and roses. We all have our bad times, but if you have
a friend, you can make it.

Some symptoms of depression are:

1. Doing things slowly.
2. Your future seems hopeless.
3. It's hard to concentrate.
4. The joy has gone out of your life.
5. Difficulty making decisions.
6. Feeling sad, blue, and unhappy.
7. Feeling fatigued.
8. Feeling like a failure.
9. Sleeping too much, or too little.
10. Spending time thinking about how you might kill yourself.

Again, if you have any of the above symptoms, you need to see a doctor right away!

This article is meant to raise awareness of depression and it's symptoms, but is also to offer suggestions about how to help other people through those "down" times that will pass.

Do you have any suggestions, not listed? If so, please feel free to comment and share.

YOUR MIRACLE IS ON IT'S WAY!

2013-12-27T17:01:00.002-08:00

Merry Christmas! Yes, I'm a few days late, but better late than never. Christmas came and went so fast, my head is still spinning. Seriously, it did come and go amazingly fast, just like 2013 did. Many, many things happened in 2013 and most were not good, so it's kind of a blessing to me that 2013 did go by so fast.

I'm praying 2014 will be better. I'm believing for restoration and some wonderful blessings to come my way. What about you? What are you hoping and praying for? Our God is a God of miracles and I'm believing for a miracle. The word miracle keeps rising up in my spirit. I believe it is turn around time for the children of God.

A few days ago I was telling my husband that the word miracle kept coming up in my spirit. The very next day I read a friend's post who said exactly the same thing. She said she kept seeing the word joy on people's Christmas trees, but the word miracle kept coming to her mind. I was astounded, because this was exactly what I had been feeling.

So if you need a miracle, get ready, because 2014 is bringing one your way! Do you believe it? If so, then share this blog with your friends.

Charley Pride - Roll on mississippi

2013-11-07T18:22:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/v/wEL7nGyQ_iA?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=KggB8s7hgxlAPts1zT6jxw&showinfo=1

Roll On Mississippi

2013-11-07T18:16:00.002-08:00

This photo brings back such bittersweet memories of days gone by. All the males in this photograph are gone. Only me, the oldest, and my two younger sisters are still here and just as this photo is fading, so are our lives.

Those were happy times. Dad was on vacation. We'd all pile into our old family car, with no seat belts, no air conditioning, and no radio in the middle of summer and make the long, hot trip south from Indiana to my dad's home state of Mississippi. He loved it! He was headed back home to the cotton fields and the farm where the sun beat hot, the chicken was southern fried, and time slowed down to a crawl. How we all looked forward to seeing our loved ones, who we only saw about once a year.

I especially liked playing with all my cousins, the farm animals, making mud pies, catching fire flies, drinking water from a pail with a dipper and sitting around in the evening with grandma telling stories in her long, southern drawl. Then, the ghost stories would start. When I got good and scared it was time to go to bed, but I was so sleepy by then I just sank down into that big, white feather mattress and drifted off to sleep. About the time I was asleep, it was time to get up and run to the storm cellar, because it might be a tornado coming. This was long before weather radar, so any time the wind started blowing hard, it was off to the cellar. How I hated that cellar!

We'd stay and visit about a week, then it was time to head back north, until next summer. It was goodbye to those good old purple hull peas, cornbread, tomatoes, and that southern fried chicken.

Driving home from the mountains a few weeks ago, my husband and I were listening to Charley Pride singing, "Roll On, Mississippi" and all those memories flooded my mind, just like the Mississippi River, old Charley was singing about.

Pray, Pray, Pray!

2013-08-11T13:10:00.001-07:00

A storm that had been brewing in our lives, became full blown just after Christmas 2012. The devil had been wrecking havoc behind the scenes, and although we felt it, we didn't know what it was until that fateful day when it was revealed to us by a close friend.

I knew in my spirit man that something was awry, something was just not quite right. I was troubled, but didn't know what it was. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I knew the devil was working against me and my family. He was coming against us, but I wasn't sure how.

In the fall of 2012, a friend of mine invited me to go to a church service in a neighboring town. I really didn't want to go, but decided I would. After the message that night, the speaker invited everyone with a need to come up for prayer. They had several prayer lines and I happened to get in the one where the Pastor was praying with people. He laid his hands on my forehead and prayed. Then he stepped up and whispered in my ear and said, "Sister, I see the devil standing just behind you and he's done more damage than you realize." Needless to say, this was a very disturbing word to me from the man of God. I came home and shared it with my husband. Neither one of us knew what it meant, but we were soon to find out.

I received a call from my husband on that fateful day and it was concerning a very, very close member of our family. Yes, the devil had been working behind the scenes and just like the Pastor told me that night, the devil had done more damage than I realized.

That was at least 6 months ago and we are still trying to pick up the pieces that the devil has strewn everywhere. Many, many lives have been hurt and broken because of one person's decision to sin. Sin has consequences. Sin destroys lives. Sin separates. Sin is ugly. Sin is poison. Sin is sickening. Sin is ugly. Sin affects those around it. When the seeds of sin are sown, it will reap a harvest and it's not pretty. It's really pitiful how the devil is destroying lives today.

The devil is in the business of separating us from God. He hates God and he wants to separate us from Him. In the garden of Eden, he separated Adam and Eve from God by tempting them to disobey God's command, which they did. Then they were ashamed and full of guilt, so they hid themselves. That's what the devil wants. He came to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came to give us life and not only life, but abundant life!

The only thing that will restore what the devil has stolen is prayer. Prayer changes things. That's what we are praying. That God will restore back to us everything the devil has stolen. He did that for Job. God gave back to Job double everything he had lost. For example, if he has 200 sheep, He gave him back 400. If he had 300 camels, He gave him back 600.

God is good! He can deliver, restore, and renew. What looks hopeless, is not with the God of hope. So if you too are facing something that looks like a lost cause, don't lose hope. Pray and intercede to the God of all hope to restore back to you what the devil has stolen.

GOD'S WORD IS TRUE!

2013-07-21T20:08:00.001-07:00

We can stand on the Word and it will always work if we work it!

ACTS OF KINDNESS

2013-07-21T19:56:00.002-07:00

In the above picture is Jesus sitting on the well waiting for this adulterous, sinful woman. It's one of my favorite stories in the Bible. Why? Because Jesus went out of His way just to minister to this one woman, that everyone else shunned. How do I know that? Because the woman is coming to draw water at noon, the hottest part of the day. She didn't come in the early morning hours with the other women, because she was an outcast, a loner, one who didn't fit in, because of her sins and her life style. But Jesus cared for her so much he told the disciples I have to go to Samaria. Jesus was a Jew and the Jews wanted no part of the Samaritans. However, that didn't stop Jesus. He loved this woman and wanted to let her know there is a better way. In fact, He is the way, the truth, and the life.

He shocked her by speaking to her first of all and asking for a drink of water. That was out of the ordinary, but Jesus wasn't ordinary. He came to do the work of His Father and He only had a short time to do it in. The same is true today. Time is running out and we need to be about the Father's business, the business of winning souls.

Have you ever needed a friend or just a kind word? Have you ever felt so alone, that you would turn the TV on just to hear human voices? Have you ever wished someone would just call you on the phone and ask how you were doing? There are many, many people out there who are lonely and need someone to care for them. They need someone to show them love. If we are like Jesus, we will show love and compassion to others.

That's what Jesus did to the Samaritan woman. It didn't matter that others shunned her. He went out of His way to talk to her. It didn't matter that the women would not have anything to do with her and the men used her as an object to satisfy their own lust. Jesus truly cared about her. It didn't matter that His own people would not talk to her because she was a Samaritan. Jesus talked to her. She was so shocked by His display of love that it melted her heart. How could she not love a man like that! Jesus had compassion on her. She fell so in love with Jesus that she ran back to her village to tell everyone about the Savior, the Son of God, who had come to her town just to show her He loved her!

That's the Jesus I know. He will go out of His way to show His love to you and me. Just a few days ago I casually mentioned to my husband I wish someone would give us some tomatoes. Our tomatoes didn't make this year and I was craving some delicious, red ripe, home grown tomatoes. One wouldn't do, I wanted several. A few minutes later as I started to leave there was a basket full of red ripe tomatoes sitting there on my back porch steps. I smiled, picked them up, and rushed to the bedroom to show them to my husband. I said, God answered my wish for tomatoes. He just proved to me once more how much He loves me.

Our daughter had surgery a few weeks ago and she was just overwhelmed by the many acts of kindness from her friends. Several sent flowers, brought food, sent her cards, called to check on her and on and on. She was grateful for the acts of kindness shown her during this difficult time. It meant so much.

Ephesians 4:32 says, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."