Widows And Orphans

The word of God clearly tells us what we are to do in regards to our widows and orphans.

PS. 68 v 5...A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.....

James 1 v 27....Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world....

This morning in one of my readings, I read something very alarming to me. It read, that CNN had reported that there were over 40 million widows in India. Fifteen thousand of them live on the streets. One 70 year old widow said this, "My son tells me: 'You have grown old. Now who is going to feed you? Go away,' She cries,"What do I do? My pain has no limit."

WOW, it is very clear that these people have no fear of GOD and what His word says.

Exodus 22 v 22....You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry....

We need missionaries to just take care of widows and orphans. In all countries. We have to have missionaries and Godly people to take care of the people that we ourselves should be taking care of. I am afraid to see how many widows and orphans we have right here in the USA that are not being cared for by their family members. I am sure the count would be alarming as well. I do not think that this is just in India.

This reminded me of a customer at my work, that is His mother's caretaker. Only, that is just it, he does not take care, he is just there and is more of a paid person to watch her. There is a difference between being a caregiver and a caretaker. A caregiver, gives love and administers help to these people with a kind spirit, a caretaker is just making sure the daily routines are done with no emotions attached. Now I do not know the story behind this man, his mother may be very difficult, but still in all she is his mother and she is due honor from him according to the word of God, by treating her with dignity and kindness. I do know this, I do not believe that all 40 million of these women in India were difficult moms. There is a crisis here. And you can be sure that God is hearing their cries.

These are our parents and our children. We need to give them the respect that is due them. We need to provide them not only with shelter, food, and the essentials of life, but with love as well.

Make it your plan today to take care of the widows and orphans around you, especially in your own family as God will hear their cry and we will answer to Him for our actions.

Neta

Dancing To The Offering Plate

How many of you have ever danced. When you dance you have this feeling of freedom, to move and sway as you like. You are the choreographer of this dance. (I have no idea if I spelled that right) But in other words, you get to make up the dance. People who are dancing are usually happy while they are dancing. Well, we should be happily dancing to the offering plate with our gifts to the LORD. I read something this morning that just lit me up with a new fire for giving my offerings. If I had a church and was in charge of the offering, I would lead this dance right up to the offering plate. AMEN! And I love to dance for the LORD. It is not the same as the country two step, or the line dance you have probably seen, or the vulgar dancing all the singers think they have to do now. No this is a beautiful dance honoring God with my fruits of my labor to help build His Kingdom here on earth. To help reach those in need.

We should have a missionary dance offering at every service. Money that is taken up just for the missionary field. A basket sitting up at the altar, waiting to be filled as people dance their way to the altar with their offerings. I love this idea. It gets me very excited. But then dancing is usually done when someone is excited. How excited do you get when you give your offering? Do you feel like dancing? Or do you feel like crying? Sad to say but looking at some of the faces during offering time, some look like they are about to cry. Try giving your offering with dancing in your heart next time and see the freedom you feel. AMEN!

This story I read was in Beth Moore's daily devotional. It was about a missionary in West Africa, she watched the women as they came for the service, most of them had babies on their backs, had already hauled huge water pots to the place to cook the noon meal after service, hauled the wood, the kettles, and had to walk several kilometers to get there. The missionary was thinking how tired these women must be already. So as she was finishing her teaching she looked out and saw some of the women preparing the meal, and she closed and said lets give God thanks for our meal we are about to receive, and one of the women shouted, WAIT, we have not given our offering. She knew they did not have much, and she was not going to ask for an offering. And then the women one by one danced their way to the basket at the altar and cheerfully gave their offering with singing in their hearts.

The missionary heard God tell her, " I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I don't need their money. Their willingness to obey My commandments and joyfully share what little they have is the gift I seek. Do not rob them or me of this joy......"

WOW, I bet this missionary never misses a chance again to let the people share their joy with the LORD. We always try to out think God, and do what we think is best. When will we learn to do what God says to do, and let Him have His Joy. AMEN!


Mark 12 v 42....A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins.... He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on......NASB
Neta

Stay Behind

Gen. Chapter 22

Why did Abraham tell his servants to stay behind when he went upon the mount to sacrifice Isaac to the LORD. Some say, maybe he didn't want any witnesses, I mean after all he was going up there to kill his only son. Now you know Isaac is probably after 3 days of walking to the mountain trying to figure out where is the sacrifice? We didn't bring any goats with us. You figure he was about 17 or so, and Abraham about 117 or so. Makes you wonder what they had in common to talk about on that long journey?

Well, back in those days, they didn't have tv, or music idols, or video games to fill up their heads, they just had the word of God and they studied on the Lord and His ways. When I say the word of God, Abraham got the words straight from God. You see, there was not so much stuff going on that his mind was going in so many directions that he could not hear the word of God being spoken to him. Some of us need to clear out our heads, so we can hear God when He speaks to us.

Back to my subject. Why did Abraham asks the servants to stay behind? Well, after reading this, I think maybe it was because he wasn't completely sure where their faith level was, and he needed to do what God had told him to do, and he could not have anyone trying to stop the work of the LORD. Abraham told the servants wait here until we return. Notice he said, (WE). You see Abraham had faith in God and knew that he would not have given him a son just to take him away. He knew God wanted to see where his faith level in Him was. He knew he could pass the test, but he wasn't sure as to whether or not his servants would have enough faith to let God's will be done.

Sometimes we need to politely ask those with less faith than ourselves in a matter who want to go with us through a trial to stay behind, and we will return to them shortly, because they could hinder us in our faith in carrying out what it is God needs us to do. Not that they would deliberately try to stop the work of the LORD, but their faith level may not be where yours is, and so they can not get into agreement with you. When you are fighting for your life against some sickness or disease, you want to be like Abraham in your faith and know without a doubt that God will provide. He will put the ram in the thickets to give you what you need to survive. AMEN!

Gen. 22 v 5....and Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."....

Gen. 22 v 7-8.....But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, My son." then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together......

Gen. 22 v 13.....Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son......

Lord, give us the faith of Abraham and bring us to the point in our faith walk that we will always trust you to provide for us and not just in ourselves. AMEN!

Neta

God Knows Your Address

Read 1 Kings Chapter 17

In 1 Kings 17 we read about the widow woman who Elijah goes to stay with, who is barely getting by and in fact is getting ready to just lay down and die. All hope is gone, she feels she has nothing left, and that she and her son will die. She is out gathering sticks to build a fire to prepare the last of the flour and oil she has to make a cake of bread for her and her son and then they will die from starvation, because there is nothing left in the land. There is a great famine and drought over the land, and there is no food left to harvest. All of her family is dead, she has no one but her son. What is the widow to do?

1 Kings 17 v 9-11...."Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." So he went to Zarephath, When he came to the town gate, a widow was gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."......

God sends Elijah to her house in Zarephath, very close to enemy territory where Jezebel is having all of the prophets killed. So now, the widow who is barely surviving has the most wanted coming to her house. And now he tells her to go and fix him some bread. Have you ever had company show up at your house at dinner time, and you just barely had enough prepared for you and your family that night? Well, at least you could probably go to the refrigerator and pull something out to heat up and add to the meal to go further. But not this widow, she only had what she had. But Elijah promised her that her flour and oil would not run out until the drought on the land was broken by rain. What a leap of faith she took to do what he asked of her. Then a while later while Elijah was still there, her son fell ill and died. She accused Elijah and the Lord of turning on her and taking her only son after she had done what he had asked. But Elijah a man of God was not put off by her accusations, and he took the boy and laid across him and called out to GOD to send his life back into the boy and the boy lived. The woman knew then without a doubt that this was a man of GOD.

What would have happened to this woman and her son if Elijah had not obeyed the LORD and went where the LORD told him to go? What would have happened if the woman had not obeyed Elijah and trusted him enough to share with him the little she had left. We need to be sure we are listening when God speaks and that we are not so caught up in the things of this world and ourselves that we can not hear when God speaks to us. We would not want someone to miss out on their healing or their provision from the LORD because we were not obedient to what the LORD is telling us to do.

God loved this widow woman so much that he sent help through a man of God. Even if she didn't believe at the time, he proved to her that He was there for her. Even when it seems as if the bottom is falling out and we have nothing left, God will provide. He knows our address, He knows where we are in life and what we need and when we need it. He is faithful to provide for us. We just need to make sure that our faith is strong enough not to doubt when the crisis in our lives occur. So when the storms come and they will, don't fold up camp, keep believing and the LORD will see you through. AMEN!

Neta

What Does Strong Look Like

Read Judges Chapter 13-16

Remember the story of Samson? How he was so strong and everyone was trying to find out his secret to his strength. I was reading in my devotional a few days ago about how pictures of Samson portray him as a big muscled man, ( a strong man) but if that was the case then people would not be trying to find out where his strength came from, they would see his muscled frame. When we look at Samson as a big muscled weightlifter looking guy we miss the point of where his strength comes from. His strength came from a covenant made from God with his parents. Some of you like myself probably saw the same picture of Samson, and missed the point as well.

This word in my devotional was very interesting to me as to how and who we look to for our strength. We have a covenant as well for our strength. We do not have to lift weights to build our strength, we do not have to take tai kwon do classes to be strong. We just need to put our faith in Jesus as our provider, our protector, and trust in Him to deliver our victory. AMEN!

We are but like little ants that can be strong or can be crushed. When we choose to have faith in Christ, we choose to be strong and not weak. People will look at us and wonder where do they get their strength to go on. How can someone so petite be so strong? What is their secret?

Well, it is no secret, our strength comes from trusting in the Lord and placing our faith in Him that He said we can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. AMEN!

Judges 13 v 5...."because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.".....

Then he marries Delilah who betrays him.

Judges 16 v 5...The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, "See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver".....

Then Delilah shaved his head while he slept. Do you see the other issue in this story. Don't sleep with the enemy. In other words don't hang out with the wrong crowd, or you will eventually lose your strength in the LORD as well. We need to first recognize where our strength comes from, and then we need to protect ourselves from the enemy so that our strength is not zapped out of us, like Samson's.

Judges 16 v 22...But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved....

When you truly repent God will answer you.

Judges 16 v 28-30..."O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived........

Remember where your strength comes from. It is not in your hair, not in your muscles, not in your brain. It is in your faith in Christ Jesus. AMEN!

Neta

Examples to our Children

Are we good examples for our children? What sort of language do we use around our children, or do we gossip and talk about others around our children? Children hang on to every word that comes from their mothers and fathers. What are you teaching your child?

Are we teaching our children the ways of the world,or are we teaching them the ways of the LORD? To teach someone is to go over and over the lessons until they get it. Do we go over and over the word of God with our children, teaching them to pray to the Father, to give thanks to the LORD, to worship Him in song, or are we teaching them the ways of the world? How to use a cell phone, how to use a computer, the words to the latest hit on secular radio. In other words how much time do we spend with them teaching them the Bible, and how much time do we spend teaching them the ways of the world?

These days, children will say something that is inappropriate and we say, isn't that cute, or I wonder where they pick up the things they say. They pick them up from observing the people around them. Who do your children spend most of their time with, and how much damage control do you do when you get them home with you? Do you have a family prayer time together, and a family bible study time together? How can they learn the ways of the LORD, if they are constantly watching videos, or playing games on the computer, or just spending time once a week in church?

You say my child is still too young to understand the Bible. Are they smart enough to know how to turn on a computer, or put a video in to watch, or play games, or to repeat what they hear. Then they are smart enough to understand the Bible when read and explained to them. The problem is, are we versed enough in the word to tell them the stories of the Bible and to tell them the ways of Jesus, so that they will desire to live like Jesus and not like the 'Brittany Spears', and Hannah Montanahs of the world. Who are you letting your child make their idols? Where does Jesus fit into your child's life, and if asked about Jesus, how much could your child tell someone about JESUS, verses how much they could tell them about Hannah Montanah or Dora Dora or whoever they are in tuned to?

The way I learned the stories of the Bible, was when I first accepted the Lord, I wanted to get involved in my church, so I started teaching the 2-3 year olds. The lessons they learned each week, I learned along with them. Then my interest was peaked so that I wanted to know more about this wonderful Savior of mine. Jesus says, we will come to Him as little children. No one just wakes up and knows all about the Bible, you have to start somewhere. Why not learn while teaching the little ones at the same time? You do not have to teach a Sunday School class to teach your child, there are many little books and Bibles that you can purchase at the Christian Book Stores, or your church book store to help you to teach your child. Next time instead of buying that new video game, or computer game, buy a Child' s Bible and spend time with your child that will bless you both. AMEN!

Deut. 4 v 9....Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them....

Deut. 11 v 18-19....Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.....

Prov. 22 v 6....train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.....

At the end of everyday, when we lay our heads down on our pillows, we ask ourselves, what kind of example was I to my child today?
Neta

Can You Run With The Horses

Labor Day has come and gone, and I really missed my writing this weekend. Now I have so many things running through my head, I am too excited, that I am afraid I will leave out something important. There are several subjects that the LORD has shared with me this past few days, some in my devotionals, some just by living life. The one I chose and asked the LORD to bless today is one I think we can all relate to.

Jer. 12 v 5......"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"......

How many of you remember ever reading this scripture? It is not one that you come across too often, but I found it fascinating that it was just what I needed today. Have you ever felt like quitting your job, or just giving up on something you have been working on, and it seems like it just won't come together. Or better yet, have you ever felt like giving up on somebody? Have you ever felt like I have told them time and again, and they still will not get it, or I can't get them to understand, and you think what's the use? Well, don't give up. The Lord says as long as there is an earth there will be seed time and harvest, so if you are planting the right seeds, you will have a harvest. AMEN!

But look at this scripture. Have you had a battle you felt like you just were not going to win, that it was hopeless. God's word says that if we did not have battles to withstand, and we only lived in the safe country all the time, in other words, if we just always took the easy way out instead of hanging in there and planting those seeds and not giving up, then we would not make it through other battles that come along that may be bigger and more difficult to handle.

An example in my own life, some of you may know about, but you may not know the whole story, as I have had to wait until I was ready to share. The enemy tried to put breast cancer on me this past year, he even went so far as to let me see myself going through chemo treatments, losing all of my hair, and then dying. He showed me my family living without me. He showed me every way he could that I was not going to make it, and that I had no chance. BUT!!!!! My friend Linda, told me when I called her, (and I didn't share with her what he had shown me) but she heard the fear in my voice and she told me that I was a child of GOD, and He did not give me that spirit of fear. And that the word says that the enemy shall not prosper against me. She showed me where the word does not say it will not form, but the word says it will not prosper. She reminded me of what I had in the LORD. I immediately got into the word and stayed in the word and built my faith to the level that the enemy could not cause me to stumble and become snared into the thickets the enemy had waiting for me. My battle with the enemy did not end there, this battle drug out from Dec. to the first of June before confirmation was given that the enemy had fought a losing battle, not me for I have the Victory through JESUS! AMEN!\

You see where people make the mistake is by giving the enemy the upper hand, by speaking what the world tells you is wrong with you instead of what the LORD says you have in HIM. He says you have Victory because He has already defeated the devil in that area. But just like in any battle, you have to go into battle prepared and with the right armor. One of the most important pieces of armor in my battle was the shield of faith, I had to hold up the shield every time someone tried to speak that disease over me, I had to immediately rebuke it, and quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Ephes. 6 v 10-20) I didn't share what I was going through because I could not afford to let the enemy reach me through well meaning loved ones who only knew how to have compassion for me instead of knowing how to stand against the enemy with me. Compassion is good, but sometimes misplaced. Sometimes compassion can hinder instead of help. When you are in battle against the enemy, the last thing you need is compassion. AMEN!

So whatever your battle, or whoever you are trying to reach, don't give up, continue to plant your seeds and seed time and harvest will come. You will have Victory in the LORD JESUS if you will finish your race. AMEN!

I am sharing this today with someone out there who needs help with a battle. Once your battle is won, don't go try to stir up the fire again by talking about it, leave the embers alone to die out, so that you do not have to keep going through the same battle over and over again. This is where some of mess up, we do not know how to bury the enemy and we keep on until we let the enemy bury us. Sharing in a testimony with others so that someone may be helped is one thing, but to just keep speaking your battles over yourself over and over again to everyone who will listen is just breathing life into those embers of that fire, until the fire is full blown again and the enemy ends up with the victory instead of you.

Once you are finished don't go back and try to re-run the same race, you are only racing against yourself, so you have no one to defeat but yourself. AMEN!

Neta

Be A Workman Approved

Have you read in 2 Tim. 2 vs15 about presenting yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not have to be ashamed? Have you presented yourself this way to God?

2 Tim 2 v 15-19....Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and "Everyone who confesses the name of the LORD must turn away from wickedness.".....

Do you do your best to bring the truth to others, or do you just go along with the crowd, and sit back listening while others are talking about things that you know God would not want you listening to? Are you afraid to speak out what the truth says, because it might not be politically correct in today's world, or that you might offend someone talking about Jesus? Are you just ashamed of what you say you believe to be the truth, of what the word of God says about things? The scripture above tells us that this godless chatter is like gangrene spreading throughout the people. But, it also says that God knows who is people are. They are the ones who know the word and will not be deceived by people like Hymanaues and Philetus who do not rightly divide the word of truth but just divide it and destroy it with their own beliefs instead of what the word truly means. How do you know what the word truly means? By reading it for yourself and letting the Holy Spirit in you show you the truth of the word. Many times I have said that you need to get the word out and read for yourself what I write about in these tid-bits. Don't just take my word for it. I am not the bible, I am not the word of God, I am just giving you what I get from God when I read His word. You must not be lazy when it comes to reading the word for yourself, and you must get into a good bible teaching church filled with faith so that you can build your faith and strengthen your armor. AMEN!

You do not need qualifications to know the word of God and to speak the truth, you need faithfulness to God and to His word. You can not get faith from training or schooling, you get faith from reading the word of God and spending time everyday with God and in His word. Don't get me wrong, schools for helping you to learn to study the bible are great, I learned a lot from going to the school of ministry at our church, they can really help you in your ministry, but that is not a qualification to present yourself to God as an approved worker, who correctly handles the word of truth. That comes by being faithful to the LORD.

1 Cor. 4 v 2....moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful......

2 Tim v 2....And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also....

You see, the word is not saying you have to be qualified, it says you have to be faithful, but if you are faithful to the word of God, you will be qualified. This does not mean just faithful in reading the word of God, but faithful in living your life the way the word of God says you should live, faithful in following the LORD and putting down your life for His. In other words faithful to God in all things big and small. Putting God's word first, above all others, whether it be offensive to them or not. Taking a stand for God. Not in arguing the word of God, but in sharing the word of God with love.

When you sit by and do not speak up for your rights as a Christian, because you are too ashamed, then it is the same as you denying Christ. When you live your life contrary to how Jesus tells you to live, it is the same as denying Him. When you disobey your parents or teachers, etc. then you are denying them, it is the same with God, when you willfully disobey His word, you are denying Him.

Have you ever traveled far to someone's home to visit, and you just couldn't wait to surprise them, only to find that when you got there, no one was at home. You know that feeling of disappointment?
In other words America, if you continue to take God out of everything, before long you will be on the other side of the door knocking and finding no answer.

Matt. 10 v 33..."But whoever denies Me before men, him I will deny before My Father who is in heaven"....

Have a Blessed Labor Day Holiday
Be An Approved Worker
Neta

Whose Armor Are You Wearing

When reading about David and Goliath in 1 Sam. 17, I was thinking about how Saul had tried to put his armor on David. Now it is said that Saul was a very tall man, 1 Sam 10 v 23, that he was a foot taller than any of the others. Now, he is trying to put his armor on a small boy. The armor, that he was too afraid to put on himself to go out and fight Goliath. It is really kind of funny when you read how David was trying to walk around in Saul's armor. He couldn't even walk. What good was that ill fitting armor going to do him, or advice from someone who wouldn't face the battle himself?

David replied, I have not proved these, to show that they work, so I will go in my way with God as my protector. Why, did he choose to go this way? Because he had already proved God to be true to his word, by putting his faith in Him. He knew God would protect him and give him the skills he needed to defeat Goliath. Notice I didn't say fight, because there was really no fight. God gave David the Victory with one sling of his sling shot. Can you see David, calmly loading a rock into his sling, taking his time to carefully aim and then release the stone just at the right time. How would you react in this situation or one similar to it, can you see yourself, fumbling and dropping the rocks, with Goliath running at you with his sword, and you are still trying to untangle your sling and get the rocks in it. Do you just throw the sling down and run the opposite direction? Remember you are about 5 ft, and he is about 9 ft, and he has a sword. Is your faith level in such a place that you would stand your ground, very calm, loading your sling, knowing and trusting your God to protect you?

It is the same with situations today. We need to ask ourselves, whose armor will we put on? The armor of God through His word, or the armor of man and his advice? Remembering that the very person giving the advice is the one who was too afraid to go himself. Even if he was the king and had the finest armor in town, if the shoe doesn't fit, don't put it on your foot, you will trip and fall.
Trust in the best fitting armor around, tailor made in every way to fit perfectly. Trust in the word of God. Put on the armor of God before you go into any battle. AMEN!

1 Sam. 17 v 38-39.....Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off.......... for further reading read 1 Sam. Chapter 17.......

Ephes. 6 v 13...Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.....for complete instructions read Ephe. 6 v 10-20.......

We need to prepare ourselves for battle everyday, by having the word of God fresh in our hearts and on our minds. If we stay in the word of God daily, then we will walk by faith into our battles and not with someone else's armor or advice. AMEN!
Neta

We Will Not Be Discouraged

We woke up last night to the constant rain, and although all day yesterday I kept praising God for the much needed rain in our state, I was not very praiseworthy when I got up at 10pm and stepped on saturated carpet. All through the night the rain just got harder and harder and at first I was so distraught over this matter that I could not go to sleep. Then finally, I said, LORD, protect our home, from the wind and rain. I prayed for sleep so that I would be rested this morning, and I prayed for wisdom in what to do next. It got worse, it was as if someone had a tube on top of our camper and was just letting water pour in. The carpet is soaked all the way going down toward the next level. Then when I walked down stairs, the slide on the same side downstairs had saturated carpet as well. Rob started pulling on his jeans, getting ready to tackle our situation. I said, Sweetie, come here, sit down have some tea, the LORD is on His way. There is nothing you can do at this exact moment, and this is our time with the LORD, and the enemy will not steal that from us. We prayed for wisdom, guidance and understanding over our problem. I said LORD, we are your children, and we are faithful in our tithing and our offerings. Your word says, you will destroy the devourer and our fruits will not be ate up. Well, LORD, it looks like this is an enemy, a devourer, so I am relying on you to destroy him. And enemy you can leave now, because you will not cause dissension between me and my husband over some silly water leak. Our God, is bigger than you are, and we laugh in your face at this, and we will rejoice that if you destroy this shelter, it is only because GOD has a better one for us. AMEN! The spirit of urgency, and despair left us, and we had our tea, and we spent our time together in GOD's word and this is what we saw this morning in the word.

Phil. 4 v 4-7....Rejoice in the LORD always, Again I say rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The LORD is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to GOD, and the peace of GOD, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus......

Isn't it amazing how GOD always knows the right words you need at the right time. Really, I am not amazed anymore, I just expect God to have the words for me now in my trials and tribulations. I have come to depend on Him now instead of myself for the wisdom to know what to do or how to react.

And then as if that wasn't enough, I opened up my magazine from Kenneth Copeland Ministries and the first paragraph I read said this...."Just about everywhere you look these days you see signs of shortage, disaster and just general despair. Thank God this is not the attitude of the believer who is actively living by faith. We need to be careful not to react to surrounding circumstances, but rather respond to GOD's Word and draw on our strength from Him".........

In all things we will rejoice and be glad, we will not be discouraged. We will trust our GOD to provide what is needed. So now, I will go to work and trust the LORD to guide Rob through his work here. I can go with confidence, knowing that MY GOD and my husband will complete their work today. I am a little jealous, that Rob will be getting to work with the LORD today while I am on my job with the world. But He who is in me will be a great help to me also. AMEN!

Thank you LORD for the rain that continues to fall, our state does need it, and it is a blessing.
Neta

The Prophet Isaiah

This morning as I got up and came down for my morning tea with the LORD, Rob was reading a book my Aunt Barbara had given me. 'What The Bible Is All About'. She told me how good this book was, but I just never got really deep into it. Oh, I would pick it up now and again, but never really read it. Well, as it happens, Rob has been reading it, and this morning he shared something with me that was so interesting, I thought I would share with the group. Many of you may already know these facts, but I didn't, and I found them interesting.

He is reading about the book of Isaiah right now. This is what he shared with me. The book of Isaiah is a miniature bible. Isaiah has 66 chapters just like the bible has 66 books. The first 39 chapters is about the world and our sin, just like the first 39 chapters of the bible, called the old testament and the last 27 chapters is about the coming Mesiah, just like the last 27 books of the bible, called the new testament. In the middle of the last 27 chapters is chapter 53, this one tells of our Savior 'who took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows'. The author describes the last 27 chapters like a jewel case with the perfect jewel in the middle. (Jesus) She encourages us to read chapter 53, and to store this chapter in our hearts. Notice she didn't say store this verse, but this chapter. I found this very interesting, and I am excited about getting into the book of Isaiah this week, and finding that Jewel.

We are always talking about when we get to heaven after we see Jesus, we would like to see Abraham, Moses, and others. How interesting it would be to sit and talk with Isaiah. I love to sit and talk with elders about the way things were, and how they lived. I can't wait to sit and talk with Isaiah and hear all of the wonderful wisdom he has to share. You know if we were to have the elders come to our schools and talk with our young people while they are still inquisitive and interested in story telling, we would probably not lose our children to the things of this world. You know the Indians would sit around and listen to their elders tell stories of the past and of how to take care of the earth and their people. Then the white man came in, rushing around trying to find gold, and taking over their land. But they didn't only take over the land, they took the peace, the serenity, and replaced it with rushing around, hurrying here and there. Tearing this down, and building this up. There is nothing wrong with progress, unless you destroy something to get to this thing you call progress. I vote we all slow down, go, sit and talk with an elder today and see what wisdom you can come away with. But most importantly, let's all read the book of Isaiah this week. Ask God, to reveal to you what He gave this author to say to you personally. AMEN! Look for the Jewel in the middle and spend some time just reflecting on this Jewel.

Neta

Where Is Your Altar

Throughout the old testament, the Lord had different ones building altars and making sacrifices to Him when they were in need of something. Today, it is the same, we need to make altars to the Lord and sacrifices when we are in need of His help. But we do not make blood sacrifices any longer. That sacrifice was made once and for all. The type of sacrifice I am talking about is a sacrifice to your self, and to put the LORD first. For example, if you are overweight and need to lose weight and you just can't seem to leave those biscuits alone, you should do a cleanse and a fast, and stay in prayer with the LORD over your body. Ask Him to show you in His word where you are not in obedience to a proper diet and exercise. This may mean that you have to sacrifice and not eat at Popeye's or Bojangles, or whatever your favorite chicken place might be three times a week. Then you need to make a place where you can go to be with the LORD and spend time with Him and His word and look up scriptures about your situation. Now, that was just an example of being overweight, yours may be bad health for other reasons, or financial problems, or problems in your relationships. Whatever, the problem, we need to remember to come to the LORD with reverence and obedience to what He tells us to do.

We all have made altars in our lives, where we worship. You may not think of it this way, but when you put the things of this world ahead of the LORD, you are making an altar to those things. Some may make their jobs their altars, where they are spending too much time on their jobs trying to make more money, then money becomes their altar. Some who are not married, and hang out at clubs are making those places their altars. Here is one for you, if you are single and going out and having relations (and you know what I am saying here) with different ones, you are making sex your altar, and you are definitely going in the wrong direction which is away from ever going to an altar at church to be married and blessed with a true relationship that is ordained by GOD.

We need to really take a good look at where we are building our altars in our lives. We need to like Gideon tear down those altars, and quit trying to meet our own needs and let the one true GOD lead us in the direction we need to be going. We need to turn to Him to meet our needs. AMEN!

Judges 6 v 25-26....Now it came to pass the same night that the LORD said to him, "Take your father's young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it; and build an altar to the LORD your GOD on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down....

You see the LORD told Gideon, get rid of these fake images, and false god idols and altars, and build a real altar unto the LORD and He would save him from the hands of his enemy. In other words, worship Him and put his faith in Him, and not in these false gods. Now remember Gideon was a man of small stature, so he did this at night while everyone was sleeping because he was afraid of his father's household and the men of the city and of what they would do to him when they saw what he had done. He knew that the punishment for this was death, but he was willing to face death to do follow the LORD and to place his faith in GOD instead of in the world. It is the same with us, we need to place our faith in God and in His word, and quit looking to the world to satisfy our needs, because we are only looking to false gods when we turn to the world for help instead of to God. AMEN!

Neta

What Would You Say

If you were only given one chance to talk to a group of people about the LORD and what He
is, what would you tell them? Remember you only have one chance. I think if most
witnesses would look to the LORD for this instead of trying to dig through books, and
tapes, and instead just get quiet with the LORD, they would be told what to say. You see
God knows all things, so He knows who you are going to be speaking to and He knows just
what it is they need to hear. What may seem insignificant to you could mean the whole
world to them. God would not give you the chance to speak on His behalf without giving
you the words to say.

Exodus 3 v 10-11.....Come now, therefore and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may 
bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, "Who 
am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of 
Egypt?".....

Exodus 4 v 10-12....Then Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, 
neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and 
slow of tongue." So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who 
makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, 
go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."......

WOW! There you have it. When you are wondering how do I witness to this co-worker, or
friend, the LORD says I created your mouth, and I will give you the words to say. If we
would just learn to trust the LORD to give us the words, instead of fighting so hard to
try to find the right words, God's work will be done. You may not see anything change
instantly, but seeds from the LORD have been planted. Do you ever stop to think about
that? When God says His word will not come back void, He is telling you, that if you will
just listen to His voice and say what He is telling you to say, then you can have faith
that His word will be manifested in truth. AMEN! HALLELUJAH!

So quit trying so hard to witness, and just look to God for His strength and His words,
and the rest like we say is history. (His Story)  AMEN!
Get with the Lord in prayer today to see what He would have you say to those around you
before you do anything else. First thing in the morning, get with GOD, before you have
had time for the world to corrupt your hearing and your spirit. Get a glass of water and
the word and have a clean fast with the LORD and hear what He has to say to you. AMEN!

Love you all
Neta

Are You A Gideon

Are you a Gideon when trials and troubles attack you? Do you run and hide from your troubles or do you turn them over to the Lord and trust Him to bring you through? Have you read the story of Gideon and how he was hiding from the Midianites, hiding his meager little portion of wheat so that they would not steal it. Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said, "the LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!" Gideon is looking around as if to say, "are you talking to me?" I am in here hiding, I am the least of my family, still looking around, sure that this Angel must see someone he does not see, he is thinking, surely you must have stumbled into the wrong hiding place looking for your mighty man of valor, after all I am in here hiding. HELLO!!

Judges 6 v 12....and the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!"....

Judges 6 v 14-16...then the Lord turned to him and said; "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" So he said to Him; "O my LORD, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." And the Lord said to him: "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man."

You see Gideon just saw himself as a small insignificant man compared to an army of Midianites. He could not see that it was not he, himself who would be going up against the Midianites, but that the LORD was with him. If he could just have faith that no one can come up against the LORD and win, and so since the LORD was the one sending him, he was representing the LORD, and who can defeat the LORD? That is how we do when we face a big upset, we immediately think Oh My, what am I going to do, how will I ever survive this? When if we would turn to the LORD and say Lord, this is too big for me, but with you all things are possible, and I am giving you this problem, or this illness, etc., and I am trusting you to show me the way. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Instead of just reading that little verse and proudly quoting it as one we have memorized in our head, we need to get that verse down in our hearts and apply faith to it. God's word will not come back void when spoken with faith.

Once Gideon built his faith up in the LORD, instead of himself, and saw that the Lord was in control, he knew he would not have to worry, that the LORD would always come out the Victor. AMEN!
We need to do the same with our situations today. We need to realize that God will not be defeated, and when HE says we can do something, or when He says through HIS word that by His stripes we were healed, then we just need to apply faith to that word and let Him come out our VICTOR, in other words our SAVIOR. HELLO!

Thank goodness, Gideon finally got it, that the LORD will not be defeated, and this gave him the courage to do what the LORD told him to do. Don't be like Gideon afraid of your situation and hide under a rock, but instead seek the LORD' s help and He will give you the courage as well to be a mighty man of valor. AMEN!

Lord, I pray today for any of my readers out there who might be facing a difficult challenge in their lives, that you will give them courage and strengthen their faith to know that you will bring them through with the victory over their situation. Lord, I ask that you bless each of my readers with special blessings today in whatever area of their lives they might need it. Bless them indeed this day, Thank you LORD for your Yes and AMEN !
Neta

Are You Really A Christian

Are you really a Christian or are you just saved from hell? Christian means Christ like, a follower of Christ. To be a follower of Christ you would have to be like minded with Christ. To be like minded with Christ, you would need to walk as Christ does and think as He does. In other words, do you live like Christ or are you someone who accepted Christ's death on the cross so that you would not have to go to hell, or did you accept Christ and all He is about? Did you change and do you live like Christ now, or are you the same as you were before you accepted Christ? Let's see what the word says.

2 Cor. 5 v 17....Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.....

Has your old man passed away, and have you changed from the world's way of thinking and behaving, and are you now thinking and behaving as Christ would?

2 Cor. 5 v 20....Now then we are ambassadors for Christ; as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God....

Are you witnessing for Jesus, or are you hiding behind His death. Are you picking up your own cross to bear witness to others by the way you have changed in your own life, or are you just hiding behind what Jesus did for you, and not helping others to know what He wants to do for them?

2 Cor. 7 v 1.....Therefore, having these promises, beloved; let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God....

Have you cleaned up your language, and your behavior, or are you still acting the same as before? Are you behaving as Christ would, or are you still trying to fit into the world and society?

How do you know if you are a Christian?

1.) Have you repented of your sins and asked Jesus to be your savior?

2.) Did you mean it in your heart, and change your old sinful ways and put on your new man?

3.) Do you get into His word daily, so that you will know what it is to be like-minded with Christ?

4.) Do you spend time in the presence of the LORD everyday, so that His light will shine through you and you might share His word with others and bear fruit?

5.) Do you spend time in prayer to the Father everyday, so that you know what He expects from you each day?

6.) Or did you just answer yes to the first question and go on living life as if nothing has ever changed?

This is tough, but true. To be a Christian you must have answered yes to the first 5 questions. I am not saying that you are not saved, I am saying that you can not call yourself a Christian if you can not answer yes to these questions. Now some of you may say, I don't read my bible everyday, but I listen to Christian teachings, or read other Christian materials that contain the word of God. That is great as long as you do not let these other materials take the place of the word of God. Some may disagree with me on this, but if you look up the word Christian and see what the definition is, then you will have to agree. To be Christ like, you would have to know Christ intimately, to know Him intimately, you would have to get into His word to know His mind, and you would need to spend time with Him. AMEN!

How do you know your spouse or your friends? You spend time with them in conversation with them, in going places with them. You know their likes and their dis-likes. You usually agree with them on important matters. So if you spend all this time getting to know your friends and your spouse, how much more time should you spend getting to know your Savior?

Ask yourself this question. Do you get embarrassed when you are around other Christians who like to talk about the LORD? Or when other Christians like to pray over their food, or when they might want to pray for you about something? Do you feel like shrinking away, because maybe some of your friends are around that don't think the same way as you do about Christ? Are you afraid that they might think you eccentric because you give the LORD praise and give Him glory and thanks for the miracles He has done in your life, whether big or small, but in all things wanting to thank Him for His goodness and His mercy that He has shown you? In other words, do you let Christ only fit in when society will agree (like at church, or only around other Christians) or do you let Him in no matter where you are or what you are doing, or who you are hanging out with? If someone wants to share something about the LORD and what He has done for them, do you rather they wait until certain people leave, because you are afraid they may get offended by this sort of talk, because they are uncomfortable with talking about "RELIGION"? The problem is, it is not "RELIGION" they are wanting to share, it is Christ. Christians, don't back down and shrink away when Christ is brought up in a surrounding of unbelievers. Remember what Christ said, not every one who calls me Lord, will enter into His kingdom. Don't be the one standing and knocking and He has to say, depart from me, I never knew you. Remember to really know someone, you have to spend quality time with that person.

Neta

God Says Test Him In This

The only place in the bible that God tells you to test Him is in Mal. 3 v 10 where He tells you to bring all of the tithe into the storehouse, the storehouse being the church, and test Him and see if He will not open up the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing so large you will not have room to hold it. This is one of my favorite scriptures, but the next part of this scripture jumped out at me today. It sort of goes along with yesterday's tid-bits about believing and not doubting what He will do for you. He says, He will rebuke the devourer away from your fruits. In other words, He will not let anyone come and steal your blessings from you. You might, but He won't.

You say, well how can they steal our fruits if God will not let them. Through your unbelief. You see God sets you up, but you have to have faith in all of His word, not just some of it, to receive the blessings He has for you. You can not tithe, and then when some large bill comes due, or something bad happens, you fold up and say, "Oh me, what am I going to do, how am I going to pay this bill?" No, you rise up and say my God, promised in His word, that the devourer will not come and steal my fruit, therefore, He will provide a way out of this., and I will keep my blessing. AMEN!

Here is a story I read in my devotional today that proves this point.

This story is about Mr. Alexander H.Kerr, who in a meeting of Dwight L. Moody gave his life to Christ. Later, he decided he was going to prove God out in His word on tithing. Mr. Kerr was in deep debt, but he made a covenant with the Lord to pay his tithes faithfully. During his first year of tithing, he started the Kerr fruit jar canning company. He had a large Kerr Glass Manufac. Co. right in the heart of where the famous San Francisco earthquake hit sparking fires all around. His company was surrounded by the fires. The whole area was devastated. People told him that his company would be destroyed, and what was he going to do. He responded with, I will stand on Mal. 3 v 11 knowing that my God said He would rebuke the devourer, and if He does not then His word is a lie. Now that takes faith, to say that God is a liar if He does not protect your fruit. AMEN! When it was over, the whole area was destroyed around his company, but not one item of his company was destroyed, not even the wooden fence surrounding his property. The fires even leaped over his buildings to other buildings, and his was not touched. After this incident, Mr. Kerr published tracts about God's cure for poverty and placed in each case of jars that were shipped. What a testimony! AMEN!

Mal. 3 v 11....."and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts".......

We just need to have faith in the rest of the scripture of Mal. 3. Don't stop reading after 9-10 but go on and get a revelation of vs. 11. I know, I am going to stand on this scripture next time the devourer tries to come and steal my fruit. AMEN!

Neta

Working To Give Or Just Working To Live

Do you like most people work to just get by just to live. This means do you work to pay a mortgage, buy gasoline, groceries, pay utilities, and for those with children still at home, pay the day care, or for schooling. Unfortunately, that is the way most of us work. But if we would change our thinking and work to give, the living would come.

God promises us a good living, He promises us blessings pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing if we put our trust in Him. You see, when we work to live, then we are putting our trust in our jobs and our own abilities instead of trusting that God will do what His word says. If we would change our attitudes about why we work, and work to give unto the kingdom first we would have all we need and more.

Immediately, some of you were probably thinking, she is always trying to get us to give our money away, always preaching on giving. It is not that I am trying to get you to give away all your money, I am just trying to show you the blessings that will come your way, I am trying to show you where you may be missing out on something better. We get so pre-occupied with our routine of going to work, get your check, pay your bills, that we forget to stop and pray over that check and seek first the Lord and what He says to do with our money. We must first have the wisdom of God over our finances as well as over our lives. Where do we get this wisdom?

James 1 v 5....If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.....

We get our wisdom from God, when we ask and believe that He will give it to us.

Isa. 30 v 21....Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "this is the way; walk in it."........

Don't be afraid to step out in faith and trust the LORD to give you what you need.

Matt. 6 v 25-26...."Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"....

Read the story of blind Bartimaeus, (Mark 10 v 46-52) how when Jesus came through his town, he knew without doubt that he would receive his sight. With the streets full of people, he could have went on begging and really brought in a big haul that day, but he knew the LORD had something better for him. He knew that he would no longer have to settle for what he begged for, but that he could have so much more by trusting the LORD. He threw down his beggars robe and ran to the LORD. He knew he would no longer need those beggar clothes, because he had made up his mind to follow the LORD and to trust in Him. AMEN!

So, like Bartimaues, throw off your beggar clothes, quit speaking that you live pay check to pay check and start declaring what the word says, that you have more than enough, that the LORD will multiply your giving, so that you can work to give instead of just working to live. AMEN!
Neta

Do, Don't Just Plea The Fifth

We hear this phrase all the time, I plea the fifth, well it is not really talking about the fifth commandment, but that is how I am using it today. Don't just plea, really observe it. AMEN!
This is a commandment we learn as a little child, but how many of us can really say that we do this? When we disobey a parent, that is not honor, when we argue with a parent, that is not honor, when we do not take care of our parents, that is not honor, and when we bad mouth a parent, that is certainly not honor.

Something happened yesterday on my first day of work, back in the public again. A lady came in the store with her 3 grandchildren, two pre-teens and one teenager. Someone asks the young girls if they had been swimming alot this summer and the grandmother spoke up and said, no they have been at the worthless jerks house all summer. The clerk looked startled at the grandmother, and she said they know he is a worthless jerk, and then turned to the two younger girls and said, ya'll know that right, don't you know that? I was horrified. Being brought up in a broken home myself, I never once heard my father say anything bad about my mother, or vice-versa. My heart went out to these girls. The teenager just agreed and tried to act like her grandmother. The younger girls looked like they just shook their heads out of fear for the grandmother's wrath. Then almost in the same breath she started talking about an incident at church. She was bad mouthing a new man at church. Again, I was struck with I don't know what at how this woman was so bitter, negative, and full of anger. My first thought was these poor girls really need a better role model. Then the grandmother goes on to talk about how she has been running the 2 & 3 year old Sunday school class there for years and how much she does for that church. WOW!

I wonder does she teach those little ones the 10 commandments? The one about honoring your mother and father. I wonder does she realize that when she bad mouths her grand-children's father and asks for their approval that she is causing them to sin. I wonder if she can even see past her own bitterness, or if her heart is really so hardened that she doesn't realize that she is planting seeds in these young peoples lives. I immediately was angered by her actions, so I kept my face averted from the front. I had prayed that morning that the LORD fill me up with His presence and His word so that I would not re-act from my flesh, but first check my heart to see what His word says about my situation. I am glad I did, so I did not respond like I would have in my earlier days before coming to know the LORD, and really taking His word to heart. The LORD showed me, that what this lady needed most of all was not a tongue lashing, or my judgment, but prayer. So I prayed for her and her grandchildren and their father. I prayed the LORD would soften this woman's heart, and that whatever the situation with her ex-son-in-law, that she would pray for him, and that she would keep her opinions of him to herself, and not cause her granddaughters to sin against their own father.

Exodus 20 v 12....Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long, upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.......

God is trying to tell you here that if you do not honor your father and your mother, you will not live out the days He has for you. He is trying to show us, that if we do not raise our children to respect their parents, then why in the world would they respect any one else. We are bringing up the next generation, we are the ones who have to teach them to be dedicated to worshiping the LORD, to serving the community, to showing each other respect, so that they may build their own strong families. Families, that are strong in the Lord and His ways. AMEN!

If you have ever been in this situation, please think before you speak. No matter what that person has done, they are still the children's parent and they deserve the respect any father or mother deserves from their children. When you bad mouth their parent you are only causing them to resent you in the long run, and when they get older, they will not respect you either. I know, I have been there. No matter what a parent does, that child still loves them as their mother or father. AMEN!
Neta

Partners

What does it mean to be a partner? It means to come along side someone and help them, be there for them, support them, believe in them, trust in them, go through good times and bad with them. That is how we look at our spouse partners, but we are also called to be partners in each other and in Christ. The way that we partner together in Christ is through each other, and through our church. When we sow our tithes into the church, we are a partner with them. When they send someone out in the mission field, we are just as responsible for the work of that missionary as the missionary himself. We as Christians are never without a partner, because once we accepted the Lord, He became our partner. He is always there for us, no matter what.

I saw this in my bible today, in the sidelines. It is the song that was written years ago, that everyone has heard at some time in their life. Written by: Anna Bartlett Warner

'Jesus Loves Me'

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.

Did you catch the last verse? He will stay close beside you all the way. Doesn't that just make you want to let out a big sigh of relief, to know that He is there beside you, and you will make it through whatever you are facing. AMEN! Signal your partners to come and help you when you are in need. Don't just sit and brood and think you are all alone. Talk with your Lord and your partner about what is going on, and see what He has to say to you.

Luke 5 v 7....So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink....

Ps 23 v 1-4....The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness, for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff comfort me.....

The Lord was there for Peter and the boys when they went out fishing and couldn't find any fish. He showed them the way. And the Lord is there for us, when He says He is our shepherd, another word that could be used here is He is our partner. He will be there for us, no matter what we are going through, He will lead us down the right path, He will comfort us when we need it, and He will feed us just at the right time.

So no matter what you are facing, know this, that if you are a child of God, you do not have to face it alone. You have the best partner anyone could ask for. Remember Jesus Loves You, and wants to be your partner. AMEN!
Neta

Together

When we work together more is accomplished. Jesus said go and share the good news. What is the good news, the gospel? It is simply the love of Jesus and what He did for you. When someone shares with you the good news, and you accept the Lord, then it is your responsibility to go and share the good news with another. I heard somewhere once that every person has a circle of 250 people that they are associated with. You may say, but I don't know anyone, yes you do. You know your family members, who introduce you to people in their outside realm, who you meet others through, your children's friends at school, you meet their parents, who lead you to others, your childs sports activities, which lead to other places. For every person you know, there is going to be a link to another person. So you see, you really do know a lot of people. So we none, of us have that excuse for not sharing the gospel. Together, we will reach so many more, and that is what we were commissioned to do.

Mark 16 v 15...He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation"....

The problem we face today, is that we argue religion, and cause strife between each other, that no one wants any part of what we are offering. We work against each other, instead of working together. Jesus did not tell us to go out and share our doctrines with each other, no, He said go out and share His gospel, the good news to all creation. He didn't say, just go preach to the baptists, or the catholics, or the pentecosts. He said to ALL creation. This includes believers and non-believers. The word was not written for believers only. The word was written for everyone. God loves each and everyone of His creation, (and we are His creation), that He does not want anyone left behind when His Son comes again to bring us all home. AMEN! If you have a friend out there who you know is not a believer, then stop and think, If Jesus came tomorrow, where would your friend be? I want all of my family and friends with me. Call me selfish, I don't care. I will not give up on any one of my friends. I will share the good news.

Some of us may share the word, and then someone else will come behind us and lead that person to salvation. When we share the word, we are sowing seeds. Some of us may not even have to open our mouths, we just behave as God would have you behave. In other words you act like God is right beside you all the time. You share the love of Jesus just by being good, compassionate, and generous toward others. Before you share the word, pray that the Lord will let your seeds fall on fertile soil. AMEN!

One way, we have of sharing the word, is by forwarding the tid-bits to all of your friends, even non-believers. Sometimes we do not know what to say or how to say it, we feel uncomfortable witnessing to some people. Don't you find it strange that we can share gossip and the best sales we found or talk about a movie we just watched and be so passionate about it, but we have a hard time sharing the gospel of our Lord and Savior with others, especially with our friends. The next time you start talking with your friend or co-worker about that reality TV show you just watched last night and who was voted off and sent home, stop and think, have I shared with this person the good news of Jesus Christ and what He has done for me lately. That is why I believe God gave me the ministry of the tid-bits so that I could share His word in a way that others might understand it. My hope is that their curiosity will be peaked and they will get their Bibles out and read it for themselves, and let the Holy Spirit reveal to them what the Lord is saying through His word. AMEN!

And that is how we work together.
Neta

Tunnel Vision

Today while reading one of my devotionals, I saw this word tunnel vision, and I thought, how many times do I have tunnel vision when the Lord sends someone my way, but I am so focused on the here and now, that I can't see my opportunity of witnessing.

Sometimes we are so focused on what someone looks like, what they are wearing, how untidy they are, they we do not see Jesus. When we see the guy on the street with the sign, will work for food, or if someone comes up to us and ask us for help to buy gas to get back home, etc., we are so focused on how bad they look, that we do not see Jesus asking us for help. Now how many of you missed the point there. How many thought when I said Jesus asking us for help, thought I was referring to this person being Jesus and we are to give to him? No my point was, that Jesus is asking us to help Him by witnessing to this person, and by showing this person the compassion He would show them if He were standing there instead of us. That is what I mean by tunnel vision, your focus is on the person standing there in the here and now, and not on the word of God and what the Lord says we are to do to the least of these.

When you attend a big beautiful church, full of people, and it comes time to pass the offering plate, do you think, this church is doing great, they do not need my little bit of money. If so, then once again you have missed the point, and have tunnel vision. All you see is the big, beautiful building with lots of other people to give. You miss out on your blessing of having your tithe multiplied back to you, and the blessing of supporting the least of these in other countries as missionaries, or right in your own back yard, when your church helps out a member who has lost their job, or lost their home to a fire, or has fallen ill and needs a little help to get by. Where do you think these funds come from? Sad to say, but a lot of times out of the pastor's pockets, or the secretary, or whoever gets the phone call in a smaller church, because of this very reason. Tunnel Vision. The people can not see past the offering plate as giving unto the community and helping the least of these, all they can see is a plate of money being collected to fatten the wallet of the pastor. That sounds harsh, but people do think that way.

What about when you go out to eat, do you try to figure out what the tip is to the exact amount that you are supposed to give, or do you try to bless that person for taking care of you, and working and bringing your food to you so you do not have to cook and clean. Someone made the comment the other day, that every time they go out to eat, people expect them to leave $5 for a tip. I personally think that you should never leave less than $5. But hey, that is just me, and how I feel about blessing others. Especially on Sundays, when you come out of church and go straight to your favorite restaurant to eat, (so that you do not have to do any hard work on the Sabbath) but yet we cause others to have to work on the Sabbath, so that they are not able to go to church. Now, I know some of you are saying they do not have to work on Sundays, they choose to, well, being a single mom for the most part of my children's lives, I can tell you that sometimes you do have to work on Sundays, and you do not have a choice.

Having said all of this, and using these different examples, I am just trying to point out how easy it is to have tunnel vision, and not look at the whole situation, that the Lord has put before you, and how He is giving you an opportunity to bless what He calls the least of these. AMEN!

Matthew 13 v 16-17....But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.....

Neta

Is It God, Or Is It Me

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you tell yourself, I know this is from God. I have a good feeling about this. Well, is it a good feeling because you got what you wanted, or is it the Holy Spirit giving you a peace because this is what God wanted for you? Sometimes we can deceive ourselves into thinking something is from God, because we ourselves just want it so badly. Are you intuned to listening to the Holy Spirit and what He is telling you? Does what you want line up with the word of God without you changing the word around to make it fit?

God will sometimes use people to guide us, sometimes visions or dreams, sometimes we just hear His voice through our inner man. How do we know for sure it is God? What He tells us will always line up with His word.

And sometimes, when it is from God, the enemy will try to cause dissension over it. For example: If you are trying to do something for the Lord, sometimes, the enemy will use your spouse or another family member to get in your way, to hold up what you are doing. Like with my tid-bits, sometimes I will have a good word from the Lord to send out to you, and the devil will wiggle his way into my house and cause my husband to become a different person. (you know it is not me) (I mean after all I am in God's word doing His business, how could it be me?) Anyway, God's timing is always right on. I had this devotional from 'James Robison' and I decided to wait until today to open it, so I could spend more time on reading it, as we were so busy this weekend. And lo and behold, just what I needed this morning after having a battle with Rob and our timing being off so that we were in each other's way this morning. Me interupting his quiet time and him having the audacity to interupt God's work through me. You see, all it was, is that we just have to get our schedules down to fit, not that we have to shorten our time with God's word, but we just have to rearrange some things so that we can both have our quiet time. My time with the Lord is not any more important than Rob's time with the Lord. Just because the Lord has given me the ministry of my tid-bits, does not mean that He doesn't have a ministry through Rob, that He puts into motion everyday by starting him off with His word, so that he might share with others through out his day. God will always be right on time with His plan for us. So, when we get that good feeling, check to see if we also get a peace from God and that His word lines up with what we are doing. Amen.

Today, I start my new job that I have been praying about, and God blessed me with. I know it is from God, because it does line up with His word. I prayed for a job working Mon-Fri, and for it to be close by the house. My new job is M-F, and 3 miles from my house. I was offered 3 other jobs the same day, but I called back on this one to see if they had made a decision. One job was in a gang related neighborhood, one was 30 miles away having to drive on a very dangerous highway, the other was just not suited for me at all, but was an attempt on my part just to get a job, but the Lord knew the plans He had for me, and opened the door. The reason I know it was from God, the pharmacist said she had been praying for God to send her somebody and no sooner than she got the words out of her mouth, I walked in with my resume, and had the qualifications she was looking for. AMEN! God is Good, and He is Always on Time.

How do we know it is God?
Jhn 14 v 26...."But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.".......

1 Jhn 2 v 27....As for you the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in Him....

Remember we are not always right, just because we are trying to be good Christians, sometimes, the spouse is right also. Listen to what the Lord has to say to you about your situation. AMEN! Be sure to read the devotional from James Robison I will send behind this email.
Have a blessed day.
Neta

Going For The Gold

How many of us have been watching the Olympics, and cheering for the US athletes as they go for the gold. This only comes around once every 4 years.

Sometimes, I get the impression that is how some Christians are. They only come around once in a while. Oh they may go to church on Easter Sunday, or Christmas, but then what happens to them the rest of the year? They might read something that really gets them stirred up, or hear a Christian song that gets them all emotional, but what about the rest of the time. We as Christians can not just live from emotion to emotion, or from Olympics to Olympics.

You see, the athletes have to practice day after day every day to be the best at their sport. That is the only way they will be able to compete, is by practicing to stay in shape. If they just waited until the year of the Olympics to start practicing, they probably would not be able to finish their race. They probably would not even qualify.

That is the way we as Christians should be with the word of God. We should stay in the word every day, we should go to worship at every opportunity, not just Sundays, or Easter, or Christmas. It is not that we have to practice being Christians, it is just that we should stay in the presence of the LORD, so when our trials come up against us, and they will, then we will be equipped and trained to finish our race. We will be strong enough and disciplined enough to compete. You see the devil knows the word of God better than most Christians, and he will use it to turn things around. Don't get turned around because you are waiting for the next Olympic thing to happen before you turn to the LORD and His word, and don't get disqualified like some Olympic athletes in the past because you turn to another substance to help you win your trials. No, stay in the word daily, and come to the place of worship in the LORD daily so that when the time comes, you will qualify and you will be able to take home the GOLD. AMEN!

2 Tim 4 v 7-8....I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing....

1 Cor. 9 v 26-27.....Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize....

Prov. 23 v 7a.....For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he......

We must discipline our bodies, we must strengthen our hearts to be hearts for God and His will, we must qualify, so that we can finish our race, so that one day we will win the GOLD, the gold being those words from Christ Himself, telling us "well done, good and faithful servant." Let us not just compete for ourselves but let us bring our team members (family, friends, co-workers) with us to the gold.
Neta

A Gentle Whisper

Are you always looking for God in a BIG way, waiting for that thundering moment when something BIG and AWESOME happens and you just know it is God. Well, maybe you are looking too hard, the word says God came to Elijah in a gentle whisper.

Sometimes, I think we are looking in the wrong place for God. We are looking into all the BIG places, like giant mountains, or a big thunder clap, or the BIG majestic Redwoods, but God is the whisper of wind blowing through those BIG majestic redwoods. He created all these great things, but He, Himself is so GREAT that He doesn't have to appear in such a BIG way, He just comes to you as a gentle whisper, and you know that He is God. Read how the LORD appears to Elijah the prophet.

1 Kings 19 v 11-13......The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain, in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the moutains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face, and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah/".......

Sometimes, we are waiting for the miraculous to be a BIG production, when all the time the miracle has already happened and we missed it, because we did not recognize the voice of the LORD. Sometimes we just need to get still and quiet so that we can hear that gentle whisper. In today's world it seems that Bigger is always better. But that is not the case with the LORD. He just wants you to come to Him as you are and let His gentle soft voice speak to you, let Him heal you, let Him restore your relationships, let Him just love you where you are. Remember, to cast your cares on Him, and take up His yoke, He says His yoke is light and will not burden you, and He will give you rest.

Matthew 11 v 28-30...."Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.".....

Can you remember as a child, your mother softly singing to you to put you down to sleep. Well, God is the same way, He will gently whisper to you, so that you may find His rest. AMEN! And when we share the gospel and the good news of the LORD with others, we do not have to get loud and theatrical, we just need to simply and gently tell them how much God loves them. AMEN! Be still and quiet today, and see what GOD has to say to you. Remember our past tid-bit, listen for God's footsteps approaching you, and the brush of angel's wings as He passes them by.
Neta

Do You Give Or Judge

How many times has someone came up to you on the streets and asked you for help with gas money, or food money, etc. How many times have you seen that person with their hand out, and you quickly avert your eyes the other way so that they will not bother asking you? How many times do you say, I bet they are raking in the money from these poor naive people giving to them? Well, turn to Deuteronomy and see what the LORD has to say about it.

Deut. 15 v 7-11....."If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "the seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart, then because of this the LORD your GOD will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open-handed toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.".......

The word says not to put off until later what you are able to do now. In other words, don't say well, if I see them here again tomorrow I will give. Tomorrow may never come.

Someone said once,and this is so important, once you release that money into their hands, then the responsibility of that money is on them not you. That money no longer belongs to you, and therefore is no longer your responsibility to worry about how it is spent. When you gave that money with the right heart, and without judging, God will reward with His blessing. That is what His word says, and His word will not come back void. So if you are going to worry about what they are going to do with the money, then don't give it, because you cause yourself to sin. Practice giving with a generous heart, and realize that your duty ended when you passed the money to their hands. AMEN!

Remember, Jesus said, "when you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto Me."

Neta

Fact Or Fiction

We are coming up to an important time in America, where we will be voting in a new president. We ask ourselves who will make the best leader? Yesterday, I sent out an email to a very few people who I thought could give me some insight on a particular candidate. I apologize now to those I sent this out to. This was not sent out as a joke. This was serious. The problem is, I should have checked out the facts myself, and then kept it to myself, otherwise it was just plain gossip.

Prov. 10 v 18....whoever has hatred has lying lips; and whoever spreads slander is a fool....

We all have our own opinions of who we want to vote for. My question to you is this, "did you pray over that decision" or did you just simply make that decision on your own ability. In other words, did you lean on your own understanding before seeking to see what the word, and what God has to say about it. The word was not just written over 2000 years ago, so that you would have a history book sitting on your shelf to gather dust, no the word is the living word of God, and it is still true today and will be true for tomorrow and forever.

We as Christians need to make sure that we do not go to the polls on our own understanding, but that we seek God first, and we go with His understanding. We can't just say we believe in the word of God, and that we believe it is the living word of God, and then not use it to help us in making one of the most important decisions that we make every 4 years. I mean we should be using the word to help us make all of our important decisions, otherwise we are just flying off the seam of our pants when we trust in ourselves before we trust in God.

So, if you are a Christian don't send out those emails slandering candidates, even if you do have proof. Because then you are putting yourself in God's place trying to persuade someone to vote your way instead of letting God lead them in His way. AMEN! And besides, God does not say that it is OK to put others down, No the last time I checked, His word says that we are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER, not tear each other down. He says that if we say we love Him, and hate our brother then we are liars. I for one do not want to be thought of by God as a liar about loving Him. So let's just get in the word and prayer and let God help us make the right decision when it comes time to vote. AMEN!

1 John 4 v 20-21....If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him; that he who loves GOD must love his brother also......

Matthew 6 v 33.....But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.....

Prov. 3 v 5-6...Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.....

Neta

Who Is Going To Get the Door

When you are burdened and troubled with things, do you dwell on them and try to handle them on your own? Or do you send Jesus to the door and let Him answer your problems. I heard this put this way, yesterday while watching 'Joseph Prince on Daystar'. He was saying there was a little five year old girl who kept having this nightmare about someone knocking on the door, and every time she went to the door it was the devil. She said finally, she ended these nightmares. When asked how did she end them, she simply said, that the next time the door knocked, she told Jesus someone is at the door, and when He opened the door, the devil said, sorry wrong house. WOW!
If a 5 year old can figure out that she needs to turn things over to the Lord to handle, why is it so difficult for us to see.

When someone is giving you a hard time at work or school, just say Jesus so & so wants to have a word with you today. When you know that you are going to face a difficult situation, stop and get the word of God out and search for your answer, and then ask the Lord to deliver that answer for you personally. AMEN!

It is so easy for me to sit in the comforts of my home and write these suggestions to you on how to deal with the world, when I am not out there in the world everyday. But, the reason I know what to do, is when I did go back to work, I had to face the same trials. So everyday, I would ask the Lord to fill my heart so full of His word that when things come up during the day, I would act out of my heart that was full of His word, instead of out of my flesh. I would get into His word before I ever started my day with the world, and fill up as much as I could before I went in to the battle zone. I didn't just try to memorize scriptures in my head, no I wanted them in my heart, so that they would have meaning for me, so I would know how to use them like Jesus Himself did. Head knowledge is one thing, but heart knowledge is so much more.

Romans 10 v 8...but what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is the word of faith which we preach)......
We will need faith to let Jesus answer the door when trouble comes knocking.

Matt. 11 v 28-30...."Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Jesus is telling us, that when we go to work, first come to Him and take His yoke to work and not your own, for in Him you will find your task easy and you will find rest from your burdens because He is swapping job duties with you today. HALLELUJAH!

So next week, when you start your work week, allow some extra time in the morning to fill up on the word, before you go out into the world. And when they come knocking, send Jesus to the door. Remember you swapped duties with Him today. Oh Yeah, refills are free, so if you need some extra, take your break times and lunch time to get a refill. AMEN!

Neta