The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Matthew 28:5-6 I have often tried to imagine that moment. The tidal wave of emotions that had to have flooded over the women. * Fear - afterall it wasn't everyday they met angels. * Joy - that Jesus was alive! * Anticipation - of seeing Him again. * Doubt - that this was real and not just a dream or hallucination. * Confusion - what does all of this mean? * Love - theirs for Him and His for them. I'm sure you have thought of emotions that I failed to mention. How blessed we are to be New Testament Believers. We will get up Easter morning with the full knowlege of the resurrection. We ...
Category Archives: Deb
Keeping It Simple
All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. Psalm 86:9-10 Have you thought about your purpose lately? Pastor Rick Warren has invited many of us to examine our purpose and allow it to guide our day. He says that we have been made for five purposes: 1. God's Pleasure. 2. God's Family. 3. To Be Christ-like. 4. To Serve God. 5. Missions. I have determined that for me it comes down to only one purpose: To glorify God! Whatever I do and wherever I am my desire is to bring God glory. Doesn't that keep it simple? There is not much to remember. One simple question to ask throughout the day, "Does this give glory to God?" How do I know what will give God glory? The ...
Pierced Ears
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offering you did not require. Then I said, "Here I am, I have come- it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; Your law is in my heart. Psalm 40:6-8 I have been thinking about this passage lately. God does not long for us to perform religious rituals if they are done out of obligation or duty. He wants our love and devotion. In Exodus 21:6-7 God gives instructions to His people as to what they should do if a Hebrew slave desires to remain with his master forever not accepting freedom after serving for six years. "But if the servant declares, 'I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,' then his master must take him before the ...
Critter Watching
What a large number of things You have made, O Lord! You made them all by wisdom. The earth is filled with Your creatures. The sea is so big and wide with countless creatures, living things both large and small. All of them look to You to give them their food at the right time. You give it to them and they gather it up. You open Your hand, and they are filled with blessings. Psalm 104:24-25, 27-28. We love the location of our home. Although it is nestled in the middle of a large development, each home backs to wooded common grounds. I love the trees, but they are not my favorite part about living here. The best part is critter watching. We feed deer, raccoons, possum, birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. That's not counting the dog that lives inside. :-) I love the verse that reads: You give them their food ...
Do Not Fret
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong . . . Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:1,3-4 I decided to look up the definition of the word fret: 1. worry: to be worried, irritated, or agitated about something; wear away: to wear away or corrode the surface of something, or become worn away or corroded make hole by constant rubbing: Are you a fretter? Can you turn thoughts over and over in your mind looking at them from every imaginable angle? Do you find yourself especially susceptible to fretting about offenses that have been done to you or said about you? Me too! Sometimes it feels good to focus on the faults of others. Truthfully it can make ...
Open Doors
For a number of years I experienced the same dream again and again. It was never frightening; I just never understood its importance. Several nights each week I would find myself dwelling in a very large home. There were many beautiful rooms and friends and family often came to visit. The confusing part for me was that each time I had this dream, no matter what the house looked like, there were always rooms with locked doors and no one was allowed to enter them. After many repetitions of this dream, I began praying about its meaing. Finally the Lord revealed to me that this large home was like my heart. He lived in my heart, but that I kept many rooms locked away from His presence. Areas of my life where I didn't trust Him enough to know what was best. A room that was filled with pride that ...
This Is The Day
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 I am sitting in my office gazing out at yet another cold rainy day in the Midwest. I have a full day of writing ahead of me leaving me little time to play. One of my assignments for today is writing a post for the Woman's Day Happiness Blog, and truthfully, my level of happiness is feeling a little less than inspiring at the moment. Wait a minute! It's not about me. It's not about the weather. It's not about my circumstances. Let's take a look at a few more verses from Psalm 118. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever." In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and He answered by setting me free. The ...
What God Wants
Israel, what does the Lord your God want you to do? He wants you to fear Him, follow all His directions, love Him, and worship Him with all your heart and with all your soul. The Lord wants you to obey His commands and laws that I'm giving you today for your own good. Deauteronomy 10:12-13 (GW) Have you ever wondered, what does God want from me? He doesn't need anything. What does He want? The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— Psalm 138:8 The Life Application Bible Notes for Deuteronomy 10:12-13 read as follows: Often we ask, "What does God expect of me?" Here Moses gives a summary that is ismple in form and easy to remember. Here are the essentials: 1. Fear God (have respect for Him). 2. Walk in all His ...
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Genny Heikka
Managing EditorGenny started her career life thinking that the business world was where she wanted to be. But after her daughter was born and she began reading books to her, she realized that what she really wanted to do was be a writer...
