Author Archives: Marie

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About Marie

Happily married to the same awesome guy for many years. Love God, reading, cats, and travel. Avid crafter especially counted cross stitch and crochet.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

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Nativity

Nativity (Photo credit: sbrent)

Over the nexts several weeks I will be using Christmas Carols and Songs to guide us to the day we celebrate His birth. Many years have passed since I learned this first song.  It’s haunting melody and ‘prayer words’ just have a way of sticking with me.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransome captive Israel, that morns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here:  Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things, far and nigh;  To us the path of knowledge show, and cause us in her ways to go.

O come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind;  Bid envy strife, and quarrels cease;  Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

As I read these words once again, and let the melody take me into my thoughts I wondered are we not still captive Israel?  Black Friday just broke sales records – a kind of captivity to buy stuff.   (I’ll chase a bunny here – – Isn’t it interesting that we live in a country that sets aside a day to spend more money than we really have buying things we think are right for a few people we may not even like.  Hm-m-m-m-m-m…)  Overweight/obesity/type 2 diabetes –captivity to food.   Pornography, adultery, homosexuality – – captivity to immorality.  Credit card debt, high mortgage payments, expensive cars, clothes, jewelry, furniture…..the list goes on and on and on.  We are captive to anything or anyone that are replacements for God. 

The Bible clearly tells us Emanuel means God (is) with us. Matthew 1:23  He knows what we are doing within our captivity to other stuff, we are trying to replace Him with something else.  He alone is ALL we need, have needed, and will need. 

Dear friends let our prayers be this from the 3rd verse of the song:

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things, far and nigh;  To us the path of knowledge show, and cause us in her ways to go.  Father, in heaven, open our ears and minds to Your guidance throughout this season.  Make it so Lord!

We Are Made To Worship

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Worship is built into the fabric of our souls.  When we have something good happen we shout it out, we talk about it with friends and family, we lift our hands to heaven.

Worship is woven into the Story from the beginning of the Word in Genesis through Revelation.  Let’s take a look at a few examples:

Genesis 12:8    Abram builds a personal altar to worship the One and Only

Psalms   The entire book is about a life of worship.  Through prayer and praise the psalmists lift their personal life to the Throne.

Luke 2:36-37   Anna has been a widow for many years.  Day and night, year after year, she fasts and prays, lifting praise to the LORD.

Revelation 7:11-12   This beautiful, dramatic scene gives us a picture of heavenly worship.  It’s ALL about God!

Worship can be loud.  It can be soft.  Worship can be with others or all alone.  It can be in a church, in a car, at the kitchen table or sitting on the porch swing in the mountains.  No matter where we are we are made to and for worship.

Ah, Lord, God, You alone are worthy of all my worship and praise.  You alone created the beauty around me, the people I share this life with, the stuff You have blessed me with.  Oh, Lord, make me so aware of Your bountiful blessings that all I can do is worship You.  Make it so!

Pleasing God (part 3)

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English: Icon of Jesus Christ

English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As we continue through Hebrews 13, we will find there are only a few more suggested ways to please God.  Verse 9 says, “Do not let all kinds of strange teachings lead you from the right way.”   What are strange teachings?  Anything that takes away from the 3 basic commands of the New Testament…Love God, love others, and tell the world.  Pretty simple isn’t it?  When a religion determines to attach  man-made rules to the Word it falls under the heading of ‘strange teachings’.  Paul uses the example of dietary practices.  He says those who follow these ‘teachings’ have not been helped.  Why?  Because it replaces what we should be thinking on (Philippians 4:8) with the voices of the world.

The next word we receive on this issue is–ALWAYS offer praise!  What is praise?  It is the sacrifice offered with our lips through Jesus.  We are proclaiming Him as Lord and through that God as the One and Only. 

Two other sacrifices are mentioned here.  We are to do good and help one another.  These are listed as sacrifices because it is not in our sinful nature to want to do these.  Well, whether we want to or not is really not the point.  We are simply to do it, to make these part of our life skills.  Imagine a world where an attitude of what’s in it for me is replaced with the constant thought of what can I do for you.

And finally, we are told to obey our leaders and follow their orders.  Oh, my, really, do I have to?  These types of commands are put in the Bible because God knows us.  He knows that we would rather do it our way, than let someone else tell us what to do.  Our leaders, both in the church and in the world at large have been placed in that position by God, for a specific purpose.  Both have the same type of protection for their followers, constituents on their shoulders.  When rules are made, they are often because the one in charge, chosen by God, knows we will be protected by it.  Jesus tells us to ‘give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s.  That is not only about taxes it is about remembering who’s in charge and honoring that person.  So the next time a speeding ticket is issued just remember the rule was there for our protections.

My prayer, in the words of Paul (verse 21):

May the God of peace provide you with every good thing you need in order to do his will, and may He, through Jesus Christ, do in us what pleases Him.  And to Christ be the glory forever and ever!  Amen.  (Today’s English Version)

Pleasing Who? Pt. 2

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Sometimes the things I write have a way of going full circle.  At Tuesday morning’s Bible Study a friend came to me with a piece of paper and said if I was really serious about my comments in Part 1 here is how I could follow through.  On this paper was the address of the prison closest to us.  He explained how to use their website to find those from our area.  Now I can write them notes of encouragement and I am excited about doing that.  Thank you friend!!!

The next way to please God is Hebrews 13:3b.  It tells us to remember those who are suffering.  Not just in our thoughts but as though we were right there with them going through what they are.  I think the reason for the admonition is we have a tendency to say things like, ‘I know what you’re going through’ or ‘a friend had the same thing happen’ or …  Friends I don’t care if the exact thing happened to me it doesn’t make it easier for the one suffering.  I’ve found that my presence, a hug, words that say I love you, I care about you, tell me what I can do, are much more supportive.

I think I could do a year’s worth of blogs on this next one.  MARRIAGE IS TO BE HONORED BY ALL.  Faithfulness to our spouse shows the world who and whose we are.  Immorality and adultery will be judged by God.  40 years of marriage to one person has taught me a lot.  Ray is my lover, my counselor, my confidant, my helper, my supporter, my friend…and I am his.  We are man and woman together and that’s how God intended it to be.  We honor God by not only honoring one another but honoring the marriages of those around us.

Do not love money!!!  Be satisfied with what you have!  God is not saying we can’t be rich or not have possessions.  He is saying anytime, anything becomes more important to you than HIM it becomes your god.  You can have no other gods.  We are to be satisfied with Him, in Him, and through Him.

Ah, Lord, God, mighty and powerful, You are my One and Only!  Thank You for the privilege of teaching Your word.  Help us desire above all to be more and more like You.  Let our words, our lives, our actions be pleasing to You.  I lift this prayer in the Precious Name of my Jesus.  Make it so!

What if….

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What if, when you woke up this morning, all you had was what you thanked God for yesterday?  Would that change how you communicate with God?  That profound question was another step in the journey God has taken me on to developing a more thankful heart and attitude.

It all started when I was made aware of a book called “One Thousand Gifts”.  This book tells the story of a woman’s journey from an unthinkable incident that colored her whole life to a thankful heart and soul.  As a result I added the ‘gifts’ page to this blog.

Prayer is necessary to a productive Kingdom life.  Since I find it difficult to stay focused I write my prayers and use a model called ACTS.  The A is for Acclamation (praise).  C for contrition (remorse for sins).  T for thanksgiving.  S for supplication (requests).  Because I truly want to develop a thankful heart I include at least five thank-praises for what my One and Only has done or given.

It is mandated in the Word to give thanks!  Take a look at these scriptures and pictures…

I Chronicles 16:34  Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.

I Corinthians 15:57  Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A fond memory of my dad holding his first grandchild.

Philippians 1:3  I give thanks to my God upon every remembrance of you.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18  Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ah, Lord, God, how can I say thanks…You have given me life, joy, hope, a future, family, friends, music, cats, a believing husband…What more can I say than thanks!!!!!!