No One Is More Important Than Jesus

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Marie

These words of Oswald Chambers had a profound effect on me the first (and every) time I read them. I have many friends who mean much to me but not as much as my Jesus. I have a loving family whom I adore but they don’t mean as much to me as my Jesus. I have a church family that I think the world of but they don’t mean as much to me as Jesus. God gave me the most awesome man on earth as a helpmate, but Jesus surpasses the love he has for me. (Yes, he’s comfortable with that because he also knows that Jesus’ love for him is greater than mine.) There is no one in this world greater than my Jesus!

Our soul’s history with God is frequently the history of the “passing of the hero.” Over and over again God has to remove our friends in order to bring Himself in their place, and that is where we faint and fail and get discouraged. Take it personally: In the year that the one who stood to me for all that God was, died–I gave up everything? I became ill? I got disheartened? Or–I saw the LORD?

It must be God first, God second, and God third, until the life is faced steadily with God and no one else is of any account whatever. “In all the world there is none but Thee, my God, there is none but Thee.” Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest (Westwood, NJ; Barbour and Company, Incl, 1935), 195.

I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Mark of Distinction Book Review

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Marie

As many of you know, I love to read and from time to time post book reviews for various publishers. The review you are about to read is my thoughts and opinions of the book. I hope you enjoy it. Marie

Mark of Distinction by Jessica Dotta is Book 2 of the Price of Privilege Trilogy. Set in Victorian England, it gives the reader a glimpse of what it was like to live in that time period. The reader becomes part of the wealthy world of the aristocrats (balls, soirees, opera, the Court, servants) while being constantly aware of the poverty, filth, and crime of the streets of London.

This delightful story is based on the age-old theme of right vs. wrong. The battle of what one knows to be the right choice vs. what anyone/everyone else wants.

As the main character, Julia Eliston Pierson, recalls the 8 months of her life that frame this story. The reader is drawn into a world of politics, intrigue, and the societal values of the age. At the tender age of 18, upon the death (murder?) of her mother, after what seems to be a questionable marriage to a dashing rogue named Mr. Macy, she seeks refuge with Lord Pierson. He recognizes her as his daughter and creates a plan that will allow her to quickly become the darling of London society, the Emerald Heiress. The plan includes his desire for her to marry his adopted son, Lord Dalry, but is she really married to Mr. Macy?

Woven throughout the story is another character named Edward. At the point of this story he is a ‘pastor’. One must realize that Julia’s step-father was an atheist and she was raised as such. As the story unfolds, she becomes the possessor of Edward’s Bible and the notes he has written in it. Since she is searching for answers about her life she reads it and as a result becomes a believer in a touching, staircase scene, with Lord Dalry. Of course, that sets her mind rolling with more questions. Should she marry Lord Dalry? Why is she kept in nearly constant seclusion? Why is her father such a controlling monster?

Let me say at this point that it might be good to read Book 1 of the Trilogy first (Born of Persuasion). Without the knowledge of the first book some of the story line became quite confusing. However, even though I did not read the first book, Mark of Distinction, stands well on its own.

I highly recommend this book! It is well written, accurate in its representation of what Victorian society must have been like, and does not assault the senses with unnecessary violence or intimate life details.

A copy of the book was provided for me by Tyndale House Publishers for the sole purpose of reviewing it. The above review is my honest opinion of the book. Should you desire to purchase the book just click on the bold title and it will take you to amazon.com (I receive no compensation from either company for your purchase!)

A Satisfied Spirit is Persistent

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Marie

Do you find yourself annoyed at those who ask for the same thing over and over? Well yes, we all do. Jesus used this very human characteristic in the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) to show us a picture of prayer.

It sometimes appears that the Widow was using the old adage-the squeaking wheel gets the grease-to her advantage. Meaning the one who complains the longest and loudest gets what they want. That wasn’t Jesus’ intent. If you look closely at verse 1 Jesus says (my words) pray, pray, pray. Although the widow knew the only way to get the desired result was to seek justice, she also knew she needed God to lend a hand. She was persistent in her quest.

In 1 Corinthians 15:58 Paul tells us to stand firm and let nothing move us in our work for the Lord. This kind of persistence leads to having no doubt that our work for the Lord matters.

Galatians 6:9 says do not become weary in doing good. We are to be persistent in every opportunity to be the ‘light in the darkness’ to both those who believe and those who don’t.

If Paul McCartney had not persisted we might have a song called “Scrambled Eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs”. Instead through rewrite after rewrite. We got, “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away”. “Yesterday” has been played on the radio more than 6 million times, more than any other record in history. It is also McCartney’s favorite song.

The difference between failure and success-between the widow and the judge-between “Yesterday” and “Scrambled Eggs”- is persistence.

Heavenly Father, let us persist in all the ways that will show the world that You will always answer. Let others see Jesus in us. Make it so!

God’s Beautiful Woman of Strength…..

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Marie

My dear Aussie frind Anne write beautifully about the woman God uses to inspire the world around her, modeling only that beauty that comes from a true relationship with her Lord.

Freedomborn

We wanted today to share an uplifting message for Woman who seek to live faithfully and in obedience to God, who care for their families and show Love, Kindness and Compassion to others, who offer Hospitality and support to those in need. You are in no way inferior to Men or other Woman in prominent positions and in terms of your worth, you are indeed God’s Beautiful Woman of Strength and cherished by Him, your value beyond earthly reckoning.

Your Beauty is also shown in your focus and integrity and your acceptance of God’s chosen role for you as your Husbands Helpmates and for seeking to encourage and help other Men that God has placed in Authority over you in the Church or Christian Ministries, respecting them as their Brothers in the Body of Christ and in their Leadership position.

You are to be commended for the inward Beauty you…

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Sunday’s Coming!

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Marie

While studying for a class I was teaching I came across this sermon. It was written by S.M. Lockwood. This is not the whole thing but just a part. I hope you’ll take the time to read and reflect and allow it to precede your joyous worship on Resurrection Sunday!

It’s Friday. But Sunday’s coming—

It was a simple sermon, starting softly, building in volume and intensity until the entire congregation was completely involved, repeating the phrases in unison. The sermon went something like this.

It’s Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday’s coming. (Luke 22:39-46)

It’s Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter’s denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming. (John 18:15-27)

It’s Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday’s coming. (Matthew 26:57-67)

It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday’s coming. (Matthew 26:67)

It’s Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday’s coming. (Matthew 27:26)

It’s Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday’s coming. (John 19:5)

It’s Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday; but Sunday’s a coming. (John 19:17)

It’s Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday; but Sunday’s coming. (John 19:16-18)

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry. But Sunday’s coming. (Matthew 27:46)

It’s Friday. And at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s coming. (Mark 15:38)

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it, but Sunday’s a coming.

And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.

Luke 24:1-8

Now it’s Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn’t the only thing that was shaking because now it’s Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it’s Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it’s Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.

It’s Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It’s Sunday. And now everything has changed. It’s the age of grace, God’s grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it’s Sunday.

– See more at: http://apologetica.us/2009/04/10/its-friday-but-sundays-coming-2/#sthash.Wo85rKBg.dpuf

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