Mystery or Creativity - Guest Post

WE ARE EXHORTED TO REJOICE ALWAYS, IN EVERYTHING ...THIS IS POSSIBLE, ONCE WE UNDERSTAND GOD'S HEART AND PURPOSE FOR US...
HE IS NEITHER MAD AT, NOR PUNISHING US...OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NEITHER KARMA OR CHANCE...THEY ARE NEITHER FOR OUR PUNISHMENT OR DESTRUCTION ...SEEING GOD'S HAND IN EVERYTHING, EVEN TRAGEDY AND SORRY HE WILL REDEEM, BRINGING BEAUTY FROM ASHES,TRULY CAUSING EVERYTHING ...EVERYTHING ...TO WORK FOR OUR GOOD AND HIS GLORY, IN HIS DIVINE PLAN, FOR HIS PURPOSES, IN HIS UNFAILING LOVE FOR US

FATHER IN HEAVEN, KING AND CREATOR OF ALL THINGS,OPEN THE EYES OF OUR HEART,THAT WE MAY KNOW YOUR TENDER LOVE FOR US,THAT WE MAY SEE YOUR HAND IN EVERYTHING, THAT WE MAY TRUST IN YOU,NO MATTER WHAT,THAT WE MAY KNOW, AND BELIEVE THAT YOU DELIGHT YOURSELF IN US AND TRULY DO HAVE GOOD FOR US,PLANS THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN OR TAKEN,FOR YOU ARE GREATER THAN ALL, AND NONE CAN CHANGE WHAT YOU HAVE PURPOSED IN YOUR HEART FOR US...WE LOVE YOU AND PRAISE YOU AND REJOICE IN YOU,IN YOUR HOLY SPIRIT YOU HAVE GIVEN US,THAT OUR NAMES ARE IN YOUR BOOK OF LIFE!!!!!!!! IN JESUS NAME AND AUTHORITY    AMEN!!!!!!!!                                      - Norm Bennett

Today is a wonderful day to give thanks a praise our Lord God Father of Jesus Christ. God's blessing are pooring over all of you. Let God take all of your worries and transform them to victories. May God take all of your illnesses and make you healthy. May God take all of your sadnesses and make you and all of those you love and love you JOYOUS!!            - Antonio Dipino

What is our everyday strategy? Give thanks unto the lord

In the silent times, seek God

In the painful times, praise God

In the terrible times, trust God

At all times, thank God!            - Ann Voskamp, Canada

 

Today's Creation Moment - Reversible Wings: Mystery or Creativity?

Isaiah 31:5 "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver [it; and] passing over he will preserve it."

Sometimes incredible wonders pass right before our eyes, but we are not equipped to see them. Take the hummingbird, for an example.

Did you know that like the woodpecker, the hummingbird has a tongue that wraps all the way around its head just under the skin? This feature is not really evident when you look at the hummingbird. Nor is the wonderful way in which its wings move, so that it can hover, fly forwards or fly backwards.

High-speed photography has revealed some amazing secrets about the hummingbird's wings that cannot be noticed by the eye. All birds, except the hummingbird, move their wings at the shoulder, elbow and wrist. Only the hummingbird is capable of turning his wings upside down, so that when he hovers, both strokes of his wings beat the air in order to support him. This demonstrates that the hummingbird is not a modification of the general bird design – as evolutionists tell us. Rather, the hummingbird was created with unique features that enable it to make its living.

Likewise, when God tells us that He cares for those who are His through faith in Christ's saving work, we don't always see exactly how He is caring for us. But like the virtually invisible features of the hummingbird, His care is nevertheless there.

Prayer: Father in heaven, I thank You that You have made me Your own child through Jesus Christ. Help me to believe what You tell me in Your Word, even if I cannot see it all for myself. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Tale of the Hummingbird

A top highlight of summer is the hummingbirds - darting here and there, feeding and hiding. Forwards, backwards, upside down, vertically, and just plain hovering. I love the marvelous little flying miracles.

A righteous man regards the life of his animal…  Proverbs 12:10

One warm, sunny day, I spent all afternoon and into the evening helping a neighbor get his potatoes planted. I finally returned home as the sun was setting…it was getting dark and it was getting cool.
Inside, I was surprised to discover I had a visitor in the grand piano room – one of my hummingbirds! When i entered the room, he flew frantically all around the ceiling looking for an opening, and finally perched on the exposed wire that hangs from the high ceiling, running to a hanging lamp.

What did i do? I did the only thing I knew to do – I Immediately spoke with our loving heavenly Father - 'Father - what can i do to help this bird? i need wisdom; I need Your help.'

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally…  James 1:5

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.   Job 12:10

Then I spoke softly to my visitor 'hello....i want to help you.'

At once, the hummingbird flew off his perch near the ceiling and landed on the grand piano, a step away from me. Astonished, I took a half step and calmly spoke to him again - 'I'm not gonna hurt you...but I am gonna reach out and put you in my hand so I can take you outside.'

A few seconds later, i reached out and softly closed my right hand around the bird. My visitor gave no resistance. I walked him outside and set him on the deck railing. A few seconds later, as if nothing much had happened, the hummingbird casually flew up to a branch in a tree about 15 feet above the ground…and for several moments looked back at me, as if in appreciation. Then he flew away to resume his usual life with the dozens and dozens of other hummingbirds.

Who among does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? Job 12:9

This wonderful incident lasted less than 60 seconds; the memory will last a lifetime.

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.  Luke 12:6

Aren't these stories wonderful?

Once again, my friend ST Mann has enchanted and mesmerized us with his special words and phrases.

God Has a Blessing For You

Do you have a dream? Have you prayed to God for special gifts or a particular blessing?

We all have dreams and we all have desires. There is that one thing we really want and we pray to God to give it to us. 

It could be a child. A new job. A promotion. A man in our life. That pretty pair of shoes you saw at Macy's. Whatever it is. It's something special to you.

Do you remember the story of Sarah, Abraham's wife? When she reached her 90th birthday, she was still childless. I'm sure she prayed all the time for God to bless her with a child. Don't you think? Every day. Every night. Every week. Every month. All of those years, praying. Even so, do you think she got tired of praying for something she didn't think would ever happen?

When Abraham was 75 and Sarah was 65, God promised him a son. Even so, nothing happened. For years, nothing happened. No child ever came. So, Sarah tried to take matters into her own hands and make God's promise happen by having Abraham have a child with her maidservant, Hagar. They were trying to fulfill God's promise by human means, rather than spiritual means.

However, God rejected Hagar's son, and continued to promise Abraham that he'd have a son of his own through Sarah. 

Wasn't Sarah surprised when she found out she was with child! What a blessing from God. She praised God, worshipped him, and Abraham made great offerings to God. 

Think about this. Instead of asking God for the blessing you desire, give God the opportunity to bless you the way He wants to.

Your blessing may not be for a longed-for child, but if like Sarah, you look to the Lord, His blessing will come. And it will bless you in the unique way only the God of grace can imagine.

Be patient. Pray for your blessing from God. 

Let Him do the rest.

Image credit: Novic / 123RF Stock Photo

Worship Begins with God

"Build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool upon them. Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God." - Deuteronomy 27:5-7

Altars have a very prominent place in God's word and our history as a people. Altars were the place to meet God and be changed.

The above passage from Deuteronomy shows us how God commanded the people to build the altar of undressed stone. The people used the rocks from the fields and around the mountains. It was with this simple beauty that became the frame for the majesty of God. In the unworked quality of the stones, the people were reminded that God is the one shaping them into His image.

Can you define worship?

Worship is a hard word to define. We want to define it by what we do. But, that's not the true meaning of worship.

Worship begins with God.

Worship begins with an awareness of God's presence. Open your eyes and hearts to the truth that we are entering the presence of God.

In worship, we meet God. It is the place where we come heart-to-heart with our Savior.

How do you worship?

Do you expect to be changed when you worship God?

I do.

I listen for God's voice, His guidance, and how He fills my heart with love.

Every time we worship, we should expect to walk out difference from how we arrived. Every time.

Are you willing to be changed?

I am.

Surrender is the deep call of worship. Meeting God and understanding that it is His desire to transform who we are in these moments of praise requires that we be prepared to let Him change us.

The more we look like Jesus, the richer our worship experience can become.

Why is it necessary to make a commitment to surrender as you come to worship?

I know. For me, it is to be transformed by God to look more like Jesus. And to always put His will above my own.

Worship opens our eyes to who God is. Worship opens our eyes to who we are. Each worship experience offers us the opportunity to be open to God and be willing to change.

Worship allows us to experience God's grace. The grace that He offers us has the power to transform everything about today.

Have you ever been changed by a worship experience?

Worship empowers us to surrender. Surrender is the key that opens the door to transformation. Can you surrender to God?

Worship is meant to be transformative. The opportunity to be changed is available each time we come into God's presence.

Why do you worship?

I worship to glorify God, praise Him, receive guidance, ask for His love and grace by making me a better person.

God commands us to worship.

Worship Him today and be transformed. You won't regret it.

Reference: Living Stones by Casandra Martin

Image credit: drizzd / 123RF Stock Photo