~Standing on the Promises of God~

2 Peter 1:4

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises...

Who is Jesus to you?

At Sunday School there was a piece of paper taped to the pulpit asking who Jesus was to you. Of course, everyone had there own answers and they were all right. He is my Savior. He is my friend. He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

I just kept repeating in my mind what He is to me (and I ended up sharing some of it). First and foremost Jesus is my Savior and he is crazy about me. And the Bible tells me everything else He is to me. It is full of His promises. But I find the longer I serve him the more he really becomes those things to me. Those separate things have much greater meaning along this journey. When I feel lost, HE IS MY ROAD MAP. When I feel like I cannot go on, HE IS MY STRENGTH. When everything around me seems to be in an uproar or when I am afraid, HE IS MY PEACE. When my youngest son couldn't lift his arm all the way, HE BECAME MY HEALER. When I need a place to hide from the storms of life, HE IS MY HIDING PLACE. When I allowed him to be the love of my life, love took a whole new meaning. HE IS THE FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES and I just can't keep it to myself. He is JESUS, nothing and no one else compares. I call Him Jesus, Healer, Righteous, Faithful, my Savior, Holy, Prince of Peace and he is my best friend! Jesus is the reason I have hope. Who is Jesus to you?

What's Wrong With Living Right?

I heard this song online the other day and it really ministered to me. It is so true.
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Living in a cold dark world, evolution is taught by man

They took prayer out of school and violence filled our land

They ordered the 10 commandments to be removed from their sight

But one question I'd like to ask them, What's wrong with living right?

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What's wrong with living right? Can any body tell me?

I'm doing what I know to do. I'm following Jesus. He is the way, the truth.

I'm not going where I shouldn't go. I'm serving Jesus with all my might.

Can anybody tell me- What's wrong with living right.

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You may think I'm strange, for living the way I do.

Different from this world, out of step. Oh, how true.

Call me crazy or insane, even tell me I'm not right.

But one question I'd like to ask you- What's wrong with living right?

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What's wrong with living right? Can anybody tell me?

I'm doing what I know to do. I'm following Jesus. He is the way, the truth.

I'm not going where I shouldn't go. I'm serving Jesus with all my might

Can anybody tell me- What's wrong with living right?

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~~~

While the majority are going with the flow, letting anything go and calling it ok. There is still a church who is not wavering. A church that is standing for what is right and doing what is right. Our first love is Jesus and we are crazy about Him. We are living our life for Him the best we know how and seeking for what else we need to do to be more like Him. Our desire is to draw closer to Jesus. It doesn't have to make sense to everyone, it works for us. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is our life.

There is nothing wrong with living right. As a matter of fact, it is the only way to really live. It is a great life without guilt and shame. Living right and having Jesus brings joy to your life and a promise of eternal life when this life is over. No matter what trials or struggles this life brings, you have a Savior to hold your hand and give you a strength you never thought possible. Jesus can be the song that you sing. Let Him be your life!

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Isaiah 51:6 - Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

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Romans 6:6 - Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

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2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

~God's Grace~

One of Dad's favorite songs has these words: His grace and mercy has brought me through. I'm living this moment because of you. I want to thank you and praise you too. For your grace and mercy has brought me through.

I have been thinking a lot about God grace the last week. Grace is God's free, unmerited, undeserved love and favor for each and every one of us. It is there for us, all we have to do is ask.

The other evening it was snowing and I actually got to take a nap because my husband was home and 2 of the boys were napping. I had one of those dreams that I would have loved to just kept sleeping so it would last longer. I was dreaming that I was in a church service, dad was preaching and had asked for the church to come to the front and no one moved at first. Then he begged saying, 'Please don't make me ask again. Come on.' It was like I couldn't get there fast enough and right when I walked by Dad the power of God fell on me and on Dad at the same time, it was awesome. Words can't describe it. Right after that I woke up and I was humming a song that I only knew 2 words of, so I had to look it up. This is the song:

I was in prison, locked up in chains

sin held me captive to sorrow and pain,

years of frustrations as love passed me by

Until the Master heard my hearts cry

For grace marvelous grace,

I needed grace to pardon and make me whole

grace marvelous grace flows from above

with infinite love marvelous grace

I was downhearted I was broken inside

praying for mercy with no where to hide,

there was a solace searching for me

grace ever flowing that set my soul free

For grace marvelous grace

I needed grace to pardon and make me whole

grace marvelous grace flows from above

with infinite love marvelous grace

I am forgiven

I am redeemed

A brand new creation

He saved me and gave me a reason to sing

Grace, Grace God's Grace grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, Grace God's Grace grace that is greater than all our sins

For Grace marvelous grace flows from above with infinite love Marvelous Grace

~~~

John 1:10-17

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.