Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Go

He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.
— John 4:3–4

Dear Friend:

Do you feel alone? Do you feel surrounded by uncaring people? Do you feel as if the world is ending? Do you wonder if God will never forgive you for your sin?

My message to you today is short and simple. The women at the well in the worlds eyes deserved nothing. She had many divorces and in fact when she met Jesus she was living with a man. Jesus took a path from Judea and went out of his way to go to Samaria. Samaria is a place where Jews were not to go and if they did they were not to speak to Samarians’. Jesus defied law and taught what he wants each of us to get and that is to “GO” and forgive, repair and touch people’s lives. Those around us need a gentle kind word daily.

I had a talk with a 20 something boy and he began to open up to me and tell me the things he has done. He admitted to drug abuse, going to jail, and dropping out of High School. He told me he has had trouble getting a job because of his long hair, piercings, and tattoos. He regrets it! What is he suppose to do? He wanted life to be better. He doesn’t know what made him open up to me but he was at a crossroad with a choice to continue doing life his way or go on a new path, Jesus way.
He miraculously listened as I told Him God’s plan for his life. My final words to him were “if your sitting in bed at night take the time to remember you’re at a crossroad and if you chose to find out about Jesus, just tell Him you want to know Him and could he show you the way.”

Let’s pray: Lord help me to be have more compassion for those around me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

God is there for you and He gives you the strength to “Go” to others in peace to love and serve.

Let’s roll,
Elaine

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Fool

Proverbs 13:20 (The Message) 20 Become wise by walking with the wise;
hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

Dear Friend:

Do you hang with people that you can be talking to, they say something and you take their word as the Gospel truth? Just when I think I am strong enough to resist others words and actions, I wrestling with “yeah but…” Rationalizing and reasoning. When the message above is so clear.

As Arnold would say in the show Diff’rent Strokes What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?"

If your views about the way you act, vote and talk come from the people you hang out with you’re in trouble.

BECOME WISE, WALK WITH THOSE WHO SEEK ME! OR JUST SEEK ME YOURSELF FOR KNOWLEDGE. –GOD-

Don’t have to say anything more about who you hang out with. God pretty much summed it up! If you are tempted from influences, take a break. Slow down, sit down, and quiet down.

Seeking wisdom,
Elaine

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Praying Privilege

Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

Dear Friend:

When someone asks you to pray, do you pray?
Do you stop and say “let’s pray right now?”As my friend sent her son off to Afghanistan today, I was reminded of our God given freedom to pray. In fact the Apostle Paul tells us to pray without ceasing.

What as privilege it is to pray for the following:

Dispel darkness
Dismiss the lies
Usher God right into the center of the controversy
Bring us joy
Give us light
Allow us to feel free
Have a sense of courage and boldness power brought forth
Renew our strength
Delight our hearts
Restore hope
Bring us back to truth
Allow us to feel loved and connected
Shine like a star
Show His glory
Rest a Sabbaths rest
Breath with contentment
How grand He is
Create a whole new feeling
Clean our slate
Wash us white as snow
Throw our concerns in the sea
Become lighter

I actually prayed over the young man leaving for oversees. I sensed God saying “He will reveal Himself in small ways and big ways. Never think of anything as a coincidence.” Guess what? As his mom stood in the airport to say good-bye the stewardess came and said “I will take good care of your boy, I’m putting Him in first class with me.” LOL! No coincidence, but an answer to prayer.
God is in the business of showing up all the time, don’t fall asleep.

Praying person,
Elaine

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Nudge

Psalm 37:5-6 (New International Version) 5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Dear Friend:

When you have things you fret about do you commit them to the Lord? I have prayed about my frets and the results were remarkable!
I am telling this story because I know there are people who fret about the same thing I was.

When my Grandma was in the nursing home and others kept saying “you should make a plan and visit your Grandma every other day.” Everyone had advice about the visits. I was fretting over the right time to go and how often could my schedule handle this etc. I finally had it with being “should” by others.

I went before the Lord and said “God you know everything, I need help to know absolutely when I need to be there for my Grandma and I will only go if I get a prompting from. Can you help me God?” Days went by with no nudge, until I got up one morning and thought “I need to go see Grandma.” I shot a prayer up to God asking “is this from you?” The nagging thought kept coming clear.
On my way to the nursing home another nagging came “stop and get her Wendy’s chili-one of her favorite food.” I had a great visit and went home. The next day I got a call to come to the home quickly because my Grandma had had a stroke. After evaluating her they found her throat to be paralyzed. After months they discovered at her age she would not be able to regain eating. I thought to myself “OMG, my Grandmas last meal was the chili.”

Why am I telling you this story? Because we have so many decisions to make these days that we fret about and don’t talk to God about them.
I read a story recently about a man who had a sick wife and she needed medicine sometimes for emergency situations at night. He could not sleep in fear that if he missed an episode she could potentially die.

He prayed and told God his story of wanting to be there for his wife and he needed God to help alert him to his wives needs. Do you know that he has story after story of how he was nagged to go administer medicine to his wife? Over and over again! How cool is our God when we just get close to Him and ask. The result, good sleep!
What do you have in your life that you don’t know how you could possibly handle on your own? I hear people who suddenly get an urge to pray for a family member or for those in the military. They find out later something did happen and the person did need prayer. Yes! God is good!

Think about where you should turn first not last!

Let’s pray: Father in heaven I turn to you first not last! Continue to help me to hear your nudge and trust and act on it! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Thankful for God’s nudge,
Elaine

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Currency Earned

I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. John 16:33

Dear Friend:

Text from Elaine:
Feeling broke today? Maybe financially or heart ache?
Sent ok.


Text message from friend:
Hduk?
(how did u know?)
Sent ok

Text message from Elaine:
I feel that way sometimes too!
Sent ok

Text message from friend:
Idk what to do?
Sent ok

Text message Elaine:
Give it to God
Sent ok

Text message Elaine:
It’s like currency is earned from our brokenness
Sent ok

Text from God:
Trust me, good texting.
Sent ok

Texting God:
Don’t know everything. But I want to trust you. Help me.
Sent ok


Text from God:
Be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace.
Sent ok

Message well received,
Elaine

Friday, October 1, 2010

Macro Skies

Psalm 8 3-4 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?
9 GOD, brilliant Lord, your name echoes around the world.

Dear Friend:

Every time I look at a God’s word this week I am brought to verses that praise, honor and worship our Lord. I write this small message to you today as I read this verse and ask you to consider to just read the words above. You know what macro-skies look like! When our city looks as if it is drowning in pink clouds. It is so amazing!

Why does God bother with us? Why take a second look our way? You know the answer to this, He loves you. If you don’t get that, you need too! He loves you! Our response off our lips is praise - God, brilliant Lord, your name echoes around the world.
Let’s pray: Father in heave praise, honor and glory to you! In Jesus name. Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
Elaine