What Would it Take? Pt 1

For those of you who love Jesus and know that God is good, I'd like to propose a question that's been on my heart a while.

"What would it take for you to no longer believe that God is good?"

Would it be some deep tragedy or loss? Only God know I guess, but it IS worth pondering. Would it be bankruptcy? Divorce? Serious illness? Rebellion of your child/teen?

I know we all go through deep dark valleys but if we knew God was good on the mountain, how can he not be good in the valley. Changing where we are does not change who or what He is!

Where do you look for answers?

Life is always hard for some, but others kind of float merrily along without a care in the world. Though, for most of us, that season doesn't last too long. Then we find our selves running head long into something huge we've no idea what do do about. At that point we have a few choices.

We can:

1. panic
   
2. get depressed and think life is over
   
3. we can start looking for answers.

If you are smart, 3 will be your choice.

But the first question is: Where do you look for answers? Seriously, when you have a big problem, where do you turn? Many popular choices are:

1. Doctors
2. Books
3. Pastor/Priest
4. Best Friend
5. Fortune Tellers
6. Search the Internet

But often we leave one till the very last when everything else has failed us.

God......

Can you imagine with me for a moment? Pretend you're a devoted parent and your child has a big problem. And maybe by accident or unintended by that child, you discover the suffering your child has gone through. Perhaps your imaginary child needs something that is astronomical to them, but may be simple. for you to fix for them. Maybe they've wasted huge amounts of time and energy fretting, worrying and trying to change things until they give up. But if they had only come to you...if they'd just realized how deep your love went...if only they'd known that you desire to help them and deliver them from suffering.... But not until they've tried everything...exhausted all energy and known resources, they finally humble themselves and come to you.

If this scenario were real, and perhaps it IS real for some of my readers, wouldn't your heart just break? How much anguish you could've spared this precious child!! But they would not let you, or perhaps they didn't trust you. Maybe they were to "grown" too proud and independent! Wanting to "make it on their own!"

For whatever reason, in our story, they didn't turn to you, even though you were willing and able to give them exactly what they needed. Perhaps you'd been down the road they were going and all they really needed was a guide. But no. Not until the value of everything else out there was totally lost to them.

Have you been there? Has your child done this to you? Has he/she shut you out when you knew they were grieving? Did it break your heart? Maybe you did this to your parent. Thinking they couldn't possibly understand. Maybe you thought times were just too different now for them to relate. Then you had your own children. Then your heart longed to be a part of their world...but they would not.

Would you consider for a moment that this story replays itself more than a million times every single day? Maybe not in a physical family, though it IS far too common, but in a spiritual sense.

Many of you reading this maybe find your self in a spot you could've never foreseen and have no idea how to get out of. Maybe you've never even pondered the existence of God. Perhaps you've been taught He's either a myth, or maybe whatever you choose Him to be. Some say God is in everything, or maybe even IS everything.

Let's go back to our story for a moment. Could you put yourself in the place of that child? Just what if God is a Father who loves His child and has all power and recourses at His disposal. But there's only one problem. He only goes where He's invited.

What if.....

Just a thought. What if there IS an answer...what if there IS someone who can help you? What if you look every where ELSE except where your answer really is?

But just maybe you're a bit like me...you believe in God and His Father's Heart, but easily distracted by every day life. I'm the one at the top of this post. Looking to Drs, Books, Internet, Friends... Have you ever heard this phrase, "Now all we can do is pray." As if that's the last resort!

If God loves us as much as the Bible says He does, how His heart must break when we waste so much time, energy and grief looking everywhere but His Heart for what can really help us. Why do we wait 'till the very last to do what we should have done first?

Tonight as this realization hit me, my heart was overwhelmed with the grief that must be in my Father's Heart when I wear myself out and become hopeless. Its as if I've forgotten all the times He's been there and helped me all my life. (see: Time to Remember Pt 2) Yet when my husband's ill, what do I do? I talk to friends. I search Internet info on meds. I order herbs on-line. Not until nothing seems to work and hubby's still suffering I realize what I've done...again.

The tears began to flow as I cried out to my Father...in my heart falling at His feet...feeling the pain of His discounted heart...again. Why have I put Him last? Why have I not called on Him first? We might have had the answer long ago.

Where will YOU go for answers?

Faith...

Faith is like radar. It always sees through the storm. There's no such thing as "blind faith." Whether faith in God's Word, or faith in evil. (Faith in evil is Fear.) Faith sees and knows. "...faith is... the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Faith works by Love. The victory that overcomes the world is our faith.

Love,
Rebecca Thames
-----------------------
Overcome Bias In Popular Media
Be Heard!
http://www.pyrabang.com/go/jclight

What's Up With Christmas?

This time of year can become so ovewhelming to some people. Some of you may be SO busy it's just not any fun anymore. Some may love the hustle and bustle of decorating, shopping for gifts and parties, etc... But some of you don't have much going on. You listen to all your friends or associates talk of plans with their friends, or going home for Christmas to be with their families.

Some of you are alone. Maybe you lost a loved one. Maybe there was a divorce. Maybe your parents got a new job and you had to move away from dear friends. Maybe family members moved away and you can't travel to them. Either way, Christmas just isn't the same. Maybe you just wonder what all the fuss is about and can't wait till things just get back to "normal," or what's normal for you. Maybe you're just tired of it.

I almost let myself get caught up in that mindset this year. My parents are both gone. My sister's over 500 mi. away with no intention of coming home. Her 'kids' have their own families. My health has been bad, so I can't travel. Oh, yeah...I could have had lots of reasons to be sad. But ya know...I'm not! The reason why might surprise you. Read on... :-)

The reason is the same reason Christmas started to begin with! No. Its not Santa. Though St. Nicholas was a pretty cool guy, so I've heard. But, I've also heard that he gave the way he did, for the same reason I've decided to have a great Christmas!

You may have all heard the saying, "Jesus Is the Reason for the Season." But do you know why?? It's so amazing!

Yeah, I know. There's zillions of different religions out there and they've all got their own story. But consider this one for at least a moment...

God makes a planet with all these beautiful plants, animals, and His most glorious creation, people on it. Then the people get in trouble.

They're hurting, scared, and He sees their lives are so far away from the blessings and fellowship that He intended for them to experience. He loves them SO much! He's GOT to do something to help them! But what? He's this great big powerful God! He tried just talking to them on a mountain once, but just the sound of His Voice scared them SO much, they begged another man (Moses) to go up the mountain and talk for them!

So, He found a way. He decided the only way to talk them, to help, to let them know just how much He loved them, was to become one of them. To leave all the royal splendor of Heaven and be born as a Human baby...one of the most helpless of creatures. So He picked two special parents, and He came...he was born...and He grew up...facing all the junk we deal with here that never touched Him in Heaven. The Scripture says He was tested in everything that we were and that He is touched with our feelings of weakness and sickness. Just because He made us in the first place, then He came and became one of us, He knows what you're going through...and He cares!

Yes, I know. There are lots of views of who (or even what) God might be. But, honestly, I believe that this simple story has been so complicated and confused, added to and even sometimes lost under the tinsel and the bows, because it IS so simple...and so beautiful.

I guess there's something in all of us that wants to feel confidant and "make it on our own", or be "the master of our own destiny." But I can't help but wonder, if deep down, sometimes, when the room's quiet at night, you wonder if there isn't someone out there...bigger, smarter, and more powerful than you, that you can turn to. Someone who truly loves you for YOU, in spite of, and can maybe even help you with your short-comings. Maybe you seem confidant on the outside, but deep down, you wish you could do things differently....maybe you wish your life was different. Would True, unconditional Love make a difference?

If you're life is like anyone in this letter, try asking Jesus to reveal Himself to you. Just talk to Him when you're alone. Ask Him to come in and show you His Love...ask Him to change your life. He will. And just maybe, for you, this will be the Best Christmas Ever!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love

Rebecca

Was it an Upset or Are You Just Upset?

No matter who you voted for yesterday, someone is bound to be upset. What helps me is knowing that the Holy Bible tells us that the heart of the King, (or president,) is in His hands. He raises one up and causes another to fall.




In the Old Testament, He even used the evil Pharaoh of Egypt to carry out his perfect plan for his people. Not to liken our current President-elect with pharaoh, before anyone gets the wrong idea. I'm only saying that even when things look out-of-control, they are not for OUR GOD.




Continue to pray for our country. Pray for our leaders as is mandated and first Timothy chapter 2. So we may live in peace. No matter what the political climate may look like, our God is well able to get us what we need and take us where we need to go for his glory and for our good.





Be strong in the Lord, and the power of his might. Putting on all His armor and walking in the light, just as He is in the light. Praying always, with all prayer and petition letting your needs be made known to God. Don't worry or be anxious. Pray always and trust in His heart.





All the best to you and lots of love,




Rebecca

The Power of God's Grace

As I look at the moral, economic and physical condition of the world today, and as I look at the power of the Church or the lack thereof, I am concerned for us all, even more then ever before. I believe people are being overwhelmed by the forces of darkness and the Prince of evil himself and all of his little cohorts.

Many believe when things go wrong think it is only their own doing, or perhaps dumb luck or circumstances. Even people who profess to follow Jesus, sometimes think all the condemning and criticizing things inside their head are all their own idea. Or perhaps just an echo from a criticizing parent or authority figure. On the contrary, I firmly believe that these things that debilitate us and keep us locked in fear are the work of the demons... the result of one third of the Angels revolting thousands of years ago. I believe their biggest job is to cripple the Body of Christ... to make us unaware of and feel incapable of exercising the power that we have in the Name of Christ.

Demons can be powerful and often frightening, when we try to oppose them. But we must remember, there is nothing and no one stronger than the name of Jesus and the power of His Grace.

My husband says that Grace is the most powerful force in all the universe. For it is the only thing that is able, or strong enough to reunite a fallen man with his God. This grace has conquered all the powers of Hell and the devil, even death itself, to see that we can become one with our Father and our King and to dwell with Him in Heavenly places, seated beside the Majesty on High!

That is why it is said in the Book of Galatians, when the apostle cried out for relief from the thorn in his flesh...three times he besought the Lord...to which his merciful God replied, "My grace is sufficient for thee." At times we might read that and think God is saying, 'what you have is good enough, be content, quit complaining,' but in reality, that is not what He's saying at all. It took me a long time to learn this.

When He is really saying is, in the words of another author, (I wish I remembered his name,) "God's grace is sufficient for us, like the great ocean a sufficient for the fish to swim in; and like the big blue sky is sufficient for the bird to fly in." That is a little bit of a paraphrase, but I'm sure you get the message.

Is the ocean enough for the fish? Ridiculous right? Is the sky big enough for the bird? Absurd! Using that analogy, we can see just how much greater God is with his grace than anything we can ever need ask or imagine! It even says that in Ephesians"...who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above what we can ever ask or think."

Hold on to faith my brothers and sister. Hold onto the power of His grace! For His supply and His power is so much greater than whatever it is that you need. Rest in this calm assurance... your God is able to meet you right where you are and give you exactly what you need. His arm is not short, and nothing catches him by surprise.

__________________

Have a Super Day! --Rebecca

Darkness to Light - A Brief Testimony

In September of 1968, I was born with a congenital birth defect called “Brittle Bone Disease.” Over the course of my life, it has caused several hundred, or possibly a thousand fractures to my bones. This has also prevented much growth and has created the need for a wheelchair. (As you may see, I’m a little short for my age. :) Despite, or possibly through these physical challenges, the Lord has shown the power of His grace in my life in so many ways. He has proven repeatedly that nothing is too hard for Him.

Psalm 18:28 and 2 Samuel 22:29 say, “You O Lord are my Lamp, you turn my darkness to light.” It seems like no matter how dark a thing, or situation looks at the beginning, the Lord always manages to shine His Light in there somehow. When it’s over, it’s never quite as dark as it once appeared. That is if we learn to look up, instead of down, around, or behind us. Once we turn our eyes from our dark situation onto the glorious light of His Face and see the brilliance of the Love in His heart, we can never be truly lost, or covered by the darkness again. I really like the New Living Translation’s way of putting John 8:12 Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Raised by a wheelchair riding widowed mother, in a very Christian home, I witnessed first hand the awesome goodness of God and how He cares so faithfully for His children. My earthly father died when I was five. My ‘big’ sister was only seven. Shortly after his passing, I had dreams that my daddy would be alive again. These made me sad in a way, but I almost believed it would happen. After all, Jesus did it for Mary and Martha when He raised their brother Lazarus. Why not our family? Soon, I gave my life to Christ and He came in and filled me with His Spirit, though I didn’t understand that then, I felt Him in me and with me powerfully. He changed me after inviting Him in. After that, the dreams immediately stopped, Then God became my Father, in every sense of the word. However, I still had much to learn about a Father’s Love. Many times growing up, He provided in miraculous ways for the needs of our little family when there was no one else to turn to. He kept us through fire and flood. He gave us food and a place to store it. He even paid for 12 yrs of Christian school for my sister. Usually one miraculous month at a time. He truly has held to His Promise in Psalm 68:5 “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.” Made as another member of our family, Jesus truly dwelt with us. My mom had Him make all the decisions and He never let her down.

At age 18, after calling Jesus my Savior and “Best Friend” for many years, I met someone who truly knew what it meant to call Him Lord. Seeing how Jesus was everything to this person, I began to hunger for more of God in my life. That year I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and began intensive training in the “School of the Spirit.” Though there were many days that seemed dark and empty after this good friend moved away, the Lord showed the Light of His Love brighter than ever before. He came and filled in the empty places left in my heart and caused me to be able to say, “Jesus loves me” and truly believe it, for the very first time.

Through many trials and tests, over the years since then, the Lord has drawn me ever closer to Himself. Revealing His unconditional, everlasting Love for even the likes of me. For even though I was different from everyone around me, though He did not have to, He proved He loved me just the same. More than any Human ever could. Repeatedly He showed His faithfulness in ways that I could have never anticipated.

One example, despite my physical limitations, is the move into my own apartment. Many told me it would be impossible, However, what is impossible for Man is nothing for God! For five years I lived on my own, but never alone, or without Help. He taught me in my own home, just like for my mother, my help comes from the Lord. Then in 2003 He brought the greatest physical example of His Love, my dear husband Bill, in whom I’ve seen a true reflection of the Heart of Christ.

I've never seen an example of unconditional love, like I've seen in my husband. His love and compassion and selfless behavior reminds me of my Savior everyday. I can only aspire to emulate the reflection of the Lord that I see in him. Not only that, but the fact that he chose me for what was on the inside, not for how I looked. In the Scripture, it says that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart. Once again, my husband reflected the heart of God. And not too puff up my husband, because he wouldn't take it that way. This is merely to demonstrate the physical reflection that we can see. This is to show the seeds of His own heart that God put into my husband and allowed the roots and the fruit to grow. Feeding them with the word of God and watering them with many tears.

Not only has God allowed me to see His wonderful gifts He brings to those He loves, but also the indescribably beautiful Heart of Love He has that lies behind each and everything He does. Now He truly is my Father, my Lord, my Dearest Friend, my Love and my Life.

My prayer is that the hearts of God’s people would be set FREE and set on fire for God and the things associated with Is Kingdom. Shining brightly with the Light of His love. Then we will stop worrying about what is wrong in our own lives, but surrender ourselves as instruments of Grace in the Hand of God. I pray that the power of that Love would illuminate the hearts of this darkened world. That alone will transform the lives of the lost and the lonely, the wounded and the dying, and all those who all their lives long to see and to know a real, pure love. Which only comes from God through his people. We can be that example, once we know the awesome power of God’s Love for ourselves.

Seek Him & His Love will find you.

by Rebecca D Thames 3/2/2008

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(For a Whole Collection of These Type of Inspiring Writings, Please Consider My Book, "Songs and Poems from the Heart.")

Mustard Seed Faith

I was just reading in Matthew 17:20, where Jesus said if you have the faith the size of a grain of mustard seed that you can say to this mountain be removed and and cast into the sea and it would do it.

I've often wondered why it seems that that doesn't work very often; you know here and now in the present in the real world. Have you ever struggled with this?

Of course God's Word is true. There's no doubt about that. But what does this verse actually mean? And why don't we see mountains going into the ocean? Especially if all we have to do is tell them to do it, right? oh! I forgot. We have to do it in Jesus' Name, right?

Wrong!

When I was reading this just now, it hit me. It didn't say just tell that mountain to go into the sea and it would. Jesus said, if you have faith.

He did not say if you name it and claim it. He did not say if you make the right confession. He did not say if you tell it to go often enough, long enough, loud enough it will go. He did not say if you ask him, in spite of the impossible odds.

Jesus said, if you have faith.

Let's think about this for just a minute. Do you think you would ask a mountain to go into the sea? I doubt that I would. Why not? Kind of silly right? I mean, what possible purpose would a mountain have for jumping into the middle of the ocean? It seems a bit ludicrous even to think that my words could have enough power to pick up a mountain and throw it in the water. But you know what? Just because that is what I believe, it will never happen.

I don't care how many times I tell that mountain to go into the water, because I believe it's stupid and for no purpose, it will never happen. Not because God's Word is not true. But because I don't believe in my heart.

The same is true about any insurmountable situation that you might face today. This is so powerful! You can name and claim the answer to your prayer all day long. You can positively confess until you're blue in the face. You can write it on the calendar. You can write it on 3 x 5 cards, and carry them in your pocket, taking them out and read them, whenever you want remember, or maybe remind God this is what you need. As if he would forget.

You can do all this if it will help you. But until you get it settled deep within your heart, into the very fabric of your being that your God, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, a God who parted the Red Sea, the God who spoke all word of life came into existence, this God is big enough and walling to help you, this will never be! Until the true character of God is established in your heart, knowing that He has only your good in mind, no matter what things may look like right now, that mountain is never going into the water!

So, my dear friends, settle it in your heart today. God is good. He is not only good He is Love. And he is all sufficient. He is all powerful. And He knows exactly what it will take to get you from where you are to where you need to be.

The road might be bumpy along the way, but as long as you know He is with you and He is well able to keep you from falling and provide for all of your needs, you will have what you believe God will do and is able to do.

Remember, he knows your heart. You may be able to fool everyone else, and maybe even yourself. But man looks on the outward appearance and God looks upon our hearts. He made us, so he knows what we are made of and He knows what makes us tick. He knows what inspires us. He knows what brings the joy. He knows what it is going to take to see us through. And he has the power to pull it off! :-)

Trust Him. Don't struggle. Don't fret. Don't try to beat down every door. Stand still on see the salvation of the Lord.

Much love,
Rebecca