I am going to see Beth Moore!

I can't tell you how excited I am! Beth Moore will be in Stockton, CA on June 26 & 27, 2009! I have already registered my daughter & I to attend. It will be such a privilege and a blessing to be in the presence of Beth and her team. (I can hardly wait to hear Travis Cottrell perform.)

You see, it was a Beth Moore bible study on The Psalms of Ascent, that helped to soften my heart and lead me back into fellowship with the Lord and into church. After years of neither of us attending any church, my daughter found Bayside Church of Lincoln, CA. There, she began to grow in her Christian walk again. She and the women of the church began to pray for me. Although she asked me to visit church with her many times, I just didn't want to go. When she asked me to attend a women's bible study with her, I couldn't believe I said "Okay"! Of course, God had been working in my heart, and with all those beautiful women praying for me, I had to say yes.

During that study, which was unlike anything I had ever attended, Beth's teaching truly touched me! She brought God's word alive for me again. I remember while watching one of the videos I thought to myself, "Lord, this feels so good to be in your word, to be in fellowship with these women!" I knew that night that I couldn't go my own way any longer.

I am so thankful for my daughter's faithfulness to God & to her mother. I am thankful for Beth Moore's ministry and for what it has brought to my life. I am thankful for those sweet Christian women who prayed for me, and welcomed me and still uplift me today! Many of them will be attending the Beth Moore event with us! Isn't God just so good?

Most of all, I praise God for his righteousness and I am so very thankful that he seeks his lost & wounded sheep and welcomes them home to his fold!

Heavenly Father, thank you for raising up great preachers and teachers who proclaim your living word! I pray for blessings upon these "workers in the word", their churches, ministries and their families. Lord, our country is in sore need of more like these! Men & women who can help to turn us from the wide way and lead us in the narrow path of righteousness, so that you can heal our land. Thank you for Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross! In His name I pray, Amen!

In Christ's Love,
Chris
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I Fear For Our Nation!

I am so distressed about this election!

In previous elections I have always voted my Christian conscious, believing that even if the "other" candidate won, God would preserve our country. But this year, I cannot say I have that confidence! What has happened to the hearts of our people? I cannot see how God can continue to bless our country. We have lost our way and I don't see much hope in either candidate.

As Christians, it is urgent that we gather at the throne in unceasing confession & prayer!

These verses from 2 Samuel, chapter 7 (KJV) contain a wonderful promise and a dire warning:

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.

Please join me in praying for our nation as we approach this election!

I usually write a small prayer at the end of my posts. Today, I am going to include a prayer for our nation by one of our country's most beloved pastors.

Billy Graham prayed:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"

Prayerfully, Chris

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Confession

Reading God's word and praying at the start of my day is something I have neglected. I am asking good to help me make it a habit that will be with me for life.

My bible study this morning was such a sweet time! Our small group study in Psalms 23, "StressBusters", is good stuff! This week, we are studying and reflecting on the the ways the Lord restores our souls. As I read through the suggested verses, what a blessing this passage from Psalms 32 was to me!

1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

Psalms 32: 1-5 NIV

Was there ever a time as a child when you disobeyed one of your parents rules? Can you remember the guilt, fearing they might find out? It was such a heavy burden - your little heart so heavy that your relationship with Mom and Dad was "broken"! Then, when you finally confessed to them and were forgiven, you didn't have to carry that burden any more. You were restored into a good relationship with your parents. It felt so good! Even if there was a punishment coming your way, you knew that you were loved and that it wouldn't be too much for you to bear.

This is the same opportunity we have with our heavenly Father! Just imagine it! The God who breathed life into us, is available to hear our confessions, forgive us and bring us back into a close, loving relationship with Him! When our "bones are wasted" and we feel the hand of God heavy upon us, we only have to confess in order to have the guilt of our sin lifted! And, whatever "wage" we have to pay for our sin, we have God's assurance that He is there to help us through it!

Just as a child who tearfully tells of their wrong-doing at a parent's knee, and is lovingly forgiven, we can approach the throne of our Savior, tell Him of our sin and have it covered by Christ's blood - forgiven, forever!

Heavenly Father, I praise you for your mercy to us! I thank you for sending Jesus to be my Savior, to die for me, to pay the price for my sin! Thank you for the gift of confession - for the joy of guilt lifted and for providing a way for me to come back into fellowship with you. Help me to walk in your way today. In Jesus name, Amen

Blessings for your day! Chris

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The Voice of The Shepherd

Last night, as we were studying Psalm 23 in our StressBusters Bible Study, I was led to consider the roles of Shepherd & sheep more closely.

One of the ways I enjoy bible study is to follow the reference notations in my bible, which often helps me have a clearer understanding of what I have just read. Then, I sometimes go to the concordance & read all about a subject. In this case, our study guide sent me to read in John chapter 10. As I read verses 1 through 5, I gained a new insight into the protection that the shepherd provides his sheep.

1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:1-5 NKJV

By reading & studying God's word, we do learn to recognize his voice. We are able to "hear" Him when he speaks to us, nudges us. But it also means that we can tell when the voice is not our Shepherd. When the false prophets call to us, we are able to recognize that the voice is NOT of our shepherd.

Then, this morning as I opened my Beth Moore "Praying God's Word Day By Day", what was her subject? (Hebrews 4:12-13) That if we stay in God's word and obey, we have assurance that we will be able to discern deception, and be able to turn away!

Is that a coincidence? Nope. Obviously, God is dealing with me on this subject. I have been neglectful of my quiet time in God's word. If I truly want to make Jesus the shepherd of my life, I need to recognize his voice.

Do you need to recommit to a daily time in God's word? When is your favorite quiet time? How do you like to study? I'd love to hear from you!

Father, I praise you as king of the universe! I am so thankful that you love me so much that you would shepherd me through this life and on to a home in heaven with you! I confess that I have been neglecting my time in your word. I ask forgiveness and your continued blessing on my study & reading as I commit to a regular time with my bible each day! Thank you for my salvation! In Jesus name, Amen

Blessings for your day, Chris

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Sanctified Sunday

Friday morning's sunrise as the clouds of first rain

of the season rain begain to gather.

22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

24 “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“ Therefore I hope in Him!”

Lamentations 3:22-24 NKJV