Irene - Do NOT Misplace the Credit

The fear of the unknown, the terror of the possible destruction, the storm _IRENE_  for most of us is past!

I've heard: "Wow, we were really lucky." "Probably this was terrorism hype." "Probably just a big scare or a hoax." ETC.

Really??!!??

You (and I) might have been "the lucky ones"

Terrorism hype and a scare or a hoax --- HOW???

Do you think the loved ones of several people who were killed think this was a terrorism plot, a scare, or a hoax?? Do you think THOSE PEOPLE consider themselves "lucky" now that THEY don't have power and have sustained large losses of property and life?? Tremendous amounts of rain gusting in sheets; trees uprooted and tree limbs falling on vehicles and homes and people; wind that blew in excess of 80-100 mph - THIS was not the work of terrorists. This was not a hoax. This WAS a scare, but for some, it became a real living scare - the horrible reality of a nightmare!!

Number one: There is no such thing as "luck"!! To quote *another: "The word 'luck' comes from 'Lucifer'". If we had been "lucky", then, we would all be dead, because LUCIFER delights in our destruction! WE WERE NOT LUCKY!

Second: TERRORISTS had NOTHING to do with this storm!

Third: GOD has/had EVERYTHING to do with this storm!

The fact that Irene did not create GREATER destruction and devastation, and the fact that some of us HAVE NOT lost our electric, and the fact that the storm was less severe than predicted has NOTHING to do with "luck", and I am 100% convinced in my innermost being that these facts have EVERYTHING to do with the God who loves us. When the Body of Christ unitedly prayed for brothers and sisters in Christ experiencing the storm, and the storm lessened considerably, there is only ONE acceptably explainable reason for this happening: GOD heard the requests of His children. GOD was blessed in those requests. GOD was glorified in their requests. And GOD answered their requests. It is this simple. There is no "scientific explanation" necessary, there is no "luck" involved, there is no hoax or terrorist threat possible to "explain" why the storm weakened. But God....

So, please, please, let's truly ascribe to God what is due to HIM and do not equate to the enemy one ounce of the victory given to us by the very God who loves us!!!!

~~Still praying for those still experiencing the power of God's deliverance through the storm~~

* Pastor Chad Perry

jfn - 8/28/2011

The Door of Human Crisis

When God leads us to the door of human crisis, He does not shove us through, slam the door, and meet up with us again after we've passed through the maze of the trial and reached the exit door.

No! He leads us through the door, firmly closes it behind us, and has promised to be with us and go through the maze of the trial together with us to the exit door.

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The eye of unbelief asks for a sign -a miracle- and does not see. The eye of faith sees what the eye of unbelief cannot see, therefore it has no need to ask.

jfn - 8/22/2011

Would We Know . . .

Would we know there is a hill if there was no valley?
Would we know there is rest if there was no work?
Would we know the comfort of God if there was no discomfort?
Would we know there is success if there was no failure?
Would we know there is a remedy for sin if there was no Savior?
Would we know there is forgiveness if there was no blood?
Would we know there is a Savior if there was no cross?
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I wonder if God permits the light to shine through the clouds (penetrate, enter and pass through) as proof that He is REALLY there, as it says in 2 Chronicles 6:1 "...'The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.' " because in Revelation 21:8, it says there will no longer be night and there won't be any need of the sun because God will be the Light there.
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Leviticus 2:12,14 "As an offering of first fruits ... a grain offering of early ripened things ... you shall bring fresh heads of grain ... grits of new growth ... of your early ripened things." (NASB)

In my neighbor's garden, I see beautifully ripened tomatoes. Matter-of-fact, they gave us eight huge, juicy tomatoes a week and a half ago. DELICIOUS!

Then I remembered about other tomatoes we'd received. Though large and ripe, they were deeply scarred from over-watering, sun scorching, and caterpillars, insects, and other critters making paths in the pre-ripened fruit.

Then I thought and asked myself, "Do we -no! Do **I** do this to God? Do I truly offer to Him the first fruits of my life? --- Time first to Him in the morning; thanks to Him first before eating; praise and worship to Him first when faith sees Him at work; rejoicing in Him first, last and always; tithes and offerings to Him first before supplying my own needs or wants. Or do I offer to Him the "second fruits" of my life, that which is deeply scarred by the effects of hurrying my time with Him; placing the needs and wants that I may have above what is due to Him first; being in awe and amazement at some "miracle" performed to faith, but viewed only as a miracle; rejoicing only sometimes. DO I REALLY GIVE TO GOD the first fruits???

Thoughts for my heart to ponder before Him!

jfn - 8/18/2011

The Entrance of The Cave - Have You Been There???

Even in the work of the Lord, the Devil gets us so occupied with the details, so that we will forget the work is for our Lord.
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1 Kings 19:11-13 -- "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?" (KJV)

The voice of the Lord was not in the whirlwind. The voice of the Lord was not in the earthquake. The voice of the Lord was not in the fire. The "still small voice" was heard after all the other "voices" were silent. Maybe that's the way it is today. We're so busy listening to all the other "voices" of trials, tribulations, and the hustle and bustle of our everyday busy lives, that we seldom go "out and stand in the entrance of the cave" (NASB) and HEAR the voice of the Lord.

Were we to do this more consistently, we would learn the reality that God DOES control every detail and circumstance of our lives and the work He gives us to do for His glory.

And could it be . . . that even our circumstances would prove more miraculous than we allow them to be through lack of listening to the voice of our Lord? Perhaps He would increase our faith and then "turn right around" and bless our faith --- even to the point of "miraculous" change of our circumstances??

Have WE stood at the entering in of the cave today??

jfn 8/17/2011

Your Corner - God's Creation!

Our Daily Bread for August 15,2011 says, "...the...majestic sites in God's nature...the embroidery of earth..."
Our Daily Bread, Jun, Jul, Aug 2011, August 15, Monday


I am in complete "awe" as I consider the awesome creation of God, that no matter where He placed us on this earth or wherever He allows or even sends our feet to travel on this earth, there is -at the very least- this one thing that every land and every place has in common: You may observe the handiwork of God in His creation. From the lone pebble or the single blade of grass in the smallest garden plot, to the most picturesque expanse the eye can behold, and the word is insufficient to describe, God displays that for which He may receive praise and honor and glory.

If you think you have nothing to thank Him for today, try (as a beginning) looking in your small corner where He has placed you!

jfn-8/15/2011

Sunday, August 14 - Mighty Reflections!!!

Sometimes I think God does not do great "earth-shaking" miracles because we have become too complacent. We allow fear (terror) to rule in our hearts. Think of it: Every time God DOES do something, we're afraid. He's always telling us in His Word, "Fear not," "Let not your heart be troubled," "Do not be afraid". When God appeared, in the Person of Jesus Christ, the disciples were afraid. Even in Old Testament times, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to men, they were afraid.

When thick black clouds, rattling thunder, and non-stop lightning in the terrifying storms come along, we're afraid. But consider: God passes by us in the storms, the clouds are the dust of His feet. Yet, we're afraid!

And if He were to do something marvelous while we're in His presence at church, probably fear would rule. But this is, perhaps, why God does not bless us abundantly with His mighty working in the place where He meets with us because fear, terror, and pride of place have lulled us into a false sense of complacent security.

Imagine if God were to arrive this morning and shake the walls of our "meeting-place", church, home, wherever we assemble to worship and praise Him! Imagine if He did a work in the hearts of our neighbors! Imagine if He compelled them to seek a place where the Blood of Jesus Christ was valued at higher worth than their own hell-bound soul! Imagine if God really revitalized the Body of Christ! Imagine if our complacency gave way to God! And just imagine if our hearts wished that Sunday would never end!

Then call to your remembrance that Jesus said, "My peace I give unto you." That even in those things which would bring natural fear and terror into our hearts, the Holy Spirit dwelling within us would administer the peace of God to us!!!!

I believe this with my whole being because as I sit here in the gazebo this morning, God has passed by me in the storm. Though I did not see His face, I see the dust of His feet, and I believe in His Word, and what is written in it, specifically, Nahum 1:3, "...in whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust of His feet."

I believe that God put this verse in my pathway earlier this week for me to meditate on and then He gave me a real example of the reality of it this morning!

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---Thank You, O Lord, my God, that You watered all the flowers in my garden today and You filled up my little fish pond, and while You were at it, You cooled their water! Thank You, God my Father, that you allowed me to have a real sense of Your presence with me today!!---

Purpose-Driven -- Purpose-Fulfilled

The other day, I was enjoying the awesomeness of God and I was lost deep in thought, when I turned in my swivelly chair in the gazebo and the most incredible movement caught my eye, quickly crashing into my "deep thoughts"! Swarms and masses of hundreds of thousands of spinning and revolving gnats, danced and gyrated across our lawn, -ever rising, falling, and changing shape- making the space directly above the green grass look like the fizzy bubbles in a soda bottle!! The sight was incredibly amazing!!!!

Almost as quickly as I'd noticed these little biting creatures, they disappeared. I wonder where they went??!! --- Well, anyway, the little musings I had up until that point, were these:

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"A Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren

Have you read "A Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren? Will we be able to check off:

__ Purpose-Fulfilled!

at the end of today on our To-Do List??

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On Working

God is my Employer, The Body of Christ His workshop, Jesus Christ is the Manager and intercedes for me, the Holy Spirit issues my orders, the Word of God gives me instructions. At the end of the day, the building up of the Body of Christ is the accounting given to God. And the question is: Did I fulfill the purposes of God for the building up, nourishment, edification of the Body of Jesus Christ for today?

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CREATION -

It boggles my human intellect when I consider that EVERY SINGLE phase of God's creation and the skills that He's given His human creation to produce methods of employment are all spoken of, pointed to, or hinted at in His Holy Word. Consider:

A machine
A body
Plants / Trees / Fruit
Employer / Employee
Rocks / Water / Animals
Occupations: Physicians / Lawyers / Tax Collectors / Scientists / Mathematicians
Runners / Sports / Races / Teams
Gears - wheels within wheels
Families / adoption
Painting / Artistry
Grass Mowing
Iron Sharpening
Wars
Earthquakes
Etc., etc., etc.

Solomon really did sum it all up:

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9


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Clouds

Nahum 1:3 "...In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet." - The thicker the clouds, the quicker His steps. The blacker the clouds, the closer He is.

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Earth's Classroom

Earth is the classroom where our soul and spirit get their education for dwelling in heaven.

~~~~~
jfn 8/13/2011

"The Formula" For Miracles

John 11:41-44 - "The Formula For Miracles"

"So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that you have heard me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.' When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth.' The man who had died came forth..."    (NASB)

The progression:
Remove the stone
Thanksgiving
The Request
The Miracle

If we would see miracles, there's the formula!!

If we DON'T see miracles, here's why:
1. We have not removed the stone (covering our hearts)
2. We have not given thanks or praise to the Father
3. We have not made a clear request
4. We have not seen the miracle with the eye of faith

The stone covering our hearts is unbelief. Without that being removed, we will be unable to give thanks. We will beat about the bush and make unclear requests because we do not believe that God is going to do (nor can He do!) this impossible request. We do not see the miracle because our faithless eyes accept human explanations.

God performs the request!
Science gets credit.
Human wisdom or intelligence or skill gets credit.
We might get close by hearing:
a. "It's amazing!!"
b. "It's phenomenal!!"
or even
c. "It's a miracle!!"

But where is the authority or authorship of God in this?

What glory would God receive if our immediate reaction to events was:

"Come!! see what THE LORD has done!!!!"


~~JFN - 8/4/2011~~