Angels Among Us!

Every year, at this time, my husband and I have an open house at the parsonage. We enjoy having friends and family, from all over, coming and visiting.  This Christmas month Rodney has been preaching about Words From a 2nd Class Angel. In his sermons he has been using clips from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life". So my over all theme this open house is "Angels". We are having angel food cake, wings, cookies that look like clouds, hot wing dip, frothy punch, etc. I usually have so much fun getting ready for each open house.

But this year I have a rather gimpy knee and am having to use a crutch most of the time to get around. This makes cleaning house tough and I was beginning to think that everyone would be seeing the dust and clutter that true family living brings, instead of the sparkling parsonage I most want to present . But I have angels of my own who have come to rescue me.

Two sweet friends have gone out of their way to help with the cleaning. They have vacuumed, mopped, dusted and even helped clean our bathrooms. Others are helping with some of the food preparation. I am truly blessed and can't even express how grateful I am to have such sweet ladies as my angel friends.

All through the old testament scriptures and the new testament scriptures we read of angels being sent by God to minister, serve, and tell of the great things that God has done or will be doing. 

One of the most important jobs we see angels do is to take care of Jesus...

Matthew 4:11

The Message (MSG)

11 The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs.

Another thing that we see angels doing is reporting to God about us humans and reporting to us the messages sent from God....

Matthew 18:10

The Message (MSG)

10 “Watch that you don’t treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don’t you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?

Matthew 1:20-21

Common English Bible (CEB)

20-23 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.

Luke 2:8-14

Common English Bible (CEB)

8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

Wow, what a wonderful message that was. Can't you just imagine how excited those angels were to get to be the ones to get this job!

Angels most and above all love and praise our Lord.....

Revelation 5:11-12
Common English Bible (CEB)

11 Then I looked, and I heard the sound of many angels surrounding the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. They numbered in the millions—thousands upon thousands. 12 They said in a loud voice,

“Worthy is the slaughtered Lamb
to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and might,
and honor, glory, and blessing.”

Revelation 7:11
Common English Bible (CEB)

11 All the angels stood in a circle around the throne, and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God....


I don't know about you but I find myself in awe that God would think us silly humans important enough to send us these messengers of help and peace. They have so many other important things to be dong!!. 

So in this wonderful season of the year be sure to keep an eye out for the angels God sends your way. 

Hebrews 1:14

Amplified Bible (AMP)

14 Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?


Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

Blessings!

First Fruits

I am so excited! This is my second favorite time in the garden. The first fruits to be harvested. Aren't they beautiful?

I have been watching this pepper for quite a while and had to be held back from picking it. I knew that it needed more nourishment from the plant and its roots. The cucumber, on the other hand I wanted to leave it a little longer but also knew that it would make a better pickle if it was not too big.

The whole process in the planting of the seed, watching the plant grow and bloom and then the harvesting of the crop has amazed me since I was a child. My siblings and I had to help my dad with a half acre garden as we were growing up and I loved how you could almost watch the veggies growing on the vine. Except the potatoes and carrots of course.

Another thing that never ceases to amaze me is how God had this planned even before he created our earth. Not only did He know what he was going to do but He had the power to just speak it and it was so.

Genesis 1:11

Common English Bible (CEB)

11 God said, “Let the earth grow plant life: plants yielding seeds and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind throughout the earth.” And that’s what happened.

God had a plan for our whole ecosystem and it has, and will, continued to ebb and flow throughout every season of our lives.  Just think about how God cares for us and wants to make sure we are fed! The next time you go to your garden or even the produce section of the grocery, stop and look around and let the miracle of this seep in!

Blessings!

 

Power Source

I was struck today by a statement I heard from a preacher I listen to most mornings. Now mind you he's not my most favorite preacher. Of course I am married to him. And by the way If you would like to hear Rodney he preaches every Sunday, in Hagerstown.  He is a great deliverer of what the Holy Spirit has placed on his heart. 

Anyway, enough of the advertisement. This preacher, this morning, said there is no power in prayer. Now I have led classes that taught on the power of prayer. I have said things like, isn't prayer amazing"?, or "that happened because of prayer". I know of many, many miraculous things that have happened after prayer took place. So this really stuck in my craw. How can you say there is no power in prayer? 

Then this preacher, who I really do like and appreciate, brought up Christ in the garden. Praying on the night before his trials began, that would lead Him to the cross. He spoke of how tormented Jesus was. So tormented that He sweat blood. Christ was praying that this cup might pass, that maybe God could come up with another way to send redemption for us. Instead God sent an angel to give Jesus comfort and strength. 

Even Christ, did not have enough power in his prayer to change the situation he was about to be in. If Christ, that night couldn't change His situation, how can we change ours? If you listen in on Christ's prayer you might hear the answer...


Luke 22:39-44
: ³⁹ He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^[g] 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” [[⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.⁴⁴ In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]]

Did you read it? Did you hear it? He said,"not My will but Yours be done". Jesus knew where the power came from. Even a most earnest prayer from this perfect man could not be answered with out His Father, God.

So how can any of us think that our willingness to pray be all that there is. We have faith in our God. But do we understand that He is the one who lifts our voice and thoughts to Him and cares enough to turn them into answers? 

Sometimes He gives answers we really wish would be different. Look at how a scared Christ still had to go through Calvary for us. Praise Be! So there will be times we don't understand what God, our source of everything, is doing, but as time goes on, we will. Look at Easter!!

What is wonderful though is that we do have the ability to use our voice to turn to the one who gives the power to our prayers.

Happy Praying!!

Blessings!

One of those days!

One of those days...

Well ladies I don't usually post everyday but this morning has been one of those days, already, and I just needed to tell you about it.

Last night something happened with all the wind and we lost power. It woke us up enough that I set the alarm on Rodney's phone (or so I thought) so that I would still be able to get up on time to get Riley on the bus. Well, you can guess it, I forgot to tell the phone yes, I did want the alarm on. So of course I woke up late. The bus would be there in 5 minutes. I got Riley up and started him on his way to getting dressed.

This is spirit week at his school and today was Nerd day. Luckily I had already put some white tape on his glasses so all we had to do to finish his outfit was to put some pins in the front pocket of his button down shirt. I must have slept fretfully after the power went off because my hair looked like I had stood on my head all night. I got Riley sat down to eat breakfast and was just trying to smooth down my hair as the bus pulled up. 

There is a rule that they cannot eat on the bus and my Riley takes food very seriously so I went out to the bus and told the driver I would run him to school. My car needed gas and this would be a good time to get some. We live 15 miles from his school so I figured I had plenty enough gas to get that done.

It was still dark and still raining as we set off.  I looked down at my gas gauge half way there, and realized I may have figured wrong so I reached around behind my seat to get my phone out of my purse, just in case I needed to call Rodney. Guess what. My purse and phone were still back at the house. I had gotten the car out of the garage and ran in to get Riley but forgot to pick up my purse. I didn't let on too much because I didn't want to upset Riley any more than a change in his routine already had, so we went ahead and drove to school.

I ran him into the school, still looking like I had slept on my head, OH WELL, and started back for home, with the fear that I may be walking soon, without an ID and looking like a crazy woman. Now this is when I realized I was taking all this stress on myself and had not even prayed for help.

I stopped at a stop sign and said a little prayer. To my amazement my gas gauge came up a little. Not tons, because I really didn't deserve it to. I usually don't let my gas get so low but for some reason had this time. Anyway, a peace came over me and this sweet song came on the CD about how God will lead you home. No lie!!!  Ladies, God is so amazing. He was probably laughing but He knew I needed that little extra help and He gave it!!

Matthew chapter 6 came to mind as I was heading home, now in daylight, not the dark and the rain. Parts of it talk about how we are not to worry about anything. I started laughing and apologizing to our heavenly Father for all the fretting, worrying and stewing.

I hope your day goes smooth but if it doesn't, don't do what I did, ask for help before you fret!!

Blessings!!!