My Thoughts for the Day

Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

This has been my prayer for the day. This scripture came up in our Bible Study this morning and it has been on my mind all day. OH, that I could and would live by these words, how my life would be transformed. If I would and could live by these words daily life would be so much simpler no matter what toils, trials or hardships come my way.It would not matter what the devil/the flesh or sickness or pain brought to my life it would not sway my walk with the Almighty Father. The one who saved me by His marvelous Grace.

Saved to the Uttermost,
Joan

One Scarred Hand

I came unto my office/computer room to begin some computer work for the day and the internet radio was playing this song and it has really blest my heart. So I searched it out on You Tube and wanted to share it and the words with you.

One Scarred Hand by Gold City

He is the fountain for a thirsty soul
Joan- Oh I was thirsty and He gave me Living Water
He is the healer and so much more
Joan - He has healed me spitirually and physically
When my heart is broken by this world's demands
Joan - When my heart is broken, He heals it
The pieces are mended through one scarred hand
Joan -He bore the cross for my sins, He paid a debt, He did not owe, it was my debt.

Chorus
And when I can't stand, I have to lean
Joan -He's all I have to hold me up
And when I can't see, I must believe
Joan - I was blinded but now I see
The Great Physician's touch is a balm that can
Joan - All I needed was a touch from HIM to be healed
Mend broken hearts with one scarred hand
Joan- He died to heal my broken heart

It's a hand that holds this whole world in place
Joan- What a big God I serve
It's a hand that was scarred just to give me grace
Joan- Oh what a gift of grace He gave me when He died on the cross for me.
And to think a hand that holds the stars
Joan - He has it all in control in His hand
Is small enough to mend one broken heart
Joan- It's as if I am an only child because He always puts me back together again.

Chorus

The Great Physician's touch is a balm that can
Joan - Oh to be touched by HIS healing hand.
Mend broken hearts with one scarred hand
Joan - When I am broken He always mends me back together again.

You are Worthy of all my Praise, Honor and Worship, Jesus.

Worshiping HIM
Joan

Why Is.....?

Alan, purchased me a new Bible and it came today. I Love It, I really, really do. I love the color of it, the feel of it. He has noticed(and even said I am a different person)that I am trying daily to spend time in God's word reading and praying and that it was for my spiritual growth. He said it was probably the most expensive and best bible I would ever own.I have been married long enough to know not to ask any more questions on the matter.

However, I was looking at the Bible and flipping through it and going over it really good and ran across a scripture that I so desperately needed today. My Bible Study for the day was all ready completed, but this scripture was what I needed and it will help me get through the rest of the day differently.

Job 21: 2
Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

In other words keep listening to Gods word - the Bible - and His words, and let this be your comfort. So why is it that when we are alone doing whatever we may be doing, that we entertain thoughts, dwell on things, or for us women have conversations in our head with our spouses that they know nothing about. Guilty, today on many levels but God spoke to me in this verse and gave me what I need today to help keep my mind clean and not to dwell on things I need not be thinking about. God always comes through for us if we will only let HIM, right on time, exactly just what we need. What a God I serve.

Another verse I thought I would give you and have been trying to live by the last couple of days when I have thoughts of any kind that I should not be entertaining. And let's face it we all have them daily.

Phillipians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things

Until We Meet Again,
Joan

My Helpless Estate

We sang a song today in church that touched my heart and I have not been able to get the words off my mind since. I try to sing the words of our church songs and grasp the spiritual meaning of them and not allow them to just become words. What we sang was "It Is Well With My Soul" by Horatio Spafford.

Verse 2 of the song:
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

God spoke to me and reminded me how helpless I was before HIM and that He saw my condition- my helpless estate, and took my place on the cross and shed His own blood for me. Oh what a God I serve.

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. Psalms 55:18

Horatio Spafford was wealthy Chicago lawyer and had invested his money and lost almost all his wealth in the Chicago Fire of 1871, and then in 1873 his wife and his four daughters were sailing to Europe and collided with another ship and all four of his daughters died. As he was on voyage and passed by the place his daughters perished he began to pen this well know hymn "It is Well with My Soul".

As I close, I wonder how many of us know enough about God and the scriptures to have been able to have wrote something like this if this tragedy has happened to us. I am not talking about the eloquence of words, I am talking about knowing the scriptures and knowing God so richly that we could still praise and honor Him anyway, in spite of our circumstances. Lord, help me love you today more than yesterday, and tomorrow more than today.

It's all About HIM
Joan

"I Was Expecting Exactly What God Sent"

I was in my computer room today and the internet radio was on with Bro. Tom Gilliam preaching and I have no idea what he was preaching about(I did not stay in the room long enough to find out,I was busy)and he made a statement that has stuck with me all day. He was talking about some lady that was in some type of extreme difficult situation and she made the statement that she was expecting exactly what God had sent her in the situation.

The more I thought about what she said the deeper it became for me. For you see, she was saying Lord whatever you will is fine. Or another way to look at it is "Thy Will Be Done".

Lord help me get to the place in every situation that all I want is whatever You do."Thy Will Be Done"

It's All About HIM
Joan

Apple Jolly Rancher

Today is a Clayton day and let's see what we have got into thus far. I was changing handbags today, going from one of my Vera Bradley's to a Coach bag. I was in my bedroom changing all my necessary items from one bag to another on the bed. Guess who wanted to help, and who got to help "Clayton". He wanted up on my tall bed to help so I put him up there and he sit real still going through my 2 handbags with me.(I thought he would have a field day playing on the bed, nope it was more fun to play with the handbags and all the goodies inside)He found a Apple Jolly Rancher and was trying to eat it paper and all. So I got it and unwrapped it, and into the mouth it goes exactly what I expected. The funny part was he had trouble keeping it in his mouth. It would pop out and the he would laugh and put it back in his mouth. He did this several times and would giggle everytime. It was so funny even though we were sticky from waist up along with both handbags and wallets that he was helping me with. But after a few wipeys everything was good, Clayton, purses and wallets.

I have let him play in my kitchen cabinets every since he could and wanted to. I do have one that is secured with all my cleaning products. The other cabinets that he gets into are the ones with food, and the one with the pots and pans. Along with the cabinet that the Sudrops are in. I have let him play with them, I learned over the weekend that all this shaking up will make them go flat. I don't drink them so I did not know that. Since there are a few consumed a week and groceries are absolutely outrageously high I had to put all the Sundrops up on the counter this morning because they were the toy of the day.

Well, I know my day is probably way more exciting than yours since it is a Clayton day. He is napping right now and will be up any minute with more things to get into.

Mom,it is so much fun at Grams/Poppas and I don't get to do EVERYTHING I want to.

Until tomorrow
Gram

Heavenly Kisses & Heavenly Love

I've been reading about the love of the Bride(me-you) and the Bridegroom(Jesus) in the Song of Solomon. I have also been reading some other material to try and help me understand the bigger picture of this book that speaks of Gods love, along with the love of a husband and a wife.

For me, thus far this book is hard to understand and I need help. I have been praying that the Lord will let me see His love for me in this, and let me see my love for HIM and how it should be so much more. What I have learned so far. This book is read similar to that of a poem, for me that also makes it difficult. The descriptions that is used to describe their feelings is from a different culture and era. So I am trying to take it slow and learn, read, listen and pray as I go.

But, I wanted to share with you what has touched me today about HIS(Jesus) kisses in chapter 1 verse 2. Because of HIS love for us is better than anything we could comprehend or imagine we can bask in HIS kisses. HIS love is a saving love, a redeeming love, a chastising love, a sustaining love, a comforting love, a strengthening love, a healing love, a protecting love, a tender love, a peaceful love, and the list could go on and on and you can fill in what kind of love HE is for You. But HIS love is also a love that goes on and on and keeps giving and giving. I don't know about you but I want to love HIM more because HE first loved more and continues to love me in spite of me.

Oh, to have the sweet kisses of heaven because HIS love is better than....
Joan

Song of Solomon

The last couple of days I have been reading the Song of Solomon and have much to learn from this book of 8 chapters.I am actually reading another book entitled "Falling in Love with Jesus" by Kathy Troccoli and Dee Brestin that spurred the interest in the book of Song of Solomon.

My love for Jesus should be similar to that of a bride on her wedding day anxiously awaiting her bridegroom. If you have been to any weddings the bride is oh so anxious, nervous, excited and most definitely glowing with her love for her bridegroom. I realize that the Song of Solomon is a love story between King Solomon and his Shunamaite lady and is the perfect example of how our love for our husbands are to be, continually. There is nothing that is sweeter than to see a couple that have grown old together that are still in love and even more in love with each other than the day they married. I'm talking about, still holding hands, thoughtful(not grouches)compassionate, etc. So, I want to learn how to be a better wife to my man from studying this book.

I also know that this book is perfect picture of Christ's love for the sinner(me). There is a lot of descriptive language in this book and I do not yet understand and I want to learn from it. I want to better understand and comprehend Gods love for me. I want to fall in love with Jesus more today than yesterday,and more tomorrow than today for you see we are married and I am awaiting the day I can see my bridegroom(Jesus).

It's All about HIM
Joan

The Silversmith

Have you ever thought about the silversmith and his job and how he goes about refining the silver. I ran across a scripture yesterday that I have not been able to get off my mind.
Malachi 3:3 He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver...

So I began studying out this scripture and thinking about it, and wondering what it meant and what I could take from it. Job 14:1 says "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble" so we as Christians should not be surprised when troubles come our way.(This week near by there has been death all around from a miscarriage, 10 month old baby died, 17 year old killed in a car wreck, 60 some year old man killed in a factory nearby, cancers, hospital stays, neighboring church in turmoil, and near and dear to my heart "Johanna" and the list could go on and on for each of us). But even though we know that Job tells us that we are going to have turmoil and troubles it still hurts, and sometimes it hurts bad and it hurts long.

But as I began to studying the silversmith that it talks about in Malachi 3:3 I got a little excited and begin to see a little more of Jesus, and hopefully he began to see a little more of himself in me.

Proverbs 25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer
Isaiah 1:25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:

The silversmith begins to heat the silver to refine it. He wants to extract all the impurities out of it to get a more pure silver. One that is more usable and pliable. As he heats the silver he must have the exact temperature not to hot, and not to cool. For you see if he gets the temperature to hot he ruins the silver, and if it is not hot enough he has done no good either. Just the right temperature, he keeps his eye on the silver at all times so he can gauge the temperature. The dross(impurities) rise to the top and he can skim the waste off and get rid of it and he has a more pure silver then. He knows that he is done with his silver when he can see his reflection in the silver. What a picture of Christ at work in our lives,(Hallelujah, what a God I serve).

So what can we take from this and how can we apply it to our lives. Beloved, as hard as it is and as difficult as hard times and things are if we can keep our eye on Christ and remember that God allows theses times in our lives to make us more like Christ, the difficult and hard things will not be near as hard or tough to weather. I don't know about you but to know God is refining me and working on and in me to make me more like HIM kinda gets me a little excited. Just to think that God Almighty takes the time to work in my life and HE sees something HE wants to work on in my life thrills me. Hallelujah what a God! Now, I understand what James 1:2 is saying "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations".

I don't know about you but He is still working on Me.
Joan

Some Websites I Frequently Use

I have been thinking over the last couple of days(dangerous I Know) that I was going to share with you some of the websites I like to go and visit for Christian Reading or for someone elses insight to the "Word". However, like any good book I can either put it down and not pick it up again, or I can take what I like and leave the rest. So be sure to keep that in mind just because I have posted it does not mean I agree with every word but I can take what I like and leave the rest behind.

ACLJ
www.aclj.org

Christin Women Today
www.christianwomentoday.com

Womens Minsitry
www.womensministry.net

Precept Austin(excellent Bible Study website, I use it often)
www.preceptaustin.org

Kay Arthur
www.precept.org

Beth Moore
www.lproof.org

One Place
www.oneplace.com

Bible Gateway(Online Bible)
http://www.biblegateway.com/

Biblos (Online Bible)
www.biblos.com

Bible
www.bible.org

These are just some that I use from time to time and thought I would share them with you in case you did not know about them. Let me know what are some of the Christin Websites that you like to frequently visit.

Joan

"Longsuffering"

I have been thinking about "longsuffering" the last couple of days. Well I must admit that the Lord has been dealing with me on this a lot the last few days even though we are in Beech Mtn. getting some R&R. I know there are several places in the Bible that speak of God's longsuffering and I am suppose to be striving to be more like HIM each and every days so what does this mean for me. So I went to Gods word and got to studying this out this morning. I must say "Ouch".

Long-sufferings definition from the dictionary is "patiently enduring wrongs or difficulties".

Exodus 34:6
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth
Numbers 14:18
The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression...
Ephesians 4:2
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Colossians 3:12 a
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,meekness,temperance: against such there is no law.,


Any fruit bearing plant, vine or tree does not produce fruit instantly. Although we are a new creature in Christ as soon as we get saved becoming more like Christ is a refining process. We should be becoming more like HIM. In essence we should be more like Him today, than yesterday, than last week, last year, or the day we got saved.

Let's take a look at Galatians 5:22-23 there are nine products here we want to take a look at. Because of what Christ did in our heart the day he saved us we have in our hearts love. Love produces joy, joy produces peace, peace produces longsuffering, longsuffering produces gentleness, gentleness produces goodness, goodness is the evidence of faith, faith produces meekness, and meekness produces temperance(self control).

And one final scripture
Psalm 86:15
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

If God is full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, plentous in mercy should not I also be these things in all situations with everyone. Whether it is at church, grocery store, in the work force, out shopping, or driving in my car, or just the privacy of my own home. We should not be working at producing fruit as any fruit bearing plant, it should just be happening because of our closeness with the Lord.

Well I have beared my heart with you today, and hope this helps you as much as it did me. Well I must sign off I have a nap to take,a hammock in the woods to relax in a little latter on tonight, a hot tub waiting me this aternoon, and a book to read. Have I made you jealous yet.

See You Wednesday night Calvary friends.
Joan

"The Lord Is Gracious"

I'm currently reading a book and at the end of each chapter there are a few questions and bible scriptures to work through. "What Happens When Women Walk In Faith" by Lysa TerKuerst. One of the questions in the last chapter I read on Saturday which I think was the second chapter in the book was to find out what the origin of your name meant, where it come from and what it meant. Then go a step farther and find a scripture that fits the meaning of your name.

Well I did and I have and I wanted to share it with you. "Joan" It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "the Lord is gracious". Medieval feminine version of John. I was named after my dad in my first name but my middle name came from my great grandfather- John -(who I never knew and neither did my dad) this was also suppose to be a part of my dads name but it got left off the birth certificate, so my dad has no middle name. I also share the meaning of my name with my granddaughter Johanna. Makes a Gram kinda thrilled that we can share this together, just me and her.

Next I went to the scriptures too try and find a scripture that fits. I did.
Psalms 145 8-9
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

and
Psalm 86:15
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

and
Psalm 103:8
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

WOW, what does your name mean and can your find scriptures that support the meaning of your name.

"The Lord Is Gracious" most definitely to me.
Joan

The First Saturday in a Long, Long Time...

Today has been a wonderful day, matter fact all days are wonderful and a gift from God. Psalms 118:24 says "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." I don't know about you but sometimes I have to look harder at some days than others to rejoice and be glad in them. But today I have not had much at all on my plate. Usually most Saturdays are filled with C.A.R.E Ministry activities at church, getting the internet radio programs ready to be loaded for the next week, washing clothes, cooking something for Alan and I to eat, and many other things that need to be addressed.

But today we had no C.A.R.E. ministry activities due to a Father/Son Breakfast at church. Although I love cooking and serving for church functions I was not involved in it this morning. They had plenty of help without me so I purposely stayed away so the ladies that were involved could do their own things and their own cooking and serving. (I hear it was all wonderful) We all must be given opportunities to serve the Lord in our way, and if we are always the ones doing everything at church, or home we never give others a chance to serve. Actually WE are robbing them when we do this.

On the home front I have had a few things to do around the house but nothing major. I really am trying to slow down, or reprioritize what I do and take care of Joan so I can be used more of the Lord, and take more time for my family. So often they get short changed only because I am exhausted from other tasks. And the Lord has been convicting me of being to busy doing things for Him, that I am not taking time for HIM or my family.(Ouch) He's still working on me how about You?

Joan

The Bible

I have been trying to spend more time in Gods word, reading it studying it , learning it, applying it, and memorizing it this year. My,my, how it is filled with riches untold anywhere else. I am leaning things, and reading things that I did not know was in there. In turn I am learning so much more about God, and the history of the events that have already taken place, about the attributes of God, about God's love and wrath, about how I am to live and love, and about the things to come. The list actually could go on and on. Sadly, I am learning more about myself, and I echo what Job said about himself in Job 42:6 "Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

There is just something about learning things on your on. You never forget those things or those lessons learned. Church is wonderful and every believer ought to go to a Bible Believing Church(God Commands it), Sunday School is great, Bible Studies are good, but they all have their place. Their is nothing like digging out Gods word for yourself. I'm not talking about just reading from cover to cover, although if that is how you read more power to you. I am talking about reading, studying, referencing, praying, meditating on a book,or a passage, or a scripture and then applying it to your life.

Why did I wait so many years before I really got in Gods word on a daily basis.(I am ashamed and have asked God to forgive me, but I regret wasting so much time, those days, years I can't relive). So I encourage you learn form my mistake, get in God's word to you "The Bible" and start studying it, learning, applying it, memorizing it. It will forever change who you are and make you more like Christ. Beloved, find some form of Bible Study that works for you and dig out what God is saying. After all we have more tools,resources accessible than any other time in history.

After all it is Gods love letter to us.
Joan

Still Pondering Nahum

I still have the book of Nahum on my mind and I am trying to wrap my mind around it. I have read it daily for a couple of days but today I focused in on Chapter 1 versus 1-8. I must admit that I am still having to go to others to see what they are saying about this book. It is a book of history, a book of warnings, a book of God's love, a book of God's wrath, and more. All this is displayed in this little book of 3 chapters.

What I have been reminded of in Chapter 1 versus 1-8 are:
God is a jealous God
God will take vengeance on His Adversaries
God is slow to Anger
God is great in Power
God is behind the weather (storms,clouds,oceans,earthquakes,droughts,floods,etc.)
God is BIG
God is Good
God knows those that trust in HIM
God is a stronghold in a day of Trouble
God's wrath is reserved for His Enemies

The verse that stood out to me today, other than the things listed above was verse 6.

Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?his fury is poured out like fire,and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Who do I think I am and why would I ever turn away from God and not turn daily to Him. If I am not going forward with God daily, I am actually going backwards. I should be getting closer to HIM each and everyday and I should never be at a stand still.

Lord, help me to draw closer to you every day as I read and study your word and learn more about you.
Joan

Nahum 1:7

Yesterday being the 1st of the month I posted my memory verse in the sidebar. Alan was preaching last week in a revival and a lady sang the special music for the night, and she quoted this verse. Instantly I knew it was a verse worth memorizing so I made it my memory verse yesterday.

Yesterday I began studying the book of Nahum to see what was before and after my memory verse. Interesting, and I had to go to others to begin to understand this book. I went to http://www.preceptaustin.org/ to see what others said. If you have not ever gone to this site it is a wonderful website with all kind of commentaries listed, and you can do all kind of searches in lots of ways.

One I enjoy reading after is Ray Steadman, among others. My interest yesterday was to see what the entire book which is only 3 chapters is about. This is what I found out. Nahums's name means "comfort" and he is describing one attribute of God. "His Anger" to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The events in Nahum took place approximately 100 years after Jonah's adventures and they were again turning from God.

I wanted to share what Ray Steadman said "To those who think that God is only a God of love and never of wrath, let them learn from Nahum that a God who is never angry is a God who cannot love. Did you ever think of that? God's wrath comes from his love. It is because God loves that he is angry; because of love that wrath must blaze forth. You can prove that to yourself. What moves you to anger? Isn't it almost always when something or someone you love is threatened or injured? It may be yourself. We all love ourselves. What makes us angry? Somebody injures us and because we love ourselves, we get mad at them. Or someone injures our child and our wrath blazes forth. And if you cannot get angry when you hear or see injury and injustice, it is proof that you are not capable of love, for the one who cannot be angry is the one who cannot love. If you can read stories of atrocities and oppression and the awful traffic in body-destroying and soul-destroying drugs and narcotics among young people and never be moved to burning anger, then I tell you there is something wrong with you. You are incapable of love. If God cannot smite, if he cannot destroy in vengeance, then he has no capacity for love."

Something to think about God's love and God's wrath, and I am still studying on the book of Nahum.

It's All about HIM
Joan

Happy Birthday Nikki

27 years ago today, God blest Alan and I with one of the two most precious gifts outside of salvation possible. After 9 months and 3 weeks of waiting we were finally going to get to meet our child face to face, we had no idea whether it was a boy or a girl. At 20 years of age what did either one of us know about being parents beside nothing, but even in our lost state God allowed you "Nikki" into our lives. But, God used you to begin to speak to my heart about how I was living in front of you and what I was teaching you. I did not want you to go the path I was beginning to follow. I knew enough about God to know that my way of life was not what I wanted for you. God saved Alan(God saved me at a latter date) when you were 11 months old, and we got in church, and the rest is history.

Nikki,
such a precious baby you were with a mind all your own.
such an independent little girl, toddling around.
such a big help with your little brother, and oh how proud of him you were(always best friends)
such a little girl with ideas and thoughts of your own.
such a wonderful young lady you were becoming as a teenager.
such a support and help for me and our home while I was incapacitated
such a radiant bride on your wedding day.
such a wonderful lady you have become.
such a sweet and caring mother you are
such a pleasure to see God in your life.

Happy Birthday, Nikki.
I Love You
Mom