Today's reading... Acts 26: 24,28-29...

"Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy," ...

Have you ever been labeled a crazy "Jesus freak". I have. By family one Christmas... After that first semester at seminary... So excited about the ministry and all the miracles we had witnessed. We were labeled "better than thou" because we were always talking about what we were learning from Jesus... I guess it made them feel bad about themselves so they told us to leave... It was a confusing and lonely Christmas.

Well... Life goes on.... I missed that excitement that comes when you eagerly await what God will do next... I was in a slump... That old excitement is back for me! I am seeing Him again doing miraculous things around me! My eyes have been blinded by worries and sadness and I could not see the Light fully shining... I had a clouded vision. My vision is clearing. I see the Light once again! And it is glorious! I feel like I have been living under oppression. Satan can not possess a Christian, for we are sealed, but he can oppress us until we want to curl up and give up, shut down, and not hearing from (listening to) God as we once did. Praise God He won't allow us to stay there! I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow! I pray that you do too...

If you have never read my blog before I pray that one thing sticks in your mind... God loves you and wants to give you victory over your loneliness and pain. He wants your heart. And if you give Him your heart you will never be alone again. He will walk you through your pain. Take it from a fellow sojourner... He is worth it! Give Him your life, such as it is, knowing that you are handing over all your past and receiving forgiveness and love and hope and peace. Christianity is not "fire insurance" from He'll... It is LIFE INSURANCE! You get to really live... Starting the moment you trust in Him. It is no cost to you... He has paid the price for you already... You just have to take the gift! If you have any questions just comment me and I will get back with you.

And for the remainder of the reading today...Agrippa interrupted him (Paul), "do you think you can make me a Christian so quickly?" Paul replied "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains."

Blessings, friends!

Living for Christ... Or Christ living in me?

This morning I went over my memory verse, read my devotional, and read my bible before work.  I am liking this getting up earlier with no one to interrupt my quiet time.  Well... I read about the Israelites camping by tribal family (each group a descendant of of one of Jacob's sons) around the tabernacle and how they picked up and moved in order.  God likes order. In Acts Paul was up before Felix... Until Felix stopped him and wanted to wait for a more opportune time... (Satan's quote after not getting Jesus to sin in the wilderness.) I left Paul there to go to work. The big thing this morning was my devotion. Blackaby. He talked about letting Christ live through us...  instead of doing something on our own for God, getting complimented on it, and passing the compliment on to God for our accomplishments. He said to live in this way is a self centered way to serve God. Made me think... Is my "works" worthless to God? Has everything I have ever done in the name of God been something I did and then ask Him to bless or have I been allowing Him to live through me?  I have meditated on that all day and still don't have an answer. I pray that He is living through me. Still holding on to Romans 8:28...later my blog friends!.

My first few days...

Having a hard time.  I still know beyond a doubt that God is good.  I still know that He loves me.  I still have my hope in Him.  Just having a hard time right now.

The mornings are best.  I awaken to the new day with joy... and then I remember... so I go to my devotions for the day and of course, they are alwa;ys fitting.  I repeat my memory verse... Satisfy me each morning with your unfailing love so that I may sing for joy until the end of my days... I read my daily "read through the bible in a year" verses... but my mind wanders as bad as the Israelites in the desert... how many times do we have to repeat how to kill a sacrifice and where to sprinkle its blood?  Time to dress for my new job... listen to some praise songs... drive to work... and forget.... for a while.

Coming home I remember again.  God is good.  He is taking care of us.  We love him.  We will be fine.  Sure could use your prayers though.

Blessed by Him... Always