Where Does Your Help Come From?

I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where comes my help.

Psalm 121:1

Internet Cafe Devotions is hosting Word-filled Wednesday

The Woman

Like the woman at the well, I met a man who knew all about my life. He had been telling me in His own ways that I should come back to my first love. He caused me to take a serious look at my life and where it was headed. He offered me a drink from His well of living water. Who was this man that He would offer me a free drink of water? Who was this man that would offer me love without a price tag?  His name is Jesus!

Like the adulterous woman hurled at His feet, He told me I was not condemned but to go and leave that life of sin behind. Who was this man that He would offer me pardon and this life changing advice? His name is Jesus!

There were people in my life that said I could not or would not change. Through their accusing words, accusing laughter and accusing looks, I crawled to touch the hem of this man that I had heard of. Surely if I could touch Him then I would be healed from pain, regret, and a broken heart. He knew the moment I touched Him, as did I. For immediately His healing power I could feel as He touched my tattered soul. He said my faith had healed me and that I should go in peace. Who was this man that such healing power could come from Him? His name is Jesus!

There were also people in my life that told me of a man that could offer me a better way of living. Believe when I say men had often changed my life but not for the good. This man they guaranteed me was different. This man would love me like no other could. As a child I had met such a man but in my youth I had put him aside for the worldly gold that seemed to beckon me. Forever I will remember that day when on my front porch, I washed His feet with my tears. He gently stroked my head and said I was forgiven, loved and could now go forward in peace. Who was this man that he could offer me forgiveness and give me peace like I had never known? His name is Jesus.

Now I know this story is true. After meeting this man, often I would tell Him how I long to be like the woman at the well, like the woman hurled at His feet, like the woman touching His hem or like the woman washing His feet. One day in prayer He showed me how I and so many others of His daughters are just like these women. Pause and ponder upon that!

Years have passed since I met this man. Our times together have become my source of life. Now like Mary I often sit for hours at His feet. Oh, there are times when the Martha in me will still show up; times when I will try so hard to show by my works that I do indeed love and appreciate Him. It is then that He reminds me that works are not what He requires of me. His love is free! Who is this man that would love me so much to invite me to spend countless moments, minutes and yes even hours in His presences? His name is JESUS…..

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Eternity - Word Filled Wednesday

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Picture taken by Karen Raby (my sister)

Galveston, Texas

    Word-Filled Wednesday

Shower of God's Presences

Don’t you love getting gifts? One Christmas (a long time ago) we gave one of our sons a gift too large to wrap. Not being able to wrap it, we decided to simply send him on a hunt for it. Placing little notes along the way to keep him moving in the right direction turned out to be a delight for both him and us.

Have you ever considered God’s promises as gifts? Not that God hides His promises from us but there are times when we are reading His word and there it is. There is it neatly tucked where we never expected to find it. That’s exactly what happened to me this morning. Just look at this promise…

"But now, listen to me, Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one. 2 The LORD who made you and helps you says: O Jacob, my servant, do not be afraid. O Israel, my chosen one, do not fear. 3 For I will give you abundant water to quench your thirst and to moisten your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit and my blessings on your children. 4 They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank.” Isaiah 44:1-4 NLT

Look at this promise. God didn’t say I will give you a sip of water. He said “I will give you abundant (plentiful – enough) water to quench your thirst.” God goes on to promise moisture for our parched fields. Now I don’t know about you but sometimes my fields (my very beings) are parched so badly that only God’s moisture will benefit them. You know those days when you simply must stand under the shower of God’s presences.

Yes, I see the scripture is talking to Jacob. Good news is that we are Abraham’s seed as was Jacob so we are named in this promise. (Galatians 3:28-29) Even if you say God promised Jacob an abundant of water, then keep reading. “And I will pour out my Spirit and my blessings on your children.” Wow, if I am only in that part of the promise then it too is enough. Not only I but my children and my children’s children shall thrive like watered grass and like willows on a riverbank.

This is my promise. This is your promise! Accept it; claim it as your own…

“Abba Father, thank you for making me an heir. Today I claim the promise you gave to Jacob as my own. I claim this promise for my children and my children’s children. Thank you for the living water that quenches our thirst as we drink from your well.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise”. Galatians 3:28-29 (NKJV)

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Family Time

Just taking a break - spending time with family!

6 of our 11 grandchildren

So what shall we do?

Pray for our nation, pray for our president, pray for our government leaders! Why should we pray? Because God tells us to do so…

The Message translation says it like this: “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned."

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
                1 Timothy 2:1-4 NKJ

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Let Me Ask You a Question...

Would you want to go back to your old life?

There has been a bump in my road this week; the internet system has been having problems. However it seems we are back up and running now. This morning as I opened my system the emails flooded my inbox. There were so many that I could only read my favorite devotions and the necessary ones.

The first devotion that I read this morning started like this “would you want to go back to your old life?” Wow, what a question. Funny thing is that so often when I find myself in despair or find myself feeling somewhat dirty, I will cry out to God. “Please help me Lord I don’t ever want to go back to my old life.”

Now I don’t know what your old life (before Christ) was like. No matter what it was, I do know with Christ as the center of our lives is better than our best day in sin! I would never want to go back to a life of depression, fear and shame. And I am so thankful that I don’t ever have to go back, my eyes fixed on Christ I vow to move forward!

“So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. 2 Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective. 3 Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life - even though invisible to spectators - is with Christ in God. He is your life. 4 When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too - the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. 5 And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. 6 It's because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. 7 It wasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. 8 But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk. 9 Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. 10 Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete” Colossians 3:1-10 The Message

 Be sure to visit other Thankful Thursday to read what other are thankful for today.