Our words

How powerful are the words that come out of your mouth? Do you think they can impact a situation? I have been thinking a lot about this very thing lately...and today it proved true that yes there is so much power in the words that come out of my mouth. Let me explain...
Today I got a phone call from my mom. She was very relieved and excited to have brought her husband home from the hospital and very happy to tell me how well he was doing! I will back up a few days. Three nights ago on his birthday his appendix ruptured. My mom called me sat morning at 4 am to tell me he was just about to go into surgery. I could hear the worry in her voice and in my sleepiness I said three simple words...I will pray. She said OK, I will call you when he gets out of surgery, and that was the end of our conversation. She called me about an hour later around 5 am to tell me that the surgery went well and everything was OK, but all of her fears came out as well. She talked about the risk of infection, about his previous kidney transplant and how he isn't suppose to take antibiotics but he has to, and how this could really be bad for him...I listened for a few minutes and stopped her. I said Mom...you don't have to receive those thoughts you know. You can rebuke that nonsense. She said what do you mean? I said your husband is a strong man and if he can get through a kidney transplant he can get through appendix surgery! He will be just fine! He isn't going to get an infection, the doctors did a great job and the medicine he is taking will do what it is suppose to! I said stop speaking negative over him. She was kinda shocked and said...Oh! OK...ya I guess your right. She seemed a little better and said she would call me later.
So back to this morning. She called me and said you know Shawna when I called you the first time at 4 am and as all as you said was "I will pray"...you couldn't have said anything better. It gave me peace. So many people over the last few days have been so negative and filling me with all of the risks and worries and what ifs that when I called you and you told me to stop speaking negative and focus on the positive, speak positive and believe positive that it was so helpful and really got me through. You were the only one who had encouraging helpful uplifting things to say! So thank you for being you!
It was a great testimony of how powerful our words of encouragement can be! We all know how negative words can impact a situation...so this for me was proof that it goes both ways! Let me encourage you in two ways. First think about things that will HELP you! Not things that will add worry to what ever it is you are going through. If you can't, ask someone to help you!

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Phil 4:6-8

Secondly, think about what you say! If it's good or bad there is more power in the words that come out of your mouth than you think!
May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. PS 19:14

Jealousy

What is Jealousy?

1.
jealous resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, etc., or against another's success or advantage itself.
2.
mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims.
3.
vigilance in maintaining or guarding something.
4.
a jealous feeling, disposition, state, or mood.

Doesn't sound very nice does it? Well...I have been feeling pains of Jealousy here and there. It sucks and I definitely am not asking for it. I don't want to feel this way!! God has been nudging me to write about it, and to dig into his word to see if I can find the root of this Jealousy. I feel a little embarrassed actually admitting to this sin. It amazes me that no matter how much I love Jesus, I am still human and have to conquer sin as we all do. No one is exempt. There are *things* and *relationships* that I have been feeling jealous about. There I said it.

The more I focus on what I don't have, what others do have that I want and can't have, the more this humanness of mine rises up. My heart is to let Jesus rise up in me, so my humanness becomes less and He can become more. Does that make sense?

The word fear, insecurity, lack of trust are all things that accompany Jealousy. These words are not ones that I would like to describe myself with. What do I have to be jealous about you might say. The truth is Nothing! I don't accept these jealous thoughts of mine at all! I pray God would even more abundantly bless the *relationships* I find myself envious of, as well as the people who have the *things* I don't. I know the closer I come to you Jesus, the less those things will matter to me. The choices I make everyday are seeds, and I choose to You! I choose:

Romans 12:12 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (The Message)
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

Father God,

Thank you for all you have done for me, a sinner. Lord please forgive me for having these jealous thoughts as I know they are not from you. Lord I know that I could never even come close to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, with out your help. Lord thank you that you are my helper, I need you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit Lord God. Jesus I choose to take these thoughts captive Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity EVERY THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5. Lord instead I choose to fill my mind and meditate on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Phil 4:8. Lord have your way in me, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Ps 50:10. Thank you God that I can be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. Phil 1:6. And thankyou that you will never leave me. Hebrews 13:5

I love you Lord, and give all of these things to you.

In Jesus Name Amen.

His eye is on the sparrow

I love God's word. No matter how I feel as long as I am willing to look past my own selfishness and emotions my father is always faithful to meet me.

Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows. Matthew 10:30

Do you know how loved you are? Do you know? Do you know God knows every hair on your head and how many He placed there? Do you know you are a son or daughter of the King? Do you know He has His eye on you?

I pray that you would find the Lord this Feb 14th. You are so very loved! More than you know! GOD IS LOVE! And He is the source of EVERY mercy and the God who comforts us! Cor.1:3

My heart is FULL to overflowing for each and every one of you in my life. I love you! And am so very thankful for you! Our only power and success come from Him! 2 Cor 3:5 and each of you are treasures from God!

p.s the heart picture is off a google internet search for hearts, and so is the sparrow.

I have a Choice

I was reading a friends blog a few days ago, and I can't tell you how amazingly perfect it was for me that day. She has a devotional type blog. She reminded me that I am a woman of God who has a choice!! Yes I do!!

When my circustances seem so far from what I'd hoped, and I feel like God's somehow maybe over looked me, or I feel unheard, leaving me with quesitons and doubts, I HAVE A CHOICE!! YEH!!

“Blessed are those who don’t doubt me.” (Matthew 11:6 The Living Bible)

I just love what you wrote Gail...thank you:) I made my choice!

http://www.gailrodgers.ca/index.php/site/devotionalItem/part_05_-_faith_to_trust_god/

Friday

Today is a new day. Every day is in Him. The air is crisp and it stings a little...somehow that is comforting today. How can I stay angry and hurt when I am teaching about God's love to friends, and His Holy Spirit, and How EVERYTHING in His word is ALIVE and True and REAL even today! How my heart aches, and how I need to believe that God sees me, and loves me, and cares about the things I do! Oh how I need to cling to His word instead of how I'm feeling. Below are parts from The Compass - Connecting Streams on the Holy Spirit, and some are my thoughts.

The spirit is the source of life. He is a gift. You cannot earn Him. He is given to you as a witness. He dwells within your inner being, guiding and helping you to follow Jesus.

I (Jesus) will not leave you orphaned. I'm coming back. In just a little while the world will see Me, because I am alive and you're about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I'm in My Father, and you're in Me, and I'm in you." John 14:15-20 (the message)

***KNOW THAT THE DEPOSIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN MADE REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCE OR EMOTION***

The Holy Spirit is: He is God, He came to Dwell in you, He came to convict the world of sin and Justice, He came to teach you the Truth, He came to Glorify Christ, He confirms your relationship with God, He is the source of Christ-Like qualities in your life.

"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control." Galatians 5:22-23a

[Jesus speaking] "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce MUCH fruit. For apart from me you can do NOTHING". John 15:4-5

[Jesus speaking] "But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere...and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

Oh Jesus,
Please come with your powerful Holy Spirit and bring truth, and peace. Help me to cling to these truths. I want to remain in YOU. I want to be fruitful and do all you would have me do. Help me to surrender complete control of my life to You. Help me to trust You to direct and empower me. You said - "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will NEVER thirst - not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring with in, gushing fountains of endless life." John 4:14 (the message)

Nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38, 39

I will rest in YOUR words and truth today Lord God. You carry me.