Comfort verses 10…icechips

 Comfort verses 10…ice chips

My Five-Star 24/7 menu while here at hospital is cups and cups of ice chips…the doctors are turning my insides off, collecting buckets of infection all the while giving me bags of various drugs to heal…my medical pole looks like a laundry line on a sunny day…

Those ice chips as absolutely wonderful…they sooth my dry throat, lubricate my lips and just take good…I can pretend they are any flavor, but mostly I just enjoy them hour after hour…will never take them for granted again…a little/big gift in the midst of this health crisis…

It reminded me of Jesus talking about a cup of cold water given in His name…it was important, the kindness, the care….

On the opposite side, the rich begged Abraham fro send Lazarus with but a drop to cool his tongue from agony of the fire…no reprieve from the choices he had made while he was on earth…

I think I would much rather have the former water…that given in Jesus name ….

Thank YOU….

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

Matt.10.42

 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16.19-31

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,

and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Isa.58.

As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.psalm 18:30

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18 NIV).

"Lord, I thank You that You are the God of the impossible. You can do anything. I want to trust in Your ability and not my own. Teach me to see difficulties in my life from Your perspective. Help me to focus on You and Your power. Today I bring before You this difficulty in my life [Name a hard situation you are right now facing]. Help me not to fear but to trust You in this situation. I declare my faith in Your ability to fulfill Your promises to me. I have nothing to fear with You on my side. I will be strong and courageous even in hard times. I will not be terrified or discouraged, for the Lord my God will be with me wherever I go (Joshua 1:9). You will never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 1:5). I do not need to figure everything out. You already know the best plan for my life. I will not try any man-made method to do only what You can do. Show me Your supernatural power. Teach me how to walk by faith and pray breakthrough prayers. I choose to have faith in Your ability to break through every obstacle in my life. Amen." 

John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

2Thess.3.3

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3 NIV).

Cups of cold water…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq97GyO_zpI

Comfort verses9…. Hospital stay…..

 

Comfort verses….9….hospital stay….

The last week or so have been a change for me…spending time in hospital with perforated  bowels, spreading infection and knock-me-out-pain….not my norm….

The hospital staff, all the doctors, nurses have been amazing….when I have been lucid or not….

I kept thinking of this picture which came my way this year,,,

Thank you for All your prayers on my be half….

Thank YOU….

 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Eph.6.18

 God is not man, that he should lie,or a son of man, that he should change his mind.Has he said, and will he not do it?Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it.

Num.23.19

“My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God” (Psalm 84:2 AMPC).

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 6:13-14 NIV).

 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint.

Isa.40.31

“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command” (Hebrews 1:3a NLT).

 

“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 ASV).

From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2 NIV). 

Abide….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLDEt9KP2O0

 A stroller…and three dads…

An engineer and a scientist….

Of course,  a stroller shouldn’t be so hard that it would confound a a man or a group of men simply trying to get it in the back of a car……but, for whatever reason it does…

Simple things made hard….

Several years ago, my husband and a friend were in the same dilemma, fortunately it was a cool

Day as the stroller was almost

Disassembled and toddlers could

Be

Placed in the car as they awaited their grandfathers’

Putting the strollers away…a simple button push away from Its collapse.

There are times when we make a simple task sooooo much more harder to do…

Salvation is simple, there are no specific prayers to

Memorize, no works that have to be

Done, no mountains to

Climb, no

Pilgrimages

To

Make.

 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Acts.16.29-34

 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Eph.2.8-10

Thank

YOU…

Grace grace….

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EYYQVL3RBfE&pp=ygUmZm9yIGJ5IGdyYWNlIHlvdSBoYXZlIGJlZW4gc2F2ZWQgc29uZyA%3D

it should be difficult, 

Junk drawer….

 The junk drawer…

The junk drawer…Tim Hawkins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0D-wbfGr8

I had this video in my email this morning….just had to share…

After cleaning out my parent’s things, my husband’s things and moving my things I ended up with several “junk” drawers as they had them and I had them too…they are awfully hard to clean out…as they have the items that there is no set place for….things we grab quickly and put back after use, sometimes…scotch tape, finger nail file, pens, tape measure, stamps, post it notes, glue, pencils, dead sharpies, free pens, rubber bands, etc, etc, etc.

And the beginning page of my estate notebook has the following picture…stuff…handed down stuff…I got it and now my children get it…

The things we hold dear, the things that remind us of the past, bringing our parent’s lives into focus somehow…what they held dear…their diaries, notebooks, their heirlooms…now ours to store…

We have to balance holding on and letting go…none of this will make to heaven with us…we can’t carry a suitcase with us, or junk drawers, nor notebooks, nor an antique toy, nor precious pictures…it won’t matter there…

We are pressing on for a higher calling…unencumbered by the stuff of this world…

 Let us acknowledge the Lord;let us press on to acknowledge him.As surely as the sun rises,he will appear;he will come to us like the winter rains,like the spring rains that water the earth.”

Hos.6.3

 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: 

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Phil.3.12-14Phil.3.20-21

Thank YOU…

Higher ground…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPnCog98HIk 

Cherry juice….

 

Cherry juice…

Yesterday I used my steamer/juicer to juice some cherries…it is too concentrated to drink straight, so has to be diluted with water or a carbonated  accompaniment….

Reading in Revelations this am…made me think of the cherry juice…the wine press…

First the wine makers had to tread the grapes to get the majority of the juice out, then put through a wine press to finish the process before the fermentation…typically they combined one part wine to three or four parts water, rarely drinking full strength…

Chapter 14  speaks of “full strength “ no more dilution of judgement to come…

 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

Rev.14.9-12

The last sentence of this passage speaks of patient endurance and faithfulness of the people of God….steadfastness through the storm…

Thank YOU….

 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2Pet.3.9

Strength of my Life….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sqy1URx4mg

Beauty from ashes…

 Beauty from ashes…

I have friend who has quite the testimony…she was ill for three years, at death’s door countless times and continues with residual after effects, but continues on living life and sharing the love of Jesus wherever she goes….

Through it all, her husband was a rock, and then she had the opportunity to stand by him through his cancer treatments …as of now, he is cancer free, too…they have much to share with the world …shining lights…

….to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,the oil of joy instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow,so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Isa.61.3,11

I have known many people whose testimonies show forth the joy, praise through the suffering…rather dwell on the negative, dwelling on the praise…the “thank you” instead of the grumbling, complaining…

It is a fact, that we all go through hard times, roller coaster rides of life…there is an unlimited amount of comfort from our Creator…

 When you pass through the waters,I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers,they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned;the flames will not set you ablaze.

Isa.43.2

 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;he speaks to them in their affliction. 

Job 36-15

 Remember your word to your servant,for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this:Your promise preserves my life.

Ps.119.49,50

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John.16.33

 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. 

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5.3-5

 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.Jas.5.10,11

Draw me close….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h561DdhNutQ

https://www.gotquestions.org/suffering-for-Christ.html

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/the-one-promise-jesus-made-that-we-don-t-like-so-much-suffering.html#:~:text=Will%20we%20always%20suffer%3F%20Jesus%20promised%20that%20while,like%20discipline%2C%20can%20yield%20good%20results%20%28Hebrews%2012%3A11%29.

   

Comfort verses…8….strength in waiting…

 

Comfort verses…8…strength in waiting

I just received a prayer request from a friend and missionary in Thailand…her youngest is suffering from an inflammation which left one side of his face drooped like a stroke….now PT to get those muscles to work again….was glad she was able to see a doctor….instead of waiting, waiting, waiting…now the waiting for healing …strength in waiting…

Chuck  Swindoll  once said there are more “waits” than “goes” in the Bible…

I remember at the time he said that, I didn’t want to hear it…we were in a “waiting” time, wondering where the Lord would lead next…not knowing which direction to take, so we waited…until a door opened, praying and fasting for direction…and when the door opened, it was  nothing like we could ever have imagined…it was worth  the wait…..it had been prepared by a divine Hand…

Thank YOU…

Truly, my soul silently waits for God” (Psalm 62:1 NKJV).

My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my Rock and my salvation” (Psalm 62:5-6 NKJV).

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7 NIV).

“The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills” (Habakkuk 3:19 NKJV).

 So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isa.41.10

NIV...Isaiah 41:13....For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says💕 to you; Do not fear; I will help you.

 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2Cor.5:5-10

Wait…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VicH_ic_hZI