Grafted-A Wild Olive Branch

I was reading the book of Romans last week. God is so amazing! He takes something "old" and makes it "new" as if to refresh our minds of His wondrous mercy!

Reading in Chapter 11 regarding the message being brought to the Gentiles... and it seemed as if my heart and mind "burst" with the thankfulness of what had occurred. If you let yourself really think about it, it's overwhelming the mercy He has bestowed upon us, the Gentiles.

I've heard this preached and taught all my life...I know the "principle" of the teaching... but somehow, after all these years it hit me "full force" exactly what God did for us, the Gentiles. Yes, "I've Got it, I've Got it, there's something about the Power of the Holy Ghost and I've Got it...".

Paul tells it like it is... and I'll paraphrase it... "... don't get haughty, arrogant, conceited or prideful about being grafted in...after all, you are grafted in as a result of the hardened hearts that were cut off because of their hard hearts... and the same can happen to you! You, a wild olive branch, were grafted in, in their place, but it is easier for the orchard tree to be re-grafted, so be careful... " Now, those are my words... read it for yourself and read from several different translations. The Message gives a powerful rendering of Romans 11.

Oh my, what a blessed people we are... only by the MERCY of God are we filled with His Spirit. We should be so thankful and cherish what we've been given.

On to 1 & 2 Corinthians... I'm anticipating what God will reveal or remind me of....

Do you ask God to show YOU something when you read His Word? He will if you ask him too! His WORD is new each day!

Have a blessed day with Jesus.

Count it all JOY...

“Deeper, Deeper every day in Jesus, Till all conflict past, Finds me conqu’ror and in His own image perfected at last.” Deeper, Deeper by C.P. Jones

In mulling over the testimonies last night and the message... I agree, I don’t want to ever NOT feel God’s conviction on my life. I want to know if I’m pleasing or displeasing Him. I want to be chastised if I’m wrong. That is the way to perfection. My imperfections are under the blood and I desire to keep them there. I’m not perfect, but striving to be perfect in His image. Christ-like living is not based on good intentions, but in consistent daily walking with the one who loves us with an immeasurable love. Yes, just like the old hymn above, I want to go deeper and deeper everyday with Jesus... until the end of time. Do I know what I’m asking for? Oh yes... (THE CUP) In my Bible reading this verse stood out to me:

Jesus said in John 15:18-19 (NIV)

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

So, what is the other verse... “Count it all joy...” Believe me, I’m not searching for persecution and conflict... but I know that the world that I live in hates the TRUTH of His WORD and because of this, if I stand for what I believe, I’m not going to win the “most likeable” person award! But we have a higher calling than rewards and awards on this earth. I’m striving daily to do, say, and walk in the “right” way. I live on a “daily basis” with the future in mind! What a HOPE we have in Jesus!

Blessings...have a GREAT day with JESUS!

Saturday Evening Muse

Originally written April 2006 for Heart2Heart Women's Ministries.

Fear Not and Hold Your Peace

“... Fear not, stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today...The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.” Exodus 14:13-14 (Amplified)

How many times have you been in a circumstance and the above scripture would have been an excellent reminder to “...hold your peace”...? I know, I can think of a few times in my life L when I really needed that reminder.

It’s so easy for us to take “the matter” into our own hands and not let God do it His Way! We are such impatient creatures and we think nothing is happening or nothing is being done about a certain situation... but we just aren’t in a place to view the whole picture, are we?

Yet, there are times when we do take a stand and attack the enemy head on and resist his efforts!

“So be subject to God.—Stand firm against the devil; resist him and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (Amplified)

We are not to fear, but to STAND STILL and see what God can and will do! He is working for our good, not our destruction! He will fight our battles... but we have to allow Him to do so! We can’t wait until the last minute, and we do, then say ok God... clean up this mess I’ve made! Surprisingly, there are many times that He does just that for us! Isn’t God full of Mercy and longsuffering towards us?

My Prayer: O God, be my guide today! Lead me in the direction that You chose for me. Help me not to stray from the path that You have set before me. Keep me close to Your side and let me hear Your voice. In Jesus’ name.

Heart2Heart Women’s Ministries © 2004 – 2006 Pamla K Childers (Heart for Truth Ministries) All rights reserved

Our Loss, but Heavens Gain

Sis Jean Urshan went home yesterday around 1:45pm. I'm sure those gates opened wide to welcome her in. We have lost a faithful woman of God who lived her life for God. I remember Bro. and Sis. Urshan singing at the District conferences in California when I was just a young girl of 10 or so. Her rendition of HARVEST TIME always reminded me of why I was on this earth. Bro. Urshan's father, Andrew Urshan spent time in our home and I was always fascinated by his stories of provision and protection that was God given. I never left the room when he was there. Those trials and tribulations he went through has stuck with me all these years.

This earth has lost a Woman of God... Our loss is heavens gain.

Prayers for Virginia Tech

This is a sorrowful day for many (all of us). They have lost their most precious possession, their children. I simply cannot fathom the grief of a parent losing a child.

Yes, I know, it is a daily occurrence that I have not had to face. Children are dying every day from war, starvation, abusive caregivers, diseases, accidents and many other unthinkable acts. Many countries face the horror of losing their youth... but when it strikes home... our eyes are WIDE open.

We ponder... how could this happen to us? Oh, we must turn our faces back to God. Do I think this was a punishment from God? NO, NO!!!! Tragedies happen, it’s part of living in this unpredictable world.

I do think we are becoming too self-absorbed and forgetting our creator and his purpose for us. We need to return to “One Nation Under God”... “In God We Trust”.

Tuesday's Musing

Good TUESDAY evening,


It was beautiful today...still cooler than normal...but a wonderful day. We were exceptionally busy at the office today and I'm not sure why. Maybe people were just getting all their ducks in a row before they filed their TAXES. Bud and I filed ours tonight. Whew...glad that's over with. We did owe a little...but not enough to complain about.


I have an hour for lunch and if I've not any pressing errands to run I usually eat my lunch in the shade somewhere and read or write. Sometimes I listen to music and just relax. If I'm reading or studying an hour passes too quickly. It's my quiet time... no interruptions (unless hubby calls me on my cell phone) and I can read and meditate in solitude. I truly enjoy that time. I actually crave it when I've had to run errands and can't get that "alone time". Just me in my car with my thoughts and listening for His voice through His Word. I've had many prayers answered praying in my car all alone. God is so kind to show us what we need and to give it to us at just the right time. What's that chorus... "He's an on time God". That He is!! I always go back to the office refreshed.


After almost 20-years, God is answering my prayers for my children and grandchildren. I heard about a preacher that ends each service telling the members of his church, "NEVER GIVE UP" (Winston Churchill was right).


Mother's NEVER GIVE UP. God knows when they are ready to listen... Keep praying, the answer is on the way.


Have a blessed week with Jesus.



My devotional website: http://heart2heartministries.injesus.com/

Musing...

Good Saturday afternoon,

It's cold again. After the 80 degree weather we had for awhile it feels extra chilly. Hubby built a fire in the wood stove last night and has one going again this afternoon. A wood fire is so warm and cozy.

The cold weather shriveled some of the grapevine leaves :( they were so pretty and green. I think the itty bitty grape clusters are ruined too. We had covered the other plants up with leaves and they're fine. Hubby forgot to put the sheet over the grapevine out front. The one in the back is OK. The hydrangea bush looks sad. I know it will come back, but the first green growth looks pathetic.

I'm trying to do some much needed de-cluttering... we have just accumulated too much stuff. I don't think we've disposed of much in our 39-years together. We are both into books and those will stay (we will sort through some of them). But the other "stuff" we plan to have a yard sale or give to the YOUTH group for their Sheaves for Christ yard sale this year. I just need "energy" and determination to get this done.

Well, enough of that... looking forward to church services tomorrow. Just knowing that He is resurrected and in my heart is worth it all.

Have a blessed weekend ~