On Providential Blog Posts and How I'm Mirroring Beth's

My Momma-Nan, as I think I'll begin to refer to her, is a devoted follower of Beth Moore's blog.

I like to read it too, but I'm fairly hit or miss on it.

I found it interesting that neither my husband nor Janan commented on my blog entry regarding me sharing my testimony, which you'll find here.

When I asked Shane about it, he said, "Is God leading you to share it?"

Never fails. That guy can nail just about any situation that stumps me with one sentence.

I love him dearly, and I dearly love seeing his gift of leadership at work. For me, as well as for his company.

Both of us are darn blessed to have him!

When I asked Momma-Nan if she was going to comment on it, she promptly said,
"No, I'm not going to comment on it!"

Huh?

I mean, she is my top comment gal. Why in the world would she not comment on that post?

So I asked her why...

"Because. When you're supposed to share it, you'll know it. You won't have to ask me or anyone else if you're to supposed to."

I do love having accountability in my life!

Though the next time I look for another partner, I'm considering searching for one with the soft approach.
 I like to be balanced, that's all.  ;)

Nah...God knows me too well. He knew my needs before I ever asked for them. (Matthew 6:8)


So then Momma-Nan tells me I need to read this blog post of Beth's.

Wow! Could Beth have any better said all that's been rolling around in this head of mine the past few days?

I seriously doubt it.

I'm going to break it down for you a bit. Part two will be in a few days. That will be the fun one...the one about my own grandmother.

But for now, I'll address the idea of being the Momma of this blog...

1. This is my blog. I've often considered securing a name for another one called,
 "Any Idiot Can Have A Blog," simply because I think it's a hilarious name as well as a serious truth.
But alas, I didn't want to take the title from someone who might really need it. :)

Since this is my blog, I get publishing rights. And since I get publishing rights, I don't have to allow every comment that comes through to hit my blog. I get to reject the ones I choose to.

I use this right very judiciously. I've only had to use it a few times, but use it I will as I deem necessary.

Sadly, you wouldn't believe some of the ugly stuff that gets sent to me in the form of a comment, that is clearly spam. If you have a blog of your own, and you get comments like "lovely blog you have here...please visit mine at "anyidiotcanhaveablog" and become a follower"...know almost for certain that it's either an invite for a virus, or it will be a blog you don't want to open up to your sweet eyes.

If you're unsure, just Google the comment, or the name of the "blog"...if you quickly see that the same comment is posted on other blogs, just quickly reject that comment from your own, and don't visit the site.

Also, since I get publishing rights, and since the purpose of my blog is very clearly defined in my opening intro, I don't have to publish those comments from people who have what I believe to be a false understanding of Scripture, and want to use my blog to teach their own doctrines.

You see, I grew up under a false teacher. A person who skewed God's Word so bad, that it led to the heartache of many, many people.

He taught that abortion was a woman's right to choose, and he falsely used Scripture to support this lie from satan himself.

He pounded the fact that we were under grace and that if we sinned we just needed to "confess it and move on," yet he never once talked about what it means to grieve over sin, that we might not want to return to it. Heck, he didn't even teach that there was benefit in pausing to consider the sin...which led to a sin cycle of sin, confess, same sin, confess, same sin, tired of confessing...God must be tired of hearing from me...will I ever be free of this?...doubtful...God's out to get me anyway...He's a tyrant like this "pastor" is...I can't ever walk in victory...I might as well just forget God and submit to the sin once and for all...

This is what happens when we don't stop to consider the cost of our sin...when we don't ask God to make us grieve over it, to BEG Him to help us hate it the way that He hates sin, so we won't want to return to it.

He belittled and berated people who would dare to show up to his "Bible classes" even minutes late, waiting until they were seated and then stopping his "teaching" to call them to their feet and humiliate them in front of everyone present by telling them that they were distracting others from their study of the Word by being so inconsiderate. "What time does this class start?!," he'd yell from his bully pulpit.


To this day I can't believe that someone didn't stand up and give it right back to him! That no one took him to the book of James and showed him what true wisdom looks like:  
James 3:13-18 
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,  there is disorder and every evil thing.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the  seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Or to Paul's admonition to Timothy to make sure that he taught others this way:
2 Timothy 4:1-2 
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judgethe living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Am I the only one who sees the irony in this man's words to his congregation, and Dear Lord, to their guests?!


Can you even IMAGINE Jesus doing that? Or the Apostle Paul? Peter? James? Timothy? John?

He built his army of followers by holding nightly classes....yes, nightly! There was only one day a week off from "Bible class." All true followers were to be there the other 6.

Hmmm...just wondering what kind of impact those dedicated followers made with their lost neighbors who needed Christ?

Pretty hard to impact the lost when you don't spend any time with them.

I know how we did...we isolated from just about everyone. Especially the Baptists in our town. I remember going to church with one of my little friends from school one night, and when the invitation was given, I was pierced to the heart...I went down front and told them that I wanted to have Jesus in my heart.

Then, I bawled uncontrollably all the way home, just terrified of what my parents were going to say because I went and let myself get "emotional" about Jesus. I'd been taught and taught that conversion wasn't an emotional thing, and here I'd gone and fallen for the "deceived" Baptists' bait!

As a child, I was made to listen to his lies by tape every night, and take notes on them. If I hadn't done a good enough job on my notes, they would be returned to me and I'd have to listen to his garbage all over again.

He taught me all about the impending war with Red China. He taught me that if I were to be captured by one of these communists in the war that we'd soon be in, I needed to be prepared to give only my name, my rank, and my serial number.

Uuuuh...I was 7. I didn't even have a social security number yet!

I suppose I should be happy that the Holy Spirit has erased all the "teaching" that this false teacher poured in, other than those lies that I can easily discern as such today.

Oh, my all time favorite....and I say this in jest.

He taught me that God is done with the Jews, until the 1,000 year reign.

Can you imagine God being "done" with His chosen people? Our covenant keeping God, done?

Our God who never lies...never breaks a promise...and Who, when He says, "everlasting,"...really means it?

He taught me that there is only 1 right man for every woman, and that if I should fall into sin outside of marriage, that the person I fell into that sin with would then become my right man, and I'd miss out on the real one God had for me.

Nice.

Now that, "we're under grace" teaching just fell apart at the seams. No grace for the person who commits sexual sin.

All other sins we just "confess and move on" from....but sexual sin...we'd be bound to that one for a lifetime..in the form of a spouse that might have been a horrid pick for us.

Oh, I forgot my other favorite...

Everyone who didn't believe his interpretation of the Bible was WRONG!

He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, but I'm told by some other DTS grads who have been my friends or pastors, that he is the black mark on the seminary.

When I tell them whose teaching I grew up under, they all get this very sad and heavy look on their face, and then they tell me oh...you were raised a "------ite. I'm so sorry! How are you doing now?"

Yes, they even have a name for his followers that some DTS people have coined. It's not Davidianites, but it's close, and the gist is certainly the same.

Seems they must discuss this man's false teaching ways at some time during the training at DTS, possibly to prepare them for how to minister to the desperately broken and hurting among the brethren who they may one day have in their own churches?

All that to say, if someone sends me a comment full of false teaching, I'm not required to post it.

I won't be posting it.

Because this is my blog for Jehovah God, and Jesus Messiah....and it will stand for truth!

I love how my friend little momma said, in her comment about whether or not to share my testimony,
"I think we must always use discretion and tell our stories in a way that is relatable and yet does not steal the innocence of our listeners..."


That's such great wisdom, and I find tonight that it also applies to how my blog is to be used. 


God forbid that I should post someone's comments that I believe to be a false interpretation of the Word of God, and find that it has stolen the innocence of my reader...or been used of the evil one to bring confusion!


Nope. It won't be happening here.


Mini rant coming...rather a FIRM REBUKE, fully rooted in God's call on a given situation in my life...most readers may want to just skip the red lettering here...


And, when someone sets up a false blogger profile, under the name of one of their friends, in the hope that they'll fly under the radar and I won't be smart enough to figure out what's going on, you can be absolutely assured that I won't be posting those comments!


And, to the aforementioned person, in the heart of Christian charity, I rebuke you...who clearly cannot honor a single boundary Shane and I have laid down for you with regard to our family...to once and for all STOP IT!


Let it go.


Put it in God's hands. 


Trust Him and His timing. 


He is sovereign. 


If you care for me or my family in even the least bit, STOP IT! The emotional energy that you steal from our lives is indescribable, inconsiderate, inexcusable!


YOU NEED TO QUIT!




Nope, I won't post false doctrine, and I won't post comments from fake blogger profiles.


Because this is my blog for Jehovah God, and Jesus Messiah...and it will stand for truth!


Can I get an "Amen?"


Seriously..."Amen" is a postable comment!


Now, I was going to move on to a lighter post about how being at the farm always brings back such sweet memories of my Grandmother...Nina Aline.


My daughter is named after her...she has her middle name. 


Brennan Aline.


I love what Aline means...beautiful.


Brennan - brave. 


Brave Beautiful Brennan.


Should've seen her out on the wave riding tube today, taking the wake of the boat in stride! She's as much of a lake girl as her Momma is! We've both agreed that we could LIVE on a boat for the REST of our LIVES!


How cool would it be to be on a houseboat in the middle of the lake, fishing off the side or skiing from behind, when the rapture happens?


Very cool!


Brave Beautiful Brennan...


In her black and white polka-dotted, pink trimmed bathing suit.


With her legs that go on for days, and days, and days....


And that curly hair with auburn highlights, just glistening in the sun..


You'd have found her to be Brave Beautiful Brennan, too!


Yes, my next post will be about my Grandmother, whose name Brennan bears....Nina Aline.


Nina has it's roots in the Hebrew language, and it means Grace.


Gracious and Beautiful.


That was definitely my grandmother!


I'll write about my gracious, beautiful grandmother soon.


Much love to you tonight in Messiah Yeshua...my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,


Jes

The Sermon On The Mount

I'm so excited! I've been seeking the LORD, and really trying to listen to His leading on what our next Ladies Precept Bible Study will be.

I love how God moves in these times, these quite times before studies start up. He's always so faithful to lead me on what we are to study. I remember when we were about to start the Covenant study, and the evil one was on the prowl. He was so relentless that at times I really thought about just throwing in the towel.

Then, I went to my mailbox one evening, and there was a personal note from Kay. It was in reference to something all together different, but in her note, she included a Scripture reference, and when I went and read it, I just wept. The Scripture was about how God keeps His covenants to those who fear Him.

Oh, I love the Lord so much!

And I love Kay, and her heart for God and for people.

And I love the many precious people who work with Precept Ministries across the world, so that others may be given the rich and awesome gift of studying the Word that I have been given.

And I love the sweet, amazing women in our study! Thank you, each of you, for your grace toward me as a leader, as I grow and fall on my face, and get back up, and endeavor to lead the best way that I know how to. I know that I am so human, and thus so imperfect, but I thank you that you love God and His Word enough that you can look past me. :)

I love you all so much!

I wonder how anyone who has been saved from the life of sin that I was, could help but love the LORD. Even writing this, my eyes are full of tears...I wonder if I'll ever get past crying when I think about my Lord, my Jesus, and His Holy Spirit who seals us until the day of redemption?

Doubtful. :)

I think that when I get to heaven, after I worship before the Father and the Son; say hello to my child who is there; meet my sister; and kiss my precious Grandma; that I'll spend a LOT of time with Jeremiah...he was the weeping prophet, you know. :)

Oh, I forgot about Peter...I can't wait to meet him too! Talk about a person who got total clarity from God on how his humanity would fail him, but that God's Holy Spirit never would! I can SO relate!

Well, I digress...I guess you've figured out that our next study will be The Sermon On The Mount. I wasn't sure, but kept asking God, and then this week it seems that almost EVERY conversation I've had has centered in some way around Matthew 5-7.

I just know that God is tugging at my heart, telling me it's time to really examine what Jesus had to say about my heart before Him. And, the funny thing is, that when He leads me in the direction of which study to do, it seems it's always a study that other women in the class needed too.

It's such a rich few chapters of Scripture..and I can already tell that it's going to be a challenge, but I'm up for it, and can't wait to get started. How about you?

Consequently, I'm seeking the LORD on whether this is also the study to use for the Precept Kids Class. So, the kids and I will either study The Sermon On The Mount, too, or we'll do a kid-friendly version of "Being a Disciple, Counting The Real Cost".

Just for a fun question, to lighten it up a bit, who do you look forward to seeing when you get to heaven?

Merry Christmas Sweet Friends...I hope you have a wonderful time with your families!

In Jesus,
Jesica

Mary and the Angel

My children never cease to amaze me with their observations and questions.

Here's my most recent example...the other night we rented "The Nativity Story" and watched it together as a family.

Granted, there were parts in the movie that weren't in total keeping with God's Word, but we talked about creative license, and how Hollywood adds things out of imaginiation to make the story more realistic for the viewer.

So today we're running errands (Yeah! I'm finally feeling better!) and a song comes on the radio that talks about how someone will react when they see Jesus face to face.

Caedmon says, I don't think I'll stand. I think I'll bow.

I said, "I know what you mean, Caedmon. I think I'll be face flat to the ground."

"Why Mommy? Why all the way down?"

"Because, son. There never was a sinner worse than I was. I KNOW how much I've been forgiven, I KNOW what a great gift my LORD is to me. I want to honor Him in the best way that I know how to, to thank Him."

Then Brennan asked, "Mommy, is it ok for us to bow down to anyone other than God?"

"No, baby. Only God deserves that level of honor from us. No one else."

"Why did Mary bow down to the angel, then?"

It took me a minute, and a few questions of her to realize that she was referencing the movie that we watched a few nights ago.

"Did Mary really bow down to the angel?", I ask.

Then they both emphatically told me that she did.

"Well, kids. I don't remember the Scripture saying that she did that..so we'll need to go back home and look it up in our Bible and see for sure."

From just that one observation, we had the most awesome talk about angels, and how God doesn't want us to worship angels. We talked about how we're not to worship the creations of God, only the Creator, and that angels are created beings.

Then Caedmon asked, "Mommy. What do I do if an angel ever comes and wants to tell me something?"

WOW! Where do they get these questions?!

So I told him, "Caedmon, I don't think that an angel would ever come to you and speak on behalf of God. That's what the angel Gabriel was doing...he was being God's spokesperson to Mary and to Elizabeth. However, he was speaking prophesy, he was revealing God's plan for the future. So, I don't believe that angels come and speak prophesy to men anymore. Today, son, for someone to prophesy means that they will point you back to Scripture. But, there is no NEW revelation. The revelations of God are found in His Word."

We didn't have the talk about entertaining angels unaware, because Mommy hasn't studied that passage enough to be able to explain it adequately. :)

It was just such a neat conversation to have. I am amazed by how much of the Word these kids absorb...and so hoping that their very imperfect Mom's failures from day to day won't keep them from loving God and His Word for all the days of their lives.

Here's the passage from Luke about Mary...it doesn't mention anything about her bowing down.

Luk 1:26
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,
Luk 1:27
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Luk 1:28
And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord {is} with you."
Luk 1:29
But she was very perplexed at {this} statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
Luk 1:30
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
Luk 1:31
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
Luk 1:32
"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
Luk 1:33
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."
Luk 1:34
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
Luk 1:35
The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Luk 1:36
"And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.
Luk 1:37
"For nothing will be impossible with God."
Luk 1:38
And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

What I'm Thankful For Today....

Here's my list..then it's off to beddie-bye because I have surgery in the morning. Yuck!

1. I'm thankful that after tomorrow, I won't be addicted to Afrin anymore.

2. I'm thankful for Christopher Columbus, who listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit and found his way here...(if you haven't read his letters, it's so worth it...they didn't teach us the truth in school)

3. I'm thankful for our service men and women, and our veterans.

4. I'm thankful for Gospel for Asia and Precept Ministries...one, for opening my eyes to my responsibility to my brothers and sisters in other lands; and the other for teaching me how to study the Bible

5. I'm thankful for my friends...oh my GOODNESS...is anyone as blessed in this area as I am?!
God has given me such precious friends...I love you each to the moon!

6. I'm thankful for my Spiritual "Momma", Janan...I love you, Nanner..thank you for the wonderful weekend!

7. I'm thankful for my family...for my husband and children, and for my both of my mother-in-laws...I love them to pieces!

8. I'm thankful for Petey, our dog...what an answer to prayer! :)

9. I'm thankful for God and His Word, and His Son Who is the Word. :)

10. I'm thankful that you're reading this blog...I hope you're blessed by it.

Have a super day!
Jes

My Heart is so full on halloween night!

What a great night!

First a little history...after I gave my life to Christ 8+ years ago, one of the issues He dealt with me on was how I would spend halloween.

I thought we'd just turn the lights off and leave for the night..but God had other plans. He led us to purchase Bibles for the kids, and to give them out on halloween night.

And, it was clear that we were to get neat Bibles that the kids would be excited to receive. ( or so we hoped! )

We were amazed that year by the responses of all but one of the children. The kids were thrilled! One little boy who lived in a million dollar home, left our front yard saying,
"Dad! Look! They gave me my very own Bible!"

The next few years were no exception. We had children coming to the door, while their parents waited patiently at the street, asking, "Is THIS where I can get a Bible?!".

One mom even came to the door, and led me outside to show me a group of teenagers all huddled in the street reading their Bibles at that very minute!

One young man, about 17, came to get one for his 7 year old brother and when he did I asked him if he had a Bible of his own, he answered, "No, Ma'am".

"Would you like one?"

"Yes. Ma'am."

"Well, we just gave out our last Teen Bible, but if you'll give us your name and address, we'll get you one and send it to you."

So...we ended up getting one for him and had his name put on it, and delivered it to his home instead. When I handed it to him, there were tears in his eyes. He said, "I can't believe you did this for me!"

Which, was a perfect opportunity to share with him what God had done for all of us through His Son, the Messiah.

I was blown away that this big teenage boy was so happy to have a Bible, that his eyes were filled with tears!

I mean, we live in America! One would think that if a kid wanted a Bible, they'd have one....but we've been proven wrong on that 4 times now.

Tonight, there was a huge group of kids who came to the door just as the night was winding down. We had a stack of about 8 Teen Study Bibles left, which we were holding for our neighbor kids. However, when we saw that group of kids, we knew that God had sent them to our door, and that the numbers had worked out exactly for those remaining Bibles to be theirs instead!

I couldn't believe it as the kids all were pushing to be first, and were saying, "I want one!". "I want one too!".

Then, one young man stepped out from the group and came toward me and said, in the kindest voice..."Do you know how amazing this is, what you're doing for kids?!". "This is just awesome."

I so wanted to say something intelligent, but knew that I'd burst out crying if I said much more than, "Praise God!".

Every year that we've done this, I expect to be met with hatred and guile. Yet, that has not happened once.

Kids aren't disappointed that they didn't get a candy bar. They RUN down the sidewalk, anxious to tell their parents that someone gave them a Bible.

I guess that even at a young age, children know when someone has done something caring for them.

What a blessing to have been able to do this. We couldn't have given out anywhere NEAR as many Bibles tonight if it weren't for the owner of Pathways Christian Bookstore here in Anthem. The owner really went to bat for us with the publisher, and saved us a TON of money.

Go see her, won't you..and support her business. It's really a wonderful ministry for our community.

Bibles for halloween ?

Sure has ended up being a rich blessing to our family..and hopefully, to all of those who have received one over the years.

Maybe the Lord will lead your family to do the same next year. If He does, please let us know. We'd love to be in prayer with you about it.

Remember, the Lord promises that His Word will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it! :)

Isaiah 55:10-11
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

In Him,
Jes

The Road to Reality

I realize that I'm supposed to be writing about what I learned from the Word today...but truthfully, we've been battling so much sickness this week that I haven't spent as much time as I'd like to have in my Bible.

However, I am reading a book that I can't put down. It's by K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia, www.gfa.org , and it's called, "The Road to Reality...Coming Home to Jesus in an Unreal World".

I gotta tell you, Dr. Yohannan's first book, "Revolution in World Missions", changed me at a very deep heart level. This book is doing no less.

I love writers who are willing to be transparent and honest.

They challenge me to live by a higher standard...by God's standard.

I can't put into words how awesome this book is, but I can tell you that I believe he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write it.

Dr. Yohannan's books now holds two of the spots on my "Top 5 Books of All Time" list.

What books have changed your life? Do tell....

Have a great night,
Jes

The Names of God

Tonight is a hard night for me. I just found out that a friend of mine was killed this weekend in a tragic accident.

As I write this, I feel as though my heart is going to break. She left behind a husband and two young children.

I ache for them. I ache knowing that I'll never see her again...never get to talk with her about the Lord again. Never listen as she shares her ponderings on God with me, and asks me questions about Him...I feel as though the conversation was in mid-sentence....there was so much more to listen to her about...so much more to share.

The tears keep coming, and I am reminded again of how precious the Lord is to me...as I think of His names, the one that keeps sounding in my head is Jehovah-Rapha, the LORD who heals me.

Even the name LORD (Jehovah) is amazing to me...it means all sufficient One...the LORD..He needs no ones help.

So, as deep as my hurt is right now, as deep as the pain is that this family is going through, Jehovah-Rapha is all sufficient to heal the hurts of all of us...single handedly.

A few months ago I might have written this post from a more "scholarly" approach...you know, all book learning with little practical life experience.

Amazing what a dose of humility and tearing down by God will do to a person.

You see...this summer was truly the summer of my discontent. It was the summer that I spent wondering if all this "God-stuff" was really true. Was He really Who he claimed to be? If so, where was He in the middle of my heartache?

Why didn't He stop the trainwreck that I had to go through this summer, before it happened?

Why does God allow satan to "sift believers like wheat" (that's what Jesus told Peter satan had asked permission of God to do to him)?

Yes, this summer was my crisis of faith. I never expected that I'd have one...I have been so deeply in love with God and His Son since giving my life to Him in 1999, that I never once thought I'd doubt Him.

WOW! Was I wrong.

But you know what I learned? I learned that God is bigger than my doubts. He is bigger than my questions about Him. He can take them...and He longs to answer them with the lovingkindness of who He is.

I realized that He wants so much more for me than I could ever want for myself, that He is willing to refine me in His fire until He has formed me as the person that He created me to be...in the image of His Son.

I realize that I'm rambling here, but I do hope you'll cut me some slack tonight. :)

Yes. Jehovah-Rapha wants to bring good from this tragedy that happened to my friend and to her family. Just like He brought good, and continues to, from the pain of my summer.

He wants to shine through this painful time and show Himself loving and gracious to my friend's family...and I hope that He will choose to use those of us in this community who know Him and love Him, to be instruments of His love.

Won't you please pray for this family with me?

And, will you please join me in praying for the pastor that will lead the funeral service? Pray that he will ask God to get him out of the way, and that he'll just let the Holy Spirit speak through him.

Pray, please, that the pastor who leads the service will be BOLD in sharing the Gospel..there are many in our community who need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ..the propitiation for their sin debt...Him crucified and resurrected so that they might receive the FREE gift of eternal life, if only they will repent and follow Him.

Pray that the chosen pastor won't back down from sharing the Truth, the Life, and the Way....Jesus Christ.

Now is not a time for a soft-shoe dance. I am praying, and will be fasting, asking God to use this tragedy to bring salvation to many..and that the pastor who will lead the service will be only a vessel that God can pour out His Spirit through.

Won't you please join me? There are so many hurting people here who need the LORD. Will you join with me in prayer and fasting this week?

For Him and Because of Him,
Jesica

Messianic Judaism, a Brief Look at Jews Who Profess Yeshua as Messiah

I just finished reading a book that I just know will be on my
"Lifetime Top 5" list forever.

It's called, "Your People Shall Be My People" by Don Finto, former pastor of Belmont Church of Christ in Nashville, TN.

As I was reading his book, there were several times that I just put it down and hit my knees and confessed before God the sins of the generations before me, against the Jewish people.

You see, my family origin is primarily German. Anti-semitic jokes were the norm in my home growing up. It was nothing to say we had
"Jewed someone down" when we got a good deal on something.

I remember too, this attitude that the Jews were just hard-hearted and a lost cause because they had rejected Jesus.

How sad to see that today, with new eyes and a new heart. How sad that those who were teaching me didn't know their history very well.

The first century church was made up of Jewish people! The Jews came to Christ first..then the Gentiles later. Acts 10 shows us that the Jews were actually surprised to find that the Gospel, the Messiah was also for the Gentiles!

It wasn't until some Gentiles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, that the Jews realized it was ok for them to receive water baptism too!

When I was growing up, there was almost an attitude of pity toward the Jews for how blind they were.

Just writing this breaks my heart today!

If the Gospel was first for the Jew and then for the Gentile, why in the world aren't we reaching out to Jewish people in love and introducing them IN LOVE to THEIR Messiah?!

I'm not talking about beating them over the head...the LORD knows that they've had GENERATIONS of persecution in the name of Jesus. ( Tragic, as this was never God's intention..just an example of what happens when man doesn't observe the FULL counsel of God's Word enough to know what GOD'S plans are..and instead man depends upon his own fautly plans.)

I'm talking about in love, showing a Jewish person from Scripture how Yeshua fulfilled all of the prophesies made about the Messiah. To do this, we must know and realize the importance of the Old Testament, and not be blinded into thinking that we are just "New Testament" believers.

Jesus didn't first show up in the New Testament..He first showed up in the Old Testament!

Well, to summarize...reading Don Finto's book truly pierced my heart. I told Shane last weekend that I would move to Israel in a minute and live to love on God's chosen people...and to break bread daily with fellow believers in Yeshua.

This was HUGE for me, because I've never even wanted to go on a tour of Israel!

Then, someone sent me this news footage from an Israeli station today. It's really amazing.

We need to remember to be praying for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, in Israel...and for those whom they will share the good news of Messiah with, to have hearts open to hear and consider what the truth of Scripture really is.

Enjoy the footage. Link is below.

In Him,
Jesica

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6244392868781886952

Did you know that this is what "The Secret" says?!

Did you know that "The Secret" says this:

"You are the master of the Universe. You are the heir to the kingdom. You are the perfection of Life."

Incredible! Wow! PUUUULEASE!

Totally and completely opposed to Scripture.

I was the master of my universe (or so I thought...really, sin was ) when I had a one way ticket to Hell. ( See Romans 5 and 6)

Thankfully, I've now exchanged that with my Covenant partner, Jesus Christ, who paid the price of my sins for me..and in exchange, He is now Master of my universe! ( Romans 5 and 6)

I am an heir to the Kingdom of God, no doubt about that, but it's ALL and ONLY because of Christ, and who He has made me to be in Him.

I assure you, as will my husband and children, and anyone who has known me for more than 5 minutes, that I am NOT the perfection of life! In fact, that's just downright laughable!

Perfection rests only in God...in His Son, and in His Holy Spirit.

Wow! Just amazing the way that New Age junk can be repackaged over and over again and people still flock to buy it.

In the 90s, it was Anthony Robbins' stuff. And Landmark Education..and a whole supply of others.

I know, I had them all...I was deeply steeped in the lies of the enemy that come through the New Age movement. All junk!

If only we would realize, as a country, as a people, that "self-help" will let us down every time.

It's the help of Almighty God that we need....His is the only help that will make any lasting difference in our lives.

Psa 46:1
"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble."

See Jonah chapter 1. Seems the sailors were calling out to the gods of their understanding too...which gained them only higher waves and more calamity.


Jonah 1:5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten {it} for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.
Jonah 1:6
So the captain approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps {your} god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish."
Jonah 1:7
Each man said to his mate, "Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity {has struck} us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
Jonah 1:8
Then they said to him, "Tell us, now! On whose account {has} this calamity {struck} us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"
Jonah 1:9
He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land."
Jonah 1:10
Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
Jonah 1:11
So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"--for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.
Jonah 1:12
He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm {has come} upon you."
Jonah 1:13
However, the men rowed {desperately} to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming {even} stormier against them.
Jonah 1:14
Then they called on the LORD and said, "We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man's life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased."
Jonah 1:15
So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.
Jonah 1:16
Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.
Jonah 1:17
And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.

See the progression?

The sailors start out calling on their false gods.

Then they realize that Jonah is a Hebrew, and knows Jehovah Elohim. ( LORD God )

Then they STILL try to solve the problem on their own.

Then the storms grow stronger.

THEN what happens? Finally, they call on the LORD, the one TRUE God, and they pray to Him for help. ( GONE are their calls to their false gods...no more "self-help". They're toally begging God Almighty for help..as they recognize, FINALLY Who is really in control.)

Then God delivers them from the storm.

And...they serve God. They praise Him. They worship Him. They make vows to Him and sacrifice to Him.

See..that's what happens when people are set free from the lies of false gods, even if that false god was themself. What happens when we realize the Truth and Power of Almighty God is that we can't HELP but worship Him. We can't HELP but want to give Him our lives.

Having been saved from the depth of the pit of sin and self, and having been given the GIFT of my Savior, my Master, my Messiah...I am overwhelmed with a love and depth of appreciation for all that He is to me.

The Secret would have me believe that it's all in my hands.

What better way to teach people how to attempt to steal the glory of God then by telling them that it's all of their own doing.

Ugh! I can't wait to get to Heaven...

Our Son Was Baptized Today!

Today was a GREAT day!

As our family was sitting down enjoying lunch together today, Caedmon said, "Mom and Dad, I need to tell you something".

"What is it, Caedmon?"

"God is calling me to be baptized."

WOW! Not what we expected him to say, but he was as serious as a judge. We could tell that he had been thinking about this, and had decided that the time to tell us had arrived.

"Wow, Caedmon. That's great!", I said.

Then Shane asked him to tell us when he thought that God had called him to do this.

Clear as day, Caedmon said, "Friday morning, when we were on the way to the Dollar Store to get things for Precept class."

Amazing! So Caedmon had been thinking about this since Friday!

So, we talked to him at length about what baptism is...about what it means to be in covenant with Christ, and how baptism is the first act of obedience that God asks of us after we repent of our sins, and confess our need for Christ.

It's amazing to me how much this little guy understands.

I asked him, "Caedmon, why did Jesus raise from the dead to the glory of the Father?"

He said, "So we could walk in newness of life."

"YES!", said Mom.

Then I asked him, "Why did Christ die on the cross?".

"To pay for my sins, and so I wouldn't have to pay for them myself."

"Yes!"

If Christ hadn't of died on the cross for your sins, how would you have paid for them?

"By dying".

"Yes!"

Then we talked with him about how being baptized is his way of saying to the LORD and to those in his life, "I am laying my life down, and taking up Christ's life. I will no longer be living for myself, but for Christ. My life is not about me."

I really wanted him to understand that, especially in light of all that I've been learning in the Precept Covenant class.

Praise God, he understands. As much as any of us can, I believe that he does.

On and on the conversation went. It was so important to both Shane and I to KNOW that Caedmon understood what he was wanting to do.

It was clear that he did. No question about it.

So, we asked him who he would like to invite over to witness with us, and without hesitation, he said he wanted his friend Jonathan to be here.

Then we talked about the different people who he could choose from to actually baptize him, and he wanted his Daddy to do it.

We called Jonathan's family, and asked if they would come and be with us.

Then we went to 3 stores to choose a cake to celebrate this great day...he found just the right one at store #3. :)

And, then Shane and I got into the pool with Caedmon, and stood by his side as he confessed Christ to his family and friends.

He explained when it was that he had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. We are amazed that he still remembers the day...it was in 2004, yet he still remembers it clearly.

Then he explained to everyone what he was doing in being baptized..and why he wanted to be.

It was so beautiful!

When he came up out of the water, he was so full of JOY that I thought he was going to explode!

What an awesome day it turned out to be!

What joy to share this with our son!

What a special little guy we have!

Tonight, before he went to bed, he said, "Mommy, what does it feel like to know that your little boy just got baptized today?".

I told him that there weren't words to express how happy I am...and that I know his Daddy is too!

Thank You, LORD!

Thank You for loving my little boy more than even I do, and thank You for sealing him with your Holy Spirit until the day of Your Son's return!

Hallelujah! To God be the Glory!

Pictures to come soon. :)