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Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 512

February 2, 2021///

I do not know about you, but I really hope the groundhog does not see its shadow today.  I think it is time to move on from winter.

This is true in both the physical and the spiritual realm!

Think with me about coming in from the biting cold air or snow or rain! Let the memory wash over of walking into a warm house, maybe with a fire going and the smell of something wonderful cooking. 

Or think about sinking into a tub of hot water and letting it seep into your cold bones!

I can recall what I call cold all the way to the bones!

But there is nothing like warmth, no matter how it comes.

Have you every had surgery and they put a warm blanket on you and the warmth enfolded you like a hug?

May I tell you that being in the presence of the creator God of the universe through Faith in the Lord Jesus is even better than the warm after the cold!

His presence is a warm blanket of love and forgiveness and the amazing water of the word warms us from the inside out!

The desire of the Creator God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Sprit is to live in and through us and all around us and provided that warmth and Love no matter what kind of storms or weather are raging all around us.

John 14:23 (KJV)
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Hebrews 13:5 (KJV): for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

The presence of the Lord God Almighty in us warms us through and through! He gives us Peace in the midst of Pressure, Hugs in the midst of hardships and Joy in the midst of juggling life!

One of Corrie Ten Boom sayings makes me think of arms of Love and a warm blanket of safety.  She says: “Snuggle don’t struggle”!

His presence is like the summer sun after a long winter.  We sit or lay or walk and just let the warmth of the sun soak into the depth of our bodies.

When we are in His presence, the warmth of Jesus who Loves us more than we can comprehend will soak us through and through.

John 15:11 (KJV)
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Joy does not depend on outside circumstances or, if you will, the weather.  Joy comes from deep inside when we are walking and basking in His presence.

There are those who Praise and Worship in song who have put together CD’s of what they call “soaking music”!  Why, because they understand the importance of soaking (or letting His warmth invade you inside and out) in His Presence.

We who claim the name of Christian, sometimes get so busy doing that we neglect just being in His Presence.

Psalm 16:11 (KJV)
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Just being in His Presence and opening our heart to hear His voice speaking deep inside us, also allows the junk we have picked up from just living to melt away.

If we do not take time to let His warmth revive our soul, spirit, and body, we can get bogged down by the cares of this world.  In His presence all cold and ugly melt in the sunshine of His Love and our perspective gets readjusted to eternal values!

I ask you today, when was the last time you sat in His Presence, fully focused on Him, and allow His warmth to dissolve every care and concern.  His warmth will reveal attitudes and habits in our lives that do not honor Him!

I encourage you to take a few minutes out of all the busyness.  If music speaks to your spirit let that play.  If just quiet is better, then sit in the quiet!  But let the Love that cannot be explained only experienced wash over you like the warmth in the physical never could.

Be warmed, inside and out by His Presence!

_______________________

Father, thank you for the reality of your presence.  Thank you that we can be refreshed and renewed as we snuggle up into the arms of your Love. Enfold and invade all who read this with the reality of who they are and who you created them to be as they are wrapped in your warmth and Love. Thank you, Father that we do not have to do life alone, but you are with us always!   Amen!

Love and Warmth, Me-Maw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 511

January 26, 2021///

John 20:26 (KJV)
: then came Jesus:

Three words from John 20:26. This fact changed everything in that setting.  This fact changed things throughout the Bible and is still changing things today!

Mary was a virgin….Then came Jesus and she was the mother of her Savior!

Lazarus was dead….then came Jesus!

The widow of Nain was on the way to bury her son….then  came Jesus!

A man was crippled….then came Jesus!

Peter was a fisherman….then came Jesus!

Bartimaeus was blind….then came Jesus!

A woman was bleeding….then came Jesus!

The wind was boisterous….then came Jesus, walking on the water!

Mankind was separated from the Creator God….then came Jesus!

Saul was persecuting Christians….then came Jesus!

I was a preacher’s kid, raised in church but needed a Savior…then came Jesus!

When Jesus enters a situation or a person, everything changes. 

Jesus changes outward circumstances and situations and Jesus changes inward attitudes and emotions.

When Jesus comes, perspectives change, and goals become eternal!

Saul became Paul the Apostle; Peter became the Rock.  The cripple could walk, and the blind could see, and the dead were alive!

What has changed in you and in your life since Jesus came?  Do you ever just thank Him that He gave you life, eternal life?  Do you understand that He gave eyes to see and ears to hear, in the physical and the spiritual?

Do you understand that you are a new creation inside and out because Jesus came?

When Jesus comes, darkness flees, anxiety is wiped out and oppression is replaced with Joy and a confidence and security the world cannot give!

What situation do you need Jesus to step into today? Just open your heart and ask Him to walk into the circumstances and work His will.

Maybe you have never allowed Jesus to come into your life.  May I tell you it is the best and most important decision you will ever make.  Open you heart and open your mouth and acknowledge you need Jesus to come in and change you!

Mark 2:1 (KJV)
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

As we look at this verse understand that you are the House that the Spirit of God lives in now. Jesus made it possible that we are the House, the Temple!

My question would be do we allow Jesus to so rule out house that the people around us will noise abroad that we represent the Lord Jesus Christ?

Is Jesus in your house, both literally (the place you dwell) and your body, soul, and Spirit?

When Jesus is in the House, everything is different.  The world around us is different, our attitude is different, and our compassion and Love for others is different!

I encourage you today to invited Jesus to come into every part of your life!  Release every care to Him and let Him rule and reign in each decision you make.

Life is good when Jesus comes and dwells in the house!

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Father, I come in Jesus name.  I thank you for the power when Jesus comes into a situation and into our lives.  Draw us to the knowledge that as we invite Him into every area, our lives will be more like your perfect plan for us!  Amen!

Jesus is in the House!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 510

January 19, 2021///

Romans 10:17 (KJV)
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Matthew 11:15 (KJV)
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Jesus said the same thing He said in Matthew 11:15, in Matthew 13:9, Mark 4:23, Mark 7:16 and many other places in the gospels.

The people He was teaching had ears so let us look deeper at this question of hearing!

Obviously, Jesus was teaching about hearing more than the sounds and words.  He was teaching that we need to listen with ears that are tuned to the spiritual realm.

We are Spirit, Soul and Body.  It is our Spirit that needs to be alert to hear. Our Spiritual ears need to be active!

Hebrews 5:11 (KJV)
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

Matthew 13:23 (KJV)
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Let us consider how we get from dull of hearing to good ground!

Romans 10:17 at the beginning of these thoughts tells us that “Faith cometh by Hearing”.  But all of us know or experience that just letting the word touch our ears does not actually change a person.

I believe this phrase is saying” Faith cometh by opening up our hearts and receiving what we are hearing as truth in our Spirits”.

How? The second phrase tells us: “and Hearing by the word of God”.

This phrase is saying to me: “hearing with my Spirit comes by meditating on the words of truth given to us in the Bible”.

Hosea 10:12 (KJV)
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Fallow means: left untilled or unsown.

The word is telling us to break up the hard heart that is to disinterested or to busy to meditate on the truth that when we allow the Holy Spirit to examine us deep inside and remove the rocks of confusion and the weeds of distraction or break up the ground hardened by the cares or hurts of life, is to get our hearts ready to receive and perceive what the Spirit is saying through the words read or preached or taught from the Bible.

Then when we hear the word, we hear with our Spiritual ears, and the word takes root in good ground and we bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Matthew 13:7-8 (KJV)
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

It is when our heart is good ground that we can have “ears (of the spirit) to hear”, the truths that set us free from the deception of satan and the pull of the worlds systems!

Faith then comes as we receive and perceive that “with God all things are possible” and that Jesus sacrifice gives us dominion and authority over all that the enemy may try to bring.   Faith understands that God will do all He said He would do and that we can decree and declare what His word says, knowing He will answer.

When our heart is good ground, then consistently reading, studying, and HEARING the word builds up trust in us so that we are full of Faith.

As you have time in the word each day, you may not feel the Faith growing, just as exercising daily you may not feel different.  But just as exercise is helping your body, the word is growing your Faith.

Do you desire mountain moving Faith or even just Faith to get from day to day?

(1) Break up the fallow ground of your heart by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal and heal all the hard, rocky, and weedy places.

(2) Ask God to reveal his meanings as you read or hear the word.

(3) Meditate on the word that you read or hear and let it get deep in your Spirit!

(4) Continue a daily time in the word and meditation on it.

You will then find that you are filled with “Faith that comes by Hearing”!

______________________

Thank you, Father, for helping each of us to hear with our Spirits so that we walk in Faith! In Jesus name I pray.  Amen

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 509

January 12, 2021///

Psalm 103:1-2 (KJV)
¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
² Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Are you feeling Blessed or stressed today?  I am not asking if you are Blessed because if you are a child of God, through believing in Jesus Christ, you are Blessed!

But sometimes we need to be reminded that we are Blessed. If you pause and think about your life today, you may feel discouraged by your circumstances and situations!

But may I tell you that you were created by Father God, the creator of the universe and you are Blessed.

You are too Blessed to be stressed!

We are created to Bless the Lord.  All of creation is created to Praise Him!

Psalm 103:21-22 (KJV)
²¹ Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
²² Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

When you consider that whatever is happening in your life right now is just a vapor.  It is a passing, fleeting thing, as is your life, you can rejoice that eternity with Jesus is your reality!

Psalm 104:1 (KJV)

Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

We give God honor when we Bless and Praise Him!  Praise is a weapon against all stress!

Deuteronomy 28:3 (KJV)
Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

We have been promised that we are Blessed whether in the city or the field, meaning anywhere we are.

We do not have to feel Blessed to be Blessed. We may feel stressed but when we begin to Praise God for Salvation, the Holy Spirit, Family, Friends, our Church, Food, Clothes, Shelter, but most of all “WHO HE IS”, we find stress flees back to hell from where it came.

In addition, we are Blessed with all Spiritual Blessings!  We can fellowship with the Father and find ourselves basking in His Love.

Ephesians 1:3 (KJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Stress brings with it, weariness in body and spirit, a focus on the present situations or circumstances and can even bring depression or worse!

But when we begin to Bless the Lord and Honor Him by recognizing who He is and what He has done for us, stress flees and so does the enemy of our soul, satan, and all his minions!!

1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

So, the choice is yours: Blessed or Stressed!

I would much rather Bless and Praise the Lord, how about you!

Psalm 150:6 (KJV)
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

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Father, in Jesus name I come!  I Bless your name. I am fearfully and wonderfully made! No weapon formed against me will prosper.  I lift my eyes to the stars, the sky, the moon, and the sun, and I praise you.  I give you Honor and Glory for all the beauty you have created. I give you Gory and Honor for Salvation and that I will be with you in a perfect world forever.  Life is short and eternity is long! I choose to be Blessed not Stressed!   Amen!

Choose a life of Blessed!   Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 508

January 5, 2021///

As I begin my thoughts this morning, I pray that each of you have the most wonderful year ever!  I pray that favor is surrounding you as a shield and is all over and all around you. I pray that God’s will is prevalent in your life as your release your entire self to Him.

I understand that the world seems to be in a crazy spin.  I live in Georgia and today our state is voting on two US Senators that will determine the balance of power in our nation’s capital.  If you live in Georgia, please exercise your right to vote.

We have friends who have COVID-19 or who are quarantined because of contact with those who have this ugly virus!

Our leaders in Washington seemed to have lost their minds and what comes next is anyone’s guess!

But I have good news to bring!  You are Loved by God the Father, Creator of the Universe and Jesus who gave His all because of His Love for you!

Rejoice, because in the midst of all that is going on, you are Loved unconditionally and without requirements!

1 John 4:19 (KJV)
We love him, because he first loved us.

The only reason we can Love God is because He Loved us first!  We can relax in His Love and understand that His Love will never fail us!

In the book of Ephesians Paul desired that the Christians of that day, and us, understand the Love of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19 (KJV)
¹⁷ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
¹⁸ May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
¹⁹ And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

When we are around people who love us, we feel secure and safe.  I remember when I was a child and teen, and my Mom or Dad would get home. The entire atmosphere of the house changed.  I felt safe and secure and knew I was Loved and protected.

May I tell you that when we comprehend the Love of our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ and understand it deep inside, it fills us in our innermost being with security and a feeling of Peace and ease and Joy!

We get out of that Peaceful and Safe feeling when we forget who Loves us more than we can understand in this human body!  But may I tell you that in spite of all that is going on around us, when we understand whose we are, we will not be moved by any of it!

Romans 8:37-39 (KJV)
³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are Loved!! I invite you as the year 2021 begins to rest in that Love: let that Love enfold and fill you: let that Love give you security and safety: bask in His Love as you would bask in the sunshine in the spring.

If you are alone today, or feel alone in a crowd, I invite you to let the Love of God flood your being.  Just open up your heart and speak to your Creator and invite His Holy Spirit to invade you from head to toe, inside and out.

Our Joy, Peace, Strength, and Wisdom come from knowing we are loved.

Think about a child! In a home where they feel loved, there is no hesitation when they want to talk, hug, or sit on a parent’s lap!  However, if they are not sure they are loved, they will shy away from asking for their needs or snuggling up the way they want to.

We will go into the throne room of God with Great confidence when we understand how much we are Loved. 

Receive and live in that Love and you will find that you have no trouble Loving others!

John 15:9 (KJV)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

We cannot genuinely Love others until we walk in the Love God has for us!

Let 2021 be a year you understand you are Loved thoroughly and completely by the one who created you and knew you before you were ever born.

His plan for you is amazing!  Just walk and rest in His Love!

I believe that the Children of God understanding their place of Love in Jesus, will change the world we live in!

Father God, may it be so! ———–

Father, in Jesus name I come!  Thank you for your Love that is beyond understanding but is not beyond receiving!  We may not understand it, but we can walk in it, and rejoice in the safety and security of knowing we are never alone, and we do not have to fight our own battles!  May your Love so fill each of us that it flows out to all of those around us.  Amen

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 507

December 29, 2020///

At this time each year, as we reflect on where we are in our lives, the result is sometimes less than encouraging. 

We may be in a place that looks nothing like our dream and deep desire!  I want to share a story with you this morning to emphasis a point!

The point is that your dream and desire may look different than you thought it would. As you read this story that has been around a long time, author unknown, let God fill you with understanding that “With God All things are Possible”!

Story of the Three Trees

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: “I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I’ll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!”

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. “I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I’ll be the strongest ship in the world!”

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. “I don’t want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they’ll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.”

Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.

The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell.

“Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest. I shall hold wonderful treasure!” the first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell.

“Now I shall sail mighty waters!” thought the second tree. “I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!”

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven.

But the woodcutter never even looked up. “Any kind of tree will do for me,” he muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter’s shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals.

The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead, the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail on an ocean, or even a river; instead, she was taken to a little lake.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard.

“What happened?” the once tall tree wondered. “All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God…”

Many, many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams.

But one-night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox.

“I wish I could make a cradle for him,” her husband whispered.

The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. “This manger is beautiful,” she said.

And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake.

Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.

The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, “Peace.” The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun.

And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands to her.

She felt ugly and harsh and cruel.

But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth tremble with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God’s love had changed everything.

It had made the third tree strong.

And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.

That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

The next time you feel down because you didn’t get what you want, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

Father, thank you that your ways are not our ways and you know the plans you have for us.  Help us be Faithful in all we do and understand that you are in control!  In Jesus name I pray! Amen

Love, MeMaw

MeMaw Thoughts

Number 506

December 22, 2020///

How do you respond?

Have you ever blurted out something or done something that you immediately would like to erase?  Of course, everyone has.  That may have caused embarrassment or misunderstanding but today I want to talk about our response to truth that is revealed to us, or that prompting inside that stirs the knowledge that we are supposed to do a certain thing.

All of our minds are on Christmas this week.  Those of us who Love and serve Jesus are looking at what the Birth, death, and resurrection of The Savior of the world means.

May we take a moment and look at the responses of some of those in the word of God!

The Wisemen saw a star.  Their response was not to just gaze at the star in wonder and wish they could see the Messiah it was announcing.  Their response was to get on a journey and follow the star a long way to worship and bring gifts to the new baby!

The shepherds saw the great light and heard the angel’s announcement of His Birth and where they could find this Newborn King!  Their response was to go find this Christ Child.  They could have sat around discussing what they had seen and making the excuse that they had to stay and watch the sheep.

Mary and Joseph could have lamented their situation of having to travel so far and having no place but a stable to rest and deliver this Savior!   Instead, they did what was necessary and filled a manger with hay and rejoiced when the Shepherds came and worshipped!

Earlier they had responded to Angel messages with obedience to the will of Almighty God!

We could look further at the lame man who took up his bed and walked at Jesus command rather than just pondering what it would be like to be healed!

We see the disciples who cast their net on the right side of the boat at Jesus command even though they had fished all night and caught nothing.

We see the denial of Peter with the response of repentance and forgiveness.

We see the betrayal of Judas. Instead of repenting and receiving forgiveness he allowed satan to lead him to total destruction.

And we see the religious leaders who rejected Jesus in spite of all the prophecies they knew.

What about you? How do you respond to the call of the Savior of the World who took your place and paid the debt for your sin and bridged the gap to a relationship with the Creator of the Universe?

Our response must be to receive and follow Him.

With Jesus as your Savior how do you respond when you are shown a revelation of truth that needs to be followed?  Or even a card to write, a phone call to make, or any number of other things that you may know deep inside you should do!

May we not be guilty of just wondering what it would be like to see that thing come to pass, or to make an excuse “if”, or procrastinate, or gaze into the stars and wish?

Our response effects all of those around us and our future.  Our response shows our Trust in the Savior of the world. Our response says I believe, or I wish I could believe that He will fight my battles and I can do all things through Him who strengthens me!

What truth has been revealed to you that you must respond to? Will you say Yes!

What action, large or small to you need to move forward on? Will you say Yes?

John 10:27 (KJV)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Matthew 11:28 (KJV)
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mark 15:12 (KJV)
And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?

What is your response to the call of the King of Kings, Savior of the World?

Listen, obey, and follow the Christ of Christmas!

I pray that each of you have an amazing Christmas as you understand who Jesus is and receive and follow Him!

John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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Father, thank you for your Love, thank you Jesus for your Love and thank you that we can serve, follow, and respond with yes to all you reveal.  Touch each heart that reads this with the desire to say Yes!  Yes, to your will, your way, and your desire for each of us!  Amen

Let Jesus Love, Joy and Peace invade your mind, will and emotion!  Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 505

December 15, 2020///

Nine days from now will be the day we celebrate the birth of the Savior of all who will receive Him.

What does this mean for you? 

Maybe during this season of this awful virus, you are not going to be able to celebrate like you are used to!

Maybe you have no one to celebrate with!

Maybe you are unable to shop and by presents for those you love!

Maybe because of job loss, you are concerned about food and housing daily, and now Christmas!

Maybe you are missing the friends gathering or church gatherings or extended family gatherings!

Maybe you are a church leader concerned that your church cannot help people this holiday season the way it usually helps!

Maybe you are wondering how in the world did we got to this point from January 1, 2020!

May I bring your attention to the fact that a baby was born.  Not just any ordinary baby, but the long-promised Messiah, the Savior of all mankind!

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

In the Gospel if John, the writer declares Jesus was part of the creation of the world, chose to bridge the gap that sin had placed between God and man.  Therefore, He came as one of us to pay for all the wrongs we will ever do. 

John 1:3-4 (KJV)
³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Jesus, the light of the World, came into a world filled with darkness and infused it with light.

THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT!!

Consider that light came that wonderful night.  The night when most of the world were unaware!

John 3:16 (KJV)
¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The shepherds heard and believed and came to worship. The wisemen saw the star, believed, and begin a long journey to bring their best to the Christ Child, and Mary and Joseph had been told about their baby that he would save His creation!

Matthew 1:21 (KJV)
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

JESUS! what an incredible wonderful Savior.  The first Christmas, the night of Jesus birth, was far from perfect and far from what even the religious leaders believed about the Messiah, the King of Kings come to set people free!

But He came, not in a palace, but in a stable, and thus begin an unusual life! A life full of the knowledge within Himself of who He was but the rejection of those who should have been looking for Him.

May we not repeat that mistake! May we not get caught up in what we can and cannot do this season, or what we can or cannot buy! But may we honor the Christ of Christmas and may we celebrate within our hearts and minds the reality of the Salvation this baby brought to us!

Read the true story of Christmas to you children and be grateful that we do not have to walk this road called life alone!

No matter how different you find this Christmas Day, remember the true meaning of Christmas, and rejoice, a Savior was born!

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Father, I thank you for the plan of salvation that was formed from the foundation of the world. Jesus who was part of creation chose to come a one of us.  For that the world celebrates.  What a Savior! May each of us rejoice as we understand the real significance of this season! Because of Jesus and in His Holy name, I pray! Amen

Rejoice, a Savior was born!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 504

December 8, 2020

This day, in the midst of holiday list and preparations or worry and concerns about the holidays, I want to direct your attention to Nature and how it praises the Lord God Almighty by just being what it was created to be.

Have you ever just gazed at the beauty of the stars in a clear sky or the mountains that reach high toward the heavens, or the ocean that ebbs and flows?

Each of these are being what Almighty God created them to be!

Psalm 148:3-5 (KJV)
³ Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
⁴ Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
⁵ Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

Psalm 148:4-6 (MSG)
⁴ Praise him, high heaven, praise him, heavenly rain clouds;
⁵ Praise, oh let them praise the name of GOD— he spoke the word, and there they were!
⁶ He set them in place from all time to eternity; He gave his orders, and that’s it!

Isaiah 55:12 (KJV)
For ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

How do the mountains and hills sing, and the trees clap their hands? By bring what they were created to be!

How do we Praise the Creator God and our Savior Jesus Christ? By being who He created us to be!

We were created in His image and when we receive what Jesus did for us on the cross, His Spirit lives through us.

As we allow ourselves to be guided by His presence, we are being what we were created to be.  Yes, we each have gifts and abilities and to be obedient and use these for His Glory is Praise and Honor to Him!

But also, to walk everyday with His Presence and Peace in everything we do, is Praise and Worship to who He is.

Think about how looking at the beauty of flowers, trees, mountains, sky, and ocean makes you feel closer to the one who created it all.

I believe in the same way, when we are who we are created to be, people whom we are around or encounter, are drawn closer to their creator!

Have you ever met someone who just made you feel good inside just being in their presence? That person is being who they were created to be!  Does that make you want to be more like Jesus?  I know it does me!

Several years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Gloria Gaither.  The Love and character of Jesus was so real in her, it was flowing like honey out to all around her!  It made you want to draw closer to the presence that surrounded her and snuggle close.  I had never seen so much love and compassion flow from a person!

What did that do? It made me want to be more like Jesus and be the vessel to draw others to the one who gives life abundantly!

What was this precious lady doing?  Just being who she was created to be!  Yes, we should fulfill the plans and ministries God has designed for our lives. But we should not be striving and worrying about those plans and ministries or trying to build ourselves up and make it happen on our own.

We just need to be who He has created us to be!  We are to be willing and obedient and God will open doors not man can shut, and we can walk through them in Faith and Victory!

As you do the things necessary for daily living and as you use your gifts and abilities in business and/or ministry, never forget that in all of that you are to rest in the arms of almighty God and just be who you were created to be.

Rest for the body is necessary but we can rest in Jesus and be busy about our lives.  Real rest comes from being in the yoke with Jesus because He has already won the victory.  Real rest comes from being who you were created to be and not striving to be something someone else was created to be.

• Do not try to run someone else’s race!
• Stay in your lane!
• Do not try to put a square peg into a round hole!

These three quotes all point to my writing today, just be who God created you to be and that is Praise, Worship, and Adoration!

Father thank you that you created me to be your representative on earth!  May your love flow through all who read this and may each of us rest in your Presence and Peace as the rush of the holidays tries to rob us of that Peace.  May we just be what we were created to be and let your love draw others to the Christ of Christmas! Amen!

Have an amazing December! Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 503

December 1, 2020///

Lamentations 3:22-24 (KJV)
²² It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Psalm 36:5 (KJV)
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

December first, 2020, I want to encourage you with the truth of God’s FAITHFULNESS!!!

Each of us have had to make many adjustments this year because of the virus raging in our world.  Just as those who have gone before may we learn some valuable lessons during this time of change and confusion and unrest.

Our ancestors forged through wars and fought for freedoms and even in our lifetime we have seen tragedies such as the Twin Tower attacks and other senseless destruction of lives and property!

So, you may ask why does God allow this?  You must remember that we were created with a will that gives us choices.  God will not override our will.  When we choose to believe the enemy of all that is good and allow him to push us to evil, I believe God weeps. There will be a judgement on wickedness, but God desires to give people more time to repent.

As Christians we can walk in the assurance that God is Faithful and will fulfill His Promises.   But we must be a force for GOOD and Right!   We must pray that people’s hearts will be changed and turned toward a God who Loves them and desires the best for them.

We must show those all around us a better way to live. We must walk each day in the Power of the Lord God Almighty and with the conviction that He is Faithful!

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (KJV)
³ But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Hebrews 10:23 (KJV)
²³ Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

David wrote in the Twenty-Third Psalm:  The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want!

I encourage you to put whatever you need this last month of 2020 at the end of that sentence!   I shall not want for health; I shall not want for provision to feed and provide for my family; I shall not want for Peace; I shall not want for Joy; I shall not want for friends; I shall not want for time with my family………what do you desire to put there?

If, we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and if we believe He is truly Faithful we should be able to walk in that truth and spread that truth to all who are around us through lives secure in the Faithfulness of our Creator God!

Are you worried, fearful, anxious? Then you are not grasping the truth of His Faithfulness! Time thinking on the scriptures will infuse you with truth!

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

This Peace, this Guidance, this Security is for us. We must receive it as we walk in a world that has gone away from Truth!  Our lives and our influence on others can spread the Peace and Faithfulness that flows from us.

I encourage you that if you do not have a church, do not attend the one you claim as your church because of covid-19 or just out of the habit, to push yourself to join with others either in person or on-line, to Worship the only one who can speak Peace!

There are multitudes of services on TV or on the Internet you can be a part of, even if you are concerned about being in a crowd!  But I caution you to beware of what you watch and listen to.  Make sure it is Truth from the Bible and it builds you up!

The word is life and joining together with others gives us strength to walk in Faith and Victory and be an example of Gods Faithfulness!

This December as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, may we truly grasp His Faithfulness and Love for us and rest in His promise of Peace, Joy and Victory!

The longer I live, the more I am sure that “HE IS FAITHFUL”!  

May you walk in the assurance of that truth!

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Father, thank you that you are always Faithful to fill your children with peace and love and the security that only comes from you.  May all who read this take hold of the truth of your Faithfulness and Love that is beyond our understanding. You, Lord have been faithful to me even when I have not made good decisions. I thank you for that.  May we place all that we are and all that we will ever be in your loving, faithful care!  I ask this in Jesus name, the name above all names!  Amen

Have an awesome week!  Love, MeMaw