A Must See Movie -> Come What May

One has only to watch the evening news, read the newspapers and read online headlines to see how far the liberal media has hoodwinked the American public.  God has used ordinary men and women through the centuries to accomplish extraordinary and tasks for Him even when the odds look unfavorable.  

For such a time as this, God is using George Escobar, a homeschooling Dad who is a Christian filmmaker to make a huge difference in the lives of Christian young people and for them to impact our culture NOW.  So is Patrick Henry College.

 

The actual link to the movie is www.adventfilmgroup.com.  One can purchase the actual DVD at this particular site.  Let's support such films as "Come What My," God's Truth will prevail!

Remember God is still on His throne and He's in control not man!

One of those days . . .

Have you ever had one of those days?  Earlier my day was not going the way I would desire.  After a shower and in God's Word, He has redirected and corrected my thoughts. 

Oh I'm thankful for His Word and for my copy of "Streams in the Desert, #2."  God uses a myriad of tools by which to get our attention.

Then the most precious thing occurred, Christine asked to pray over me.  Umm.  Wonderful where she learned that?  This is one of those times, you want your children to repeat what they heard you say.

Asking the Lord to remind me of the "whatsoevers," found in Philippians 4.

Basking in His Love!

Thankful for God's Mercy To & In My Life!

I am in awe of our Heavenly Father who has such great love for me that He gently corrects and reproves me. Today in church, Pastor Craig continued his series, "Fingerprints of Faith, Part 4."  The emphasis was on "Meekness," from Matthew 5:4.  You know how it is when the Holy Spirit is at work and you feel like there must be some huge spot light or neon sign, "God is working on me right now, caution!"  Interestingly enough, prior to today's message, He's been gently pricking my heart in this matter.

Pastor Craig said something profound, "when we are easily offended or want to defend ourselves, it's likely because we have a high opinion of ourselves."  Ouch! But isn't that so true?  If we seek to say with Paul, "we've been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in our bodies and that we are no longer our own." Then it should not surprise us or even bother us whenever a man of God speaks the truth.  Yet in our sinfulness and own personal rationalizing, we find our excuses.  Instead, we can say with Isaiah, "woe to me, I am of unclean lips."  I'm right there with the prophet Isaiah.  The Apostle Paul stated in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."  Can you so relate?  Indeed I can!

  

After church, I visited with a dear friend and shared how tempting it is to explain away the verse, "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression."  Or perhaps in some translations, the word "offense," is used.  Regardless, we both concluded that it is very easy to do so when we think we've been offended or wronged.

So when tempted to allow my feathers to be ruffled when a situation arises or if I'm misunderstood, with the Holy Spirit's help and His power, I want to surrender my thinking, attitude and action.  Whereby, allowing meekness to emerge and joy to overflow.

Pastor Craig shared that the beatitudes are progressive in their placement in Scripture.  When we understand just how bankrupt we are before a Holy God and mourn over sinfulness, we are not so easily offended.

A particular praise song comes to my mind, "I Stand in Awe."  Please allow me to share the words of this song.  And by chance if you already know it, please feel free to sing along with me.  

You are beautiful beyond description,

Too marvelous for words:

Too wonderful for comprehension,

Like nothing every seen or heard.

Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?

Who can fathom the depth of Your love?

You are beautiful beyond description, majesty enthroned above.

Chorus

And I stand, I stand in awe of You,

I stand, I stand in awe of You; 

Holy God, to whom  all praise is due,

I stand in awe of You.

And I stand, I stand in awe of You,

I stand, I stand in awe of You;

Holy God. to whom all praise is due,

I stand in awe of You.

As I conclude this posting, I am so reminded of my late parents when it comes to the subject of meekness and the beatitudes.  My Dad used to say, "well Kath, if folks are misunderstanding you or saying things are not true, then rejoice, my little sister in Christ, you're in good company, for so persecuted the prophets that were before you.  Just get happy in the Lord."  

Then my Mom shared lovingly but firmly, "Kathy, you would make a good lawyer, because you feel the need to defend yourself.  If what was said is not true and you do not sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then count it all joy, my little sister."  

Truly I want to grow in Christ and allow Him to work His will and way into the fabric of my heart, mind and total being.  Please pray for me as I will pray for you as well.

Amazed by His Love!

The Princess Who Wanted To Be Beautiful

Once upon a time there was a little Princess who was very unhappy because she was not as pretty to look at as she thought a little Princess should be.

She sat in the garden and was sorrowful and cried a great deal of the time, because she felt quite sure that no one would ever make her a queen.

One day she sat by the wall of the garden with her hands in her lap, and was looking very sad. An old woman, very bent and gray, and carrying a bundle, passed along the road outside and looked over the wall.

"Why do you cry, little Princess?" she asked.

"Because I am not beautiful," the little Princess replied, "and so I shall never be made a queen."

"Why do you not go out into the world and find someone who can make you beautiful?" asked the old woman as she started again on her way. And this seemed like such a new adventure that the little Princess went out through the garden gate and started down the road.

The old woman had disappeared as if the road had taken her into its gray dust, but before the little Princess had gone very far she overtook a boy. He was stumbling along the road as if it were hard for him to find his way. He put out his hand and touched the little Princess' silken sleeve.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I am going to find someone who will help to make me beautiful," the little Princess said, "I am not pretty enough to be a queen."

"Wait a while and help me," said the little boy. "I am blind, and I cannot find my way home."

So the little Princess took the blind boy's hand in hers and walked along with him, leading him very gently, until they came to the cottage by the side of the road where he lived.

Then the little Princess went on, hurrying, for she felt that she had lost a great deal of time.  But before she had gone very far, she saw a little girl standing by the edge of the woods and crying. When the little girl saw the Princess, she looked up and asked, "Where are you going?"

"I am going to find someone who will help me to be beautiful," the little Princess said, "I am not pretty enough to be a queen."

"Wait awhile and help me," said the little girl. "My mother is ill, and I went to the dairy to fetch her some milk and eggs, but I have no money, and they say that I must pay."

The little Princess pulled from the silk bag at her side a bright gold piece. She had but two of them to buy herself food on her journey, but she gave one to the child. "This is to pay for the milk and eggs," she said. Then this little girl laughed with happiness. Her smile was as bright as the sunshine that came down through the trees and lighted them both.

"Now I must make great haste," thought the little Princess. "It is getting on in the day and I am no more beautiful than when I started." But she had gone only a little way when she came suddenly upon the same old woman, who had spoken to her in the morning.

"Did you do as I bade you?" asked the old woman.

"Yes," said the little Princess. "But I am still ugly to look at," she added, dropping her head.

"Oh no, you are not," said the old woman. "Look!" And she held a mirror before the face of the Princess.

A strange thing had happened. The little Princess's eyes, in leading the little blind boy, had grown as bright as stars.  Her hair was as shining as the gold piece which she had given away.  "Shall I every be a queen!" asked the Princess.

The old woman took a small gold crown from the bundle she carried and set it upon the little Princess' head.

"You are a queen, my dear!" she said.

. . . In the end, there are a few things more beautiful than a kind heart.

Source:  The Moral Compass, William J. Bennett, pages 365-66.