Rev. Deb

The Psalms

This morning I got in a quick walk and took my IPod so I could listen to scripture during my walk.  Today I choose to listen to the Psalms.  I had bought the book of Psalms through ITunes and many of them have music to accompany the reading.  I really enjoy listening to these and what I really was paying attention to was how David started and ended many of the Psalms.

Many times David would start out pouring out his heart to God about the troubles he was going through but always by the end of the Psalm he would be praising God for his faithfulness to take care of these things for him.  Sometimes we feel that we are the only one going through things and it is good to be reminded that everyone has challenges.  I like to remember the saying "without a test, there is no testimony". 

It is okay to pour our hearts out to God for a few minutes about whatever your facing, just don't dwell on the problem to long.  Begin to remember God's faithfulness to you in the past.  Remind yourself out loud of His faithfulness, of the grace and mercy He has shown you before.  Remind yourself of the prayers that have been answered and the blessings you have enjoyed.  Before you know it your faith will be rising and you will find yourself encouraged and rejoicing.

It's good for us to rehearse our blessings everyday, God is always so faithful.  

Good times, good friends

We finished a wonderful FCCI Conference today at lunch.  Tonight we had the privilege of taking the leadership to Homeplace for dinner.  They got another dose of southern hospitality before they all leave to go back to their Ministries.  They are still talking about how wonderful our VWC family treated them and took care of them.  We can't say "thanks" enough to all of you who hosted and worked this week to make the Conference a success.  God never forgets our labor of love. 

Be Blessed!

Are you focused on Spiritual things?

As I was having some devotional time this morning I came across this verse in Romans.

 Rom 13:11-14

11 Another reason for right living is this: you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior. Don't spend your time in wild parties and getting drunk or in adultery and lust or fighting or jealousy. 14 But ask the Lord Jesus Christ to help you live as you should, and don't make plans to enjoy evil.
TLB

Daily we need to make sure that our priorities, actions, attitudes and motives are right.  If we find that we no longer have the desire to live right and follow His direction we can do what verse 14 tells us.  We can ask Him for help to live like we should. 

God is always ready to forgive us and help us get on track again.  We just have to acknowledge that we need help and yield to Him.

FCCI Conference Prayer Points

I hope everyone will be praying over the FCCI Conference.  I wanted to share with you the Prayer Points that we used in corporate prayer last night.

Pray over our Team Leaders - Stacy, Sue and Alma

Pray over everyone helping with the Conference.

Safe Travel for everyone

That everyone will receive what they need at the Conference.

That all the speakers will have a word from the Lord

That FCCI Organization will be blessed.

As we bless God's Ministers we will be blessed!

FCCI Conference

The FCCI Conference begins this coming Monday evening.

As you can imagine the office is busy today with last minute preparations.  Last night during the service we spent some corporate prayer time for the meeting.  One of the things that was prayed out was that we would be a blessing to the whole world through this conference.  There are ministers coming from all over the world to participate in this meeting. 

I hope you will be involved and be part of the blessing.  Many have already volunteered but there may be a place for you to help out if you haven't already volunteered.  I don't want anyone to miss out on this meeting.  Don't think just because it is for Ministers that you can't be a part. 

There are several ways that you can help:

Volunteer

Pray

Attend

Give

I hope you will be at some of the meetings to add your faith, I know that you will be blessed.

See you there! 

Morning walk

Yesterday morning as I was walking Jazz I kept smelling something sweet.  Every time I would smell it I would smile and wonder what is that?  Then I began to notice all the magnolia trees that were blooming along our walking route.

As I thought about this I got a picture of God smelling the sweet savor of our praise.  I could just see him smiling as he focused on the one praising him.  I want to be one of those who remembers to praise him everyday and frequently during the day.  I have so much to be grateful for. 

Then this morning as I was reading I found this verse:

Phil 4:18

18 But I have [your full payment] and more; I have everything I need and am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. [They are the] fragrant odor of an offering and sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.
AMP
In this verse Paul says that their offering to him was a sweet fragrance to God.

I want my life to be a sweet fragrance to Him.

Healing service

I had a couple of testimonies from the Healing service last night that I thought I would share.

After service one of our members said that she was healed of a migraine headache while I was teaching.

Then this morning I noticed that a little growth that had appeared a few days ago on my eyelid was gone.    I am so grateful that we know the healer.

If you are believing for your healing to fully manifest don't forget to get into the Word and study and meditate the healing scriptures.  Stir yourself up where healing is concerned.

If you weren't there I started out the night talking about taking care of ourselves.  We need to do what we can to keep ourselves healthy.  When you keep having those thoughts that I need to lose weight, exercise, drink more water or rest, that's probably not just you but the Holy Spirit trying to get something across to you.  It is so important for us to take care of our bodies so we can be productive for God's Kingdom.   

Tonight

I will be teaching on Healing and Health tonight at VWC so I hope you will be there.  

 The older I get the more I can't take my health for granted.  When I was younger I never had to watch my weight no matter what I ate.  I always felt good and that can cause you to take your health for granted, you assume that it will always be that way.  Well in the last few years I have had to realize that I must take responsibility for how I eat, getting exercise, proper rest, water etc.

It is also good to get to the Doctor occasionally and get the check ups we need even if you are feeling okay.  Let's use wisdom in how we treat these precious temples God has given us. 

I want to make sure I finish my course and I can only do that if my body, mind and spirit are taken care of.

How are you doing with this?

Be FILLED

Yesterday in my blog I shared about being filled with the Spirit.  Years ago I heard someone teach on the need to be refilled with the Spirit.  She said we need to be refilled because we leak.  She said it in a way that was very funny and memorable.

Why would we need to continue to be filled?  Things can come at us in life and bring discouragement or distractions. 

Whenever I feel troubled about something I ask myself two questions.

What triggered this feeling?

What does the Word of God have to say about this situation.

Once I have answered these two questions I can deal with what I am feeling.  I don't like to let things like that go.  If I feel troubled about something I know I need to deal with it ASAP.  If we let things go we can give our enemy an open door in our life through worry (negative meditation) and the wrong words coming out of our mouth.  Look in this verse In Ephesians, speaking the Word to ourselves and rejoicing in the Lord stirs us up spiritually.

Eph 5:19

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
KJV

Another thing is distraction, just letting ourselves get to busy to stay in the Word and prayer.  All of us have busy times, but we can't afford to let our spiritual life go.  To stay FILLED with the Spirit we have to stay in the Word, pray, rejoice, keep your spiritual life active.

Smith Wigglesworth said he would get up every morning and dance before the Lord.  He didn't feel spiritual when he first started , but he did it by faith.  Then he read the Word and spent some time in prayer.  We don't always feel like doing this things but they are vital to our spiritual life.

 

  

These Days

Since Sunday night I have had two opportunities to go hear Mark Hankins.  Yesterday at his meeting I picked up some of his books and Cd's, and his material is so good.  

I started reading his book "Let The Good Times Roll" (5 Key Factors To Heaven On Earth)  I started it last night and read the section on the Holy Spirit. This morning I have been reading the section on the Glory of God.  These are the days that we must press into His presence more than ever.  We need to get our news from the Word instead of the tube.  If you are getting the right news you won't be worried or discouraged.  You will know what to do in times like this.

We need to stay FILLED with the Spirit.

I wanted to share some thoughts in this book from Smith Wigglesworth on being filled with the Spirit:

"We are commanded by God to be filled with the Spirit, and in the measure you fail of this you are that far short of the plan of God."

"I see everything as a  failure except that which is done in the Spirit."

"You can do more in one year if you are filled with the Holy Spirit than you can do in fifty years apart from Him."

It's impossible to over-estimate the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit."

If you don't have Smith Wigglesworth's book "Ever Increasing Faith" in your library I encourage you to get a copy.