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May 18, 2012

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Reveal why we are here!

February 1, 2012 By 2 Comments

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Lord Jesus, I love you so and am really tired this morning.  It seems that we never just have a day to sit and do nothing.  Sometimes it is ok with me, but sometimes I just want to sit.  4 kids and all their activities is a lot.  I love it 99% of the time, but lately it has been getting a bit much!!

Clay and I even after 5 years of living in this area have relentlessly asked God the purpose of us moving here.  My word, the blessings we have received from this huge step of obedience have been overwhelming at times.  Jesus, you have been so good to us!!  Thank you!!

There have been hard times as well, but that possibly makes the blessing so much more glorious!!  And if I am really honest, the hard times are from me looking back to what we had or what we might have now – Christian education, convenience, beautiful youth group, rocking church with out of this world worship, Target, and such!

So, for some reason, Clay and I are asking once again because we know our time has not come to an end, but is just now beginning it seems, why do you have us here?  What is it that You want to do with us?  I dont believe in just going through life reaping – I want to give back and be used!!

Gen. 28 spoke so loudly yesterday morning so I went back to it again today to see if I was making more of it than was there.  Too often, to a fault, I look at scripture as a way God uses to change my behavior.  I see it as a way of correcting me.  And the scripture is for that purpose.  But today, I feel like through this word the Lord is showing me the future.  I believe the Lord is trying to impart some encouragement and direction.  I feel like the Lord is speaking a specific word to our family.

Gen. 28:15 “I am with you and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land (I believe he has already done that part).  I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you.  (I know for our modern day Christ risen, Holy Spirit sent to stay with us, He will never leave – Yeah!!!!)

Verses 20-22 I feel the Lord speaking a word over us and just reminding us that no matter what this all looks like He is there and will provide!!!

Thank you Jesus!  Serving you is an incredible privilege!!  Thank you for your Word and Your encouragment!!  Thank you for your peace and direction.  I want to abide so closely in You, but never get stagnant and stale.  I know you have a plan and I am excited to see it unfold.  May I be patient to see it to fruition!  May I be patient as you speak to Clay.  May I be a supporter and not a rusher!!!  Jesus, protect me from me!!  Lord, do your thing and may I not get in the way!  May your glory prevail and you receive all glory from all endeavors!!  Shine Jesus shine.  Pour Your favor on us, please!

Ps. 18:29 “With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!”   Love that!!

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Filed Under: genesis, Illinois, personal, psalms, service
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Consecrated!

January 30, 2012 By 3 Comments

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Oh Dear Jesus – we have had a wonderful weekend with our friend, and now family (the girls voted him in as family), Ryan Warren.  His 25 year old self has infused some awesome energy into what You have called us to.  Brainstorming a vision of something new was like watching a miracle unfold!  God is up to something really cool and I cant believe He has asked us to be part of it.

One year ago this month the Lord gave me this verse to memorize and dwell on.  Is. 42:9 “The former things have taken place and new things I declare; before they spring into being I will announce them to you!”  A year ago I thought it had solely to do with Speaking Thru Me Ministries, but now I see clearly it has so much more potential than that!

Here is what it says in the Biblical interpretation of the Message:

5-9God’s Message, 
   the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies, 
   laid out the earth and all that grows from it,
Who breathes life into earth’s people, 
   makes them alive with his own life:
“I am God. I have called you to live right and well. 
   I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.
I have set you among my people to bind them to me, 
   and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light: 
   opening blind eyes, 
   releasing prisoners from dungeons, 
   emptying the dark prisons.
I am God. That’s my name. 
   I don’t franchise my glory, 
   don’t endorse the no-god idols.
Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled. 
   I’m announcing the new salvation work.
Before it bursts on the scene, 
   I’m telling you all about it.”

Im so excited to talk freely of what God has laid on our hearts, but for now I hope and dream and write down like mad thoughts and inspirations!  I beg all those that happen upon this blog to pray for us.  Pray for boldness, for strength, stronger faith, for clearer vision, for humlity, for time, for ideas, for the favor of the Lord…….total dependence on Him!

God, we are ready to be used by You.  We are ready to go where You lead.  We are ready to be consecrated!!  We dont want to just be committed, but completely sold out and consecrated to this adventure!

Ryan reminded us last night in Acts that to see signs, wonders, and the miracles of God – which are not just possible, they will happen, it will take a complete sold out devotion, consecration of not just our hearts, but of everything!!!  ACTS 2:42-43

Lord Jesus, make us ready!!!  Father, I love you, i live for you, and I long to serve you……………consecrated!!

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Filed Under: believing God, devotion, family, husband, Illinois, Isaiah, ministry, Personal Faith, STMM
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I see Your ways – but which path do I take?

December 2, 2011 By 2 Comments

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“Show me your ways, Lord, Teach me your paths.”  Ps. 25:4

Lord – Good morning.  I slept in just a tad, but You were still faithful to give me a Word to hang on!!  Listed above.  I am going through that paralyzing thing where until I get through something I cant do anything else.  Well, that thing is this parade of homes Christmas deal we have on Saturday.  Could be hundreds walking through our home and judging whether I have it together or not (hope they dont open closets) and at the very least telling themselves, “She put a good effort”!!  Ha ha  I am really getting nervous about all that and really self-conscious.  That is really not my style, but for some reason I have definitely listened to the defeated one on this!  I want people to not only to see the Joy of the Lord throughout the house, but to feel His peace.  My prayer!!!  I want to bless them!

I have been praying a lot about some specific things with the ministry.  I have some decisions to make, but I really want the Lord’s guidance.  One of the reasons I love that verse above and why it really resounds with me lately!

I like how the verse says – SHOW me your ways – There is only ONE way to do things or I mean there is on way the Lord would have things done- to His glory and honor – so we ask that the Lord SHOW us.  Lord, what would you have me to do here???  And then He shows us the ultimate purpose over and over and onver in the Word!!

TEACH me your paths – seems to have a bit of a different direction to it.  It implies to me the may have one way to do things – Your Ways – but there will be many different paths to get there.  It is God’s way to give each of a different journey to walk wtih Him, but we are all doing it for His honor and glory!  His way is clear and His paths too, but deciding the path HE has specifically for me takes much prayer and guidance!

A friend called the other day asking me to pray about a situation.  I was given specific names to pray for, I was given a certain amount of time,  I was given NO details – but just asked to pray for these folks.  I think the world of this friend and so with much enthusiasm I jumped for it.  This was part of the prayer – “Lord, show them your ways and guide them down their each individual paths to accomplish your ways!”

Im praying the same for me now!  Now if i could ever just get past the Parade of Homes – ha ha!  Remember paralyzed!

Im excited for next week.  I hope to get out 2 or 3 guest posts.  Im loving blessing my readers this way and blessing those that are writing!!  Fun fun!

Love to hear about things on your heart and if you ever get paralyzed?

Much Love, Leigh

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Filed Under: communication, prayer, psalms
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Little Is Much When God Is In It – Guest post

November 29, 2011 By 4 Comments

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Hey yall – this is my new friend Marie.  I have been so impressed with her true JOY! And she is from Charlotte, NC!!!! Marie is a girl always uplifting on her tweets, where I know her the best, and someone I look forward to coming across my screen.  She is a gal that even though we have never met in person one that I would bond with.  I love this post and the timing of it all.  What a beautiful spurring on and encouragement to give of ourselves!!  Marie, I long to know you better.  There is a lot going on in my heart and this post resonates loudly!! Thank you for being used by Him and bringing Joy to us!!  You are a treasured jewel!  Leigh

 

Little is Much When God is in it

We are dreamers. We dream of doing huge things, having wonderful things and simply “making it.” We have lofty goals and take radical steps towards reaching them.  Then, when we realize that what we want may never happen or the dreams may never come true, we sit in disbelief and wonder what we could have done differently. Sometimes we even decide “what’s the use, IT just doesn’t matter anymore” and put ourselves in a “do nothing” mode. This should be a red flag to us, but often it’s not.

We’ve taken our eyes off the prize, we are letting discouragement win and we forget that little is much when God is in it.  Our hearts scream of doing more when in reality we need to focus on our strengths and remain faithful to do those thing.  We set our eyes on the unattainable when our eyes should be on the ordinary items within our reach. Those ordinary items will be the little things that God uses to do amazing work for His glory; after all, our labor IS for His glory….right?

Have you given much thought to the little things that God used? When 5,000 men (not to mention women and children) needed to be fed, Jesus didn’t send word to the nearest palace to have their servants bring the biggest and best foods available. He didn’t break out the finest china and whip up a five course meal using the top chefs of the land.  A young boy offered Jesus a small lunch of bread and fish that was just enough for this one little boy and Jesus took his willingness, blessed it and served a multitude with 12 baskets to spare.

I constantly remind myself and others, it’s not in what we offer the Lord, it’s THAT we give of ourselves, use our talents and be available to follow His lead, even if it means ignoring our own hopes and dreams. We focus on fears and failures when we should be focusing on the Father.  We give in to our whiny selves and listen to that voice that says “why bother” when we should be faithful with the little things that God has entrusted us with.

Take some time to think about your talents and your strengths.  Are you using those gifts for the Lord? Are you being faithful to what God has called you to do?  We are all called to be edifying one another, are you building up others and encouraging them?  Little is much when God is blessing it.  You feel as though you don’t make a difference and even that you simply don’t matter, but you do.  God looks at you through the eyes of compassion, longing for you to simply be faithful to do what you know is right in His eyes.

Little is much when God is in it – think about these little things:

  • You spend time each day praising the Lord via Social Media. Your praise is picked up by someone half a world away who is discouraged, but your thankfulness has reminded them of a past blessing. They are encouraged and strengthened. They are praising God regularly now, due to your praise.
  • You purchase the Bible study books but write in a regular notebook so you can pass along the book to someone else. You allow someone who is financially struggling to draw closer to the Lord. They draw closer, their family notices and someone else is hearing God’s tugging at their heart.
  • You give your last $10.00 to a special offering or ministry focused on others. A child receives something that his/her parent had no hope of getting them. They grow up, remembering the kindness of strangers and make it their mission to help others.
  • You leave a note for someone who seems a little bit down lately, telling them how special they are.  They woke up crying tears of sorrow because they felt worthless, but later went to sleep, crying tears of joy because someone actually cares.
  • You smile and nod at a passerby, not knowing that their day has left them wondering how things will ever get better. Your compassionate smile reminded them that there is hope and tomorrow will bring another day to try again.

 

If you feel like you don’t have much to give or wonder how you could possibly make it one more month, give your little bit to Jesus and let Him use it. Give your talents, abilities, finances or lack thereof to the Lord and tell him it’s His, to do what he wants to with it and then trust him.  Trust Him for the wisdom of the next step, for the power to make it through one more day and for the ability to make a huge difference with what He’s given you.

You were given the strengths, talents, insights and wisdom that you have for a reason. You can influence others that no one else can.  You have the ability to shine and be Matthew 5:16 out loud for the Lord.  Remaining faithful to the little things you can do now will have you in the habit of faithfully following and serving the Lord, so that when He gives us more to do, He knows, beyond doubt, that we will be faithful to complete it.

YOU simply need to be available and willing to do whatever it is….BIG or SMALL that God wants you to do. When you do, trust that HE will bless it and use it mightily.  Trust that your faithfulness to listen to your heart will encourage others to do the same.

Trust that Little is MUCH more than you can ever imagine – when GOD is in it.

Take stock in the ordinary resources you have around you. Get into the habit of spreading joy and making a difference with those resources and when more resources come your way, you’ll be faithful to make a difference with those as well.

Here are some ways to get you going:

50 Ways of Making a Difference without Spending a Penny http://www.spreading-joy.org/site/50-ways-to-make-a-difference-without-spending-a-penny/

Need more still? Another 50 ways right here http://www.spreading-joy.org/site/another-50-ways-of-making-a-difference/

Making a Difference is as Easy as ABC…. http://www.spreading-joy.org/site/abcs-of-making-a-difference/

 

 

About Marie Wikle: Seeing through the eyes of compassion and understanding the heart that desires to have an impact, Marie encourages others to see the full potential of the everyday, ordinary resources that is right within their reach. 

Everyone needs to make a difference and with creative thinking and a unique look at the ordinary, she shows people all over the world just how easy it is to make a difference.

Marie is available to speak to your ladies group, child’s class room or any social gathering so that you can hear firsthand how to step up, lead the way in innovative thinking and see just how easy the ordinary items of daily living can be used to make a difference.

Contact Marie for more information via email at marie@spreading-joy.org

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Filed Under: christmas, gifts, giving, Matthew, missions, Uncategorized
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words

November 10, 2011 By 1 Comment

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Good morning – here is guest post-er Jill!!  I met her thru Twitter and have just had so much fun getting to know her.  She is real, live, true encourager – a rare find!!!  I know you will enjoy this post from her.  Please go visit her at the various locations listed below.  Thanks and have a great day!! Much love, Leigh

 

Actions speak louder than words…

Who knows this better than those who have needed help and found somebody there right in the nick of time? A helping hand in our time of desperation is more precious than a box full of treasure. How many of us have been stranded as the car ran out of gas, or just stopped running for some reason and left us totally unprepared and at the mercy of anyone willing to stop and help? Or how about getting up to the check out at the grocery store and realizing you’ve left your money at the house which is a half hour or more away? Or how about being in a quiet panic knowing what you’ve been paid isn’t going to cover all the bills, and you’re wondering how on earth you’ll make it through the month?
There are many more emergencies and dire situations we’ve all experienced. We’ve all needed some help, big or small, to make it through a hard time. And what a relief and a surprise it was when somebody stepped up and came forward to offer you assistance when it was most needed in your life.

The high school choir at church just got back from a trip to the Houston area where they went to help fix up some areas that had been affected by the recent hurricane. They scraped and primed and painted, mowed and raked and picked up garbage, cut down and pulled up and hauled away trees, branches and bramble of all sorts. And at the end of every day, after working long hours in the 100+ temperatures, these kids would still find the energy to shower and change clothes to look nice and put on another concert every night. And people say teenagers are a lost cause… I beg to differ.

When my son came back from this ten day trip, I was there to greet the bus as soon as it pulled in. He was still in his hoodie from the trip home. It has long sleeves for those who get a little chilled under the air conditioning. So there he was, busy grabbing luggage from beneath the bus, acting as though he was a one man loading crew…
Anyway, I watched and smiled to myself remembering all the times he’s done this before. Three previous years of high school band, not including this last one, and three prior high school church choir trips… which all combined makes for a lot of unloading busses. Finally he had dragged the last of the bags from beneath the vehicle and located his own suitcase and began to walk back toward the car. In the heat of unloading, he had pushed up his sleeves. Then I suddenly saw his arms. I gasped! What on earth???

He laughed and joked about it. I couldn’t believe how scratched up they looked. His arms looked as though he’d been in a fight with a weed whacker, or a cage full of psychotic cats. They were scratched from the wrist to the elbow and had little clear blistery sores scattered around between all the scratches.
“What on earth happened to your arms?”

After his joking about it for several minutes, he finally told me.
He had been helping to clean up this one house, and they had a lot of overgrowth that needed to be cleared away. So he and the others had been hacking at trees and branches and bramble and all sorts of fence line plants and shrubs and carrying it off. And he hadn’t really noticed it much with the scratches, with bramble you’re going to get scratched even with your best efforts to avoid it. But then he got into some fire ants.

When he was done with that, his arms were red and swollen and pretty painful. But he took it all in stride. He’s just like that. It’s no big deal, he will say, and won’t admit to feeling any pain.

But to me it’s painful to look at.

And seeing his arms brought to memory a song I’d heard.
Here are the lyrics:
**********************************************************

The boy only wanted to give Mother something
And all of her roses had bloomed
Looking at her as he came rushing in with them
Knowing her roses were doomed
All she could see were some thorns buried deep
And the tears that he cried as she tended his wounds

And she knew it was love
It was one she could understand
He was showing his love
And that’s how he hurt his hands

He still remembers that night as child
On his mother’s knee
She held him close and she opened her bible
And quietly started to read
And seeing a picture of Jesus he cried out
“Momma, he’s got some scars just like me.”

And he knew it was love
It was one he could understand
He was showing his love
And that’s how he hurt his hands

Now the boy’s grown and moved out on his own
When Uncle Sam comes along
A foreign affair, but our young men were there
And luck had his number drawn
It wasn’t that long till our hero was gone
He gave to a friend what he learned from the cross

But they knew it was love
It was one they could understand
He was showing his love
And that’s how he hurt his hands

It was one they could understand
He was showing his love
And that’s how he hurt his hands
**********************************************
And it struck me.
His arms aren’t just covered with nasty painful scratches and fiery blisters…
These are the wounds of love.
Not gushy flowery words that tickle the ear and blow away in the winds of time…
but real, hard-working love given from one person to another.
A helping hand.
Ready and willing to give until it hurts.
I’m so glad he did the work.
I know it helped somebody who desperately needed other people to intervene.
And even as he gave something precious and real to the owner of the home he worked on,
he brought back something priceless to me as well.
God uses such personal ways to teach us things, doesn’t he?

Point taken.
Powerful lesson at the hands of a group of teenagers.
Blessed are the scars of love.
His passion, his love is written right there on his arms for all to see.
Sometimes scars hold a powerful meaning.

Remember the scars of the only One who could save us are still there for all to see when we finally meet Him face to face.
Let us wear our scars without shame for they tell a story everyone in the whole world needs to hear.

Let us look at our own scars and let them help us to remember a love so powerful and deep and real that we would give anything and everything we have to share it.

Let love be written on our arms, our legs, our hands, our feet, our entire being.

And above all, let love be written on our hearts

 

“I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always in my presence.”

-Isaiah 49:16

 

Follower of Jesus. Happily married, 44, empty-nester-mom of 3 great kids& 1 grandchild (so far). I live & work in Abilene, TX. While on this journey following Him, I write as I learn along the way. God is good.
You can find me on Facebook (Jill Scifres) and on Twitter (odditblue) and I have a blog at:  
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Filed Under: Isaiah, Uncategorized, Word
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3 Titles of Christ and 3 Works of Christ in Revelation

October 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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Hey yall – this is so exciting, but there is not a lot that I am able to make pretty and apply just to everyday life like you can with most of the scripture.  By that I mean, this book is one of revealing, like we talked about on Thursday, but also one of warning.  I am studying ahead and today I learned in Chapter 7 I learned about the mark of the beast and the seal that every child of God now has or will have on their forehead.  We receive this seal, unseen by the eyes of humans, at the very moment we receive Jesus as our Savior – and you better have one!!!

Rev. 1:4-6 To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

   Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

   To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

 

This above speaks of the 7 literal churches of this time, during John’s exile, that God wanted letters sent to.  Each letter has different information.  Most of the letters tell what they did right, and also including much of what they were doing wrong.  In the scripture above it says “from the seven spirits”.  That is not 7 actual spirits, but THE Holy Spirit and 7 represents the perfect completion.

Above you will see Jesus Christ given 3 titles… who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. These are very significant – not only the titles themselves, but also that it is established very early in the book that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, His purpose and fulfillment made known.  He also states the works that Christ did for us in each of these titles…

Again – I am receiving all this information from my study guide through Beth Moore on dvd!

Faithful witness – Jesus Christ was a martyr – He loves us and this is written in the present active.

Firstborn from the Dead –  symbolizes the Ressurecction of Christ – he freed us!!  And get this – we are holding our chains, our chains are not holding us because of the pentalty Christ paid on the cross – praise you Lord – let me drop my chains!!

Ruler of the kings of the earth – HE reigns.  Even when you dont see, and of good gravy you will see it in days to come – but He is in control and He does reign!  AND He made us kingdom priests!!  see Is. 6, Ex. 19:6, 2 Pet. 2:9

OK – now is the time you start shouting!!!  This is good yall.  I know I will never be able to convey the way Mrs. Beth does and maybe I should be doing all of this on video so that you can hear the expressions and excitement in my voice.  But for today this is all I can get out.  You have to know that because of this made known to John – he falls over in a trance or something as if dead because it was almost too much to handle.  My prayer for myself and for you all is that we would regain the awe of Jesus Christ and This Word – it would hit us afresh and cause us to fall over and be like dead from the awesomeness of it!!  It is getting more and more exciting!!  Im trying!!

 

I am going to start intermingling posts from my friends starting tomorrow!  I pray you will be blessed and will go visit my friends at the virtual address as well.  I love supporting the body of Christ in this way!!!

I love yall – leigh

 

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Filed Under: church, end times, God, Holy Spirit, revelation, Tenants of Faith
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End Times vs Book of Revelation

October 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.  Rev. 1:3

Hey yall – I have been studying the book of Revelation through a dvd series by Beth Moore.  I have always been so intrigued by this book but have often been very frustrated when I have gone to sermons, lessons, or even classes about this book.  God has revealed to me – Revelation – that the study of this book, while it does have many references to what the end of times is going to be like, this book is about God revealing Himself to the world – the final time.  Now how it is all going to play out and take place, that is the study of end times – big difference really.  Because this is such a big difference and I didn’t realize it was the reason I would get frustrated at classes or sermons on the book of Revelation.

God showed me very quickly as I began to study this book that even though it was very natural to desire to know how all this will unfold, it just is not possible.  There are so many scholars throughout the ages that have so many differing opinions.  One thing I love that Beth Moore says over and over is that God is so awesome, big, powerful, and creative He could choose any way to have the End Times come about or He could choose all the ways to do it.  But my initial, personal reason for doing this study – so I could be more kowledgable and aware and ready and not shocked – is just plainly selfish.  I would go as far to say that almost all of mankind approaches this book in this manner and God just very plainly laid on my heart that this perspective was quite selfish.  SO I have had to revamp – repent – and start afresh.  God wants to reveal Himself to me and you, and this book will do that!

So I come to the verse that I have pasted above…Please go back and read it now.  There is blessing in reading this Word, and specifically THIS Word, Revelation.  Did you know that many unsaved people read the Word?  Those in Law school read the Word a lot!  But it is just reading.  That passage above tells us that there is blessing in just reading the Word because it never returns void, but there is, I believe, even greater blessing in hearing it and studying and internalizing and heeding the Word!!  I believe, know, and have experienced great blessing from studying the Word – not just reading.  Over the years He has increased my desire to know Him more and to know myself even more so that I can identify where He is not in my life and actions!  (It usually is very obvious.)

Folks the time is near – it says right in that verse above.  We do not have another aloted amount of time to get our lives right in a few days – those few days never come.  The time is NOW!  It matters how you live now and what you will experience in the End Times!  This I know to be true!

Sometimes I am not very good at following through.  So I will try to go as long as I can posting what I am learning even though many of you probably already know all this.  It is good for me to write after I have studying for more reinforcement!  In the mean time I will begin to post blogs from guests that I am wanting to support in ministry.  I hope that you are too blessed from reading something much better than my own stuff!!  It is an honor to have these guests!!

Yall have a great day!!!  Praise Him and live right!!!  It matters!!  Love much, Leigh

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Filed Under: antichrist, church, end times, revelation, Tenants of Faith, tribulation, wrath Tagged With: , , ,
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How do you know when you have suffered?

October 10, 2011 By 4 Comments

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29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him  Phil. 1:29


Have some question weighing on my heart and mind today.  Hopefully I can get them all out before the kids wake up.  We don’t have school today and my daughter had a sleepover……..hopefully they will sleep a long time!!  


Take a look at another interpretation of the same scripture above.  There’s far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There’s also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. Phil. 1:29


Wow – suffering is as much a gift as trusting – that is deep and profound and convicting too.  


How do YOU know when you have suffered for Christ?


Have you ever suffered for Christ?  


What was that like?  


Did you get to the point where you felt it was a gift?


How do you tell the difference between suffering and discipline?


Is physical sickness and disease part of suffering? 




I really would love your thoughts on this!!  You are welcome to email me as well.  I have lots of opinions, but I want to hear from you.


Have a wonderful day – I’m off to do laundry!!   

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I’ve got my spurs out!!! Can I count on you?

October 6, 2011 By 5 Comments

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Hebrews 10:24-25

The Message (MSG)
 22-25So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
I can not tell you how many times people will leave the church because no one called them to say they are missed. I can completely understand where the people are coming from, BUT……. when they were here who were they calling to say they missed them? It goes both ways. I do good to make sure I have 6 heads in the car, mine included, going to church and then getting back home. I can hardly think who was not there. But the one way to make sure we are constantly encouraged is to be an encourager. Kind of like to have a friend, you have to be a friend. The Christian life is nothing more than a constant giving of ourselves. If we receive anything back, then praise Him, but do not expect it.

With that giving mind in perspective the verse above says “let us consider”. That consider there means to contemplate. “How we may spur one another on” That spur means to move someone in a direction for results and it actually means doing something for them. So giving… it might take some work. Many times it will not be a rash or rushed decision. Now just because you get a quick idea doesn’t mean it is not a valid one or one to not take seriously in doing for someone.  Do this or that…………….now! Sometimes i react, sometimes not. But the main point is that we are to consider – contemplate, look for ways, be creative (ugh) – how we can spur one another one – move each other in the direction to be encouraged.

The last verse says that we are to “encourage one another”. That is not needed to be explained, but I did look up encourage. We are to be like Christ and He is our encourager. Advocate is the most common word used for Jesus as it pertains to encourage. He speaks to the Father on our behalf – praying for us. How cool is that??? In the Greek it is parakletos!! I love that word.

So friends – it is going to take a movement, effort on our part to encourage one another to achieve what He has called us to. We have to encourage one another – spur one another on towards love and good deeds – and good eating. When we feel a moment of weakness coming on – to overeat, to eat cruddy food, to not go to church, not attend Bible study, to skip out of aerobics, to not meet with a friend……………….. pick up the phone and call someone. Because here is the deal, if things work the way the Lord intends them to – someone calls you for a “spur on” and you do just that. Encourage them off the ledge and back to right thinking – rational thinking – you do not need another Little Debbie Swiss Cake roll. Then when it is your turn for a ‘spur on’ you have someone to call for encouragement. That is what God means when He says to not give up meeting together. Come together as often as possible, but when you are down do not give up on one another – spur on!!!

Who is the one you can call for a “spur on”??




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All of a sudden my wheels fell off!!

September 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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Sometimes I think we get so caught up telling people to die for Christ, to reject yourself, to think only of others………….. Don’t get me wrong all of that is so true.  Paramount in being a true follower of Christ.  But i also long for others to know that following Christ is a lot of fun.  Jesus is a blast.  Because I find such joy in being with Christ and following Him the latter things mentioned don’t seem like such a drag – much like they are communicated at times.  So today I have a funny I found as I was studying Ex. 14.

Exodus 14 is the story in the Word about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.  They were all complaining and Moses set them straight with a huge statement that really needs to be put to memory!!  As my buddy, Ryan Warren always say, that’ll preach!

Ex. 14:13-14  13 Moses spoke to the people: “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again. 

14 God will fight the battle for you.
And you? You keep your mouths shut!”


So then Moses, through the power of the Lord, parts the Red Sea.  So all the Israelites are crossing over on DRY ground as the Egyptians are still pursuing them.  As the night went on the Lord wanted to up the confusion of the Egyptians  and frustrate them all the more – i call it toying with them.  Destruction is on the way, but He is allowing them to get toyed with to make an even bigger statement – He is Jehovah God!!  

Verse 25 cracks me up - 25 He made the wheels of their war-wagons come off, so it was hard for the wagons to be moved. So the Egyptians said, “Let us run away from Israel. For the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

I know I’m being sarcastic here – but yes, it would be very hard for any vehicle to move if all the wheels fell off!!!  Isn’t it great that something so weird as all of a sudden wheels on wagons falling off made them have an “awe-ha” moment!  As they looked around and were not doing really well pushing the wagons on their own, one of the brighter warriors, must have been an wheel engineer, must have looked up and said, “Wait a minutes guys, this must be their God.  We gotta get out of here.  The wheels just fell of – who knows what is next…our heads!!!  Let’s go”………….but it was too late!!!  

Just having some fun today.  Some Leigh interjection there!  Have a great day and please keep your wheels on!  
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