Merry Christmas!!

"And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." Luke 2:18-19 ESV 

Treasure up the wonder of all things Christmas today friends.... 

Merry Christmas!!

{Sharing} Open Your Bible

I've got something exciting to share!

The She Reads Truth gals are actual published authors!!

Way exciting right?!

Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams have partnered with LifeWay Women to publish Open Your Bible, a 7 session study on The Word.

Here's some more info:..........

"Open Your Bible is the first Bible study partnership with She Reads Truth and LifeWay Women. This means that we are taking the best of both worlds and melding them into a study that we think women will love.
The study is seven sessions long (meaning, if you do this in a group, you will meet seven times). It has six weeks of personal study (or "homework," but who likes that term?). Each week of the study will have you diving deep into Scripture to discover truths about God's Word from God's Word. This is a print-only study. It will not be on the She Reads Truth website."

I love that you can do this as a group or by yourself.  I don't know about you but reading The Word consistently makes such a difference for me.  This new study sounds like a Word Enricher (ha! spell check doesn't like that word!) and we can all use some of that! 

And there's more exciting news....

....a Free Gift and Free Shipping!

All orders made by November 30 will receive a companion notebook and free shipping.

(That's a free notebook for every book ordered.)

Such a sweet deal!

Are you thinking Christmas gift yet? Cause my Secret Sister might be getting this!

I do believe this would make a great 'starting point resource' too!

Open Your Bible launches Monday November 2!  You can preorder now and still partake in the free goodies!

http://lifeway.com/OpenYourBible

Have a happy day!!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Drop Your Load!

I love when God gives me a 'nugget' from an everyday, ordinary moment.

This moment might not qualify as ordinary though!

This moment happened a couple of weeks ago when I was picking Lil' Hunkie up from school.  There's a grandpa who brings and picks up his granddaughter. I'm assuming he is grandpa since he sure looks like it. I've observed them before and let me just say....she is quite ornery!

Grandpa was sitting on a bench closest to the door. Once granddaughter made it out the door, he stood up and took a couple steps toward her and when they met, she immediately dropped her back pack at his feet and proceeded to walk away. He picked it up and called after her, almost having to chase after her, which I've seen him do before. 

Now I won't lie, my first thought was she might need a spankin'!

But then God dropped the 'nugget'.

It didn't even take her a second that she was in her caretaker's presence that she dropped her load and walked away, knowing that grandpa would take care of that load! How long do we wait when we are in the Presence of God to drop and walk away from all our burdens? How often do we simply walk away from our load? She did not look back!! She cared not of that back pack!!

The Bible says....

"Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22 NASB

Man, I want to be so confident in my Caretaker that I let Him take care of my load without looking back! How about you? And I love that by casting our load we are really exchanging it for sustainment and unshakenness! Those might be new words!

Well, here's to new words!

Be blessed lovelies!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Lessons from Leviticus

Last month I took a 31 Day Scripture Challenge given by Kristin Schmucker on Instagram. 

The purpose was to read scripture everyday for 31 days straight and share on Instagram.  I was wanting to add more to the She Reads Truth studying I do and so took the challenge but got started a couple of days late.  Geez but at the same time no sweat! So I felt like God wanted me to read Titus. I had no idea SRT would be going through it this month! It's been great seeing others perspective on such a rich but short book!

So then I simply chose a book by how many chapters it had so I could read a chapter a day to finish out the month. Not knowing what I was getting myself into I chose the book of Leviticus.

Uh huh, I did. And I'm so glad I did! Here's why....

1. Leviticus starts out by God laying out how to do sacrifices and what they all mean.  Man I was loving it! Well except for there's blood everywhere. And so I have a deeper appreciate of what Jesus did for me.  Without His perfect blood I couldn't be washed clean and made whole.

2.  I have a new appreciation for God's Word.  Now I didn't complete the challenge reading a chapter a day straight. I work part time and have an almost pre-K guy at home. So sometimes I didn't read my chapter, in particular the days I worked....Monday and  Thursday. So I'd read what I needed to on the other days. And at the end of May I decided to start working more so I can try and help with the grocery bill, so now I'm reading at night sometimes and really trying to read some everyday. But if I don't it's OK.  I simply catch up.  Even with She Reads Truth.  I'm loving just reading the Word and I've struggled with that.

3.  And here's the best part of reading Leviticus.....
In my opinion, the bottom line of Leviticus is God instructing His people to be holy. He really, really wants a holy people.  Yes the Law He set in place dealt a lot with health and hygiene. I shared one day during the challenge on Instagram that God didn't want a people who acted like or looked like Egyptians. Nor did he want a people who acted like or looked like Canaanites.  He wanted them to look like and act like Him.  And you know I never realized that the land of Canaan was so bad, it was a pagan nation!! But it also flowed with milk and honey! And God wanted His people to enjoy that milk and honey but just in a way that was pleasing to Him.  Unfortunately, His people couldn't ever follow the Law and so that's when Jesus came and made the ultimate sacrifice once and for all.
And so that got me to thinking...what part of the Law do we not follow anymore because of Jesus?  And what part do we follow?
Anytime I have deep bible questions like that I turn to the best guy I know...my dad.
So after eating Memorial Day cookout with him I sat down at his dining room table and asked those questions.   And I added that I felt the Law was heavy...I actually felt that about half way through.
His answer could be consider that of someone who is 'old fashioned'.
Why is it heavy? All of God's Word is Law. From beginning to end.
Well I couldn't argue that.
So then he asked me what did Jesus say?
Jesus said to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.
So when you do that, truly do that, then the part of the Law that you need to live is lived.
We agreed. We also agreed that to this very day God still wants His people to be holy.
Then he told me that I could only do and believe what I thought the bible said.  And I said but I do and believe like you do! And his response was well maybe I didn't teach you right.
And then the tears started down my cheeks.
And I responded with a resounding no you did teach me right.   He taught me the Word! And to love it, and to love God with my whole heart.
And at that very moment, because on a whim I decided to read one of the hardest books of the bible to read, I was very proud to be my father's daughter.
Amazing.
 Amazing things happen because of the Word.  
Thank you Lord.

Let me encourage you...don't shy away from the part of the bible you think is hard to read.  Because it's the Word and it's alive, I promise there's a nugget or two or three in there just for you.  I used my Life Application Study Bible and read the commentary footnotes after every chapter and it really helped to comprehend what I read. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The more you know the Word the more you know God.  And I guarantee God's loving you digging deeper!

Have a great week lovelies!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Saturday Song

When I find a gooooood worship song I can't help but to share it!!

Really, they are all good but there's certain ones that resonate more to you than others, don't you agree?

I'm sharing a simple version, although the full band by the original artists is fantastic too.

Song: Give Me Faith by Worship on the Porch

Original artists: Elevation Worship

Psalm 119:68 AMP

You are good and kind and do good; teach me Your statutes.

This is a listen to over and over and over again song for me!

Be blessed lovelies!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-It's Our Resurrection Too!

"For if we have been united with Him in a death like this, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His." Romans 6:5 ESV

As I was reading Romans 6: 5-11 today the thought came in my mind.....

tomorrow is my resurrection day too!

Not that I have done anything at all to free myself from sin but because I am in Christ I get to rejoice in the resurrection also.  I get to experience the revitalization that freedom from sin brings. 

And guess what I get to do today, the silent,sober day? 

I get to be reminded to wait on God's plan. Today is a reminder that it may look like all hope is lost, but God is working in the unseen and that work is mighty. He knows what He is doing.  There's always a "Sunday is coming" in our situations. 

Praying you have the most blessed Resurrection day ever!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-It's Simple

 

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Amplified

 

"1 AS FOR myself, brethren, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony and evidence or mystery and secret of God [concerning what He has done through Christ for the salvation of men] in lofty words of eloquence or human philosophy and wisdom;

2 For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.

3 And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you.

4 And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them],

5 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God."

 

The bottom line of these verses..... Salvation doesn't need to be a mystery or some deep thought provoked idea or complicated even.  It's simple, Christ was crucified and we need to know Him as such.  And as Christians we don't need to have enticing and persuasive language to be a witness. What we need is the Holy Spirit operating in us, for the Holy Spirit will be the one to persuade. And when we are persuaded by the Holy Spirit our faith is strong and rests where it needs to...in the power of God.

I made the above graphic on Instagram yesterday and said it was my prayer for the day.  It's my prayer today and really always and I love that I found a prayer out of these verses. For some reason connecting faith with the power of God....resting my faith in the power of God....well it's just burning in my chest.  It's yes and amen. It's a simple prayer that really covers all that we might ever need.  And it's been in the Word all this time!

Thanks God!

 

Have a blessed weekend lovelies!

 {Linking up with SheSharesTruth.}



Vintage Gwen Chapel-The Lord's Charge

"The Lord's Charge to Joshua." 

That's the title to Joshua chapter 1 in the New Living Translation. 

But I'm pretty sure that what God tells Joshua is a charge to us all.

Sometimes to get a deeper meaning of scripture the proceeding verses need to be read. Moses is dead and a very important job is left to Joshua...to lead the Israelites into the Promise Land. And so God just lays it all out.... how this important job is to go...how it will be accomplished....only with trust in Him.

And when God says "Study this Book of Instruction continually, meditate on it day and night..." I can't help but to think He's really saying "have relationship with Me!" "Study and know Me!"

"Meditate on Me!"  See when God says 'study the Word' I take it to mean 'study Me'. 

{John 1:1 'In the beginning the Word already existed.  

The Word was with God, and the Word was God.'}

So right there, plain as day, in black and white, is the key to accomplishing life.

Read the bible. 

Continually. Ouch! Day and night. Ouch, ouch!

But it comes with reward!! Prosperity and success!

And the one thing we find easy to tell others but have a hard time believing for ourselves...

God is with us. Wherever we go.  

Isn't that easy to tell others but a task to convince our selves sometimes?

But God promised. And He doesn't break promises. 

Making the Lord's charge to Joshua my own today.

Happy Weekend!

{Linking up with She Shares Truth.}

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Just Like Jonah

Today's She Shares Truth prompt is Jonah 3 & 4.  And in these 2 small chapters is a lot of emotional ups and downs for Jonah. My favorite words Jonah speaks are the very reason we know of Jonah at all.....

....he knew this of the Lord and that's why he ran away! (And more than likely if Jonah hadn't of run away then we probably wouldn't have the book of Jonah.)  So he finally sets off to obey. But Ninevah is a big city...apparently so big that from one end to the other would take you 3 days journey! Jonah traveled one day in and then started to declare the word of the Lord. And I imagine that, that one day of travel was the reminder of why he ran away, just think of all the bad he saw and convinced himself that "Yep, this place is terrible and needs to perish!"

Now I have never wished harm against anyone.  As a matter of fact when I hear of people talking about what should happen to a criminal my mind usually thinks 'but they deserve a chance at salvation'. Didn't we read in one of the SRT readings that no one is too far gone for God? No one includes criminals. 

Now what I have done is this...

"Oh why is she so perfect? Why does she have to be pretty, and skinny, and talented?"

I'm thinking this is the same as wishing harm against someone. The same thinking as Jonah about Ninevah.

Ouch!

The bottom line is that Ninevah was given a chance at salvation. Took it. And was saved and better yet experienced forgiveness and not just any forgiveness....the God kind. 

Jonah was given a chance at salvation, took it and was saved and experienced forgiveness.

So why would God do that for Jonah and not Ninevah? Why would God do that for me and not Miss Perfect? I'm thankful He wouldn't! If He did, then that would mean that there'd be something I'd have to get right to be forgiven.  And there's not, there is not one thing anyone can do to deserve forgiveness.
Ephesians 2:8 NLT

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. 

And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God."

What we do have to do is believe. Believe God saves just like Jonah did,  believe Jonah 4:2...

"you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster." 

Be blessed!

  

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Psalm 38

Oh my goodness. 

Is Psalm 38 a downer or what?

It's the perfect example of the lowest of low especially if you read The Message version.  

Verse 17 sums up the whole chapter...

"For I am ready to halt and fall; my pain and sorrow are continually before me." Amplified

Halt and fall.

You know sometimes it takes getting to the place of 'halt and fall' before we realize just how much we need God.  How much He is the only solution to our pain and sorrow. 

And as long as we believe and say verse 15...

"For in You,O Lord, do I hope; You will answer, O Lord my God." Amplified....

then He will make good on Salvation. (Verse 22)

Amen? Amen!!

Linking up today with She Reads Truth for She Shares Truth.

Have a happy weekend!  

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Psalm 130

Joining with She Reads Truth today in their fun new experiment...She Shares Truth!

I am late to the game but that's ok! Basically, they give a scripture, you write/share what you think of that scripture and then you link up on Fridays during Lent. 

Should be inspiring and fun! 

Psalm 130 The Message

1-2Help, God—the bottom has fallen out of my life!

Master, hear my cry for help!

Listen hard! Open your ears!

Listen to my cries for mercy.

3-4If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings,

who would stand a chance?

As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,

and that’s why you’re worshiped.

5-6I pray to God—my life a prayer—

and wait for what he’ll say and do.

My life’s on the line before God, my Lord,

waiting and watching till morning,

waiting and watching till morning.

7-8O Israel, wait and watch for God—

with God’s arrival comes love,

with God’s arrival comes generous redemption.

No doubt about it—he’ll redeem Israel,

buy back Israel from captivity to sin.

I love reading different versions of the Bible! For study purposes, I really like the Amplified and The Message versions. They are eye opening! I read Psalm 130 in what SRT uses...English Standard Version and then switched to The Message and found myself  chuckling just a bit at the first verse..."Help!...the bottom has fallen out of my life!"...and quickly agreed...yep, I've said that a few times! But I've also said and done the rest of this passage...

Cry, wait, hope, look, wait, and hope.  

And also found the same at the end of all that crying, and waiting, and looking and hoping....redemption.  And not just any redemption but plenteous (in the Amplified), generous redemption!! What a promise! Thank you Lord!

Be blessed today lovelies!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-The Right Time To Worry

Let me ask you a question.  

When do you worry about tomorrow?

At this very moment? 

Immediately when you open your eyes every morning? 

All day long?

Well for the past few months, a couple times a week if not more, within 5 minutes of being awake, Lil Hunkie is asking...."what'd we gotta do tomorrow, momma?"

And it dawned on me recently that my response sounded like I was quoting scripture!!

"I am not going to worry about tomorrow when I just started today!" or "We haven't even gotten through today, why worry about tomorrow, you turkey!"

Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So the right time to worry is NEVER! 

Worry is the best form of self torture.  It benefits you nothing and if it benefits you nothing then it's really taking away from you. Lil' Hunkie is 4 and has yet to learn the concept of time.  

What's our excuse? What's mine?

You know what? 

I shall overcome worry by teaching Lil' Hunkie that God will take care of our tomorrows. 

His Word says so.  And I believe His Word!

Be blessed and have a great week lovelies!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Scripture Spotlight

This past Monday SheReadsTruth started a new reading plan, This Is The Gospel. 

{SheReadsTruth is an online community where we study the Bible together, it's quite awesome!}

Man has it been good!

In Friday's reading one scripture just completely tore me up and I couldn't help but let the tears fall.

1 Corinthians 15:14

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."

This is how the Amplifed reads....

"And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain [it amounts to nothing] and your faith is devoid of truth  and  is fruitless (without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded)."

Useless, vain, devoid of truth, fruitless, without effect, empty, imaginary, unfounded.

One necessary thing negated those words...

The Resurrection.  

He did rise! He didn't stay dead!

Just let that sink in.

It was probably more the Christ didn't stay dead words that led to the waterworks. I rely a lot on my faith to get me through....right now it's the struggle of being a good parent...it's rough business being a toddler let me tell ya! And so for me to read that my faith is not in vain because He is risen...well it was like a breath of fresh air...like God was saying  "It's all going to be ok".  And at just the right moment that I need to be reassured.  

Will you be reassured with me?

Go HERE to read Friday's devotion.

Be blessed!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-One Day with the Son

What's this a chapel post?!

Yes, yes it is!

 These posts are for me to share nuggets God gives me soooooo if there's no nugget then I really don't want to force anything and that's why it's been quiet around here concerning the chapel posts.  Given this year's one word is "more"....more of God and so much less of me....then one of my blog goals is to be more consistent with the nuggets!  I just want to focus more on what God is saying because He is speaking always. Right? Right!

♦♦♦♦♦

via

Within the last month our weather here in Oklahoma has been just yuck. Well if you like snow and ice then maybe not so much yuck for you. We've gotten a good amount of snow about twice. And so twice now I've been amazed at the power of the sun.  In one day's time all it took to melt all the snow and ice away was the sun. One sun filled day and everything was back to normal. 

Isn't it the same with the Lord?

One day in the presence of the Son soothes our souls...puts everything right again...heals our hurts.

Have you experienced this? I sure have and I can testify that what Psalm 84:10 says is oh so true.  Nothing compares to the presence of the Lord!

Be blessed today lovelies!

Psalm 84:10 

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Bearing Fruit

Have you ever read a scripture that you've read several times but all of a sudden a light bulb comes on and you have a new revelation? Well during our ladies retreat this happened to me! And I loved it....it confirms that God's Word is alive.  Alive!

A simple truth is this....if you want to be in pursuit of God and His heart then you need to spend time with Him daily.  If you want to be ready at all times for what the enemy may throw at you then daily devotion time helps you to store up, to keep your reservoir full. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 reads...

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always open.  It has no worries in year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Hello! Did ya catch that?

Got trust and confidence in the Lord? 

If so, then you have no fear, no worry and you bear fruit at ALL times!

So that means that even when you feel far from God, He is stilling working, there is still something to be learned in dry times.  God wants us to bear fruit always! 

Praying that you are a tree firmly planted by the water today!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-A Sweet Jesus Moment

In my opinion there's God Moments and Sweet Jesus Moments.  God Moments are full of power and anointing and can be those 'aha' moments.  Then there's Sweet Jesus Moments where the Spirit of the Lord is a sweet, peaceful, loving presence. Know what I mean?  A couple of weeks ago I had a Sweet Jesus Moment and I want to share it today so I'll remember it.  

It was a Sunday morning at church. My sister and niece were on the mission trip so I helped my mom in the nursery. Mom was out of the room with Lil' Hunkie and that left me and my 6 month old nephew.  We'll call him Cousin Hunkie.  I mentioned a little about him here.  Simply put he is a pure miracle. Every time I am around him I have to hold him and get me some smiles! Well on this day me and Cousin Hunkie had us a Sweet Jesus Moment.  I was holding him and enjoying him but he started to get fussy.  The bigger kids were having their time of praise and worship and the nursery door was open so I could hear the music loud and clear.  When he started to get fussy I'd sing with the song and that got his attention, he'd look up at me with such a peaceful look on his face that almost said..."Don't stop Aunt Jenny!"  Then the words that I was singing started to sink in and I could feel the sweet spirit of the Lord with us....a Sweet Jesus Moment. 

♫♪♫♪...You dance over me

While I am unaware

You sing all around

But I never hear the sound

Lord I'm amazed by You

How you love me...♪♫♪♫

How wonderful a thought that God dances and sings over us?  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He danced and sang over Cousin Hunkie and that's why he's no longer considered a preemie by his doctor. 

"For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

Zephaniah 3:17 NLT

What a sweet, sweet moment.  Thankful to the Lord today that He provided such a wonderful reminder of what He's still doing for His children.  Amen?

Be blessed lovelies!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Your Mouth Matters

Last weekend I rented some movies, Les Miserables and Lincoln....both excellent! We rent from our local grocery store.  When I pulled up to return the movies there was a teenage boy pushing carts back to the store.  He was kinda scrawny and was struggling a bit. Well then out comes a boy the same age, in my opinion, who tells his coworker to 'put his back into it' which I thought a little comical. Well he then precedes to hold the door open for me and says something to the effect of  "newbies, gotta train 'em right" with a smile.  He actually used a technical term like 'prp' or something, basically 'new guy in training'. 

I just smiled and said thank you but on the inside I was giggling because by all appearances they were equal.  It was what was coming out of their mouths that was not.

And I got a heavenly reminder that regardless of experience in life, or what I may face or go through, sometimes it matters what comes out of my mouth. I may not know the outcome but God does and His Word provides us with what to say when we don't have any words.  Let's be brave enough to use them so that it causes others to do a double take. Or at least giggle on the inside.

Psalm 37:30 
"The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just."

Happy Saturday!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Scripture Spotlight

I read this scripture this last week and so needed it. 

When you start the day out having to spank your 3 year old within the first 10 minutes of being up well chances are your stress level will be a challenge to manage the rest of the day.  

When I read this scripture it was like God was saying..."just because the day started off bad doesn't mean you've lost ground." And so I'm holding on to dear life what is positive right now. 

Even though it may not be much, I'm still holding on!

Thank you Lord!!

Have a blessed weekend!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Fresh Start for a Nation

Sharing the last little nugget I gleaned from the #SheReadsTruth Fresh Start plan today. 

I love how the Word is alive! How do I know this? Because you can read it over and over and get something different from it every time!

 For example, the story of the Woman at the Well. She was a Samaritan, Samaritans didn't mingle with Jews and here it was a Jew read 'her book' right down to the very end. What God showed me this time about this story is that Jesus didn't reveal Himself as the Messiah everyday but He did this day, to not only a woman who needed a Messiah but to a people that need a Messiah, to a people that needed to be restored to the one and only God and who needed a fresh start.  It wasn't just about the Woman at the Well, it was about a nation. God provides a fresh start for all. It's our choice to take it or not. 

I'm thrilled the Woman at the Well took it and ran with it and gave her entire town a fresh start!

What an example to me!

Revelation 21:5 NKJV

"Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” 

Praying the best weekend for you!

Vintage Gwen Chapel-Oh, Ananias!

Have you ever 'felt' like you needed to go pray for someone? Or say an encouraging word to someone? Or like me, actually know that God said to "Go pray"?  And when God said "Go", you didn't move but rather questioned God?  I have done this so many times.  I've gotten better at moving my feet. I may still be a little unsure in my head but at least my feet are moving!  Well I was so moved to discover someone in the bible has done the exact same thing.  Ananias.  Oh, Ananias! In Acts chapter 9 is where Saul meets God on a road to Damascus and is struck blind. {Rabbit trail...I love that God Himself intervened. He fought for His children this day as He does everyday!} Then God appeared to Ananias in a vision.....

 ^"In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (verses 10-15 NIV)

Hehehe...did you see that question in there? As if God didn't know who Saul was!! I love it! 

"But God! That's the bad guy!! And you want me to heal him?!" 

But God wasn't moved by Ananias's concern...He was calling Saul to a higher place....God responded in a firm, loving manner and Ananias didn't question anymore, he obeyed. And if he hadn't, God would have used a different disciple. Because God's plans for Saul were unstoppable as are His plans for us.

I think Ananias probably never questioned God again.

 And now I won't ever forget his small part in Paul's transformation.

Let's be quick to obey question free from now on.  What'd ya say?

Happy Weekend!