LIFE WITH CHRIST

I think for some of us,our life with Christ,is kinda like building a house!
He gives us the building materials, but He doesn't use us, or isn't ready for us to build,until much later on in our lives.
He gave me the love for Him, at an early age, but it wasn't until much later on,that He allowed me to pick up my building materials, and really use me, to start building my house!
I picked up good,strong and scripturally sound doctrine along the way, with mercy and faith thrown in..... Then, when I went to see "The Passion Of The Christ", my heart was pierced,and I think He knew I was ready to start building! Isn't that just like Him?
All those years of knowing and loving Him, and then, at an older age, you feel like He gets a hold of you and uses you!
Our house can't be built until the foundation is ready!
Our house can't be built until the owner is ready with his ideas!
Our house can't be built until the builder draws the plans!
When God is the foundation of your house, and the owner owns cattle on a thousand hills,then I'd say that this builder has an Eternal plan well worth looking into!
.....and my Father Knows Best,on this one!
Becky

ARE WE GUILTY?

How many times has my sweetie been trying to tell me something, and all the while he's talking,I'm thinking of what to say back to him! Dear me,will I ever learn?
God's word tells us to "be still", so there must be a reason.
Seems to me,if I will be still on the inside,I might learn ,by listening,on the outside too!
When there's chaos inside your house, the outside will pretty much follow suit by giving the appearance of how it deals with this confusion and your not caring!
In like manner,when you are so intent on self, on the inside,and saying what ever you what,instead of listening to others, you will never learn anything that will benefit you! It isn't about us anyway.....It's about our Lord!
The next time someone is speaking,listen real hard on the outside, and tell your insides to go sit in a corner!
Becky

FAITH:EXHORTATION,& PROPHECY!

I have taken the Spiritual Gifts test four different times in my life, and every time,my highest ranking gift is FAITH! I have to chuckle, because it has always been this way! The next two are a little harder for me to comprehend though..... I can see me having encouragement,which I started out with, but the longer I stay in God's word, the more that has turned into EXHORTATION.It's important that I study His word, and show myself approved, rightly dividing the word of God.If there is a need for correction,or reproof,I better be sure I am correct in my doctrine,first! Well, the third highest gift really baffled me at first,folks.....
God always clears things up,though, because He is not a God of confusion.
PROPHECY involves giving God's word,in such a manner that the truth shines and peoples lives are changed.
About the only thing I can say to that,is what I've already said....
He is the beginning;
the end,
and the only way....to a wonderful and eternal life. How do I know?
"For the Bible tells me so......Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes,Jesus loves me! Yes,Jesus loves me".......You guessed it!
"For the Bible tells me so"!.......Simple Faith Folks! Simple Faith!
Becky

GOSSIP!

One of the games we all use to love to play, as little children, was the game,"Gossip." We would all sit around in a circle, and the first person would whisper a phrase to the person next to her and so on,down the line. We eagerly anticipated just what the actual phrase would end up sounding like! True to form though, it never sounded like the original thought!
God's word is the original...... and final word!
We must be careful to always interpret scripture as scripture interprets itself. In the latter days,scripture tells us,that there will be all kinds of false prophets. They will try to change God's word, with a form of "gossip" and their form of untrue gossip will tickle the ears of many men.We need to boldly know God's word, and be careful to speak it in such a manner worthy of honoring and glorifying His name.The word of God is not to be maligned,or gossiped about. It is to be spread "correctly", throught out the world, and spoken clearly;concisely; and without error!
We are to be approved workmen and women, receiving God's word. We should not be ashamed to rightly divide the word of God, and to teach the word of God,but with truth,all the time, not with gossip!
Becky

MIGUEL

When I was a little girl,my brother Michael, use to rock me, while sitting on this little cane slipper rocker.He would let me crawl up in his lap, and then he would sing to me, and read me stories. I knew he loved me the very best, and I loved him so very much, and still do!It was one of the highlights of my growing up, and is still one of my fondest memories of Michael....
This a beautiful earthly portrait of our Heavenly Father, and how He would love to have us come and spend some snuggle time with Him......Time to crawl up close with Him and spend time,listening to Him. He yearns for us to let Him comfort us when we are in pain,or hurting. He wants to spread His arms of mercy around us, and just to show us how much He love us.
He's always ready and wants to, but we have to be willing to climb up into His lap first, and rest on Him.
A Good song,or a good story! You can't beat the story of Jesus Christ and His love!
Becky

MY BLESSED ASSURANCE

When Blessed Assurance came on the radio today,at 6am,I immediately started singing the verses to myself.The only trouble was,that I always sang the first and last verses when I stayed with Grandmother, and we went to her Commuinity Center on Wednesday nights.I'm singing the "watching and waiting, and looking above" verse, while the radio,is singing the verse before it! It just dawned on me,that Grandmother's Community Center sang all those songs that way. Because we sang so many songs on Wednesday nights, we only sang certain verses over and over....This is why I only memorized certain verses to certain songs.Isn't that funny?
That was probably some 50 years ago, or more.....but in reality,it was probably many more years, because I started out over there at a very young age.Those songs are such a part of me, and my story. God uses everything to make us who we are,doesn't He?....Woo Hoo!
He is my Blessed Assurance!
Becky

MY HERO!

David and I are sittring inside,tonight, watching both a football game, and the leaves blowing on the trees,outside. I'm not sure which one is moving the most,either! The limbs on the trees are swaying back and forth, and the leaves are justa fluttering. The wind is really whipping, and there are actually some white caps showing out on the river too! Even though it's kinda dark all around,it's very snug and comfortable on the inside.I feel safe and secure, especially since David is right next to me.......He's my hero,you know!
When God places us under His wing,we have this same feeling. We may not want to be there at first, because it is often dark, and we so often feel alone.....
We're not alone,though...... Being under God's wing is the safest and most secure place we can be, especially, when everything horrible is going on all around us.
Yes,it may be kinda dark all around us,but our hero,God,is right in there with us!
Becky

WEED KILLER!

As I drove back into Beaufort,from Aiken today,I noticed all the Kudzu along the side of the road.It had molded itself all over the trees;telephone poles;road signs, and just about anything else it felt it could take over! On the outside,it gave the appearance of being almost tranquil and smooth, but underneath,I knew it was a tangled mess that choked everything in its path! If I hadn't known any better,I would have said I was describing the way sin looks when it tries to take over our lives. It can often look appealing and tranquil on the outside, but if we let it get to us,on the inside,and stay there, it will choke us out!
Nothing can kill Kudzu either.....
There is something that can kill sin though!
As believers, we have the antidote for this powerful thing called sin.
Jesus Christ killed our sins when He gave His life for us on that cross!
He will kill it everytime.
He even tells us: "therefore if any man is in Christ Jesus he is a new creature;the old things have passed away;Behold the new things have come."
I guess,if your filled with that 'ole sinful Kudzu in your life,when you become a new creature in Christ,you can pretty much expect that 'ole stuff to die right off the vine, and you'll see yourself really bloom!
Becky

FOR WHO.....

One of the best scriptures,that my Grandmother ever encouraged me to memorize,was:"For who by being anxious,can add one cubit to his span of life."
In today's caddywhampus world,this is one great way to live!
In other words,why worry,if you can't do a thing about it?!
I never was good at math anyway,so I just let God deal with all the cubits in my life!
Becky

WHEN I WAS.......

When I was a little girl,I loved it when Grandmother Bouterse would tell me all about her sisters, and what life was like back in Kronigen,Holland. Grandaddy was born in Rotterdam, but Grandmother was the one, whose family I remebered hearing the most about. She's been gone about 44 years now, and I fear I have been neglectful in telling my cildren about her sisters and what it was like for her to grow up in Holland. Her Dutch heritage was so important to her, and I'd like to think that my children would feel as strong about there heritage too.They do, afterall, have a part in that heritage!
When I went to Holland back in the 1970's,I was able to purchase some chocolate wooden shoes,by asking for them in Dutch!.......Woo Hoo!
I am seeing for myself,how God's people could so easily forget to tell their children about God, and His commandments.They simply forgot to tell the next generation. Consequently,that generation didn't know who God was, so they turned to their pagan idols!
I didn't think I would ever forget to tell my children about Grandmother,but I did!
I can certainly understand how the Israelites could forget to tell their children about God!
Today, as th body of Christ, we CAN do something, and that's to make sure we tell lots of folks about this marvelous God of ours! Let's don't forget to tell this God story of ours to all those future generations!
Becky

IS THIS NOT?

You know what's so beautiful about the body of Christ? Each member has a true concern for the other part, even though,they each one make up the whole!
All the members that came together to provide a beautiful setting for Kelly didn't stop there.Some of those same members even provided a going away basket, filled with food goodies,for Josh and Kelly, and for me!One friend provided sandwhiches for the bridesmaids, and the wedding party.Some members of the body furnished golf carts,that were sorely needed to transport the elderly;handicapped, and the bridal party to the wedding site.Friday night, we had one cart.....Saturday noon,we had three! I received sweet,sweet,words from a dear friend, reminding me to rest after it was over.(Boy was that needed advice too!)
She reminded me that it was of the utmost importance for my health,for me to rest.Is this not the act of loving friends, and parts of the body of Christ as they selflessly use their gifts,and come together and give?
It is!
Becky

CHEERLEADER

As Kelly was growing up,I always thought she would make a great cheerleader.I guess,because I cheered from 7th grade through my college years, and I thought she would inherit this love for cheering too!....Ha!Ha!She wasn't the least bit interested!
It was a "no go", for this hand me down legacy, that I so loved doing.
It's the same way,with our children in the church.
When you take them to Sunday School, and to church all their lives, and they see how you live and think under pressure and trials, most of the time, they will follow suit.
Every so often, you will come across a child, who doesn't want a thing to do with this "hand me down" faith legacy. However,if they are truly God's child,He will get a hold of them, and turn them back around. When this happens,put on your jumpin' shoes, and praise the Lord,because you can really be a true cheerleader for the Lord then!

GOD'S GRACE

Because God's word,is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,I will walk with my companions,Truth and Forgiveness throughout life.
They were introduced to me,by "Grace".
Becky

THE END HAS COME!

The end of my wonderful retreat up at Ridgecrest has come.....way too soon, and the challenge to all of us to share our God stories with the next generation has ended.....or has it just begun?
Our speaker was Sue Jakes,out of Atlanta. She spent the better part of this weekend,challenging all of us to share what God has done in our lives, and then sharing it with those around us, and also with the next generation.She reminded us, that in scripture,there were those who had lived before,but weren't told about God,or His commanments,and those following after, had no idea who God was, or what He expected! .......How sad!

Each group of children learned less and less about God, and His comandements, until they finally know nothing!I came away from this retreat, understanding that it is worse over all of our wonderful country, and we must really start telling people about our Jesus!......"We've a story to tell to the nation's". I remember learning the words to that song, but now,it's vital, that we put into action,just what those words tels us to do!
What a retreat!
What a refreshing time for my soul!
What a God story!
What a God!
We've a story to tell, so let's go tell it!
Becky

WOO HOO!

When Jesus becomes your partner in the marriage relationship,you don't mind sharing your marriage partner!
Becky