Don't Miss Jesus ~

Hello sweet ladies!
Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a visit,
I am always appreciative of your grace left behind
through the comments you share.
Summer has finally made it's way showing up in all it's beauty.
When summer arrives we are more than ready for the warmth

and the new life that has unfolded all around our country yard.
Some weeks ago I shared a post with you on our wild turkeys
and right now we have only six toms and a couple ladies showing up for breakfast
as I am sure my little Merriam's are with their young right now.
* By the way, our female turkeys are called Merriam's according to the bird book in our area *
Our two Canadian geese  and mallards have made their way to our pond.
I always hope and pray that they will survive the winter months
and will return as a pair since they mate for life.
Should I listen carefully I will hear the sounds of their 
honking as they fly over our home notifying us of their arrival.

What glorious beauty are you enjoying this time of year?

Last year when I was away looking after my parents
and the time of my dads going on to glory,
a dear and precious blogging friend
here in our blogging community graced my life with 
"The Quiet Place"  Daily Devotional Readings
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
My life has been enriched all the more through this excellent devotional book.
Thank you Cheryl, for your love and friendship! 
God in His love and care over His children
 brings people into our lives whom He uses to encourage and strengthen
during those times we may need it most.
God knew that I would need my dear friend Cheryl, 
as well as this encouraging devotional book after my dad passed away.
 Through Cheryl's sweet and tender spirit
she listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit and shared her loveliness with me
just when I was going to need it most. 
"At unexpected moments...
God places an angel in our path~
someone we will soon call "friend."
~ Unknown ~ 
My heart rejoices over and over again in the love and friendships
that I have received here in our amazing Blogging community.
Thank you Jesus!
 
 I had wanted to write a post on the topic of God's Word,
but Nancy said it so eloquently in one of my readings
 that I'm just going to share from her book.

Jesus The Word of God

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God." ~ John 1:1

THERE ARE MANY HELPFUL PLANS and methods you can
use for reading the Bible. Personally, I like to vary my
approach from time to time. But whatever plan you
choose, don't let yourself become a slave to the method.
Remember that the goal is not just getting through the 
Bible but getting the Word into you and getting you into Jesus ~
cultivating a growing relationship with the living Word of God.
One of the most sobering passages of the Bible addresses
this matter. The Pharisees of Jesus' day were renowned for their
vast knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures. Yet one day
Jesus looked them squarely in the eye and said, "{God's} voice
you have not heard, his form you have never seen, and you do
not have his word abiding in you" (John 5:37-38).
I can just imagine those indignant, bedecked scholars
turning red in the face, sputtering under their breath, "What
does He mean? Who does He think He is? He's just a blue-collar
 worker! He's never even been to seminary! And He's telling us
that we've never heard God speak and His Word doesn't dwell
in us? Why, we've spent our whole lives mastering the Bible! If
we haven't heard God's voice, who has?"
But Jesus wasn't finished. "You searched the Scriptures because 
you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that
bear witness of me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may
have life" (verses 39-40). They were missing the whole point of 
their study.
If we master the content of the Bible but don't end up
knowing, loving, worshiping, serving and being mastered by
Jesus, we too miss the whole point, and set ourselves up to
become twenty-first century Pharisees. So, yes, get into the 
Word; study it diligently, but as you do, don't miss Jesus!

**~~**~~**

In your reading and study of God's Word, are you getting to
know Christ in a more personal and real way? Ask Him to
reveal Himself to you through His Word and to give you faith
to keep coming to Him to find life. 
~Nancy Leigh De Moss~

**~~**~~** 

May we not miss Jesus as we diligently
and faithfully study the Word of God.

 Our Precious Heavenly Father,
Guide us through our study time
so we will not be a slave to the method we choose
in coming to know You better.
Teach us to be diligent and
draw us to Thyself.
Amen.

Joy!
~ Debbie ~

I would like to introduce you to the lovely Lorraine
who Blogs over at Flower Lady's Musings.
Lorraine made this gorgeous heart and
has more beautiful items in her etsy shoppe
 where you can purchase some of her creations.
As you look closely at the detail of her work
you will stand amazed. 
I love my heart Lorraine!
Thank you for sharing your beauty and grace with us.


 

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Hello, my dear and faithful followers!
These past couple of months
 I have been taking some time to sit at the feet of Jesus,
where I have found rest in His loving arms,
and I must confess that during my time away I MISSED YOU!! 
I was able to go south for some sunshine 
and these photo's were taken of the beautiful cactus's
in the area where I was staying.

God is true to His Word, in that when we seek Him
we are sure to find Him.
My spirit, my soul and my body
longed for some quiet and alone time with my Savior.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, my desire is to be a 
sweet fragrance for my Lord, and I longed to enter into a 
more personal and intimate relationship
with the One who brings us blessing, rest and joy.

I challenged myself daily to spend more time in the Word
seeking out the riches of God's promises
so as to memorize and apply them to my life,
Philippians 4:8 was one of the verses I meditated on
prayed over and set my mind on so as to live in God's ways.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; 
if there be any virtue and if there be any praise,
think on these things."
It all begins in our minds and we are to think about what is good and right.
During my quiet time with the Lord,
I was allowing His Spirit to fill my heart with all that
is good, pleasing and honorable in His Kingdom. 
What is true is found in God, in Christ, in the Holy Spirit
and in God's Word.
Honorable, the Greek term means "worthy of respect."
Believers are to meditate on whatever is worthy of awe and adoration. 

During this time I happened upon "The Daniel Fast"
believing it was of no mistake.
About one month into my quiet time alone with the Lord,
it would seem as though God was leading me to finish off this restful time alone with Him
through the benefits of fasting, and not just with my diet, but spiritually as well.
The power of fasting doesn't necessarily make sense to the natural mind.
But spiritual fasting requires spiritual sense-a spiritual
outlook and trust in the Lord and His ways.
I believed by doing the Daniel Fast that it was the first step toward 
the experience I was longing for that would bring me closer
to the Father who desires a deep , abiding relationship 
with each of His children.
Though I began my time of rest with meditation and prayer
I knew that every part of me needed something more.
I was longing for my Soul (my emotions, intellect, and feelings)
to benefit from the spiritual discipline of fasting.
I knew my soul needed to be fed.
I knew that my Spirit needed and would grow in strength 
and in the knowledge of Christ and His ways.
Then there was my Body...in many areas I wanted to renew my body and
benefit from a healthy lifestyle.
God continues to be faithful with 
where I have placed myself in His loving care.

Through the Daniel Fast I appreciated
 learning of Daniel's love for his God.
Daniel purposed in his heart to follow the ways of God.
"But, Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself."
(Daniel 1:8a)
Daniel believed in his God.
That's the kind of faith we can all have.
Are we willing to love God with our whole hearts?
Are we willing to make God number one in our lives?
God is more than willing to do His part
when we are willing to do ours. 
Daniel devoted himself to God, he set his heart 
on the ways of the Lord and refused to be defiled by
the customs and practices of the Babylonians. 
Daniel's faith serves as a worthy example for us to follow. 

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, 
and all these things shall be added unto you." 
(Matthew 6:33)
Jesus teaches us to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,"
or His right way of doing things.
We should aim to do everything with God and in His ways.
When we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures 
and learn what the Lord has to say about who we are
and how we should care for our bodies,
there should be only one love-loaded
response to our Lord: "Yes Sir."
He is our number one reason for making changes
to be better aligned with what He wants for us.
Our Precious Heavenly Father, desires for us to be
healthy, to take good care of our bodies in whole,
so that we may be a shining example of His family.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil."
(Proverbs 4:23-27)

*******

Our Precious Heavenly Father,
These verses are such a powerful visual image
 that we must take and apply to our lives.
Help us to use our lips for Your glory,
to keep our eyes focused on Your kingdom,
and cause us to ponder the paths of our feet,
so that our ways will be established in You, and for Your glory.
Amen.

Be Blessed!
~ Debbie ~

Please join me as I party with Stephanie over at
Roses of Inspiration