Category: Family

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31

The sparrows are back at Lake San Marcos. The sparrows are such a vivid reminder of how God wants us to live.

We were watching the sparrows yesterday out our back windows. Like they always do, they were enjoying their acrobatic flying and looking like they were totally free in who God made them to be. They always appear so joyful and care free. Watching them brings us such joy and some how their fun antics remind us that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

We were made to praise God. We were to believe that He’s working all things together for our good, to continue in His Word so we could be free all the time (John 8:31-32). God wants us to have His joy, to be able to trust in Him with all our heart, to let His peace reign in our hearts and lives – all the time.

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 14:17

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 10:7

The kingdom of heaven is at hand. All of the kingdom is available to you. Fly little sparrow. God takes great delight in you as you spread your wings and praise Him in all things, as you rest in His love and care for you.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 23

In the house of the Lord for ever. ☺

God bless,

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

Life can change in an instant. One thing that never changes is God’s love for you.

There is no need to overcome fear in Heaven. There’s no fear in Heaven. God sent us His Word to rescue us now, in this life here on earth.

Fear is destructive. God doesn’t want us to fear. Instead, He wants us to have faith in His Word. What a loving Heavenly Father we have, friends.

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Psalm 34:14

Once I began “doing” the Word, once I began to apply it to my life and believe God, I wondered how I could have waited so long to do it. When I began to experience God backing up my efforts to stand on His Word in the face of spiritual attacks, I got so excited.

I mean, think about it. The maker of everything, God Almighty, was backing up my believing His Word. He is interested in every minute of my day making sure that I know He’s working on my behalf as I trust Him. Wow. Amazing. Isn’t that crazy wonderful?

I know of no other way to get true, lasting, supernatural peace, the kind that passes our understanding, than through doing God’s Word. To depart from the evil the lies of our enemy bring to our lives, we must seek peace and pursue it by applying God’s Word in our lives.

As a Christian, there was a time when I didn’t know I could trust in God’s Word, but I could have. There was a time when I didn’t know I could let His peace reign in my heart, but I could have. There was a time when I didn’t know He was really working all things together for my good, but I could have chosen to believe that. And there was a time when I didn’t know the power and blessing of taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ or that I could really thank and praise Him in all things, but I could have made the choice to do so. This is what true repentance is all about. This is what revival is all about. We’re revived from the death sin is causing in our lives into the abundant life available in Christ.

The truth is, the times I haven’t chosen to follow the guidance found only in His Word were the times when I experienced fear, and panic – overwhelming fear and panic during many of those times. And, by not choosing to follow His Word, I realize now that I was actually choosing to believe and live in the lies of the enemy. It’s true.

I may have known about scriptures God knew could help me, but I wasn’t living them. And, I found out there’s all the difference in this life between knowing about them and believing and living them.

Choose to obey His Word and choose life. The life God has for each of us is so abundant and free.

“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Psalm 107:20

Revive and truly experience the joy of the Lord!

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4

For Christians, the world as they know it is coming to an end. But, the world they’ve only imagined and dreamed of is about to begin…

Happy Monday!

Go with Christ today and always, precious ones, and see all of the wonder He has planned for you as you dwell in the secret place of the Most High.

Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus!

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

The Blessings Of Haman
By Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn

Purim is the Jewish holiday named by the enemy of the Jewish people. Purim means the casting of lots. In the Bible’s book of Esther, Haman decided to cast lots to establish the day for the destruction of the Jewish people. God redeemed them, and they made a holiday out of it. You think they would have changed the name, but they didn’t, they called it by exactly that, to remember the failed plan of God’s enemy.

Don’t be afraid of the plans of your enemy. We have a faith that can deal with problems and overcome them. Purim reminds us that whatever evil attempts to do, we have something greater than evil. When we celebrate Purim, we are bearing witness that God is greater than the problem. We celebrate that what the enemy planned for evil in our lives, God will turn it for good.

If you follow God, your problem will become a victory. What looks like defeat will become a celebration. You can smile at the days to come. For every trial, tribulation, and problem will end up as Haman’s holiday – a triumph of the good and the victory that God brought you.

Today, whatever problem you deal with, don’t just see the problem, but look beyond for the good purpose God will use it for.

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.
Esther 9:28

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

 

There was a time when “care” was honestly consuming me. Life was full of melodrama. I didn’t like it when someone would tell me God was in control because it didn’t seem to me like He was in control. When care builds in our lives, and we can’t resolve it, we’re in trouble.

Corona Virus, my family, our future, our health and retirement…It’s not that I don’t care about these any more, it’s just that God has replaced my care with trusting Him with these and I know that I could never thank Him enough for exchanging all my cares for being able to trust Him with it all.

I trade my cares for His joy. I get more of His joy in exchange for my trusting Him by giving Him my cares. What an incredible deal I’ve found that to be. What a wonderful Heavenly Father we have, friends.

God knows. Isn’t that wonderful? Nothing shakes Him and He wants us to rest in His love and care for us.

‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
Christian Hymn By Louisa M. R. Stead

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

Good question, right?

Ann was wrestling with some thoughts last night and shared what she learned about them with me this morning.

Can I enter God’s rest by continuing in my own thoughts about this or that? Am I really surrendering these thoughts to Him, to His plan for me if I continue to think about this or that and how I want them to work out? Is mulling things over and over keeping me from His rest?

Am I responding to God – to His Word, to the Holy Spirit – with disobedience or obedience? If you’re rebellious, you’ll probably be angry about the Word and respond with a legalistic thought towards it. If you’re not rebellious, the Word will be easy to entreat and you’ll desire the benefit from doing the Word.

“Lord, help me to take thoughts captive so I can stop being tormented with this (these) painful, defeating, oppressive thought.”

God, I don’t want to be loose about some things in my life, in my thought life. I want to be finally free in those areas of my life and thoughts so I can experience Your times of refreshment in those things.

Not taking thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ is being disobedient.

A rebellious heart will respond to the command to take every thought captive in a defensive way thinking it’s legalism. An obedient heart will respond with, “Oh, yeah, You’re right Lord. Thank You for reminding me that I can and must take every thought captive.”

Ann was taking some fiery dart thoughts…She could even be imagining nice ideas. She said, “God, please help me with these thoughts” when God told her, “To obey is better than sacrifice” meaning she could still be having some nice thoughts (imagining how things could be) but that she was still not taking those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

Obedience to God, to His Word, will lead us into freedom and deliverance. Disobedience is sin and sin is always bondage. The church is so deceived today throwing “legalism” around so it can stay in sin and suffer in its bondage.

In everything give thanks and all things work together are right. Pray without ceasing is right, too. It reminds me of the Bible story in Luke 18:1-8 where the woman who kept going to the judge was right. Lord, show me how to walk all of these out.

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
1 Samuel 15:22-24

When I obey God’s Word, when He points something out to me that corrects what I’m doing in order to set me more free, I feel a release in my spirit and mind. Truly, it is better to be obedient to His Word.

Thank You, Lord, for setting me more and more free.

God bless,

Ann

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Hebrews 10:23

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

As Ann and I learned to trust God with more and more of every area of our lives, we noticed that it got easier to trust Him. It also took us less time to turn things over to Him so we could rest in trusting Him with them. As a result, we leaned less and less on our own, limited understanding of situations and circumstances that God wanted us to trust Him with.

Ann and I were shopping Saturday and I heard the words “Trust Is Power” over the store speakers. Immediately the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. This is exactly what God has been teaching Ann and me over the last several decades. He wanted us to learn how to trust in Him with our whole heart. I thought of how He’s accomplished this incredible feat in two lives that were so filled with fear by circumstances. Wow, it’s amazing to be able to trust in God and how He backs up our trusting in Him. What power.

To know, really know, that we can count on Him to work all things together for our good is a life changer for us. We both realize that before we could trust God, we had no power over our circumstances and how they were defeating us. Now, we do have His wonderful, peaceful, joyful power as we rest in His almighty power to work things out on our behalf.

Thank You, Jesus. You’re simply incredible and wonderful.

*******
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10c

The Lord’s “joy” is not of man. It’s not man-made. And it’s not something we have to psyche up for. It’s real, and we can tell it’s not from us. It comes from the Lord. Ann and I kept applying scripture to our lives and as we persevered, we began to experience the joy of the Lord.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

God’s joy is a knowing that He’s with you, is keeping you, is in control, and that He really is working all things – all things – together for the good of those who love Him. You’re aware of the fact that He really does have your best interests in mind. You have an anticipation that He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf and you’re excited to see what He’s up to.

I was doing some things around the house when the Holy Spirit suddenly spoke to me about the things that are coming on this world like the corona virus. He said, “The joy I want you to have now and always is the same joy I told you you could have had the whole time you lived in Oregon. Never let any situation or circumstance – no matter what it’s called – steal My joy that lifts you ABOVE this world. I always have My joy for you. Always. Remember My Name is ABOVE every other name.”

I shared this with Ann and we both just smiled big and lingered in His protection, love and joy.

Wow, what a Savior we have, friends. What miraculous overcoming power and joy as we await Heaven and being there with Jesus, forever.

Ann and I are still finding new ways to trust God and to experience His joy. We know He wants to take us to the place where we can always trust Him and have His wonderful surpassing joy in all circumstances.

Not that I speak in respect to want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Philippians 4:11

Happy Monday, everyone!

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ,
Philippians 3:8 Amplified Bible

God’s teaching us that we lose nothing in this life if we have Him, if we gain Christ. To gain Christ. Wow. We count everything loss to know Jesus. And, you know what, gaining Jesus is everything. It’s true.

For a lot of reasons, my wife and I like to exercise. Exercising helps us with the physical demands of life. Physical exercise is helpful, but it’s not enough.

For many reasons, Annie and I like to exercise and build up our faith in Jesus by reading the Bible, listening to good Christian teaching, singing to the Lord, talking about Jesus and all the wonderful truths He’s teaching us, by listening to the Holy Spirit as He teaches us how to truly love each other better by not allowing self-pity, worry, unbelief, etc, have any place in our lives as we learn that we really can trust Jesus in all things – even the past and future. Jesus is teaching us to exercise our faith in the face of fear and it’s working. We’re getting stronger in Him. As we learn more about Jesus, He’s calming us down and teaching us to trust in Him with all our heart. There’s nothing like it. As we exercise our faith, we can feel Jesus in us encouraging us and giving us His courage and the assurance that He really does have and that He really will “keep” us – always.

While there are many benefits to physical exercise, there are far more benefits contained in exercising and building up our faith in God. Many more. In fact, God calls building our faith and being His disciples by doing the Word the difference between life and death.

Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
1 Timothy 4:8

To stand on His Word. To know The Prince of Peace. To really have His peace reigning in our life. Mmmm. Amazing. Just amazing.

“Annie, let’s pick up the Bible and do some more reps.”

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

5 For many shall come in my (Jesus) name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences (epidemic disease), and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Matthew 24:5-9

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Folks, there are a lot of things in life that can steal our peace if we let them. God commands us to not let our hearts be troubled. The only way to do that is to trust in the Lord with all our heart. We can trust Him in all things.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
Colossians 3:15

Here’s what God’s trying to teach me all my life. Don’t get mad when things don’t go my way. Instead, let God lead. Just “let” Him lead. Allow yourself, Mark, to be led by My Spirit.

Simple, but profoundly life-changing. At least it has been for me.

Jesus wants to teach us how to sleep through the storms in life just like when He was sleeping in the boat with the disciples in the storm. He can teach us to do it if we’ll remember that we can let His peace rule in our hearts at all times.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Romans 8:14

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3

Trust God…

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

10 The thief (the devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:10

17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
Isaiah 54:17a

Recently, pertaining to my CCPTSD, I had this revelation in my life about believing “the truth” and believing “lies.” It dawned on me that believing lies about myself, about my self worth – and so much more – was making me angry, bitter, feel shamed, jealous, greedy, strive, frustrated, confused, double-minded, gave me nervous and excited-induced eating habits, and a whole host of other bad, destructive thoughts, thought patterns and strongholds. Through a series of difficult circumstances and life challenges, I had let lying enemy weapons prosper against me.

When we believe God’s truth (the truth), we get and understand more of His truth and begin to have our lives impacted by more and more of His truth and the love God has placed in His truths. This choice sets us free in ways we didn’t know even existed.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-25

When we believe Satan’s lies and absorb the hate and anger contained in those lies, we take on more and more lies and they impact our lives in ways we couldn’t conceive of. The choice to believe the devil’s lies will bind us up is ways we didn’t know existed. We will become more and more hardhearted and resistant to God’s truth.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21

This is why it is so important to stay open to God’s truth at all costs, and to be always willing to repent and to apply the Word to our lives whenever the Holy Spirit points to some new area of liberty He commands us to walk out and live in. God’s truths are full of His love that will set us free and keep us, and protect us from the fiery darts of Satan.

Today I (God) have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! –
Deuteronomy 30:19

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2

I used to be bothered all the time by the devil’s lies. By applying God’s Word to my life, I began to be free from the lies that had oppressed and tormented me for way too long.

God commands us to choose to be free by believing His Word. Nothing else can make us free indeed.

Bothered? Believe God!

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

So, after I had received Dr. Robert Jeffress’ email (the one I sent out in yesterday’s CJED email) last week, Kimberly sent us the below emails. Kimberly’s timing in sending us emails is amazing. Her emails (and others of you) are further confirmation to us regarding God’s plan for Ann and me.

*******

I am so grateful for all of your wonderful reminders! Thank you SO MUCH for living your lives for the glory of our KING!
Last Friday your email inspired! This is the mindset we truly desire to live in, every moment of every day! The great cloud of witnesses are thinking of us and cheering for us, the bride. Your email reminded me of the song by Passion with Kristian Stanfill (I think Chris Tomlin did a version of the song too).
Even So:
“Like a bride waiting for her Groom,
we’ll be a church ready for YOU
Every heart longing for her King, we sing
Even so come, LORD JESUS come
Even so come, LORD JESUS come”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBHcvJhc6Pk

I have a fun story for you:
Along with many of our neighbors, we have always kept bird feeders around our home, welcoming little songbirds to perch and feast, and sing their praise songs. All of our homes are nestled in a green belt with foliage towering over every roof – a beautiful welcome mat for every genre of birdsong passing through. This has been a joyful noise in our neighborhood for many years! Such a delight! Especially in the Spring! The melodious singsong mimics sounds from the tropics!
Well, a couple of years ago, we had a group of hawks move into our neighborhood. At first we noticed a few Cooper Hawks, but this year it’s a larger species – the Red-tail Hawk. We often see two at a time sitting on the branches of our mature trees watching our bird feeders! They have been picking off our little song birds, and a great hush has descended upon our neighborhood. The joyful songs went into hiding as the intimidating screech took dominance in our community. (I can picture Ann shaking her head at this point saying, “This is NOT a fun story!”… But hang in there, Ann – there’s an amazing spiritual parallel!)
About 3 weeks ago, I saw 2 hawks on my property and I walked out and spoke to them, declaring softly, but firmly, “You have three choices here! You can become vegetarians,.. You can pick up your home and move out of this territory,.. Or you can drop dead! Let it be done.” And I felt such great confidence that it was done! Thankfully, we didn’t see much of those predators afterwards! Victory!
So the other day, imagine my outrage when I looked out my dining room window and witnessed a hawk 25 feet up in my neighbor’s tree. It’s head was going down and coming back up over and over. As the head came up, little pieces of grass and feathers floated down. I realized a precious nest was being torn apart, and I was furious! I’m a farm girl. In that moment, I wanted to open my window and to grant myself some target practice time! But my conscience convicted me…. “obey the laws of the land – shooting hawks is illegal.” So I brought my complaint before the ONE who cares the most for HIS lovely creation.
“GOD! The hawks are still here! I want the song birds to move back in!”
In that moment, one small bird flew up and landed on the branch above the hawk! It swooped down and dove at the intruder! Then a blue jay and a mocking bird joined the small warrior! Our LORD used this scene to remind me that HE is in control of the predator… the predator is not the one dominating over this scenario – GOD IS! And HE is using the dark predator… but only as long as it takes to glorify HIMSELF in the greatest way possible! HE knew the song birds would become stronger and more bold and courageous!!!
GO SONG BIRDS!
That’s my new chant! HE is raising up stronger song birds to glorify HIS HOLY NAME.
GO SONG BIRDS!
I felt that peace… you know the peace I’m talking about. That peace that passes our understanding…. it washed over me in a relaxing calm. I smiled and looked back out the window at the hawk. “Your days are numbered.” I declared with quiet, settled assurance! And I apply that to all that concerns me today.
The enemy sent his hoards to trap my precious daughter in darkness this year. GOD is using my foe to bring about a Glory greater than we can imagine! The enemy’s days are numbered! And I found my song – I have my voice back! We are no longer in hiding!
GO SONG BIRDS!
Every encouraging email you send out is a precious song!
GO SONG BIRDS!
Even when we can’t feel it, HE’S working –
Even when we can’t see it, HE’S working –
GO SONG BIRDS!
And every time we praise HIM in the midst of our circumstances,
Every time we move our focus from the power of the storm to the Power of the ONE who controls the storm,
Every time we consider it all joy,
Every time we rejoice –
It’s music to HIS ears!
GO SONG BIRDS!

With Love,
With Joy,
With Hope,
With great Peace,
kimberly

*******

And another one of Kimberly’s emails sent the day following her above email:

Oh! What a beautiful song!
GO SONG BIRDS!
Thank you for sharing…
And don’t give up, my friends. Total restoration and redemption belongs to you.
As I’ve prayed for you, GOD has assured me HE is healing you completely – in every way!

I am completely undone by the truth that our LORD only trusts HIS most beloved with pain too great for the crowds. HE is so patient.
We are for HIM as much as HE is for us… the invitation is intimate relationship – to truly bear HIS image – but not just in the suffering.
Sometimes I get stuck in the suffering… we bear HIS image in the victory and Resurrection too!
I see HIM crying with us when the attacks are the strongest, and HE’s patiently trusting us to rise up and be HIS bride. We do this together. And HE is not concerned with how long it might take…. we are not time beings. We just surrender to HIS work and trust.
Joining HIM in the dance that fulfills HIS heart! What an honor! What a Joy! Oh, how HE loves us!
And the intimacy HE is drawing us into! Oh! How fulfilling! Healing! Truly satisfying!

It has been a true pleasure to be on this unexpected path. Life definitely has not turned out the way I was expecting. Thank YOU, JESUS! In every twist and turn, the surrender to the new direction has brought greater expectation and hope! Releasing the idea of homeschooling all my children, watching marriage slip through my fingers, relinquishing my ideas of being a worship leader… accepting with joy, the new ways – the new paths – has brought more peace than I thought possible. Like watching the hawk and accepting that GOD is the ONE directing EVERY step, every peck, every screech. We can patiently observe calamity with great assurance in our Loving ABBA who controls the storms. The wind still knows HIS name! HE has done exceedingly abundantly more than I could have ever even imagined. And all I want to do is praise HIM, sing for HIM, worship HIM, and spend the rest of my days in Love with HIM.

…………. I know you know this, Mark ….. Ann knows too …… May I remind you? Because I love you both so very much …..
You were never meant to carry the burden of providing for her. You both have a much better Provider! Not being able to provide was a turn in your path that GOD intends to use for a greater glory – a greater provision – a greater joy than you can imagine.

Keep praising. Keep worshiping. Keep loving.
GO SONG BIRDS!

*******
God bless,

Mark – ChoosingJesusEveryDay.com

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

 

I’m sharing the following because I believe it’s important for all of us to know that we all have issues in our lives the devil can use to attack and discourage us with. Mine is mainly CCPTSD. I hope the following is a blessing to you in your own walk with Jesus.

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An amazing thing happened last week. I was talking to God about some things and even wondering if I should continue writing and sending out the CJED daily emails. Mainly, I said the following to Him.

“I was suffocating under the weight of shame, guilt and responsibility I thought I must take on as a husband and father. I kept thinking, “Why would God have so many commands in the Bible for husbands and fathers and then not enable me to be able to carry out His wishes?” As a man who was trying to do everything he could to be a good, obedient Christian, was it okay for me to admit to my Heavenly Father that I was unable to obey His Word in the areas of being an appropriate father and husband? “God, I can’t do Your Word in this huge area. Is that okay? Do you still love me? Do You still approve of me? Or, like I felt my parents did, will You reject me as a failure and embarrassment as well? Do You understand how awful it feels to not be able to bless my wife and family by not being able to do Your Word in those roles? God, I think my seeming failure in these roles is why I find it so difficult to believe that You really do love me like You would if I were able to be a good provider, husband and father. God, what are You trying to tell me about all of this? Are You really able to work all this together for good? How? When will I ever really know that it’s all for good so I can stop living under the awful strain of the PTSD symptoms? In all of it, are You merely trying to show me that my salvation really is all grace? That it really isn’t dependent on my performance, my ability to keep your Word? How can that be?”

That’s it, isn’t it? I can’t obey You in my role as provider so I don’t feel You approve of me. This is what’s causing a lot of my PTSD. On the famous BiMart day, when I felt completely free and had no anxiety whatsoever, was it because I felt like I was going to be okay without performing perfectly as a son, father and husband? Did I somehow cross over into grace in a way that meant it was okay not to have to strive to be a perfect Christian? Hmmm. I wonder. I’m not perfect. And, I’m never going to be. Is that okay, God?”

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Well, the next day, I received an email from Dr. Robert Jeffress who is the well known pastor of a Baptist church in Dallas, Texas. His email was a miraculous answer to my talk and prayer to God just the day before. Here is his email from his daily devotional series I receive each day.

Refining Our Humility and Contentment

Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.
–1 Kings 17:9

Zarephath was a place of refining for Elijah. What did God want to refine in Elijah–and in you and me as well? First, our Zarephath experience refines our humility. God said to Elijah, “Go to Zarephath . . . and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you” (1 Kings 17:9). Think of the humility that required. God said to this great prophet, “I want you to go to a widow and depend on her for your daily sustenance.” In Elijah’s time, widows were on the bottom rung of Israel’s economic ladder. Widows had very few resources. It was humiliating enough to place yourself as a dependent to a widow. But this wasn’t just any widow; she was a Gentile widow. Gentiles were viewed as scum because they weren’t God’s chosen people. Notice what Jesus said about this in Luke 4:25-26: “There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.” Jesus’s point was that God’s plan has always been to incorporate Gentiles as recipients of His blessing. God sent Elijah to a Gentile widow to refine his humility. Don’t be surprised if God makes you go through humbling experiences as well.

Second, God uses our Zarephath to refine our contentment. Look at 1 Kings 17:10-11: “When he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, ‘Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.’ As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, ‘Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.’” Now, providing food was a problem, because there was a famine in the land. She said, “I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die” (v. 12). That’s pretty bleak, isn’t it? You would think Elijah would say, “I’m sorry.” Instead, he told her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain’” (vv. 13-14). He was saying, “Do what God has commanded, and afterward God will provide you an inexhaustible supply of flour and oil to eat until this famine ends.” What did she do? She “did according to the word of Elijah, and she and her household ate for many days. The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord” (vv. 15-16).

God wants us to learn to depend on Him. It is hard to be content, isn’t it? We have this insatiable desire for more, better, or different. But that is an illusion. The only way to truly be satisfied is by learning to depend on God for your well-being. Extraordinary people learn the lesson of contentment like Elijah did.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Secret #3: Wait on God’s Timing” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2017.

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God answers prayer, precious people. ☺ And there’s more to come about this…

God bless,

Mark

In Luke chapter 13, the Bible tells us there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell for all those who rejected Jesus while on earth, for all of those who are forever separated from God’s love with no hope of ever repenting of their sins. That’s when it hit me that my life on earth can be hell if I don’t accept Jesus and live by His Word. Let me explain…

I used to get so mad, stubborn, bitter, unforgiving, and even vengeful when life seemed unfair and when my goals and plans weren’t turning out the way I wanted them to. And, I didn’t simply gnash my teeth (grit my teeth) in my heart, I made the angry, gnashing faces as well. I didn’t want to wait for God to work all things together for my good. I wanted my way – now.

I was this way for decades until God began to rescue me from this awful, sinful way of living.

Annie, Faith and Hope, please forgive me for this great sin of teaching you to not trust God when things don’t go your way. I’m truly sorry for planting this awful sin in your hearts. I know that God will help us all to have victory over this important area of our lives and replace the tendency to get angry with His peace, trust, rest and joy.

Mainly in the book of Matthew, the Bible tells us that in the tribulation period, God is going to try to get the unsaved to come to Him as they struggle with all of the terrible circumstances that will be coming on the earth at that time. The Bible tells us that instead of turning to Christ, many will become even more mad at God to the point that they’ll gnash their teeth at Him in their anger. I used to think, “Wow, what will it take for those who gnash their teeth to surrender their will to God and turn to Him for help in their troubled times?” Then, it hit me. Am I prone to not giving God enough time to work His will in my life and become bitter towards Him and others? Do I lean on my own understanding and stop listening to God? Do I gnash my teeth at God in my heart when things don’t go the way I want them to or the way I think they should? Do I turn my back on God and get angry with Him by not believing – and thereby being delivered – by verses like Romans 8:28, by refusing to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, and by not obeying the Word to thank and praise Him in all things?

“Jesus, I realize now that my anger only makes life worse. Please forgive me for getting mad at my circumstances and at You when things don’t go the way I think they should. Please help me to choose to trust You in all things so times of refreshing can come into my life and so I can rest in You knowing that You will always work all things together for my good. Instead of getting angry, as is my tendency, I want to be totally transformed by knowing that, no matter what, You are working all things together for my good. I want to live in the joy Your transforming Word offers me, Lord. Thank You for the supernatural joy Your awesome Word brings to our lives. I praise and thank You, Lord. Amen.”

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3

God’s putting His new song in our heart. He’s enabling us to become like Him. He’s building a testimony in each of our lives as we praise Him. And, many shall see our testimony – our lives – and they will desire to praise and trust Him as well. Isn’t that wonderful? That’s God. ☺

Yay God.

So come on, let’s go…

Happy Monday, everyone!

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

By not believing Romans 8:28, I was refusing God’s love for me. In essence, I was refusing to love myself by accepting the fact that God really is working all things together for my good.

Wow, this was a real eye-opener for me. It never ceases to amaze me how much God loves us, and that His faithfulness to cleanse us of everything He knows can hurts is so deep and great.

No One like our Father.

God bless,

Mark

Believing and Trusting God At All Times – The End Of The Temptation To Continue Being Oppressed With Awful Double-Mindedness

Thank You, Jesus, for my beautiful, wonderful, precious Annie. Thank You for giving her the grace to love me. You knew she was the one for me, and You knew she would stand with and by me. You knew she would give me the greatest gifts possible – Herself and You, Lord. I’m SO grateful for her faithful love.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

God wants to be first in our lives. He even commands us to put Him first so that all of life will be more blessed when we live and see everything through Him as His righteousness living in us enables us to see the beautiful, inspiring reasons for the details of our lives.

Today (2-18-20), I’m having a difficult time breathing. My last couple of migraines have caused this shallow breathing issue I’m dealing with. One of my eyes has something in its vision that’s making it more difficult to see. I had another migraine attack yesterday and had CCPTSD-induced nightmares again last night. I’m feeling pretty weak, and dazed in my thinking.

But God! Yay God! Praise You, Lord! You know all about my every moment.

I’m writing the following because I want others to know they can follow Jesus through all of life. He will be there step by step to bring us His great love, peace, compassion and matchless victories.

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10

I have been prayed for more times than I can remember. The answer has always been the same. Grace.

So far, God has chosen not to heal me. So far, His grace has been sufficient. And, the longer I live, the more powerful and clear His grace becomes in my life.

The power of Jesus’ blood, cross and resurrection are more mighty than I thought. And, I’m only beginning to understand how almighty they are.

Can I live with some faith sometimes and lots of fear at other times? I thought I could. After all, I honestly did not want to appear to be a Jesus freak or overboard in my faith, right? I’d been challenged by others’ (my parents included) comments about my appearing to be self-righteous and holier than thou. I now know they could not possibly know that I was merely doing all I could to keep my head above water in life.

I have a great advantage. You see, I know I’m alive because Jesus lives. Honestly, there is no other explanation for my life.

I have CCPTSD (Complex Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and it has changed my life in so many ways. The biggest change is that because of CCPTSD, I cannot live on the fence as a Christian any more than a diabetic can take their meds sometimes and not at others. That’s not bragging. It’s the bottom line truth.

God showed me I was going to have to be “all in” with Him if I was going to survive this lengthy, strong CCPTSD trial. I had to come to the point where I had to make the decision to stop being lackadaisical about my faith in God. Was I going to fully follow Him no matter what, or was I going to continue living with some faith and mostly doubts believing God sometimes and believing Satan and his fear at other times?

Follow God wherever He leads. He has a good plan for our lives and, because He loves us so much, tells us to trust Him in all things. Wow, what a blessing and comfort that He tells us to trust Him in all things. What a privilege to be able to do so. Being able to trust Him in all things is such a game changer. It’s made all the difference for me and for so many Christians who have gone before me. What joy to be able to trust Him all the time.

When the going gets rough, we don’t give up on God, we don’t get angry with Him, we see all things through in and with Him. In trying times, we look for His protection, covering and favor as we walk things out with Him. He’s always faithful even if it takes us a little while to truly realize that He is. Stay with God, praise and thank Him in all things, see all things through with Him. You’ll be amazed at the strength He gives us – especially in our weakness. That’s why we really can rely on Him in all things.

being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the Day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

I can tell I have a ways to go before I’m totally His. But, He often reminds me that He’ll be faithful to complete the work He’s begun in me. Totally His – Wow, what an awesome day and relief that will be. Mmmm…

For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:19-20

Always in Jesus…Thank You, Lord, for loving me, for not giving up on me, and thank You for prompting me to choose You every day.

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psalm 103:1

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

I’ve been having a slew of migraines again so I hope the following makes sense. I can kind of write all over the place when I’m having a bunch of migraine attacks. Praise God in all things!

I feel like one of the most blessed persons on earth. The other day, God told me – again – He has so much more joy He has in store for our marriage. He just keeps telling me to love and enjoy Ann more and more every day. What an amazing God we have Who constantly loves to grow marriages as we seek Him.

Let Him show you how to love each other beyond your own love. He will show you how boundless love can be when it comes from Him. In Jesus’ wonderful Name, love each other.

Even if you think you have the best marriage on earth, ask God to bless it more and more. I’m telling you, if you’re willing to learn how to love your spouse more and more, God will answer your prayer for more love, fun, peace, and joy in your marriage than you can imagine. He has infinite ways to bless you and your spouse with each other’s company and love.

Renewing your minds together builds excitement, adventure, intimacy, passion, infinite love and purpose. It can create a legacy for future generations to follow. And the opposite is possible as well ending in an unfulfilling, dormant relationship. When the husband and wife choose to renew their minds together in God, it opens marriage up to God’s infinite possibilities. Otherwise, marriage is in danger of being finite, restricted, limited, apathetic, and destroyed. I believe this happens because the couple runs out of each other, they run the danger of running out of the finite.

Regarding marriage (just as it relates to all of life), God sets before us life and death and tells us to choose life – To choose Him and His ways.

All we have to do is ask Him to show us how to make marriage thrive in Him.

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
Isaiah 52:14

You may have already thought about this…

God wants us to know something really incredible. The Bible tells us Jesus was tempted in all ways like us yet without sin. Wait, Jesus was never tempted with polio, with being divorced, with all the other things that all of mankind has lived with throughout time? He didn’t live with losing a limb in war. He didn’t struggle with being a father, mother or being orphaned, right?

Temptation brings pressure on us. It bears down on our minds, emotions and souls trying to get us to give into the temptation and to sin.

Maybe not in the same exact way, but Jesus has felt every bit as much pressure to give into temptation as anyone ever has. The type of temptation isn’t the issue. The issue is the pressure to give in to sin.

On the cross, Jesus took on Himself the sin of the whole world. All of the temptation and sin that all of mankind would ever experience and give into was downloaded into Jesus’ life as He hung there on the cross. And, it was the supernatural, all-powerful love of God that kept Jesus alive on the cross until the very last sin that would ever be committed by man was placed in Jesus. No other power could have kept Jesus alive like that.

A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
John 19:29-30

No one can take my (Jesus) life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
John 10:18

No one killed Jesus. Satan can’t claim that victory. The very power of Almighty God kept Jesus alive on the cross – even after He’d been beaten so badly that the Bible records that He was not recognizable as a human being at that point – until “It was finished,” until all of sin, all of that pressure was placed on Him on the cross so it could be forgiven through His blood and death. It had to be this way for God’s plan of victory over the devil and death to be accomplished. At the very second Christ realized the last sin had hit Him, He said, “It is finished” and He gave up the Spirit. Jesus was Lord even over His own death. He is Lord of ALL. Satan didn’t kill Christ. Jesus was in control even to the point of rescuing all of mankind from sin through His timely death.

Satan did all he could to kill Jesus before all of the world’s sins could be placed on Jesus and be forgiven. Much to his dismay, the devil’s plan was foiled.

Truly, we are no longer the slaves of sin. We have been bought with the precious blood of The Lamb of God.

Hallelujah, Father! Thank You, SO MUCH, for the victory you gave us through Jesus’s cross. Thank You, Jesus, for being willing to face the type of cross You bore to make me free!

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9

Just how good of a deal is our salvation in Christ? Well, I’m finding it to be worth much more than anything and that it’s far beyond what I thought it could bring me like a peace of mind I never knew, and the insurpassable pleasure and joy of knowing God is working all things together for my good because He loves me. And, Ann and I know we’re just beginning to tap into how great this salvation in Christ really is. One of the most wonderful things about it is that salvation in Christ is infinite meaning that all of the wonderful blessings He brings to our lives just keep going deeper and more rich in their delivering, life-giving and life-changing power. Sure, there are some intense spiritual battles the enemy engages us in, but God is giving us more strength, determination, and spiritual stamina to be able to stand in and see the battles through with. We’re actually anticipating the joy at the battle’s end now and that’s a whole new area of amazing growth Jesus is giving us.

To Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
Psalm 136:4

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.
Luke 1:49

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians 1:18-23

Stay tuned…☺

God bless,

Mark

Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.