HE THOUGHT YOU WERE WORTH IT

Slowly, with purpose
He walked through the streets
Each step He was taking
Your life He could see

Breathing in pain
Sores on His back
He suffered the shame
But His heart was intact

He knew that His mission
It must be fulfilled
There was no other way
Except Calvary’s hill

Looking at faces
His mind must have swirled
He kept the joy before Him
Of saving the world

Strong and determined
As His life blood poured out
He knew it was worth it
He ignored hell’s loud shout

As He hung on the cross
He gave out a cry
As He paid for our sins
Tears streamed from His eyes

Love kept Him there
We’ll never know
How bad was His suffering
The three days He was gone

Paying our penalty
As He hung on the cross
He knew what it took
To redeem all the lost

So now it’s our choice
To believe and receive
The beautiful gift
For which He did bleed

 

copyright 2013 Jean Chamblee

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Streams In The Desert

On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” — Mark 4:35

Even when we go forth at Christ’s command, we need not expect to escape storms; for these disciples were going forth at Christ’s command, yet they encountered the fiercest storm and were in great danger of being overwhelmed, so that they cried out in their distress for Christ’s assistance.

Though Christ may delay His coming in our time of distress, it is only that our faith may be tried and strengthened, and that our prayers may be more intense, and that our desires for deliverance may be increased, so that when the deliverance does come we will appreciate it more fully.

Christ gave them a gentle rebuke, saying, “Where is your faith?” Why did you not shout victory in the very face of the storm, and say to the raging winds and rolling waves, “You can do no harm, for Christ, the mighty Savior is on board”?

It is much easier to trust when the sun is shining than when the storm is raging.

We never know how much real faith we have until it is put to the test in some fierce storm; and that is the reason why the Savior is on board.

If you are ever to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, your strength will be born in some storm.
–Selected

“With Christ in the vessel,
I smile at the storm.”

Christ said, “Let us go to the other side”—not to the middle of the lake to be drowned.
–Dan Crawford

From:  Streams In The Desert  (Cowman)  June 3  (devotional)

Unique

As we walk down this road called life, it’s important to remember that we are unique. God created us each with something in mind unlike any other. Sure we are alike in our humanity, but not in destiny. We may even be similar, but not exact. Our experiences, values and mindsets are different. Even where we grew up, our home and childhood surroundings set us apart and add to who we are. Remind yourself. “I am unique” and never let culture of societal expectations define you. You are a child made by God, to be you. His plans for you will not be exactly like another and that is a beautiful thing. We are each threads in a tapestry, God’s tapestry, and while we are part of a bigger picture, we remain individually unique.

HE WHISPERS

So today is an especially sweet day. I woke up this morning hearing in my head the phrase “I love you to the moon and back”. I wondered if that thought could have been from God? Would He use a common human phrase to communicate with me? And for Him the moon is not very far or big. Haha

Just waking up I wasn’t thinking with my spirit but was just in my head!! So I dismissed it without much thought. Then later I finally got around to doing something the Lord had asked me to do, and that was to mail my book to an old friend. I had been putting it off because I couldn’t find an envelope, but the Lord patiently waited. I put the dollar stamps on it which were in the shape of a moon and proceeded to the mailbox. I knew God was happy about my obeying Him and following through on this. Then I looked up and on the mailbox was a beautiful bluebird. I thought to myself “bluebird of happiness”,which was a phrase I had heard in a movie. Then it dawned on me that God had put the bluebird there as a sign to me that I was making Him happy by doing what He had asked.

Then quickly in my minds eye or spirits eye to be more accurate; I saw a visual of the Father picking me up and joyfully swinging me around in His arms like a little girl. Wow. I was really having a divine encounter all morning and it was so subtle I could have missed it, but thankful I didn’t. I knew God was communicating. Then I walked back in the house and picked up the stamps. The stamps were a picture of the moon! To the moon and back!! Right in my face. I love you to the moon and back! Then again, I looked out the kitchen window and the bluebird was sitting on the wire in the 20 plus wind gusts we’re having today and holding on as if to wait for me to see it, then it jumped off.

Wow again. I could have missed this all. It started with a subtle “I love you to the moon and back” thought as I woke up. How amazing is God!!! He truly does communicate with us . Are we listening? Do we miss the thoughts He sends our way? Are we awake enough to recognize Him. We certainly can be and He will help us if we ask! He has so much joy in us. We make Him happy! You make Him happy! He made you and has a dream for your life. I hope this inspires you to actively “listen” with your spiritual eyes and ears as well as the other. He whispers, but He is full of love for you. Receive it! Hope you have an awesome day!

Blessings, Jean

John 10:27

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

A Thought For The Day – Sovereignty

Something that really comforts me in the scriptures is the story of Joseph and also his father Jacob. With Joseph we see the sovereignty of God at work even though it didn’t look like it. “God sent me ahead of you to save lives” Joseph says. Also interesting and comforting is what his father Jacob said to Pharaoh about his life. Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was and Jacob replied, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.”

Jacob thought his life was short with 130 years on him! And he felt it was not as productive and equal in quality to his father and grandfather: Abraham and Isaac. But he did not realize the great lineage he was leaving in having his family. They became the twelve tribes of Israel. All in the Divine plan. But Jacob apparently could not see it. Though he had the promise of God in his heart

Hind sight is 20/20. God is working in our lives in a way that is Sovereign even though we cannot see it. We are all on a pilgrimage here (if we belong to God). Our destination is not of this earth but eternity with God. That is something they all understood in the very fact they call this life – a pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage definition – a journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion.

Each one of us is a unique creation of God. He made us on purpose and whether we know it or not, God is at work. And we have His promises when we can’t “see” what is going on.

Isaiah 64:8
But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

Though the enemy comes after us (1 Peter 5:8, “like a roaring lion”) God is faithful to deliver us. ( Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all”.) God continues to work on His plan in our lives no matter what is going on.

So thankful we have His word to show us the way of things!

HOW YOU CAN BE BORN AGAIN AND SURE YOU ARE GOING TO HEAVEN

John 3:3-8 “ Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Notice Jesus words…what is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of Spirit is spirit. You have already been born of flesh. It is your spirit that needs to be born again.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 “ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ…”

The Bible tells us that we need to be born again. Then He explains why…

Romans 3:23 “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Romans 6:23 “ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We are all born in the image of God. (Genesis) But when Adam and Eve fell and succumbed to satan’s temptation, they yielded their authority to him and spiritual death took place. The perfect garden and life God planned got messed up. But immediately God had a solution to undo the damage that was done, but it was costly to Him. The price was to send His Son as a perfect sacrifice to bring us back into a “born again” state if we would believe and accept what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Romans 10:9-10 “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Romans 10:13 “ For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

What God has done is a free gift and cannot be earned.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

So we see that:

1. We must be born again.
2. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
3. Salvation is a free gift purchased by the work of Jesus Christ
4. Invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior and repent of your sins

Prayer is simply talking to God. He is listening. All the time. And He eagerly awaits for you to call on Him. When you do and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior and to forgive you for your sins –  you enter into a relationship with Him and you are born again. You may not feel it immediately because it happens in your spirit. The core of your being. But as you continue to seek Him. Read His Words.  Pray/ talk to Him and listen. You will begin to grow.

We are a spirit. With a soul (which is our mind, will, and emotions), and we live in a body. You have now begun an exciting journey to know the Lord and to discover what your purpose in life is. What did He have in mind when He made you? There is nothing more fulfilling than to know God and to know your destiny.

You are now a child of God if you accepted Him and prayed that prayer.  Your name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!  (Revelation 21:27) You are a part of His eternal family forever.  So press in to know Him.  All you do here will echo into eternity.  You are here for a reason and a purpose.

Read your Bible daily.  It is the Bread of Life and has answers about the kingdom of God. Seek it like treasure. Life following after Christ is far from boring as you will find in all of my free videos.  ( Youtube Channel – Passing The Torch – with Jean Chamblee )   They are there to help you learn and grow in spiritual things.

Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Hebrews 13:5   “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all on your side!  Romans 8:31  “If God is for us, who can be against us?”   He is right there with you.

God bless you on your journey!  Life in Christ is awesome!  You were born on purpose. You have a destiny!  You are precious to God and worth the price that He paid. He decided a long time ago that you were worth it!  You are valued in His sight more than you know.

Blessings on your journey,     Jean

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Feeling spiritually dry?  God desires supernatural encounters with you….  check out this testimony and let God set you on a path to fulfillment in Christ.

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A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

1 Chronicles 16:29 “Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!”

How can we glorify God today? Worship Him! Give testimonies of how He has been good to you. Spread His goodness, speak His name.

Glorify in the Greek (Doxazo) to magnify, extol, praise, especially in glorifying God, i.e., ascribing honor to Him, acknowledging Him as to His being, attributes and acts.

Glory (Doxa) primarily signifies an opinion, estimate, and hence, the honor resulting from a good opinion.

Do you have a good opinion of God? Say so! Give testimony and bring offerings of song and worship to Him! He loves it! Your words, your song, your heart towards Him is like a sweet smelling fragrance. He is worthy of our praise! He loves you and desires for you to draw near to Him! How awesome is that! You are His desire!

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“Let me tell you something true. God desires you. He loves you. He has amazing plans for you. And He likes you. He likes me, too. His liking of you is not based on how clever you are, how well you can serve Him or what you look like. It’s not about who you know and can influence for HIm. It’s not about your gifting or your pereferences. He likes you because He made you. Like an artist finishes His work an signs it proudly with His name, God has written His name of love across your life.” ~Heidi Baker

King David asks “Who am I that you should be mindful of me?” (Psalm 8:4) Such a good question….it’s about Him and His desire for a family, His most passionate desire to have you choose Him and want Him and know that He loves you through sending His son. If you have not done so…..I pray you will choose Him today. (John 3:16) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Romans 10:13) “Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord (Jesus/Yeshua) shall be saved.” I pray today will be your day. Whisper His name …talk to Him….He is waiting for you!

He Thought You Were Worth It

Slowly, with purpose
He walked through the streets
Each step He was taking
Your life He could see

Breathing in pain
Sores on His back
He suffered the shame
But His heart was intact

He knew that His mission
It must be fulfilled
There was no other way
Except Calvary’s hill

Looking at faces
His mind must have swirled
He kept the joy before Him
Of saving the world

Strong and determined
As His life blood poured out
He knew it was worth it
He ignored hell’s loud shout

As He hung on the cross
He gave out a cry
As He paid for our sins
Tears streamed from His eyes

Love kept Him there
We’ll never know
How bad was His suffering
The three days He was gone

Paying our penalty
As He hung on the cross
He knew what it took
To redeem all the lost

So now it’s our choice
To believe and receive
The beautiful gift
For which He did bleed

copyright 2013 Jean Chamblee