Encouragement From Grandmama Jean

Romans 7:24   “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Even the great Apostle Paul struggled with his flesh….we have to take up our crosses DAILY  and crucify the flesh and the lies of the enemy that try to defeat us.

God is for us!!  Every day we are in a battle – like lambs to the slaughter….but thank God that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.  We get up –  ask forgiveness and know that each new day is a gift. You are a child of God and God doesn’t walk out on His children….He keeps helping them grow.  

So when Satan comes with condemnation – even if you blew it in an area.  Repent – and enjoy the forgiveness and fellowship bought and paid for by Christ.  Don’t let the devil steal your joy.  The Bible says:   “ His mercies are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness”   God’s grace and power is there to help you overcome sin and the flesh and the devil.   Don’t give up.  There is a crown awaiting overcomers and we are overcomers as long as we don’t quit.

Remember you were chosen to be alive at this time.  God has a plan to use you for His glory and He can’t wait to reward you.  He is a good Father.   I know we don’t do it for the reward….nevertheless He spoke and wrote it because it was important to Him that we know this.  The Bible teaches we will all throw our crowns at Jesus feet because He is so worthy.  He did for us what we could not ever do for ourselves and freely gave it to us!!  The ability to become the sons and daughters of God and part of His family forever.

If you get time read Romans 8 again.  It is packed with so much!

Love you all!!!  I am cheering you on in Christ and praying for you!!  I can see the beauty in you!! I can see you as the bride of Christ dancing before Him in the beauty of holiness. 

(Don’t cringe at that!  lol  I know you see all the sins you’ve lived in and don’t see how – one day at a time, one battle at a time.  I remember well the battles in the beginning! Keep going!!!!  There is special honor for end time believers that don’t give up and endure till the end!!  You’ll never be perfect….that’s not your goal…..to follow Jesus and His Word as best as you can and stay close to Him.  Never get caught up in the “doing”  ahead of just “being” with Him .  It’s out of relationship that change happens !!)   Many will be purified by these times – so stay close to Him and discover His peace that dwells deep inside of you no matter what happens in the world.  

“Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord.”   Zechariah 4

As we lean on Jesus……

Romans 8:31  If God is for us, Who can be against us.

Much love and prayers

Grandmama Jean

LONGING HEART – POETRY

You are my bread, my life, my song

With you alone, does my heart belong

Deep within me calls to deep

Draw me close Lord, Your heart to meet

 

You are the great I AM

Take me Lord into Your hand

Mold me into Your heart of grace

Until I look and can see Your face

 

You are my bread, my life, my song

With you alone, does my heart belong

Deep within me calls to deep

Draw me close Lord, Your heart to meet

 

Breathing deeply, I feel You near

I will sit quietly, Your voice to hear

Waiting until the break of day

When I know what You’re saying, I will obey

 

You are my bread, my life, my song

With you alone, does my heart belong

Deep within me calls to deep

Draw me close Lord, Your heart to meet

 

Into Your image I will be drawn

Though the process painful, the days are long

I know that You have a plan for me

To be like Your Son, my heart set free

 

You are my bread, my life, my song

With you alone, does my heart belong

Deep within me calls to deep

Draw me close Lord, Your heart to meet

copyright 2013  Jean Chamblee

I LOVE BEING A MOTHER – POETRY

I love being a mother so much! 

It’s the sweetest gift that I know 

A journey full of peril sometimes

But it always makes you grow

 

It plunges you into selflessness

A tiny life looks to you

It trusts in you without judgement

Its love is pure and true

 

Although you never feel adequate

Or deserving of so much trust

You know that God has made it this way

Depending on Him – we must

 

We surely won’t do it perfectly

Thankfully that’s not required

Sometimes we barely get through a day

Because it can make you so tired

 

But then comes the smile at the break of the day

The shine comes out of their eyes

It doesn’t matter how tired you are

That sparkle becomes your great prize

 

They grow, and grow and then turn around

The time will slip by so fast

You try to capture the moments

But, oh, how quickly they pass

 

The miracle happens one day you wake up

And see the person they are

Unique in the world, with gifts just their own

To you they’re a shining star

 

No one can reach so deep in your heart

It’s something that you can’t let go

Though they grow up with a life of their own

There’s things only a mother can know

 

That gift, the Lord can put in your heart

Whether the child came from you or not

It’s something that we can give away

The power of love comes from God

 

A richness and depth as the journey ends

You hope you’ve done something right

As you see a reflection that is something good

You know you can rest for the night

 

Trusting in God, they’re in His hands

They were really His all along

The God of the earth let us borrow them

So that we could share His hearts song

 

Through the joys and the sorrows, the love and the pain

We catch a glimpse of Him

As He watches intently each day of our lives

We know why His Son He did send

 

He held nothing back, and we can relate

As we cuddle our precious child

The God of the universe gave us a gift

A mother’s heart, to have for a while.

 

copyright  2018  Jean Chamblee Thomas

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Sometimes it’s easy to be going through life and forget that we, as Christ followers, have an enemy. And a crafty one at that. Look how he deceived Eve to commit the very first act of disobedience. But how beautiful that so quickly the Father came with a plan to “undo” what was done. He would send His only begotten Son (Jesus is the only human whose biological father (seed) was God) It was at a great cost that He fulfilled the legal price to purchase our freedom and entrance into the kingdom of God.

Anyway my point for the day is that Lucifer – who rebelled against God and desired to become God himself . Since he can’t overthrow God, he longs to cause God’s beloved creation (you and me) harm and pain. He goes before God and accuses us day and night. Check out this scripture….
Revelation 12:10
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Yay! That day is coming and was foretold to the apostle John so we would know it is coming.

How does he accuse us? Many times in our thoughts and sometimes through others that won’t let go of our past, or hunt for any faults and failures in us.

You see when we mess up and ask God for forgiveness and do our best to change….. the Bible says that He throws our sins as far as the east is to the west. He remembers them no more.

^{Psalm 103: 12} As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

He is not ever the one “beating us up” in our thoughts about our past. That is coming from Satan …..our “accuser”. So if you are being tormented by accusations by people or from thoughts. Cast them down (thoughts/words) and resist accepting them if you have dealt with it before God. Satan and sometimes people want to hold you in prison to your past mistakes. Don’t let them.

For you are a new creation in Christ Jesus when you accept Him as Lord. Don’t let yourself be beaten up for something in your past. Remember God is for us and not against us! (Romans 8:31)

It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free. Have a great day – Shalom

Deep Waters – Poetry and Thoughts

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Sometimes those who have suffered the most, have the most to give.  

2 Corinthians 1:3-5    “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

DEEP WATERS

Don’t be afraid of deep waters, my love

This journey’s been sent from heaven above

It is at Gethsemane you are purified

In ways you can’t see, so don’t try to hide

Lay it all bare, at the foot of the cross

Let His word cleanse you as you follow it’s path

Clinging to truth, let all else pass away

Let it burn up, it’s not meant to stay

Deep into the waters you go

Let Him enter in to the depths of your soul

Stirring up places where pain still remains

Let Him expose them and pour healing rain

copyright  2017  Jean Chamblee

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

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!

LET THE LOVE FLOW – Poetry

Oh how I think I can handle so much
When what I so need, is Your gentle touch
Seems like this life is over my head
And truly it is without what You’ve said

I need You every hour, my enemy fierce
Taking me down and bringing me tears
But You see it all and You have a plan
As I call out to You and reach for Your hand

There is a place so gentle and sweet
Where You come so near, I can feel Your heartbeat
You are my Maker, Lord above all
I belong to You and You catch my fall

No one can have that place inside me
It belongs to You, but the enemy’s coveting
They want to dethrone You as the King of my heart
Taking my mind away and from You tear apart

How foolish he is , the devil our foe
It’s You he contends with and covers our soul
When we step away and fail to stay close
The injuries come from the wounds and the blows

You catch every tear, oh Lover of our soul
And begin the work quickly to again make us whole
This life is a battle, a game for the throne
That place in our heart that You call Your own

Help us fall down at Your feet and stay there
Where we are protected and covered in Your care
Wanting to guide us and wisdom to give
Keeping us safe and helping us live

Preparing a place for us yes You are
More beautiful than imagined, that outshines the stars
But oh we must walk with You every day
It’s our only survival, to do things Your way

Gently bend down Lord, in love scoop me up
Heal all the wounds and again fill my cup
Connected again, the enemy fails
Because I’m Your child and You paid with those nails

Oh let the love flow and the stress fall away
As I realize that You Lord are always here to stay
Never apart do we have to be
You paid the price for me to be free

I love You!

copyright 2017 Jean Chamblee

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Just the other day I met a little girl in our neighborhood. She is in the first grade. We began to talk and my heart broke when I mentioned heaven. She had never heard of heaven and knew almost nothing about God. I think we forget…..if people have not heard …..they don’t know!!

I was thinking of another girl I met on a plane. She was a chiropractic school graduate and as we talked, she began to reveal that she had gotten her belief system from a fiction book she had read. She knew almost nothing about Jesus and what she did “think” she knew was skewed.

They are all around us, and we cannot stay silent! Here is why…..Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Now you may not think of yourself as a preacher…..but if you are a Christian…..you have at least a testimony and some truth. A testimony of how Jesus changed your life is powerful and personal. We must not stay silent.

I prayed about the little girl and got a book on heaven called “Heaven is Real for children” We sat on the swing and she read that book at least a half dozen times. I have peace that now she knows. She stated that she believes in Jesus now and I hope it will carry over throughout her life and pray that it does.

I think my first touch of God’s love and presence, that had an impact, came from a woman that cleaned our house once a week. She hid tootsie rolls in her pockets and would slip them to me. I don’t remember how she said it….but I knew that she knew Jesus. I felt so much love from her. The rest of the world was busy…..but I knew this lady named Willie, “saw” me. I felt important to her. What powerful characteristics of God she showed me with her quiet gentle ways and tangible love. She prayed for me too. I got a card from her when I graduated High School, long after she had retired from her work. Maybe no one but me and God saw it. But that lady was a powerful witness.

May God open our eyes to see the opportunities and give us the boldness to speak and testify. Look….you don’t even have to be a churchgoer to tell folks what you have experienced with Jesus. You don’t need a degree or special language. Just ask the Holy Spirit to open the conversation up and help you. His answer is “Yes”! And your efforts will have eternal value for you and whoever you speak to. God help us not be silent. Only through You can we obey your command to preach the gospel to everyone. These days are moving by so quickly…..

Well that’s my two cents and the burden on my own heart. I have such a powerful testimony and I have let discouragement and resistance cause me to hold back many times. May God forgive me and open doors and empower me to keep going. Thanks for your prayers as well! 🙂 Love you all and have a great day. Look for that Divine Appointment…..they are all around.

YOU ARE NOT A FAIR WEATHER FRIEND – Poetry

When all hope is lost
There You are
Shining on me like a beautiful star

Though I scream
With angers rage
Not understanding the current page

It doesn’t deter You
You can handle my pain
You never leave me, You remain the same

When my broken heart
Is bleeding mad
You stay with me, Lord, just like You said

You are not fickle
Don’t run away
Like so many others, yet You choose to stay

How can you love me
When there’s ugliness there
You look right past it, see my heart laid bare

You’d rather have an honest spit
Than a fakeness that comes
From lying lips

It’s with You Jesus
That I can get real
And not be afraid that You’ll leave me still

You’re promise is
That You will stay
And see me through another day

Your love so deep
We’ve never seen
Even when we’ve been so mean

You are not a fair weather friend
Your love so deep
That it never ends

Beyond the veil
We must go
And not be afraid our truth to show

Be it bad or be it good
You will still love us
That must be understood

Our problems seem great
But to You it’s not so
Because Your commitment is more than we know

In the morning You will be there
The price You have paid
Our sins to erase

copyright 2017 Jean Chamblee

Hebrews 13:5  “For Jesus has said, ‘I will NEVER leave you or forsake you.”