Are you standing on the Wall

Are you standing as a watchman for you congregation, your family, a friend or situation in your life?

Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel;

Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart.

(rampart could be a wall or an embankment usually surmounted by a parapet, encircling a fort for defense against any attack)

A watchmen in the scripture represented a person who was on a literal wall and watched for #1. Fires that would bring danger. 2. Wild animals that could sneak up at night. 3. An army that would move in under the cover of darkness. Then, finally the rising of the sun that would reveal all the hidden things before them.

Being faithful as a watchmen was important in those days. I am sure they faced weariness night after night. It took faithfulness, perseverance, determination to stand at their post. Not being deterred by the temptation to give up but to press on knowing you stood between the people and the enemy.

In the previous scriptures Ezekiel was to hear what God said to him and to give warning to Israel. Habakkuk was to watch and see what God would say to Him.

He does not leave us alone in the position of intercession but will speak to the situation before us. It is important to remember God's appointment and to be faithful to the place He has planted us and to listen to what He is saying and be obedient.

Do Not Worry

We are living in a world that is full of turmoil. There is not much that is positive on the news. Changes are happening on every hand and we have no say over them. The bible tells us in
Philippians 4:6 "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace."

On another blog it asked what our favorite scripture was. The one that has stood by me for many years is Acts 17:28:a, "In Him, I live and move and have my being". I am safe in Him because He is my salvation. When I was 9 years old I asked him to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. I have served Him a long time and He has never failed me even though I have failed Him. He is faithful and just to forgive me when I sin. I am always so aware of His presence around me and His keeping power in my life. My trust is in Him.

One of my husband's passions, since he was a young boy, was to own cows. We have several and it is birthing time here on the farm. When that calf is born that mother hovers over that little one and will protect it from anything that comes near. We also have the danger of coyotes and at night you can hear them howling ready to attack. If you go to the barnyard you will find the other cows in the pasture forming a circle around that mother and calf. It is quite amazing to watch their protection. How much more the God we serve protects, gives us peace in the midst of a dangerous changing world. "Set you minds on things above, not on earthly thing. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" Colossians 3:2-3.

Grandsons

Saturday was a beautiful wedding day for Andrew and Hannah and they asked me to be the pianist. It was a beautiful church with a baby grand piano and I thoroughly enjoyed the 1 1/2 hours I sat there. It was a large wedding and I was reminded of Jesus whose first miracle took place at wedding.

We enjoyed a wonderful buffet at the reception and of course I took a picture of my grandsons, Jake and Josh...my granddaughter opted out. I am one of those Gram's that usually tries to capture special moments. Thought you might enjoy the young ones that give me such joy. We have sleep-overs, bake cookies and of course always go to the Dollar store. Gram's are softies and they always come home with what they think is a treasure.

He is not Here...He is Risen!!

Do you feel overwhelmed by a situation? Do you need to make a decision? Life appears uncertain and if you knew what tomorrow held you would feel better? The disciples are overwhelmed, uncertain and now sure what tomorrow holds.

Our home fellowship meets every other week We read Luke 24 and discussed different points. To me it is a very powerful passage.

It is the story of the road to Emmaus. Two disciples (not the 12) were walking and discussing what had happened in the recent days and Jesus comes along and joins them. The amazing thing is that they do not recognize Him thinking he was a visitor to Jerusalem. Jesus asks them 'What are you discussing together as you walk along?" Their heads were bowed to the ground feeling very sad, dejected and I am sure at a loss. They tell Him about Jesus of Nazareth and that He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. and that he was sentenced to death, crucified and that their hope was that He would redeem Israel. It had been three days and the women had gone to the tomb with spices and did not find his body. The angels told them He was alive.

Jesus listens and says to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"

He continues to explain to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Then He acts as if he is going farther but, they urge him to stay with them.

A powerful thing happens when he joins them at the table. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him and then He disappears.

Then they remember and say to each other, "Were not our hearts burning with us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

They found themselves in a difficult situation and had their eyes on the natural, contemplating, reasoning and their circumstance looked hopeless and they did not even recognize the one they had walked with when He came along to join them on the road. They realize that when He spoke to them after sharing bread that they had felt, burned or mused (different translations)within as they walked. This an excellent picture of walking in the flesh and the spirit.

We reason about the things around us and fall into the trap of trying to figure it out. All we have to do is turn our eyes heavenward and He will speak and give direction to those who love and serve Him. Jesus had a lesson for them in that it says they were kept from recognizing Him. We do not know His purpose except that maybe he was teaching them that their thoughts needed to be heaven bound and not earth bound.

Where are YOUR eyes today? Are they on the situation that seems impossible or can you hear the still small voice of your Savior. Ponder your situation and fix your eyes heavenward off the situation and you will find JOY, PEACE AND REST!

HE IS NOT HERE; HE IS RISEN!!! Matt. 28:6a

Blessing on this Glorious Easter Season..

Is Christ Divided?

I hear people say, "I am so glad I am of this denomination or that denomination." When I hear them lifting up their church I cringe as the Lord said, "If I be lifted up I will draw all men."

I have been reading Corinthians and was reminded of the scripture in 1 Cor. 1: 11-13 - "My brothers some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided?

This the Easter Season and we are remembering Christ and the suffering and the price He paid for our salvation. It is a reminder that we all must come to the foot of the cross and ask forgiveness and that no one is better than another. It is He who leads and guides us through life in the experience of growing in Him.

If I say I am of this church or that church it does not mean a thing in the Kingdom of God. It is that I am born again and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all my sin and that makes you my sister or brother no matter what denomination you are from if You have asked Jesus Christ into your heart.

Let us remember His triumphal entry into Jerusalem that begins the Easter season.
John 12:12-13. The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Blessed is the King of Israel!"