Giving Thanks!

Today my Blessings Bracelet (a gift from my BFF Divine, Tammie) takes on even greater significance. It reminds me that giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors God.

Psalm 50:23 NKJV
23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.

It is easy to be thankful in the good times. It is much more difficult to do during adversity. Giving thanks in difficult times is a sacrifice. When we look beyond our circumstances and surrender control: choosing instead to trust Jesus, His wisdom and sovereignty, this proves we believe in Him. We believe He is Who He Says He Is -- the Faithful One! When we do this, we show our love and respect for Jesus.

No matter your circumstances this Thanksgiving Day, please take a moment for a Gratitude Break. Perhaps just 10 minutes to focus on Jesus and all that He has done for you. Thank Him for anything that comes to your mind during this quiet time. Thank Him in advance for what He is going to do! I promise you will find His peace that passes all understanding when you spend time with Him.

This also shows us our personal growth as disciples of Christ. Our viewpoint changes from our circumstances to Jesus and His presence becomes more real to us. 
Jehovah Jireh - YHWH will provide

Have an abundantly favored and blessed day!

Anna

GRACE Is All Sufficient!!

Can you think of a time when you gave an answer that you later wished you hadn't? Or you spoke words whose meanings were misunderstood and you found you could not correct the misconception? I am sure we have all experienced this in our lives.

Today, I am sharing Jesus' teaching on asking Him to flavor my conversations. That I would speak to others with the words Jesus would have offered them.

Colossians 4:6 (NKJV)

6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

I sincerely desire to show the lost, lonely and hurting of this world the Love and Grace that Jesus has for each of them. I ask Him to put His Love into my heart for each one. It is a delicate matter, the touching of a soul, that is not to be entered into willy-nilly. Hearing Jesus and walking in obedience to Him is paramount. Move when He tells you. Speak when and what He gives you to speak. Each soul is precious and must be handled with the love, care and wisdom that only Jesus can give to us each time. If you do not have a living and dynamic relationship with Jesus, you cannot be successful in showing His LOVE to others. You cannot share what you do not experience yourself. 

In addition, we must be very careful not to get puffed up with pride. We are all on the same rung of the ladder ... no soul is ahead of another. We must not think of ourselves more highly than any other ... because that is a lie. We are sinners saved by GRACE! Grace provided by Jesus! All that is good comes from Jesus' Grace. Jesus is our one and only source! Let us keep our focus on Him! 

Peace be unto each of you,

Anna

Love! Love! Love!

Let me introduce you to my friend, Jesus! He loves you! He is right there beside you now! Waiting to hold you, to talk to you, to be your friend, to LOVE you through all Eternity! The relationship I have with Jesus is worth more than anything anywhere! He longs for you to know Him this closely, too! 

When you sit alone, lonely and sad ... He is with you! When you don't understand what is going on in your life, He wants to hold you close. When you hunger for something, but don't know what, that is a call upon your heart to look for Him! He is truly all you will ever need! 

How do I know these things? I feel His love, I hear His still, small voice.

I seek more of Him and less of me. My greatest desire is for you to meet Jesus as I have met Him. To know that He loves you so much He would rather die than spend Eternity without you!

The world will let you down. Jesus never will. He will be there for you through everything that you go through. He will give you beauty for the ashes of your life. If you think you have done too much wrong, that He could not possibly forgive you: I want you to know that is a lie! The enemy of your soul wants you to stay away from knowing Jesus and will do anything to keep you from Him. Don't let the loser win ... please. 

You are not reading this by accident. It is not a coincidence that you landed on this page. This invitation to have a relationship with Jesus has YOUR NAME on it! I pray you accept His love right now. 

To those of us saved by Grace, are we busy about our Father's business? Do we love as Jesus loves? Not only with our words but with our heart, mind, soul and strength? 

Mark 12:30(NKJV)

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

Time is short and there are lost and hurting souls that have never met Jesus. Please don't be afraid to introduce our friend and Savior to the ones that cross your path. This is not about religion. This invitation is not for any church or denomination ... we are to introduce them to Jesus! He will love and nurture them. We are to tell them about Him and love them. He does everything else!

If you are saved, do you have a living and dynamic relationship with Jesus? If not, if you look at your heart and realize you are a fence sitter .... lukewarm ... please take the message here to your heart as well. We have heard it said time and again ... 'Jesus is the answer' ... but do we LIVE that message before the WORLD? When a person looks at me, do they SEE Jesus? Can they feel His LOVE reaching out to each of them?

We must keep doing our Father's business. He has called us for such a time as this! There are so many lost and hurting we need to introduce to Jesus with His love! 

Maranatha,
Anna

'Hallow-Thanks-Mas-Eve' - WHO'S Season Is This?

I published this last year but it is still relevant today, November 19, 2016 ...

May each of us please take a moment to examine ourselves: 
"Do I fall in with the lies and abundant, busy activities of this world during this season?"

Matthew 6:21 (NKJV)

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Every year (starting in October and ending in January of the new year), the enemy of our soul makes elaborate plans to distract us from our true purposes in this life. Please refuse the invitation to pursue the things of this world.

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

This is the season when he uses our busy work and social obligations to draw us way off course. He plans these strategic attacks now because he knows we won't be vigilant. The worse damage is done to our relationship with God and our lamps become very close to going out!

Let us please put Jesus in number one position in our priorities and, with the time left over, take care of the basics: for we do not know the hour when Jesus will come!

Matthew 24:50 (NKJV)

50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,


Let us each be watchful and continue on being about our Father's business!

Anna

We Are Jesus' Ambassadors

We haven't much time left here. Let's make it count! We who are saved and have come to know Jesus are His ambassadors to the lost and wounded souls. We feel Jesus' unconditional love, mercy and grace first hand and it is our witness that will plant the seed or water one that is already planted. We truly do not know how a small act of kindness, unconditional love, or a simple word will be of help to bring another soul to God.

A dear friend gave me a devotional book last night. Such a sweet, thoughtful gift! Jesus immediately used it this morning to teach me and to urge me to share it with you. Here is the Faith Step and the Bible Scripture for today.

Faith Step: Remind yourself, as you meet people throughout your day, that Jesus residing in you offers them hope.

Colossians 1:27New King James Version (NKJV)

27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[a] is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The above led me to draw even closer to the Lord. I ask Him to use me every day but now I have added to it ...
As we seek more of Jesus, to let Him increase and ourselves to decrease in this life: We should each say this prayer every morning.

"Lord, please use me today to bring someone closer to You."

Matthew 5:14-16New King James Version (NKJV)

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Paris

After work last night, I was seeking Jesus on behalf of Paris (in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks), The Rhema Word I received was PRAYER - Psalm 145:18-19. So many underestimate or simply do not understand the power of prayer! Praying will accomplish more than any other activity we can do in this lifetime! 

May these words be a blessing to you and may God use them to accomplish His purposes.

Anna

World or Jesus - Count the Cost

God's wisdom, given to me when I asked for it, on 2/28/1996:

To look at circumstances means taking our eyes off of God. When we keep our eyes focused on Him, our problems seem to fade away, as of no consequence. It is easy to write these words but, apart from God's enabling presence, impossible to live them.

I am His child; freely chosen by my King to be a member of His Royal Family. He looked around and chose me, not for who or what I am, but because He delighted in me! Who am I to question the Lord's choice?! What an ungrateful child I would be to do so. All He asks of me is to love Him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength ... and to love my neighbor as myself. What a small request in return for all He has done in my behalf! 

Lord, help me to draw even closer to you. To determine to do your perfect will -- no matter how anything looks! I love, worship and adore you; Father, Son and Holy Spirit! In Jesus precious name, Amen!

In a few short months, the words written above will be 20 years old. Yet, it seems like yesterday when I sat at His feet and asked for His wisdom during another deep trial in my life. My brother, Danny, had passed away the month before and my personal life was a shambles. My heart was full of pain. Yet God has proven Himself faithful to me from before that day to this. He will never leave me nor forsake me. He will comfort me all the days of my life.

If you have a calling on your heart from the Lord, and you follow the world instead of what you know is God's perfect will for your life: You are committing to a life that will not satisfy you. If you follow God's will and walk His way, the world will hate you for His sake. If you are friends of the world, you do not know God. If you lay down your life and pick up your cross, you will be labeled a lunatic, poor and an outcast. They will say you are irresponsible, lazy and good for nothing. That is true ... in a way. You and the world's goals have nothing in common. To the world, you ARE good for nothing. God does not see us as the world sees us. He sees our hearts. He places the call upon our spirits of the plans He has for us in this 'dressing room' of life.

Count the cost of surrendering to Jesus and giving your heart and life to Him ... I promise you ... HE IS MORE THAN WORTH IT!!! 

Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin