The Lighthouse

  

title: The Ocean Isn't Strong Enough for This Lighthouse

 I have been listening to some southern gospel songs this afternoon and I found one I really like. So, I looked up it's history and fell in love with God all over again. That happens you know. 
     I love lighthouses, too. I have a bit of a collection and they all have their history, too.  But right now, I just want to share this song The Lighthouse with you. I bet you fall in love with God, too.


J.D.Sumner and The Stamps

Ronnie Hinson-History of The Lighthouse
     While the lyrics can be found on the second link, I just wanted to share them here, too. That way, you all can sing along with the group. 

Lyrics to “The Lighthouse”

By Ronnie Hinson

1.There's a Lighthouse on the hillside
that overlooks life's sea.
When I'm tossed it sends out a light
that I might see.
And the light that shines in the darkness,
now will safely lead us o'er.
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
that ship would be no more.

Chorus:

And I thank God for the Lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him,
For Jesus is the Lighthouse,
and from the rocks of sin
He has shone a light around me
that I can clearly see,
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
where would this ship be?

2. Everybody that lives around me says,
tear that lighthouse down,
The big ships don't sail this way anymore,
there's no use of it standing 'round.
Then my mind goes back to that stormy night,
when just in time I saw the light,
Yes, the light from that old lighthouse,
that stands up there on the hill.

Chorus (x2):
And I thank God for the Lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him,
For Jesus is the Lighthouse,
and from the rocks of sin
He has shone a light around me
that I can clearly see,
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
where would this ship be?

And I thank God for the Lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him,
For Jesus is the Lighthouse,
and from the rocks of sin
He has shone a light around me
that I can clearly see,
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
where would this ship be?

Garden of God Herb Co.-Time (Thyme)

      Been awhile since I began this series. Got a couple of them done and then went to another subject. But I have been asking God to organize my mind and my thoughts as part of my healing process. Getting organized in here is what I want to be done, also. I guess in order to clean my desk off properly, instead of filing things and losing them, just to find them at a later date is not the solution.  

 But God is a God of order and not a god of chaos. Everything He does, He does in His time, not ours. Thank God for that, huh? Otherwise nothing of importance would ever get done. He created the universe in 6 days. 
DAY ONE:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and the darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: 

and there was light. 

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 
DAY TWO:
 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.   

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the  

firmament from the waters which were above the firmament:

and it was so.

And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

DAY THREE:

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 

And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters

called He seas: and God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind,

and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed is in itself, after his kind:

and God saw that it was good.

And the evening and the morning were the third day.

DAY FOUR:

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven

to divide the day from the night; 

and let them be for signs, and for seasons, 

and for days, and for years:

And let them be for lights in the firmament of  the heaven

to give light upon the earth:

and it was so.

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, 

and the lesser light to rule the night: 

He made the stars also.

And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth,

and to rule over the day and over the night, 

and to divide the light from the darkness:

and God saw that it was good.

And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

DAY FIVE:

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, 

and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

And God created great whales,

and every living creature that moves,

which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind,

and every winged fowl after his kind:

And God saw that it was good.

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, 

and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

DAY SIX:

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, 

And creeping thing,

and beast of the earth after his kind:

and it was so. 

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, 

and cattle after their kind,

and every thing that creeps upon the earth after his kind:

And God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, 

Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,

and subdue it:

and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and

over the fowl of the air, and over

every living thing that moves upon the earth.

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,

which is upon the face of all the earth, 

and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed;

to you it shall be for meat.

And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

And God saw every thing that He had made,

and, behold, it was very good. 

And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

DAY SEVEN:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, 

and all the host of them.

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; 

and He rested on the seventh day from all His work

which He had made.

And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it:

because that in it He had rested from 

all His work which God created

and made.

Genesis 1 and 2:1-3

Fully Clothed

     Well, I went to church last night. And the whole sermon was meant for me. Yesterday's blog, I was so exhausted, it was a cry for help on my part and also an encouragement because it reminded you that I am just a person, too. Everyone gets tired at some point; it's natural. But to be exhausted to the point where thought and motion are next to impossible, that's different. 
     Ephesians 6:10-20 describes the armor a Christian is to wear each time we go begin our day, every day. Because every day that we remain in God's will we are a double threat to Satan. Knowing this we need to exercise great wisdom and strength in overcoming his tactics against us; one of which is 'weariness'. What I have been feeling for the last few days is exactly that: weariness. Until now.
I got the message I needed to hear and I got the rest I so badly craved; 1 1/2 hours of the Word of God preached (and taking notes) and 10-12 hours of rest.

     This a small example of the armor a Roman soldier would wear. The armor Paul instructs us to put on is compared to this. Half of his ministry he was in prison, guarded by Roman soldiers. (Think how many of them came to know Christ through Paul's witness and faithful testimony!) Knowing what the Roman soldier needed to protect himself, Paul was able to line up each piece of our spiritual armor on that same scale. As each of them needed to dress himself daily, so do we also need to wear the full armor of God. 
     BREASTPLATE: Protection. Worn on the back and the front, it is held together on the sides and the shoulders; on the sides with straps; on the shoulders with metal shoulder pads. Protects the back (kidney, spleen, spine), the front (heart, lungs, ribs) and the sides (liver, pancreas, abdomen). This part of the armor is so heavy that they needed to help each other put it on. Underneath the breastplate, a soldier wears a protective garment, called a tunic, which reached to the middle of his thigh.
     GIRDLE: Protection. It would have been more than just a belt. The higher the rank, the more costly the item. Decorated leather strips hung down from the middle of the belt to protect the soldier's manhood. Other strips would hang down all the way around the belt, like a leather skirt, protecting the hips and thighs. The higher the rank, the prettier or more decorated the girdle. These belts jangled when the soldiers marched to warn their enemy that they were approaching, giving the enemy an opportunity to flee the vicinity.  
     HELMET: Protection. Centurions and other officers wore crests on top of their helmets so the other soldiers would know who to follow in battle. The helmet protects the head, the neck and the sides of the face. 
     SHOES: Protection and Weapon. Their shoes were made of leather. The topside of the sole had leather straps attached to it which were laced across the foot and up the leg, tying in the back of the calf. While some soldiers wore greaves which reached over the knee and up the thigh, most wore a shorter greave which covered the calf up to the knee. This would protect them from falling down and being killed if the enemy stabbed their legs. For marching purposes the underside of the sole had metal studs, to make them last longer. In times of battle, some could switch shoes to ones that had a metal spike attached. This gave them the ability to grip the ground and fight better. The spike could also be used as a weapon. Either by lifting that leg and striking out, or if the soldier had fallen he could still lash out at his enemy and do some damage. 
     SWORD: Protection and Weapon. A short sword (18"-24"), it was used in hand to hand combat in the crush of battle. Worn close to the hip it was always at hand. Kept sharpened it could wreak havoc on the enemy. 
     SHIELD: Protection and Weapon. The Roman soldier's shield was the nearly the full length of his body. It was rectangular and rounded, able to protect the soldier not only from a frontal attack, but from the side also. Some shields had decorations on the front, showing where each unit was from. Sometimes they would raise the shield above their heads, together, giving them protection from an aerial assault in the mountain areas of battle. 

     And just how does knowing all this about a Roman soldier's armor help us today? Each piece of armor is also needed in our daily walk, our daily battle with God's enemy, the devil. And all of us need to be wearing it.
     Ephesians 6:10-17 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

     Now we are ready. Ready to face the day. Ready to face the enemy. Ready to win. 

Worth the Wait

     As I was telling my friend Jean earlier: "The harder it is to get there, the more I need to be there." She had asked if I was going to church tonight. I try to get to church every time the doors are open. But some days are more of a challenge. I actually got to bed by a little after 10pm last night and slept all night. But I doubt I rested, because I got up for an hour at 8am but laid back down at 9 and didn't wake up until 12:45pm. The body needs more than sleep; it needs rest. And I am not getting any. Yet. The journey is worth the wait.

     But I will soon. My body is exhausted. Every step groans of itself. I sit down to read and the pages blur, my eyes close and I take these little catnaps. And then I am revived for awhile. I stretch my legs out on the recliner, extend my arms, wiggle my fingers: massage my body from the hips down and stand up. Talking to God the whole time.


     You may think I am talking to myself cause you see my lips moving. I ask you, "Why talk to myself, when I can talk to the One who made me?" And He listens. Why does God listen to me when I talk to Him? Great is His faithfulness. For He has said He will never leave me nor forsake me. He turns His ear towards me to hear me. I yawn. And yet our time together is not yet done.


     God guides me to my bed, my resting place. Sometimes I fall asleep while praying and sometimes I fall asleep while singing. These last three nights I have woke up singing Mercy Me's Bring the Rain. This is not a restful song. And though I know this song by heart, it is not one I would have chosen to wake up to. For it gives the message of preparedness to be at the forefront of the battle. And you and I both know that we are seldom at our best first thing in the morning. Nonetheless, there it is. Even before the sun rises, the song flows into my spirit. 


     Where I am currently in life was a destination of times past. But this leg of the journey is not the end of the road. I haven't crossed the finish line yet; I'm still running, figuratively speaking of course. If my thoughts linger on the weight of the race, I become more tired. And though a nap would be good right now, I would not get up in time for church. And the dreams.


     If the dreams were good, maybe then I'd get some rest. But I must needs carry my Sword into spiritual battle even in my sleep. Which is why I probably wake up exhausted instead of rested. I am attacked on every level. And I need help repelling the enemy wherever he tries to invade. Even my rest. In Nehemiah, every family worked together to repair the walls and the gates around Jerusalem. And when they were come against by those who did not want to see a united Israel, they rotated who would do the work of the Lord and who would defend those who worked. 


     Where is that? Who fights while some work, some rest. For they rotated in shifts. By working together in this fashion, they were able to complete the building of the walls and gates in 52 days. Because God was on their side. And when their enemies saw that God was on Israel's side, they ceased their attacks. Their journey was worth the wait. 


    And so is ours. 
     

Declaration of War

     When a challenge has been extended, the challenger is prepared to not only attack, but defend. Remember, our tongues hold the power of life and death. Before you make this statement out loud, you need to know that you are prepared for battle.

     HELMET of SALVATION in JESUS CHRIST needs to be on your head. BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS needs to be on your back and chest. GIRDLE of TRUTH about your waist. SHOES of the GOSPEL of PEACE. In one hand you carry your SHIELD of FAITH; in the other hand you carry the SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD of GOD. PRAYING in the SPIRIT ALWAYS. Be on the ALERT, WATCHING ALWAYS. Be ready to speak in authority, BOLDNESS of MOUTH declaring the Mystery of the GOSPEL to all who hear.

     If you are not fully clothed in Jesus Christ, you are not ready to declare war on the enemies of God. I am so glad I know my LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST and that HE is mine forever and I am HIS!

FaithBaby website or FaithBaby on facebook

     I love Christian clothing sites, they inspire us and bring out the best in some of us (like me) and the worst in some of us. Boldness of faith is essential in bringing the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to the forefront of spiritual warfare instead of leaving it on the home front. And I thank God for the anointing power of the Holy Spirit, who works through those of us who are willing to take a stand for our belief and will not back down when the fighting gets ugly. 

The Generation of The Lord

The Generation of the Lord

• A chosen generation: 1 Peter 2:9
• Who shall declare His generation? : Isaiah 53:8 & Acts 8:33
• His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation: Luke 1:50
• Generation of light: Luke 11:29-36 & Luke 16:8
• God is in the generation of the righteous: Psalm 14:5
• A generation of service by the will of God: Acts 13:36
• Generation that fears the Lord: Psalm 22:23-31
• Generation that is accounted to the Lord: Psalm 22:30
• The generation that seeks Him, seeks His face: Psalm 24:6
• We are the generation to come: Psalm 78:4, 6

~The word given me while praying after I read the Book of Ezra:

There is one generation and it is the generation of them who seek the Lord. Who seek Him, His laws and His statutes; that the Word of the Lord would be known and taught to those who do not know Him.

It is the generation of those who love the Lord; who love His Word and seek to do His will accordingly. We are that generation.

Not chronological, a generation of years; but spiritual, a generation of belief. Not calculated by time, but by faith: faith in the power of the Word of God.

It is the generation of them who seek His face; who desire to be in his presence. It is the generation of they who desire to obey His Word; who have counted the cost and are willing to pay it.

It is the generation of repentant hearts; those who humble themselves before God.

It is the generation of submission and surrender: submitting to God's Word and surrendering to God's will. For God is holy and nothing unholy can be in His presence. Darkness flees; for the light of God's glory fills our hearts and our minds. We submit our hearts to obedience, we obey His Word. We surrender our will and our desire to His will and His desire. Why? Because we are the generation of them who seek His face. ~

     And, as I study after receiving this, I am made aware that this generation began in the beginning and will not cease until the end. It is the generation of believers in the Almighty God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days. He Who wrote the laws and desires our obedience in love.

     This generation is a righteous generation, not of ourselves, but of the righteousness of Christ which is upon us. We wear Him like armor. We clothe ourselves in Him, for Christ is our Righteousness.

      We are the generation that fear Him: revere and respect Him. He is Faithful and True; Redeemer and Friend. His love for His people shines through us: our eyes see Him and magnify Him to nations who do not know Him. We are the light that shines in the darkness: declaring the Word of the Lord to those who are hungry to hear and receive it.

     This generation is a generation of servitude, not only to God and for God, but to God's people for God's glory. We do not seek to raise ourselves up, but to raise up the name of Jesus Christ, that the salvation of the Lord is at hand and reaching out to all. We praise the name of the Lord for He is gracious and slow to anger, longsuffering and merciful to those who call on His name. This generation works in the field of the Lord. His servants are few, but the work is great. Our hands are busy doing what needs to be done; our hearts are busy, seeking the salvation of the lost souls, in constant prayer for them.

     We are the generation that loves with the love of the Lord. It is a love that transcends time and space. This love, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, is for all people. With a love that shows mercy to all, regardless of ethnicity or generation of life. It is a love that forgives and forgives and forgives without number. God is righteous and just; His mercy endures forever. We exhibit that mercy; we forgive without number; we love without prejudice.

     This generation is the Lord's generation. We are accounted to Him and accountable to Him. We are of Abraham's seed: we believe that what God says He will do He does. We believe God's Word is holy. We believe God's Word is true. We believe God's Word is faithful: time and time again He has proven just how much He loves us. This generation multiplies to the number of the stars and the sands of the sea shore (Genesis 22:17).

     We are the chosen generation. We are called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9); to shine forth the Light of Christ. He designates us a royal priesthood: serving Him in His house, breaking bread with His people, worshiping wholeheartedly and with great joy. Praying for the needs of His people and the salvation of the lost souls.

     As His chosen generation, we are a holy nation. And as such, we are to live a life of abstinence from lust (v. 11), speak honestly (v. 12), submit to the laws of the land (v. 13,14) for the Lord's sake. Living freely in God's service (v. 16). Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king (authority) (v. 17).

     This generation is called to suffer (18-25). With Christ as our example, this generation is to be obedient unto God by following Jesus' attitude when it came to being obedient unto death (1 Corinthians 4:10-14; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Philippians 1:5). Happy is the generation that partakes of the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:13, 14). Blessed are the persecuted for His sake: great is their reward (Matthew 5:10-12). The entire chapter of 1 Peter 4 emphasizes what has been laid out in this message: in order to be named in this generation, the generation of the Lord, we are to live the life Christ lived: follow in His way and obey His Word, choosing to suffer for His sake and reaping the glory which God will reveal in His time.

     We are a generation of prophets, teachers, evangelists, preachers, apostles;miracle-workers, healers, governments, tongues and interpreters, helpers (1 Corinthians 12:28). We are a generation of servant leaders. We follow Jesus Christ and we lead people to Christ, which makes us both followers and leaders. This is my generation.

Jigsaw

I Found the Answer Down on My Knees

Whether we are hurting from a broken heart or a broken relationship, seeking God's love and direction is the only place to go. 


Prayer, from a sincere heart, truly does change things. And the first thing that gets changed is us. God changes us from the inside out. First, He changes our heart. His touch is gentle, but firm. As His fingers reattach the broken pieces of our heart, each piece is gently blown on, to remove dust and dirt; then He wipes that piece clean and sets it in its place. First one, then another.

And before long, we begin to recognize the change within ourselves that is taking place. We forgive offenses more easily, instead of retaliating. And though the actions of others sadden us, these actions on their part no longer prevent us from moving forward in God's grace. That grudge we have carried for so long that we felt only the weight without remembering the why, we have finally set down at the cross and left it there permanently. 

As God casts His gaze in the direction of the next jigsaw piece of our heart, the blood of Christ covers it, the Holy Spirit fixes it, and God is able to attach it to the first piece. When our heart is mended and fixed on God, then God is able to move on to the next part of us that we are surrendering to His will. For our bodies are not just one organ or member, but many such make up the whole.     ANATOMY   

By surrendering our hearts to Christ, and making a confession of faith out loud, we have taken the necessary step in accepting salvation of our souls through Jesus Christ. But God desires more of us, not just part of us. However, God does not force Himself in any way on people. He is just and fair and will only accept from us what we are willing to give. So before He can change us, we have to willingly give up, or surrender, that part of us that we want Him to have.

Romans 12:1 But I beg you, my brethren (brothers and sisters in Christ), by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 

I want more of God in me, in my life. I choose to surrender my body a living sacrifice, on a day to day basis, surrendering (setting aside what I want) my will and willing to be transformed (allowing what He wants) into who God wants me to be.

Pretty Feet

WHY I WALK

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace;  that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, your God reigns." Isaiah 52:7

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Luke 2:10

"And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

"And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them who preach the Gospel of Peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Romans 10:15

WHERE I WALK

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; 

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 Psalm 23:4

* * * * * * * *

He makes my feet like hinds' feet,

and sets me upon my high places.

Psalm 18:33

* * * * * * * * *

Our feet shall stand within thy gates,

O Jerusalem.

Psalm 122:2

HOW I WALK

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet,

and a Light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

* * * * * * * * * *

For thou hast delivered my soul from death: 

 wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, 

that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Psalm 56:13

* * * * * * * * *

And your feet shod with the preparation

of the Gospel of Peace.

Ephesians 6:15

* * * * * * * * * * 

You shall walk in all the ways 

which the LORD your God has commanded you, 

that you may live, and that it may be well with you, 

and that you may prolong your days

 in the land which you shall possess.

Deuteronomy 5:33

WHO I WALK WITH

Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:6

* * * * * * * *

You make the path of life known to me. 

In your presence there is complete joy.

Acts 2:28

* * * * * * *

Therefore, we also, 

who have all of these witnesses 

who surround us like clouds,

 let us throw off from us 

all the weights of the sin 

which is always ready for us,

 and let us run with patience

 this race that is set for us.

Hebrews 12:1

* * * * * * * * * 

You are Christ's body

and each of you is an individual part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:27

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Even Now

Ain't no baby in the manger

Ain't no Jesus on the cross

Ain't no body in the graveyard

Even now, He isn't there.

There's only Faith Hope and Glory

There's only Peace Joy and Love

There's only Jesus in this place now

Even now, there's only Jesus

Even now, even now.

There's only Faith in the manger

There's only Hope on the cross

There's only Glory in the graveyard

Even now, there's only Jesus

Even now, even now.

There's only Peace in the manger

 There's only Joy on the cross

There's only Love in the graveyard

Even now, there's only Jesus

Even now, even now.

There's only Jesus in this place now

There's only Jesus in my heart

There's only Jesus in this room now

Only Jesus

Even now

There's only Jesus

Even now

Even now

reference: the 4 Gospels