HIS AGENDA

This morning as I was sitting outside in the sunshine, I raised my arms up crsscross over my
head to keep the glare of the sun from shining directly into my face. I could feel the warmth
and whether my eyes were shut or open I could "feel" a great brilliance from the sun.

I am reminded of Saul of Tarsus who was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians.. When God's bright light shone down from heaven Saul dropped to his knees and then he heard God's voice. In my Bible reading this morning I read in . Acts 22:6-9 how the men who were with Saul saw the light but they did not hear God's voice. Back in Acts chapter nine I read that the men with Saul saw the light and heard a voice but did not know what the voice said.

It is so important not only to see the power of God in His creation ..such as the brightness of the sun...the thunder and the lightning... but also that I hear God's voice. As I sit out here in the sunlight it is easy to think about all that is on my agenda for today but I must listen very quietly to hear what God has on His agenda for me to do.

I APPLAUD YOU, LORD

I applaud you Lord for all you have done for me
I applaud you Lord for all you are
I applaud you Lord for you are worthy
worthy of all applause

I applaud you, Lord, for leaving heaven's glory
Being willing to lay aside your honor
For humbling your self to be clothed with a human body
For living a life in obedience to your Father

I applaud you, Lord, for defeating the tempter
In every type of trial and testing
Not giving in to worldy fame or pressure
Using the Word You were the Victor

I applaud you, for your earthly life
King of kings yet you had no pillow-
for your head
With the Father's blessing,
the mulititude you fed
Going forth healing,
setting free those who were bound

I applaud you Lord for going to the cross
For paying the awful cost-
of my sin and my shame
for bearing my sickness and my pain
You cried, "It is finished",
redemption was complete

I applaud you, Lord, for rising triumphant
from the grave
Of the true church you are the Head
Coming soon, You will be crowned
I now applaud you, Lord of Lord and KIng of Kings

Unfinished Tasks

As I hurriedly walked toward the door to sit
outside in the sunlight I noticed that I had
not finished clearing the table from breakfast.
I quickly put away food that needed
refrigeration and rinsed out the soiled dishes
to be put into the dishwasher.......
I went in the bedroom and their on the desk
was the check which was half written out.
I had intended to send it with my husband
in the mail today.....

Unfiished tasks, interrupted lives.....As I
think about these little insigniificant things
in life my mind is upon my brothers and
sisters in many countries of the world who
may be going through very significant
disruptions......

Because of their faith in Christ, they
may be taken from their homes at any time........
kidnapped, hauled off to jail...no time to
change their clothes or finish their meal......
today their plans may be to teach a Bible class,
to work in the fields so their husbands may go
on an evangelistic tour......
Today these plans may be greatly changed....
today their lives may be suddenly ended. .

Lord, may I not be annoyed or discouraged
by interruptions or unfinished tasks in my
daily life but may they be reminders for me
to pray for my "persecuted family" whose
lives will be greatly disrupted and changed
this day.

My Response

"Rejoice, rejoice", the Lord says
"Rejoice in my love for you.....
Rejoice, rejoice, I will see you through...
All the way
Everyday....My response
" I will sing and dance and give you glory
For you are worthy, worthy, worthy
Worthy are you, Lord......
Jesus your voice is so sweet to me
Sweeter than the honeycomb"

I can picture the gentleness of Jesus,
His strong arms holding me..
He who is totally good, totally righteous
totally pure, without even one thought of evil

How can I come with such confidence into
His very presence? Only as I realize my total
sinfulness and the power of His blood shed
to cleanse me can I come without shame
or condemnation.

DESIGN

This morning as my oldest daughter and I were traveling I looked up into the sky
and noticed the picture which the God had painted in a beautiful arrangement of clouds. It looked as though some one had taken a huge paintbrush and swirled it here and there to make an awesome design.

As we drove along my daughter said, "Look, mother, there is a little opening in the clouds which resembles a rainbow. " Sure enough, there was a little place in the
clouds where yellow, pink and purple blended together into a glowing brighness.

After while the scene changed to fewer white clouds, then to a deep blue cloudless sky. I am thinking.......What an awesome God we have! who continuously creates picture after picture; design after design;
sunset after sunset (no two are alike) rainbow after storm clouds....Is it possible that such an awesome God should has an intricate design for every person for every person He ever created? a plan that would bring Him glory?

Corrie Ten Boom, a survivor of the holocaust relates in one of her books her experience of sharing about God's working in her life. During her presentation
she would hold up a cloth which had all kinds of twisted threads, knots and no connection or purpose. Corrie turned the cloth to the other side and there was a very beautiful embroidered design. She explained that God sees the whole picture ...the finished product, how He takes all those things in our lives which seem ugly and harmful and designs a beautiful picture for His glory.

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's workmanship created unto good works which He has fore ordainedthat we should walk in them".

What Are You Gazing At?

Yesterday when I sat in my lawn chair
gazing up into the deep blue, cloudless
sky I began thinking about how expanse
God's creation is, how vast is His universe.
My mind cannot comprehend His
greatness...

Today the direct sunlight rays are hidden
behind clouds; yet there is a brightness.
I am reminded of the words which the
angels spoke to Jesus disciples when they
stood looking up into the clouds where
Jesus ascended into heaven. They said,
"Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?
This same Jesus shall so come in the same
way in which you have seen Him go into
heaven".

Webster's definition of gaze is " to fix
the eyes in a steady and intent look and
often with eagerness or studious attention".
I want to be gazing for Jesus return.