Samuel

Samuel, because I asked theLordmfor him.
I prayed for this child, and the lord has granted me what I asked of him.  So now I give him to the Lord.  For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

I prayed for children and the Lord blessed me with two beautiful girls.
I want them to know theLord.
I want the Lord to speak to them.  I want them to recognize the voice,of,the Lord.
 I want them to be obedient to His call.
I want them to grow in stature a nd in favor with God and man.
I wan them to know that the way God reveals Himself to us is through His Word.
I pray as they grow up that they will let none of His Words fall to the ground.

I pray for Brad and I as we are trying to be good, faithful parents to them that when we recogniz ethe sin in their life that we will discipline them, so they may turn from that sin that will lead to death.

Remorse vs repentance

Remorse:  blames others or circumstances; grieves over the consequences more than the sin; turns to self and not to God.

Repentance: accepts blame; turns from sin and self to follow God

Jacob and Esau; Judas and Peter

The two examples I've read about this week.  It comes down to choice, how am I going to choose to respond when confronted with my own sin. Free will comes into play. God could, but does not make us choose Him, it is our choice.  Some choose Him, but many choose self.

Self, left unchecked, leads to death. It says in the Bible we must die to ourselves, DAILY! Why is it such a daily struggle? It doesn't take much to become unfocused on God and focus on ourselves. We must ALWAYS be on guard. Satan is always looking to sift us like wheat.

And we will fail, often, because we are sinful and in need of a savior. But I pray that when confronted by my sin I will be repentant and choose Him, each and very time.

The power of God's Word

I am in Isaiah 45-55 this morning.  As I was praying, I was marinating on the power of God's Word.  God created the entire earth and all that is in it.  How did he do that, by his Word!  His powerful, almighty Word! He spoke this world and everything in it into existence. He knows the stars by name and sets them into place every night. He tells the sun to rise.  He can calm the waters on command. He is all powerful! His Word is all powerful! That is why it is so important for me to know His Word.  That is why I must read from it daily. If His Word is powerful enough to create this earth and all that it is it, if it is powerful enough to command nature to do its bidding, then I know it is powerful enough to transform me into His image.

" Awake, awake! Clothe yourselves with strength."
" Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat!  Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost.  why spend money on what is not bread?  And your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."
Isaiah 55:1-2

I do not want to waste and spend on what is not the bread of life? On what does not satisfy? I want to eat what is good! I want to DELIGHT in the richest of fare.  Feeding on the Word of God is the way! His powerful, almighty Word! That is the richest of fare, giving me strength, filling me, sustaining me, comforting me, guiding me! I can trust in His Word.