God's Manifest Presence

The 2010 Legacy Women's Conference "Equipped with JOY" has come and gone. It was INCREDIBLE! So many ladies received freedom from burdens that were weighing them down. It is hard to describe to someone who was not there how God's presence permeated the room.

It's that manifest presence I'm talking about. The kind that most people haven't a clue about. Think of it like this. God is omnipresent. That means He is present everywhere. So often we don't even recognize His presence. It is like camouflage. It's there all right, but it fits right in so we just look right through it. Besides the omnipresence of God, sometimes He allows us a window of opportunity of experiencing His manifest presence to those who seek Him. I call it the secret place of the Most High. It is like entering the throne room of God where peace and joy will flood your inner core. This is what so many people miss. Even most Christians miss out on this.

Thank You, God, for the privilege we ladies had at the "Equipped with JOY" conference to experience Your manifest presence. It was worth all the opposition we faced leading up to the conference when we all got together and basked in Your presence!

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

2010 Women's Conferece, "Equipped with JOY!" THIS WEEKEND

What robs you of joy? What a great opportunity to get away and be refreshed with a good soaking of God's presence! Register today! Click the link for more information.

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Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was where we stayed last weekend…snowed in at my uncle’s mountain getaway without cell phone coverage or internet for five days!  It was awesome!  The kids got to sled…first time ever on a real sled!

Now, back at home on this Christmas morning before the family awakes, I am reflecting on the blessings God has bestowed upon our family this year.  Like the opening lyrics to the classic carol, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, I am choosing  to be named among the faithful who are joyful and triumphant!

Faithful – Full of faith! Faith is the evidence of things not seen. God has been so real to me through the years, that I don’t need “proof” that athiests are looking for…I am proof! Yes, it is nice when I read a report that science has found another “proof” that goes along with what we already know from the Bible, but that is definitely not what I base my worship on.

Joyful – Full of joy! Unlike happiness, joy is not dependant on what “happens” in our circumstances. This “joy unspeakable and full of glory” that the Bible talks about can be attained in the midst of the harshest of trials. In fact, that makes the joy all the more joyful when it’s tested by fire and comes out without even the smell of smoke! This joy can only be mine because God sent His Son that first Christmas day so that mankind could be reconciled to their Creator! Wow! No wonder we celebrate this season by proclaiming, “Joy to the world! The LORD has come!”

Triumphant – According to dictionary.com, this means “having achieved victory or success.”  Now, I know I haven’t “arrived” yet, and I make mistakes daily, but the neat thing is that my “position” of triumph has already been sealed because of what Jesus did on the cross and in His resurrection!  Colossians 2:13-15 (NIV) says, “¹³When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

YES!!! Let the celebration continue!  Merry Christmas, friends!!

Continuing to Give Thanks

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 107:1 (NKJV)

Thanksgiving Day has passed, but the reason we can be so thankful endures forever! What is that reason? God's mercy. Another verse says that His mercies are new every morning. Talk about second chances! We have offered to us a fresh start every day, if we'll just take it.

The whole chapter of Psalm 107 is a great read. It goes on to talk about redeemed, how before they cried out to God, they wandered aimlessly in a wilderness with hunger and thirst. However, when they finally cried out to God, He delivered them from their despair and fulfilled their deepest longing.

The chapter even talks about those who knew better, but rebelled against God. They were "bound in affliction and irons" because of their rebellion. Even then, when they came to their senses and came back to God, He "broke their chains in pieces" and set them free! That's mercy!

The next part of the chapter talks about fools drawing "near to the gates of death" and even then the Lord saved them when they finally surrendered to Him. Another Psalm says that a fool is one who says there is no God. I am so glad He is there at the point the atheist gives up and realizes there is a God. There's not only a God, but there's a Creator who loves him/her even when he/she denied Him and is more than ready to bring that true satisfaction that only comes through His free gift of redemption through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

As Christians, are we living our lives in such a way that desperate people are drawn to the Christ in us? Are we showing that unconditional loving kindness that loves and receives all--even those who deny Christ? Lord, help us to be ready to bring those who don't know You to You when they are ready to come, and not condemn or push them away! We need to keep in mind that we didn't always know that He was there for us either, but now we do, and it is GOOD! That's why we should be ready to share with others when they are ready to listen what verses 8-9 of this chapter say:

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Meet My Parents!

This is a picture of my mom and dad, Lorene and Don Barron, on their recent cruise. Dad came home and shared what he learned at a workshop on editing and posting pictures online.  This is my first attempt!  It worked!  You may see more pictures now!

Obedience - Better than Sacrifice

Obedience is better than sacrifice. In my mind, the word sacrifice has two connotations. 1. (noun) a burnt sacrifice to the Lord (as in the Old Testament animal sacrifices), and 2. (verb) giving something up that is dear. Both of these meanings can be a precious aroma in God’s nostrils, but they can also be a stinch if 1. they are not necessary, 2. they are done by rote as a religious “duty,” 3. they are done to be seen of men and not God.

More is to come on this in the unit on obedience in the book I'm writing, God's Chain Gang: Links in the Chain to Freedom. Any thoughts on this from the gallery? I'd like your feedback on this. Please leave comments.

I will leave you with one thought about #3 about doing "sacrifices" to be seen of men and not God. If God wants others to see the sacrifice you make for Him, He will show them, but if you do it with that in mind, then it is not truly a sacrifice to God. It is just a performance to gain approval of men. Hmmm...much more on THAT in future blogs and in the book, too!

Meditation - the Key to Obedience

This morning I felt that “nudge” of the Lord to wake up before the family. I knew He wanted me to do something. Was I to pray for someone, as that wake-up call often means? Was I to exercise and take care of my body I have been neglecting far too much lately? Was I to write something before the distractions of the day commence?

I prayed, “Lord, what do You want me to do? Why did you wake me? I want to follow Your leading. I want to obey You.” Obedience. For a split second I thought, “I’m so sleepy, and I don’t have clear direction as to what God wants me to do, so maybe He just wants me to go back to sleep!” No. I knew better. Then I prayed the scripture I so often pray, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart (and I added my actions), be acceptable in thy sight…” Why didn’t God included “actions” in that scripture? I think because if we truly take the time to meditate, we will automatically want to do what pleases Him. After spending time considering the Lord, His Word, His character, and His promises, we will know what He wants us to do.

When we act on impulse, we usually get into trouble. Granted, sometimes something happens in an instant that we have to act on immediately, but more times than not, we can take time to meditate on what God wants us to do before we act prematurely. Besides, if we have made it a lifestyle to meditate on God's Word day and night, then we will do whats right on impulse when those instances arise.

Meditation. It keeps us out of trouble! Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the whole Bible, is all about that. Verse 11 states, "Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." (NKJV)

After meditating on these truths this morning, I realized my act of obedience was to write this entry! This is going into my new book, God's Chain Gang: Links in the Chain to Freedom. You get the first sample! Please pray for me as I delve into writing this book. I hope to publish it in 2010. (Anyone want to pre-buy a copy?! :) )

Have a great day meditating on God, His Word, His character, and His promises!