Tuesday, December 12, 2017

A Community of Believers in Christ Jesus Lay Their Hands to Pray for an Officer of the Law, Amen!~ PRAY for one another!~ The Sinner's Prayer for Salvation~ Encouraging You for Your Children!






Image result for community of believers laying hands on a police officer

I do apologize...the wonderful picture of Officer Danny Gregorio has disappeared from my posting, over time.  I am trying to cut and paste it to no avail.  I will keep trying again very soon.    : ) In lieu of, and in no apologies for this wonderful photo, here is one of folks praying and laying on of hands...

(Thanks to Why Do We Lay Hands, Four12.)





For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,


so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and       depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.


How I Came Across This Picture of People 
Praying Lavishly Upon an Officer of the Peace
On a G+ community to which I belong,  I saw this beautiful photo and was completely drawn into what was happening.  A nice Christian fellow, Danny Gregorio, of the Jesus Christ Daily community, had posted this intriguing picture on the community site where we both belong.  I do not know who took the photo originally. 

Looking at it again, I was particularly noticing that the people likely come from all walks of life: how wonderful and fascinating in a day where there is so much hatred, maligning, accusing, distrust and division.  YES, there are many, many GOOD people out there and among you and me!  We must hold onto that and them.

Please see A Prayer of Salvation below*** to be sure that you are with the folks who will go to God's Kingdom, Heaven, on that day that you are called from this Earth by Him.  Good, bad, indifferent, or ugly in spirit, we are each forgiven by God when we accept His Son Jesus Christ. Ask God to forgive your sins, and do not reject Christ Jesus.  Not to accept Jesus IS to reject Him, and God the Father cannot forgive you rejecting His Son (fully Man and fully God). 

Here is my heartfelt written response that day, with few, minor additions, to Danny's submission of this photo:

I am the wife of a retired police officer.  It is, indeed, WONDERFUL to see the believers laying hands on him for protection and service in his daily matters with the people of the town/city.  My husband Royce was an excellent officer with people.  He treated them fairly.  He helped tens of thousands over the years.  Sometimes people's dire needs and situations tore at his heart. 

He was the lead hostage negotiator for 20 years, a school resource officer, where he also belonged to NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officers) and traveled around the country to make presentations, teaching other officers what a school resource officer does and to also inform other professionals working with youth at school, at first middle and high school, but now grade schools. 

Royce worked tirelessly to begin and to develop a local program  that is also national, NAMI, (National Alliance for Mental Illness) for police and mental health to work together to help in the much-needed area of folks who have mental issue needs and also get involved with the police and authorities, such as battered women, domestic abuse, and many other situations that most of us are unaware.

Royce made the program for a Saturday class from juvenile drivers who had moving violations so that their car insurance would not grow up.  He conducted these classes on Saturdays for years and years. He had four hours of information, including people's first-hand telling of events where youth were injured badly in car accidents or had died.  One such person was a mother where 5 teenage girls were in a terrible accident- two girls did not survive the crash and all of them were significantly effected.  The first responders were greatly affected emotionally, many to this day, like my husband.  Most of my husband's students in the classroom would be crying by the end of the morning those Saturdays.  I sat-in one day...it was gut-wrenching, including presentations by parents whose young people had been very hurt or passed away because of, often, speeding and other moving violations of the law in vehicles; sometimes the teens themselves had made the violations; other times, it was circumstance or another driver had erred. 

These are a few of the things that my guy did where he went the extra mile for people's good.  He and another officer/counselor had evening meetings at high school's gyms or smaller venues where they talked about personal safety for all and also ones where the officers told parents of teens that, yes, it is illegal to provide alcohol to your child's friends for parties at your home!    

We had equally difficult and horrible issues with abuse, sexual assault, children being neglected by their parents, etc., etc.  Thank the Lord above for conscientious, honorable cops, yes, Christian cops, to protect and to serve with dignity for the individual.  There were many times where my mate had to detain, restrain, wrestle, and keep someone from taking charge when he was the one with the authority, who was attempting to do his job for the public. 

Praise God for first responders: fire, EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), police, counselors, clergy, and other advocates/helpers who put their lives on the line every day in countless ways for others.  True Christ-like individuals.  I do know there are authorities who abuse their power.  They must answer to Jesus Christ Himself one day and to people now, perhaps. 

God bless you all.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.


In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Oh, How I Prayed!

My hope is that every person prays for her/his loved ones!  Others!  In our daily life, we ask God to help us do each day as He desires for others as well as ourselves.

It is hard to describe how the spouse and family of an officer or first responder feels or thinks, most every day you see your beloved walk out the door to go to work.  I almost get a lump in my throat writing this today.  You pray prior and as they leave; you pray while they are gone, and you pray as they are returning... I am incredibly thankful to the LORD and to others who prayed for my husband- who are mostly his family- our children and sisters, and our church friends.  We had and have the prayers of our magnificently living (they did here and now in Heaven) Parents!  How they loved and love us.  Royce and I can only partially imagine how their fervent and heart-felt, soul-searched, LOVING prayers and requests to Jesus for our Salvation, our daily lives, most including their grandchildren, whom they adore/d, for our ever-increasing closeness to God Almighty, safety, and to do God's will- including spreading the Gospel, the Good News!   It is never to be underestimated how one's prayers to God help maintain and times when the prayer saves a loved one or friend, even loving and praying for our enemies, which Jesus told us to do.

I am eternally grateful to God that now my husband is retired, and although his work has taken a tremendous toll on himself and our family, Jesus gave him back to us.  No one has a loved one for total "keeps".  That is, unless everyone involved has accepted the Salvation and Lordship of Jesus Christ as one's loving God and Constant Companion.  There were many times early in my husband's career as a sheriff's officer, especially in the mountains where he KNEW that angels of Holy God had gotten him out of life and death scrapes.  I am sure of it, also.  This happened seven to eight times- that he is aware...!  What about all of the times, Royce was unaware of God's Hand and angels upon and around Him?


Which Hand Will You Take, Friend?!

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, please say this prayer seriously and with all intention, and you will be saved.  I believe that this Prayer for Salvation is Billy Graham's or from his ministry.  Do you truly want Christ Jesus to be LORD and Master (the Greatest Love you will ever have, bar no other) in your Life, here on Earth, and then on into eternity? That is what we each face, either gloriously and ecstatically filled with Joy and Love forever, being the best you that can be imagined- or the complete opposite.  No one wants to be in the latter group, and you DO NOT have to be there.  It is your decision!  If someone had each of his/her hands filled with- on the left: spiders, scorpions, and all horrific darkness; and the right hand filled with Jesus, fine banquets, the Love of the LORD and family, all of the best things and animals, incredibly fulfilling times in gorgeous settings, well, which Hand would you choose?  It is that simple, My Friend!!!  Indeed...




Image result for billy graham prayer of salvation
May Christ Jesus- our God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit- the Triune, One LORD and Savior BLESS and KEEP you beyond what we can imagine and think and watch over you.  You have made the most IMPORTANT decision that one can ever, ever make!
Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Read this article of the tragic incident that took the life of a beloved young officer: may her parents, siblings, all relatives, friends, and the church keep loving her and knowing that she is in Heaven with her Jesus and Heavenly Father. Bad did not win after all!  We pray that these people including the gunman will grow closer to the Lord Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.







https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article224305190.html 



God grant you peace and to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Christ Jesus!!!

Donna M.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Oh, God Almighty in Jesus Christ- through Our Holy Spirit~~~ We Worship, Adore & Show You Our Gratitude... Forever and Ever. A Re-Sharing of a Former Thanksgiving Posting. A Salvation Prayer!







Our God is a Mighty God!!
We praise His Holy Name, and We Adore the Almighty King of kings and Lord of lords! 
As we express our exceeding THANKFULNESS to Him, 
We are forever and ever grateful that God the Father gave His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ~ for you and me~ to wipe away each person's every sin, because Jesus, fully Man and fully God, is the One Who takes away the sin of the world!
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave Himself, with unbelievable pain and suffering that no one else could possibly do in His place.  He, the unblemished, Holy Lamb of God was and is the Redeemer, taking on ALL of the sin that had been, was, and would be.  Through His Selfless Blood- at His Own Price of His Death and Resurrection- He atoned for you and me, Friend!!!
We praise You Oh, MOST HIGH FATHER GOD, FOR SACRIFICING THE LAMB OF GOD, JESUS, TO GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE!  Your wrath for all the sins and wrongs was poured out upon JESUS as the Perfect Redemptive One, Only He could do this mammoth task for us!!
 An Almighty God is He!
An All-Powerful, Ever-Present God is He!
As the great pastor/teacher Charles Stanley says,
"He is the only One Who says, 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you!'"
Oh, Lord, we are totally dependent upon You, and
We give You, LORD, all of the Thanksgiving and Praise, Worship and Love that You so richly deserve.
We are saved ***(Salvation Prayer below) because You foreknew us before the foundations of the world, and You have called us~ nothing have we done to deserve this great Salvation and Lordship from You. We do and did answer Your call with a prayer of acceptance in Jesus Christ's~ the Son of God~ His death on the cross for our sins, arising from the grace in the resurrection, and then following: ascending to the throne where You are at the Father's right hand interceding for us - AND - so that the Holy Spirit would come to indwell those of us who choose You, forever and ever.

Romans 8 English Standard Version (ESV) Bible Gateway

Is God's Salvation to us eternal, solid, and never-changing?
Indeed, it is!!  He knew that there would be the fall from grace with Adam and Eve.
Loving Lady, dear, and Good Man, sir: 
It does not matter how wonderful you are...all have fallen short of the glory of God!
Only through the Lord's mercy and grace, completely unearned by us, will you be saved, 
Only in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
Commit, please, to Him now, in your own words, or by praying the prayer below.  
You must sincerely want to accept Christ into your heart. 
Evil, mean, bad person- there is much more to you: Do Not harden your heart any longer!!
no one is all bad; even if you are, God accepts you just as you are!
Ask Him to take away your sin, every person must be repentant- turn and change your ways/your wicked way around!- and ask God to be your personal Savior and the Lord of your Life.  Ask God to accept you into His Kingdom, now and on into Heaven when you die one day, which you will surely die. 
This lovely ###picture at the beginning of today's posting portrays God on His throne, and Jesus is at His right hand- interceding for us.  The people there in white, more than we can count- and coming more, more, and more...are God's children who are saved because they have accepted the Lord God's Salvation and Lordship through Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God! 
Jesus is the "Man Who sits up high and looks down low," as sung so beautifully in the song, "Not About Us":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYEEw-FC0Vg
Bishop Noel Jones & The City of Refuge Choir "Not About Us" (Live)
(Bishop Noel Jones and The City of Refuge Choir!  Fantastic, thank you, Lovers of Jesus!!)
There is no one- no person, thing, entity, or being, no "universe" (a universe is not a god or person)- that can rise higher, deeper, longer, better or be purer/more holy than Jesus is!  For God is Self-created, here before anything ever existed.  Everything comes from Him, through Him, because of  this Holy God, and nothing goes by Him without His full knowledge, wisdom and power.  Because of God's countenance- always the same- yesterday, today, and forever- but so rich and so full that no one can see all of His greatness, angels (and creatures full of eyes, as stated by John, the Revelator, in the Book of Revelation) encircle the Lord constantly, ever in awe and honor and almost disbelief that He is Who He Says He Is- the Great I AM- "I Am Who I Am."  His character, attributes and Names are Holy and Just.  
He cannot have sin in His Kingdom.
If what is written here is somewhat overwhelming and breathtaking, even frightening- you are okay!  You, Friend, are more than okay with God the Father, God the Son- Jesus Christ, and God, The Holy Spirit!! The Lord places you above everything else in creation- that is every single thing that God created- all of it.

Please do not let another day - or even moment in time - pass you by, once again perhaps...take this time to do absolutely, bar none! the most important thing that you can do for your self!
God is profoundly thrilling and amazing!  Give Him a try; you will see.  Pray to Him and ask Him to help you see.  He most assuredly will do that for you.
If you most definitely want to accept Christ's gift, the one that He Alone can give you, of Salvation and having His Lordship in your Life now and forever, then read this prayer and mean it from your honest heart and soul- 
Tell God that you believe in Him right now, for your good that you will NEVER regret.  
However, if you do nothing, you will regret it oh-so-much more than bitterly, and forever.


***~~~A Salvation Prayer~~~ 
I ask You, God, right now, to come into my heart and life.  Father, I believe in Your Son Jesus Christ, that He died on the cross shedding His perfect blood to redeem me; I ACCEPT Jesus' Gift!!  I repent from the ways of the past and want to live as You would have me~ loving You, then others as myself and helping people, also that they will learn of Who You are- and who they are- in You, Lord!!  I will follow You, Jesus, all the days of my Life into eternity!!  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for coming to indwell me to guide, comfort, and obey what God wants for me.  I want to find a good church that believes in You, Christ, and studies the Word of God, The Holy Bible.  Thank YOU for talking away my sins; You even forget them.  In Jesus' Precious Name, the One above All, Amen.
Congratulations, Friend!  You are now a new creation, a true child of God~~~ a daughter or a son, in Christ only.  Please find a good, welcoming and Bible-believing, Christ Jesus believing as fully the Son of God, and listen, learn, and share!         

The Beautiful One

You are the Beautiful,
My Jesus.
Really- the only, the most,
My Beautiful,
My Savior.

How can it be that You
Believe us to be the most beautiful?
You must’ve,
Because You gave Yourself
For us.

I wait for that
Wonderful Day,
When You
Come to get
Me.
 1 John 4:12,15-16

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
Donna M.

Toward Him

We can truly say in earnest-

God always has a thing better in Mind
Because each step of the way
Toward Him
Brings a better day!
Donna M.
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren… 
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…
The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his [your] way.
(All, NASB)

With You

Those utterly most precious moments

Just with You,

Serene or full-tilt,
There’s nothing that compares.

Oh, how I covet those sweetest moments
If they are only for a few seconds-
Eyes filling with tears of Joy
I guess because I get a hint of the Love
You feel for me…and all of us.

Such supreme happiness and appreciation,
Because: You have healed me.
You have been there even when I
Did not know it through the tough times.
You have shown me friendship in like-minded and the needy.
You have given me the most beautiful Jesus as my Savior
And the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide me…
Because: You Love me.

Thank you, Lord!
      “Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, 
the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments…"
Note: Please remember to pray for your children, grandchildren, great...extended, and so on.  This is what the Word of God says, and it works- His faith is incomparable and always, always true.  Pray for your extended family, also!  My Bible study friends and I agree that we are ever grateful to our grandmas, brothers, moms and dads for praying for us, mainly our Salvation in Christ.  Many of the believers might not be such, were it not for their family and other faithful praying saints.  (We can include church and work friends, neighbors, people from your past, descendants in the future, even *enemies- God says to love and to pray for them.  Many of you do.  I do even the latter since the Lord really emphasized loving and praying for *enemies a few years ago- over and over during a specific period of time and then since from time-to-time; these are God's Echoes, that I would hear on the radio, read in the Bible, hear at church, etc., a message that Christ Jesus has just for me - or you!  *It is hard at times, but I understand what the Lord is saying/requiring, and I want to be obedient to Him, truly.)
 I have two more poems for you today, and then time to go for now!  I hope you have a great Thanksgiving, and no matter what time of year it is, let us be thankful to God for each and everything He has bestowed lovingly upon us.  We have nothing without the Savior and Lord!!  And, even if you are alone and lonely---God is always near, and He is with you, Friend!!  Reach out to someone else, and you will always feel much better.
Jesus' grace, mercy, and healing upon you.     

The Good News of Jesus Christ

The Good News of Jesus Christ
Is that he lives today among us, His believers,
And He reigns o’er the entire world
That none of us should perish.
The Holy Spirit works and hovers
To move us to Christ.
So come, come now
To Lord Jesus
Your Savior.

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

                              Romans 8:39                             
…nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
                                   
Mercies Anew
 Regardless of how tough it gets,
The Message gets through~
Our Lord God Jesus
Loves us so much
His mercies unfold each day anew!
 Philippians 4:13 - (NKJV)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.


:)  Donna M.
All poems are copyrighted.  All rights reserved.  Please pass them on to a friend, read and use- all except publishing or publication without my permission.  Thank you.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Part 3 (of 3): Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Only One and the Way to Almighty God & A Salvation Prayer



















Some persons want the glory for themselves, that which exists only in the Lord God, Himself.  It is that plain and simple.  Cults and individuals of mean, self-possessed, out-sized love of themselves, and self-aggrandizement- only want the praise and adoration, even worship, which alone is to be given to God Almighty: the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Do not be mislead by Satan and his demons- they make things look quite other than they actually are.  He lures us at our weakest points, then entices us more and all the while, tries to make sure we feel that "it is okay!" or "we are all right".  
You may think: this seems perfectly natural and right, 
but something is stirring in your stomach or mind saying,
"no-no, do not do this".  
Sometimes I call it, and have heard it called, a "check" in your spirit.  It is when one's conscience heart and mind are quickened by the Holy Spirit (if you are a Believer in Christ). You feel this check in your spirit, a stirring in your stomach, or it may be a Voice (the Holy Spirit) in your mind.  It can be quite fast; please do not ignore it.  An age-old method that works extremely well when something does not seem right, feel right, or when you know without a doubt that what is happening is wrong: Turn and walk or run! away from the person or situation involved in making you feel uncomfortable in a bad way!! 

Most sins and keeping of oneself from the Lord Jesus Christ- are because a man or woman does not want to give up authority of themselves to anyone or thing, even God Himself!  These folks are self-willed, self-aggrandizing, arrogant and proud.  Pride and greed are two main problems of mankind.  Before I was truly saved, I did not want to give myself to the Lord because I "enjoyed" (?) doing things my own way and did not want to humble myself to the Living God, Who had given me my Life itself!! In the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve walked with the LORD God in the cool of the day and had total Creation from Him and every GOOD and PERFECT thing... they listened to Satan, instead of God, when the devil said: These two God-made first people were seduced into the great Lie that ensnares so many. 
                                                  

Before I became a Christian, truly, at the age of 25, I wanted, for a period of my young adult life, to do things MY way and wanted to IGNORE what I had been taught as a child and teenager, even though I was continuing to hear the Truth of God from my dear mom.  I was selfish and stubborn and self-righteous, not righteous of God.  However, how thankful~ forever~ I am to Him because he did not let me go!  (He did know exactly when and how I would truly give myself to Him and that I would accept fully Jesus' Lordship and Salvation for my Life, forever.)

If you would like, read the posting of my salvation story:


The Bible speaks of many falsities- untruths, lies, such as false prophets, teachers, doctrine, churches, (little) christs, false gods...  I have included a link that addresses some of these falsehoods:  False church

Accepting God through Jesus, God's One and Only Son, Who is Sinless

KNOW the Truth and Tell God You believe in Christ, and are sorry for your mistakes/sins/shortcomings/missing the mark, as in the Hebrew and that you want Him as Lord and Savior from now on.

God IS the great I AM, the Lord of lords and the King of kings!  He loves you more than any single person, or the whole group of people who love and care for you in this lifetime, ever could!  
HE is: Almighty God, Jehovah God, El Shaddai, the Messiah, the Bread of Life, the Living Water and much, much more.  He made you!  He loves you so very much!  

He is the Blood that was shed for you.  He took on atonement- as the only Lamb of God- the only perfect Man- Who ever was, is, or ever will be.  While still maintaining His God character and power, He died, arose on the third day, walked about on earth again seeing His Disciples, Apostles, including over 500 people at one time during those 40 days before He arose to the right hand of the Father!  

He is the Only One Who could do all of this for you and me. 
Jesus is The Perfect Lamb of God, completely a Person and totally God Himself, the second Person in the Trinity, the One God Who made all.  There is no other!



 +++SALVATION PRAYER FOR YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONE+++ 
MAYBE THAT PERSON YOU SEE ON THE STREET OR KNOW IS LONELY AND NEEDS SALVATION IN CHRIST JESUS  
It does not hurt to ask someone...It can only Help a Person Needing Salvation for Eternal Life in Heaven, not Hell, 
which is total separation from the Lord and too awful to contemplate...but you must think about it very hard.  Do I want to spend forever- and it is forever- with evil, Satan, the demons and all of the horror there?
However, Do Think about when you die upon this Earth as it is now if you are uncertain about accepting Christ's Salvation?  
Are you willing to say this prayer and have Christ in your heart now and forever?  Live in the Kingdom of God now and always and forever.  It will not yet be perfect Love on planet Earth for now, but HE will see you through!!!  The Comforter and Help like non one or nothing else~~~ of the Father God; - LORD and Savior Christ Jesus; and God- the Holy Spirit- Who guides and comforts, gives discernment and the spiritual gifts of God.

Make this Decision for yourself, no matter what a spouse, parent, or any other has done.  It is imperative for your own soul and spirit.  Trust God: He will deal with and help your beloved.  You cannot control what your family has done or is doing.  However, KEEP ON PRAYING most assuredly, get your church and other prayer warriors in on your praying together, even if you are physically separated, and TRUST GOD ALMIGHTY, please.

+++A Prayer of Salvation+++
(Taken in large part from A Love Worth Finding, a Ministry in Christ of Adrian Rogers, a pastor who has passed away to Glory in Heaven with Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  Adrian is simply a man of God, of the cloth, whom I love to hear his sermons on the radio.)

Oh, God, I'm a sinner, I'm lost, and I need to be saved.  I know I can't save myself, so once and for all, today, I trust You to save me, in Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior, the Son of God, Who died on the cross for me, and then was resurrected and arose to be with You, His Father.  I take you into my heart and life forever.  Thank You for saving me as I walk through Life with You~  In Jesus Name, Amen.  

Thank you, lostseed.com for Jesus' picture, "Jesus Face Clothed", from the movie, The Passion of the Christ.

In Jesus Christ's Care, God bless you, Friend!
Donna M.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

God in Jesus Christ Restores What the Locusts Have Taken in Your Life! & A Prayer of Salvation!


pictures of jesus greg olson hope horizon




~Christ Jesus Looking at His Ever-Increasing Kingdom~
      All of the Earth and Heavens are His, and
Every Person and Thing Within It.
  He is our Creator.
   Jehovah- Jireh,  
     our Provider.  

He Loves You more than we can fully know yet. 
However!  Keep drawing near to Him,
and He will draw near to you!

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James 4:8-10 English Standard Version (ESV)   



And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

I Peter 5:10, English Standard Version, ESV

(Picture above of Jesus by Greg Olsen THANK YOU!
http://www.godisreal.today/pictures-of-jesus/)

              ~I can see God's honor coming back to us, His reward,
Yes!- even His vindication to us for our sufferings in Christ Jesus!~

       It is clear: the strife, hurts, disappoints, deep grief: physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological wrong-doings will be made aright.  In fact, they are being made right now!  And it gets even better!

Can't you see it?  Have not you seen them even in your own life?  Sometimes we wonder and worry!  Will I ever get over the damage that has been done to me and mine, my beloved?
  &&&And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 ESV

Plus, Read and relish Psalm 91, my favorite!  If you need reassurance, here it is!
Psalm 91
      
Today, it has become even more obvious how the Almighty has and is restoring ease and even honor to our church; this- because of the Honor and Glory that was bestowed on our omnipotent God through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!  God is always steadfast, sure, and true!  He will give you back what the locusts have taken (Joel 2:25) <<<See toward the end of this posting, the portion from Joel in the Scripture and link to my friend who says this verse, which is greatly encouraging to us.  

       We have gone through a long time of many hurts and deep wounds to our congregation and families.  It seems as though each way we turn, we are pressed at every side and corner.  Perhaps especially in the last few years (even prior, I will explain shortly), each and every person I am aware has extreme difficulties of life pressing in.  It is almost incomprehensible, except that we know humankind has struggled and suffered since we left the Garden of Eden.  
However, God finds the Way for us!  Through Jesus, the Only One Who was and is able to redeem you and me!  He also provides His Help each day, for His mercies are new each day!  
Sometimes we are in a valley for what seems a long, long time, but there are sprigs of beauty, as in a bouquet, along the way.  Then, keeping our eyes fully on the Lord, we come to a parting in the valley, and we begin to soar higher and higher, closer to the mountaintop!  
Have you also had those times where you feel that you are on a roller coaster?  Up one minute or day, then down again.  I strongly encourage you to read, Oswald's Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest (see right here just below), one of the very, very best daily, Christian devotionals you will ever find.  It is deep in meaning, accurate in the Truth of the Bible, and you will be challenged.
My Utmost for His Highest, classic devotional
My Utmost for His Highest, updated devotional

Have the Utter Joy and Life of a Relationship with the Son of God, Jesus Christ!

Having a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ is the one and only answer that will help you through Life on Earth and then get you to the right place, Heaven, where you continue to be and live gloriously in God's Holy Kingdom.  The opposite of accepting Christ Jesus is a path to nowhere.  You will go to the complete opposite of Heaven, which is Hell.  Works on Earth cannot get you in to Heaven; leading a "good life" does not enable you to live with the LORD in bliss and beauty forever and ever.  Please, Friends, do NOT believe the lies of Satan and his demons, nor the lies of popular belief that abound around us and inundate us every day in this fallen world.
In our daily lives as well as what we see evidenced throughout our nation and the entire world, we see strife and disaster at every corner.
Be prepared and do not take your afterlife for granted: that you will just slip away quietly into nothingness or any such nonsense.  There will be many who wish desperately that they had taken what they heard and saw about Jesus Christ to heart, immediately! and accepted His loving grace and mercy, to be in fellowship with God, always and forever.
I am more grateful of my Salvation than any other thing or person.  I love my husband and children with every fiber of my being, but I have nothing if I do not have God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  I have such blessed assurance that He is mine for eternity.  I am safe and will be at my true Home one day when He says it is time.
Then, having great trust and faith in the Only One Who possesses the ability to give Salvation to our children and ourselves, each one of us, one at a time telling the LORD, "Yes, Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, and You died on the cross for me- were resurrected, and now live at the right hand of the Father.  Your Holy Spirit now lives within me!" 
(Pray A Salvation Prayer, cursor slightly down.)

God's Help and Love are Real, Palpable

       I think there is no deeper wound than the physical loss of a loved one.  Yes, divorce and other "leavings" in our lives cut deeper than we can express.  But the Lord God Almighty has His way and ways of softening the hurts and loss.  He can give us that peace that passes understanding.  Here is a short explanation of this Truth of the Lord happening in my husband's and my life together in a very personal, magnificent manner.

       Royce and I experienced the Lord's amazing, miraculous and completely real Peace in a very real, even palpable way to us fourteen years ago. Two times from a single auto accident, the orthopedic surgeon told me that I might lose my leg with the broken tibia and fibula.  I had another great doctor for the broken neck I sustained.  Some of the hurts involved a broken tail bone, retrograde amnesia, etc. 

       As I was going into the operating room that particular day, "You might lose your leg if this procedure does not work- not today, though."  When I was recuperating at the hospital, Royce took me home early because he said, "We have to get you out of this place!"  Royce immediately checked me out...my room was in the basement, and there was such a feeling of oppression.  The staff at this hospital treated me exceedingly well where I spent the first month after the crash and then at various times for therapies and surgeries for the next two years- rehabilitation went on longer.  Believe me, growing closer to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, was exponential during this time and since- actually, just prior to the accident, also.  I have many true stories of God's faithfulness and lovingkindness...

       When we returned home, I fell into the worst depression that I have ever experienced.  As Royce was nursing my wound that night, he said, "Donna, you have to help me.  I cannot do this all by myself!"  We continued praying, prayed! and asked for more prayer help from family, friends, and church.  Within the time over the weekend before we went to see the dr. again, I woke up that Monday and truly felt in the most powerful way that I ever had before in life- &&&That Peace that Passes Understanding. Philippians 4:7 (whole chapter given) (You can see below +++the link that takes you to the posting that has more about what happened next when God did the impossible but exactly what He promises in that peace that passes understanding!)

If you need to accept Christ's Salvation, please take the most important moment of your Life here and later, to take Jesus' Salvation. God chose to give us free will- He will not overstep your choice, even if that is to reject His Son, Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Only Holy One Who could save us, that is, each individual who has ever lived, lives, or will live.  God is merciful, loving, and just.  He is the great Judge Who judges each human being perfectly.  Do NOT gamble with Life.  If you are sincere and want Jesus as your personal Savior, please read this prayer and tell God- or you can tell Him in your very own words.  The LORD sees our thoughts in detail- every whisper, every cry, every laugh, every newborn baby's birth, each suffering and every smile and Joy!

A Prayer of Salvation
Oh, Heavenly Father!  I want You in my Life!  Please forgive me of my wrongdoings to others and myself, and to You, Father.  I want a new and better time now and for all of my days, even into eternity with You!  Challenges here will pale to being with You in Joy, plus You will help me each day.  I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, died on the cross for my sins, and He completely took them away from me and even You remember them no more.  He was resurrected and now intercedes for me in prayer in Heaven.  Jesus Christ is with me daily; Your Holy Spirit lives within me and helps me now in all ways. Thank You.  I want to abide with You and learn more about You in the Word, the Bible.  Please help me.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

       I applaud your courage and bravery to step over that line of faith!  Do you or I know everything there is about God?  Of course not!!  But, we will learn and try each day, pray, find a great Bible-believing and Christ-believing warm fellowship of other Believers to enjoy Life together.  That is my hope.  Our Promise is in Christ Jesus :) 


<<<These verses are very important, so harken and lend your ear!
Joel 2:25-32 New King James Version (NKJV)
25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,[a]
My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.

God’s Spirit Poured Out

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.


30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.



>>>With thanks to Joni Ames, my dear, Christian friend whom I have heard say or write many times the Scripture of: Joel 2:25.  God bless you always; I know you may or may not be suffering right now, so remember what the Lord tells you in His Word, from the Holy Spirit, the fellowship- all of God's Ways!  As true believers in the LORD and Savior, we possess the mind of Christ!  
1 Corinthians 2  We love you, Joni!  Your gift of the Spirit in teaching and the prophetic have helped and grown many people of the faith, in Christ alone, closer to Him!  
WHAT I WOULD SAY TO MY BELOVED FAMILY Whose Salvation is Unsure: Have You Committed Your Life to Christ Jesus? PART ONE
May the Love of Our LORD Jesus infuse you with His grace and goodness.  
His mercies endure forever! 
Donna M.