Love The Shepherd & Prayer

During our most difficult days when my husband was suffering from kidney disease it was our Pastor and his wife that were able to embrace our grief along with us. There were others who had good intentions but could not handle our situation, then there were others who wanted us to rise above it. Most days we were lucky if we were able to rise out of bed much less have the strength to rise above our circumstances. People are not always equipped to handle each others emotions especially when it comes to something life threatening and we understood. 

 My Pastor requested many to pray for us during that time and so they did. Pastor and his wife took time to pray with us and for us. I requested prayer from everyone I could think of because I believe so much in prayer. Praying became difficult for me personally after so many years because I had lost the strength and didn't know what to even say anymore. I would pray, Lord, you know who and what we need today more than we do. I was grateful to know prayers were being lifted up in spite of me and there were many days we felt those prayers.

Now I pray for many others who are going through their own difficult circumstances because I know they too may not feel up to praying some days. Our own journey through the valley of the shadow of death has opened our eyes to the hopelessness and fears people are facing during those dark times. Pastors have to take care of many in their congregations who are suffering from all types of serious health issues. We want to remember to pray for our Pastors and their wives as they come along beside others and as they have their own situations with health issues. Let's consider that our Pastors, their wives and their families walk through the valley of the shadow of death with all of us so let's make sure we are continuously praying for them.  Encouraging them and walking along with them in their own personal valleys in life.

Thank you Lord that you sent others in to our life to be the hands and feet of Jesus. You brought us hope when and where we least expected during every hard and difficult moment. Thank you for loving us through others and through your Son who bore the cross for our sin and all our shortcomings.

This picture was taken at a church graveyard while visiting New Castle, Delaware in 2014.

Genesis Chapter 7

  

This chapter tells the story of the flood the entire earth and that only 8 people were safe in the ark. (Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives) Also, a pair of each of the animals were also safe in the ark.

Verses 1-5

God told Noah the flood was going to begin in 7 days and it would rain continually for 40 days and 40 nights.

Verses 6-24

Noah was 600 years old when the earth was flooded. 

In verse 9 it says that the animals went in two and two unto Noah. They came to him. He didn’t have to go after the animals. There were animals that normally kill or eat other species and they lived in harmony on the ark.

Once Noah and the animals were on the ark, God shut and sealed the door. Noah knew that he could not save himself and relied on God to save him and his family. John 10:9 in the New Testament says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.” In God’s plan the door always represents Jesus.

The flood represents judgement to all mankind and all living creatures that died in this flood.

The waters remained on the earth for 150 days. This is an explanation of fossils that have been found all over the earth. Fossils are the remains of plants and animals whose bodies were buried in sand and mud under ancient seas, lakes and rivers.

We see in this chapter that God is love in His protection of Noah and his family but He is also a God of justice when it comes to disobedience. Just like any parent would be with their child. But God offers us a way to be saved from our own sin through Jesus Christ. 

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.

Because of our sin God sent us a way of escaping just like He did Noah and his family through His son on the cross, who paid for all our sin. All these events that we are studying in these books of the Bible will eventually lead to the cross.

Seems Easy Enough

Psalm 1:1-3 
Blessed is the man
         Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,  
         Nor stands in the path of sinners,  
         Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
 ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
         And in His law he meditates day and night.
 ³ He shall be like a tree
         Planted by the rivers of water,  
         That brings forth its fruit in its season,  
         Whose leaf also shall not wither;  
         And whatever he does shall prosper.  

Most people think how fortunate it is to work in ministry because you get to have a job that allows you to read your Bible, pray, and meditate. Actually, it couldn't be further from the truth because if you are involved in ministry you work so hard and so much you are lucky if you have time to read your Bible, pray, and meditate. It just seems impossible when trying to get the work done! We justify it by thinking that we are reaching the masses by our work at the price of our own soul, such a small price to pay, right?

Actually God created us first to worship and then to work but it is easy to get our priorities out of order in the name of the church or ministry. The scriptures are clear above in Psalm on meditating in the Word and living according to His Word in order to be prepared like a tree planted by the water. I have been so full of myself over the years in believing what I was doing was so important that God would overlook my not meditating on Him only to find the wind knocked out of me and wondering why ~ could be that I just chose NOT to hear His still small voice!

It is so important to put God first and keep our priorities in order daily....it's a daily walk with Him!

 This picture was taken in Toledo, Spain when I visited in 2007.