Nugget of Truth for Feb 3.2016

Gleaned from my 'Daily Bread' devotions today

I Corinthians 9:27

No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

So often we 'know' the truth and share it but we don't live by that very same truth we share with others.
As we ask the Holy Spirit to transform us, moment by moment, we leave our old selves behind. Empowered by God, we stop ourselves from uttering that cruel word. We put away our electronic device and remain present with our friends. We don’t have to speak the last word in a disagreement.

As we train to run in the Spirit of Christ, how might God want to mold us today
Lord help me examine my heart today and be true to the truth that you show me that I share with others so in the end I can say I ran the race and won the prize.

Nuggets of Truth

My devotions had a powerful message today....

When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God.

But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.

God is stirring up my heart once again to 'feel the pain of the lost'....







I offered a stranger a ride while I was at the chiropractor as I heard her on the phone saying she was stranded....


I put this act of kindness in my 'Sparkle Box' to give to Jesus on Christmas morning.


On my way to church He spoke to my heart and said, 'This is good but what she really needed was to hear you share how I changed your life many years ago.....living water is what the lost need. Whoa....what a stirring in my heart and a few tears of brokeness before God...


A few nights before an issue arose in my heart that I thought I had dealt with....


I got out of bed and frantically looked at all the evidence of a situation that had crushed my heart.....


I cried out to God to help me forgive and to give me His peace that pass's all understanding.


I went back to bed and slept like a baby. The next day I was full of energy and joy unspeakable at work.


When I am right with God He brings unspeakable joy and amazement.

Come to the River of Life....

How often have you been so confused by things going on in your life that you cried out, "Doesn't God care?" I decided to take this river journey to seek out God and find some truths. My heart was crushed, my spirit aching...I had lost my direction in life.

I knew I needed to get back to God and His truths....Hab3:19 says The Sovereign Lord is my Strength...he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.....

I wanted to get back to my Creator....

from where I knew I have drawn strength and direction in the past.

So I took the journey on the river of life and learned and relearned so many of God's truth that I want to write them on my door posts to remind me again and again of His faithfulness.

Starting out on this journey I had my fears.....was I strong enough and experienced enough to take this journey on my own.....could the river carry  me or was it too low....would I freeze to death.....would I be attacked by coyotes.....what if I tipped the canoe and lost everything and got soaking wet and cold...did I have enough food along....could I do it without a partner....what if my cell phone died and I was 'truly' alone.... I wanted this time with God....so "I sought the Lord and He heard me and  delivered me from all my fears...

My journey began at Outlook....I thought about launching at the Gardiner Dam which would make my trip a day or two longer but God gives us 'wise' friends....Marie said, "I feel more comfortable if you stick to the original plan"....listen to your friends.....I would have been caught in high winds and rain had I deviated from 'The Plan'....

Starting out the first thing I saw was a 'Bald Eagle' sitting with its baby and then it took off and soared above me for a long time....I was reminded of the bible verse....

isaiah 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Song...I will soar on eagles wings by Cystal Lake Elementary School

I will soar on eagles wings

I was 'weary'...I needed to find strength so this journey would be a good time to 'wait upon the Lord' and draw from Him....to be renewed.

It seemed to take forever the first day to get anywhere. I left the bridge at Outlook and 13 km later I could still see that bridge.

Sailor Dan and I starting our journey in Outlook

Marie giving me a great sendoff and a prayer for safety

I came to my first river challenge. How do I decide which channel to take. The river was low so I needed to find the 'deep' channel with the least amount of sandbars. The map I had was not perfect....the river is constantly changing so what was a wide channel today may be a trickle tomorrow as I found out later in my journey. I paused and prayed.....Lord help me find the way.....I looked up and there in front of me was a path of beautiful white feathers floating in the direction of one of the channels....Angel feathers.....I had my way! I followed mud bubbles and water ripples  and sometimes I just sat quiet when the waves were blowing against me and just let the current take me in the right direction....it snaked across the river keeping me mostly in the deeper channels or at least deep enough to float me.


Angel feathers and a lucky lady bug lead the way...

The first night I passed many sandhill cranes....they were huge and noisy....I was getting tired so camped not far from an island of them and they sang their noisy songs all night long.

Noisy neighbors..

I tried my best not to disturb them but it was a rare moment when I could quietly sneak by the thousands of them on the sandbars.

Evening Song.....

I left it too late the first night and it was getting dark when I camped. I thought I was organized...ha....I couldn't find anything.....I did get something to eat and found enough wood for a campfire to toast my feet. Hopping in and out of the canoe to maneuver around sandbars meant I travelled in my bare feet so my toes were needing a toasting. Many people kept me warm on my first night....Mikes hoodie covered my back....Tamara's toque and gloves keep my head and hands warm.....Georges wool socks that I darned before I left kept my feet warm and a cell phone call to Marie keep my heart encouraged and all my family and friends cheering me on.... I never felt alone or lonely.

Good Night World....

Day 2 was hot and I burned my nose and the way was easy going....the wind was at my back and the current carried me along without any strenuous paddling....peace like a river took on new meaning. Just the water lapping and the cranes and geese squawking and a frightened beaver slapping his tail in warning.
Discovered after the first day that short pants were in order as jumping in and out of the boat made for wet jeans.

Soggy Bottom Boys

Decided it was time for Sailor Dan to experience his first dip in the river....Tried to talk him into getting rid of that lovely blue, red and white suit he was wearing but he decided against it. So we took a dip and washed up for the day.

Sailor Dan enjoying swimming among the rocks...

We had stopped in Outlook at an antique shop and I bought this dipper so I could enjoy my morning coffee and evening hot chocolate.

Moring cup of 'joe'

Sailor Dan froze his butt off so decided to thaw out in the morning sun while I packed up our gear.

George had sent along some corn on the cob so I toasted it and had a lovely breakfast of scrambled eggs, beans and corn on the cob....mm mm good!

Sailor Dan waiting on a woman....

Matthew West - Forgiveness (Lyric Video)

Wow ....can't believe two years have passed since I last posted here!
Forgiveness....the song and the story once again brought tears to my eyes....
I find myself at a crossroads where I have to forgive...
It is hard but I know the one it will benfit is me....forgiveness gives the freedom to love again....
I want to see 'through eyes of grace'

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

What is 'forgiveness? It is a 'gift from God'.....it is a coming back into a right relationship....it is a tearing down of a wall....it is a release.....a letting go of bitterness and anger and pain....it is a freedom to love again....a freedom to love God , yourself and others.

The story behind the song....Forgiveness

Naughty or Nice

Christmas is a time where we as children and adults take a look at the year and determine whether we've been 'naughty or nice'. Do we 'deserve' to get a present or did we miss the mark and get a 'lump of coal' in our stocking.
What are the 'rules' we have to follow to get on Santa's 'nice' list.
Todays study in the book of Colossians talks about this very subject.
Do we subscribe to the idea that practicing certain rules and regulations will make us good enough to make the 'nice' list. Did we go to 'church' a few times? Did we put a little money in the Christmas cheer pot? Did we contribute to the fall supper? Did we feed the cat and take out the garbage when asked? Did we share our toys? Did we only eat a little candy and all of our broccoli?
We can become puffed up and self righteous thinking we are 'good' enough? We have arrived....we are on the 'good' list.
Following a set of man made rules gives an outward semblance of goodness or spirituality but it can't change our hearts. This legalism is a popular thing because you can 'measure' your goodness or spiritual life - and even brag about it!
The power of Christ in our life does more than merely restrain our desires: it puts new desires within us. Nature determines appetite. As Christians we have the very nature of God within us.  This means we have godly ambitions and desires. It means we don't need rules or laws on the outside to control our appetites or desires because we have 'life' on the inside. We are powerless on our own to fulfil all the requirements to make it to the 'good' list.
And that is what Christmas is all about.
John 3:16 "God so loved 'me' and 'you' that He gave His only Begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have Everlasting Life.
We need to embrace the spiritual reality we have in Christ.
As we yield to the indwelling Spirit, we receive the power we need for daily living.
It transforms us from the inside out.

A warm reality...

God is with us

Our pastor is sharing sermons on the Holy Spirit....who He is....what work He does in our life's.
Jesus returned to heaven so He could give us the greatest gift of all....the Holy Spirit.
If we could fully grasp the magnitude of this, it would blow our minds. When we accept the 'work of the cross'....that Jesus paid the debt of our sin to bring us into a right standing with God....and then left us with the person of the Holy Spirit to 'dwell'  in us.....God living in me....God living in you....Wow...