THERE IS a favorite old hymn that says at the end of the chorus; “Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer precious Lord, to thy precious, bleeding side!” Beautiful words to live by. When Jesus came to earth to show us the Father and when He went to cross to bring us to the Father, He drew us closer than man had ever been before. He has never moved! I have heard many preachers say; “draw close to God!” And I say; Amen!
WHEN my children were small and into their teen years, they either wanted to sit on my lap and later they would sit so close that they were almost on my lap. I loved it! I miss those days when they wanted to be so close to Mom and Dad. When Jennifer was a toddler she would push me away. It was difficult to understand why, but I eventually didn’t try to make her stay close to me. One day when she was about four she came into the house and over to where I was standing in front of the stove. She wrapped her little arms around my legs. I pushed her away, and said I was busy. She wandered off and suddenly it hit me! She wanted me and I turned her away. I never did that again, and God never does that to us!
I WONDER how many times God has wanted us to be close to Him and we have pushed Him away. I wonder how many times we have come and simply wrapped our aching hearts around Him and He wrapped His loving arms around us without recourse. How many times has He said to us; “How do I love thee, let me count the ways!” God loves us so much that He gave His only Son, so that we might be His forever.
“OR DO YOU suppose it is in vain that the scripture says; “He yearns jealously over the spirit which He has made to dwell in us? But He gives us more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:5-6 This is not the Holy Spirit that James is referring to. It is the spirit God has given each of us when our lives began. Our spirits are filled with fierce desires which can destroy us if we do not get a handle on them. He gives us grace to draw close to Him. What does God see in us that draws Him close to us!
“SO THEN, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.” James 4:7 God gives us the grace to overcome our human spirit! And God show us a better way of living even to cause others to follow His son; Jesus Christ! “Toward the scorners He is scornful, but to the humble He shows favor!” Proverbs 3:34 God frustrates the plans of the prideful but He gives grace to the humble so they can succeed. He is drawn to the humble!
THROUGH the Holy Spirit we have received power to resist the Devil and we have received power to do all things through Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are given grace to become all that God has created us to be. A man named Benson says: “We may chase away the Devil, not by holy water, the sign of the cross, or any superstitious charm, but by steady virtue and resolute goodness.”
“DRAW NEAR to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind.” James 4:8 WOW! If we wish to have God very near to us we must seek to dwell very near to Him! This passage says we are to have clean hands and a pure heart. One of my favorite passages in Psalms says; “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of His salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.” Psalms 24:3-6
IT IS CLEAR that we must get rid of those evil desires and bad motives which make us act in such contradictory ways. Don’t allow the world to take precedence in your lives. Instead Praise the God who draws near to us; so we can draw near to Him! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 9/11/15
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
WHERE HAS OUR PASSION GONE? 9/20/15
RECENTLY I received an email from a Pastor friend of mine. The following is from his Sunday morning ‘sermon starter’ (9/13/15)
“FRIDAY we remembered our National Disaster of 9/11. We played on national television our clips of remembrance of when the twin towers fell. We gave our memorial homilies, prayed our prayers, did our memory rituals and gave our tearful eulogies and tributes to the fallen on Friday. A week from now most of our routine rituals will be forgotten as we press on in the business of daily living.”
“I REMEMBER with longing the time when we felt the passion associated with being an American. What about the night of September 12th, 2001 when both houses of the U.S. congress stood together on the steps of the Capitol and sang, “God Bless America?” What about a time when you couldn’t find an American flag in any store in the U.S.? They were sold out and it took weeks to get one on back order. What about the weeks following 9/11 when our churches were filled with people who were frightened about the future?”
“I WAS NEVER more proud to be an American than September 17, 2001, when CBS news correspondent, Dan Rather was being interviewed on David Letterman’s show. He was reflecting about how this is the first time mainland American soil has been stained with the blood of the innocent. He began to quote the fourth verse of the patriotic hymn; “O Beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years. Thine alabaster cities’ gleam, undimmed by human tears!” The venerable, ordinarily stoic newsman stopped, his voice broken with grief. He couldn’t go on. He was speaking from the heart of a grieving nation. Letterman broke for a commercial so he could compose himself. I shall never forget the newsman’s prophetic words when he returned. “America can never again sing the fourth verse; “Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears!” His voice was still breaking as he struggled to retain composure; “We will never be the same again!”
“WHAT ABOUT our spiritual passion? What happened to you and I spiritually after 9/11? Did we have a great desire to return to the complacency of pre-9/11? Since then a spiritual change has happened to America. We have lost that initial post-9/11 hunger and thirst for God. Now, we are like the desensitized frog-in-the-beaker. We are back to watching our mind-numbing satellite and cable network shows and have let these fourteen years slip by without answering God’s call to Battle with the spiritual forces of darkness.” (Phil Roland)
BUT WHAT ABOUT our passion? Are we still on fire for God and His mercies? After 9/11 our Churches were filling up faster than a gas tank at a local gas pump. Today we are being threatened by incident after incident as the cloud of darkness is circling their camps on American soil once again. It has a different name, the cause is somewhat suspect but the outcomes are cruelly the same. Today, Christians are the focus and the perpetrators are blatant in their assault. The enemy has drawn the line in the sand throughout Europe and it is trying to break down the doors of the American borders. Are we going to let them in?
THE CHRISTIAN is called to repent and to PRAY! God says; “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
2nd Chronicles 7:14 God is calling on all of His people to pray! God wants us to remember; “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.. Ephesians 6:12 As the song says; “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” Jane Ann Crenshaw 9/14/1
“FRIDAY we remembered our National Disaster of 9/11. We played on national television our clips of remembrance of when the twin towers fell. We gave our memorial homilies, prayed our prayers, did our memory rituals and gave our tearful eulogies and tributes to the fallen on Friday. A week from now most of our routine rituals will be forgotten as we press on in the business of daily living.”
“I REMEMBER with longing the time when we felt the passion associated with being an American. What about the night of September 12th, 2001 when both houses of the U.S. congress stood together on the steps of the Capitol and sang, “God Bless America?” What about a time when you couldn’t find an American flag in any store in the U.S.? They were sold out and it took weeks to get one on back order. What about the weeks following 9/11 when our churches were filled with people who were frightened about the future?”
“I WAS NEVER more proud to be an American than September 17, 2001, when CBS news correspondent, Dan Rather was being interviewed on David Letterman’s show. He was reflecting about how this is the first time mainland American soil has been stained with the blood of the innocent. He began to quote the fourth verse of the patriotic hymn; “O Beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years. Thine alabaster cities’ gleam, undimmed by human tears!” The venerable, ordinarily stoic newsman stopped, his voice broken with grief. He couldn’t go on. He was speaking from the heart of a grieving nation. Letterman broke for a commercial so he could compose himself. I shall never forget the newsman’s prophetic words when he returned. “America can never again sing the fourth verse; “Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears!” His voice was still breaking as he struggled to retain composure; “We will never be the same again!”
“WHAT ABOUT our spiritual passion? What happened to you and I spiritually after 9/11? Did we have a great desire to return to the complacency of pre-9/11? Since then a spiritual change has happened to America. We have lost that initial post-9/11 hunger and thirst for God. Now, we are like the desensitized frog-in-the-beaker. We are back to watching our mind-numbing satellite and cable network shows and have let these fourteen years slip by without answering God’s call to Battle with the spiritual forces of darkness.” (Phil Roland)
BUT WHAT ABOUT our passion? Are we still on fire for God and His mercies? After 9/11 our Churches were filling up faster than a gas tank at a local gas pump. Today we are being threatened by incident after incident as the cloud of darkness is circling their camps on American soil once again. It has a different name, the cause is somewhat suspect but the outcomes are cruelly the same. Today, Christians are the focus and the perpetrators are blatant in their assault. The enemy has drawn the line in the sand throughout Europe and it is trying to break down the doors of the American borders. Are we going to let them in?
THE CHRISTIAN is called to repent and to PRAY! God says; “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
2nd Chronicles 7:14 God is calling on all of His people to pray! God wants us to remember; “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.. Ephesians 6:12 As the song says; “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” Jane Ann Crenshaw 9/14/1
Saturday, September 12, 2015
DO YOU KNOW! 9/13/15
DO YOU KNOW that God did not disclose His will all at once, through those, from the beginning of mankind? Do you know that God revealed all things in “bits and pieces” then? There were exceptions, like Melchizedek, Balaam and even Job. Did you know that God spoke to the prophets of the Jewish nation and would reveal some things to one prophet, and another part would come through a different one? Did you know that 1500 years passed from Moses to Christ? And did you know that the Old Testament was not complete until the last word of Malachi was written!
“IN THE PAST God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets. But in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end. “He shines with the brightness of God’s glory; He is the exact likeness of God’s own being, and sustains the universe with His powerful Word After He had made men clean from their sins, He sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power!” Hebrews 1:1-3 (Good News)
PETER IDENTIFIES; “but in these last days” as beginning on Pentecost. Apparently, the Church has been in the lasts days since it began. Kind of mind boggling isn’t it! What mystify’s me is that the Church doesn’t get the picture of Christ’s coming again, even though Jesus said it Himself. “And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be there also.” John 14:3
IT IS CLEAR to me that the place (or a room), Jesus went to prepare for us, was the cross. Without the cross there would be no place for us to go. This passage is speaking of Christ’s second coming. All who belong to Him will be taken to the “wedding feast in heaven”. Paul reiterates this as follows; “Those who have died believing in Christ, will rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will all be gathered up along with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17
I CAN’T HELP but feel excited about His coming again! Paul had it altogether when he preached the Word and when he wrote his letters. He was lifting up and encouraging the Saints to be ready, fully prepared, and full of anticipation. Jesus was coming again! May not have been then or it may not be tomorrow, but you can count on God to fulfill His promise, because, ‘Jesus is coming again!'
LET’S GET THE PICTURE! All of God’s people since the beginning of time will be gathered up as the dead rise to life, and those living are changed, to meet the Lord in the air. Nothing says that Jesus will ever set foot on earth again. His people will rise to meet Him! The Church that is active here on earth, will become the Church Triumphant. The Church of Christ does not terminate, but is united with Christ as a bride to her husband, and the Wedding Feast continues forever without end.
I BELIEVE that the church should live excitedly. Some would like to say that because Jim and I are so active in our Church, we are just involved in busy work. There is nothing busy about it! Oh our days are full, we like to be there whenever the doors are open but busy work means not important. When we are asked to do something we give it our all. It is not important that it be important to everyone, but it becomes important to us because it is for God’s Kingdom. Makes all the difference in the world to us!
“SO THEN, cheer each other up with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18 I love the words of songs; “Get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is king!” “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace.” Jim and I want to be there, and wouldn’t it be more than wonderful, if you were there also. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 9/5/15
“IN THE PAST God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets. But in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end. “He shines with the brightness of God’s glory; He is the exact likeness of God’s own being, and sustains the universe with His powerful Word After He had made men clean from their sins, He sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power!” Hebrews 1:1-3 (Good News)
PETER IDENTIFIES; “but in these last days” as beginning on Pentecost. Apparently, the Church has been in the lasts days since it began. Kind of mind boggling isn’t it! What mystify’s me is that the Church doesn’t get the picture of Christ’s coming again, even though Jesus said it Himself. “And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be there also.” John 14:3
IT IS CLEAR to me that the place (or a room), Jesus went to prepare for us, was the cross. Without the cross there would be no place for us to go. This passage is speaking of Christ’s second coming. All who belong to Him will be taken to the “wedding feast in heaven”. Paul reiterates this as follows; “Those who have died believing in Christ, will rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will all be gathered up along with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17
I CAN’T HELP but feel excited about His coming again! Paul had it altogether when he preached the Word and when he wrote his letters. He was lifting up and encouraging the Saints to be ready, fully prepared, and full of anticipation. Jesus was coming again! May not have been then or it may not be tomorrow, but you can count on God to fulfill His promise, because, ‘Jesus is coming again!'
LET’S GET THE PICTURE! All of God’s people since the beginning of time will be gathered up as the dead rise to life, and those living are changed, to meet the Lord in the air. Nothing says that Jesus will ever set foot on earth again. His people will rise to meet Him! The Church that is active here on earth, will become the Church Triumphant. The Church of Christ does not terminate, but is united with Christ as a bride to her husband, and the Wedding Feast continues forever without end.
I BELIEVE that the church should live excitedly. Some would like to say that because Jim and I are so active in our Church, we are just involved in busy work. There is nothing busy about it! Oh our days are full, we like to be there whenever the doors are open but busy work means not important. When we are asked to do something we give it our all. It is not important that it be important to everyone, but it becomes important to us because it is for God’s Kingdom. Makes all the difference in the world to us!
“SO THEN, cheer each other up with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18 I love the words of songs; “Get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is king!” “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace.” Jim and I want to be there, and wouldn’t it be more than wonderful, if you were there also. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 9/5/15
Saturday, September 5, 2015
BEGINNING AGAIN! September 6, 2015
HOW MANY TIMES have you started over? How many times have you used a new recipe and discovered, as you took it out of the oven, that you obviously did something wrong! On a bad day you would throw it out and call it a day. On a good day you begin again, but this time by checking each step to be sure you've got it right. Not many of us are perfect or ever near perfect at the beginning of anything. It takes practice, show and tell, along with perseverance to get to the goal set before us.
SEPTEMBER is a period of beginning again! For many, school begins again, and for me, I will begin blogging again. I began blogging "Morning Glory Devotionals" in September 2008. I began blogging MGY Treasures Devotionals a few years back. Same blog but two different locations. Perhaps, you could say this month is my blogging anniversary. The last one posted was April; Easter Sunday. Lot of changes have taken place in my life since then. We prepared to sell our house after we listed it and continued to get it ready for the new buyer even after it sold. Closing was delayed for one reason after another and the home we planned to move into was waiting for the first transaction to be completed. However, in due time it all came together and now we are beginning again in another location, but the same town.
I HADN'T THOUGHT about picking up blogging again until my young friend, the computer wiz, suggested I should begin again in September. After thinking about it and re-reading the beginning of my blogging days, I decided to go ahead and begin again. I have to admit how surprised I was to discover just how many have continued to read my blog even during my absence. How they find my blog is beyond my understanding, but then God's love for me is also beyond my understanding!
"IN THE BEGINNING God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 When God completed His creative work, He rested! It wasn't until Adam and Eve left the garden that God's plan began moving into a different direction God didn't stop being God but His plans changed for a period of time. All of this affects us today in a great way! When God un-veiled His Son, Jesus Christ, His plan included you and me. He offered us all a way to begin again!
WHEN WE WERE BORN, we came into this life with nothing but a need. Until we met Jesus we were lost in our need. The interesting thing about meeting Jesus Christ is we become born again! We begin our early life learning how to live as a child, then an adult. All these years, we are learning, but until we meet Jesus we do not know how to lean sufficiently on the one that can fill our need.
GOD'S WORD says we can be born again! This is not spelled out totally in one scripture, but it is a process that God's Word reveals to us, as we become ready to hear, believe, and to confess. "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38 Not many talk this way but I do; 'you are to hear, believe, repent and confess' often, but you only need to be baptized once. Then you have the Holy Spirit and your need is filled! You are born again! Your earthy body will decay in death but your spiritual body will live eternally in heaven with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. WOW! Are you ready to begin again in Jesus Christ?
YOU HAVE A CHOICE! You can choose Jesus Christ today and live eternally with Him , or you can remain as you are; still seeking for something to fill that need and eventually end up lost in the search. Even though our spirits have been created to live eternally, its your choice that will decide where! I pray that for those who need to be born again; do it today! I pray for a revival in those who need to begin again; do it today! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 8/21/15
SEPTEMBER is a period of beginning again! For many, school begins again, and for me, I will begin blogging again. I began blogging "Morning Glory Devotionals" in September 2008. I began blogging MGY Treasures Devotionals a few years back. Same blog but two different locations. Perhaps, you could say this month is my blogging anniversary. The last one posted was April; Easter Sunday. Lot of changes have taken place in my life since then. We prepared to sell our house after we listed it and continued to get it ready for the new buyer even after it sold. Closing was delayed for one reason after another and the home we planned to move into was waiting for the first transaction to be completed. However, in due time it all came together and now we are beginning again in another location, but the same town.
I HADN'T THOUGHT about picking up blogging again until my young friend, the computer wiz, suggested I should begin again in September. After thinking about it and re-reading the beginning of my blogging days, I decided to go ahead and begin again. I have to admit how surprised I was to discover just how many have continued to read my blog even during my absence. How they find my blog is beyond my understanding, but then God's love for me is also beyond my understanding!
"IN THE BEGINNING God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 When God completed His creative work, He rested! It wasn't until Adam and Eve left the garden that God's plan began moving into a different direction God didn't stop being God but His plans changed for a period of time. All of this affects us today in a great way! When God un-veiled His Son, Jesus Christ, His plan included you and me. He offered us all a way to begin again!
WHEN WE WERE BORN, we came into this life with nothing but a need. Until we met Jesus we were lost in our need. The interesting thing about meeting Jesus Christ is we become born again! We begin our early life learning how to live as a child, then an adult. All these years, we are learning, but until we meet Jesus we do not know how to lean sufficiently on the one that can fill our need.
GOD'S WORD says we can be born again! This is not spelled out totally in one scripture, but it is a process that God's Word reveals to us, as we become ready to hear, believe, and to confess. "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38 Not many talk this way but I do; 'you are to hear, believe, repent and confess' often, but you only need to be baptized once. Then you have the Holy Spirit and your need is filled! You are born again! Your earthy body will decay in death but your spiritual body will live eternally in heaven with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. WOW! Are you ready to begin again in Jesus Christ?
YOU HAVE A CHOICE! You can choose Jesus Christ today and live eternally with Him , or you can remain as you are; still seeking for something to fill that need and eventually end up lost in the search. Even though our spirits have been created to live eternally, its your choice that will decide where! I pray that for those who need to be born again; do it today! I pray for a revival in those who need to begin again; do it today! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 8/21/15
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