REMEMBER the story in Daniel 5 about King Belshazzar? He was believed to have been the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar on his mother’s side of the family. Ancient Babylon flourished under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar, but his son and successor, Belshazzar, proved weak and wild. He ignored all standards, and drank heavily from the holy vessels that were seized from the Temple in Jerusalem. A strange thing happened on the night of the great feast when Belsahazzar committed this act of sacrilege! A mysterious hand appeared, and to his astonishment, the hand wrote four strange words on the wall of the banquet room.
WOULD THAT have been me, I would have sobered up pretty fast! However only Daniel, the Hebrew prophet, could interpret the mysterious message. He boldly told the ruler that they spelled disaster for him and for his nation. That night Belshazzar was defeated and slain, just as Daniel said he would be, and Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians.
WHAT WAS the mysterious message? "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN." Daniel 5:25 In researching this I discovered the Aramaic of the weight known as a "maneh" is Mene; the verb from which it is derived means;"to number". Tekel; the Aramaic of the weight known as a "shekel"; the related verb means; "to weigh". Parsin; the Aramaic plural of the half-maneh weight; the related verb means "to divide." Daniel interpreted the names of the weights in terms of their related verbs; "numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided." Interestingly enough; Peres, the singular of Persin also suggests the name Persians.
SO WHAT WAS the mysterious message? "God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.
Your kingdom is divided and given away to the Medes and Persians." Daniel 5:26-28
DID YOU KNOW that the foundation of this very wall has been uncovered? According to Halley’s Bible Handbook it has, and he shows a picture of the wall. Did you know that until 1853 no mention of Belshazzar was found in Babylonian records and another guy was known as the last king of Babylon? I don’t consider myself an authority on this subject but I do find it interesting when a story in the Bible comes to life as proof is given.
RELIGIOUS DRAMAS of the Middle Ages often included this vivid event that took place in the ancient banquet hall. Viewers of such pageants would sit on the edge of their seats, enthralled as they watched the writing of the strange warning to a king. As a result, any threat of impending doom is still known as "handwriting on the wall." Have you ever used that phrase yourself? I am sure I have because the term is often bantered about even today.
OF COURSE this story is during the time of the Law of Moses, even though the Israelites had been in captivity for 70 plus years. How do you think God views His people and even people in general today, who go about defacing or defiling the things that are precious to Him? Christians are referred to as the Temple of the Holy Spirit as well as the Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. What kinds of things do we do that would or could be called sacrileges? Think about those who are torturing and murdering God’s people!
"THEREFORE, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness, without which, no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness spring up and cause trouble, and by it, the many become defiled." Hebrews 12:12-15
PAY attention to your walk, so that as you go, no one can say that your days are numbered; that you have been found wanting, and all you have will be divided, and cast asunder. The writing on our wall has already been written by God through our baptism. It came with a seal, the Holy Spirit. Our escape route is through our obedience and His forgiveness. No matter what we may face; God knows our hearts; He is our witness! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/17/15
(Why You Say It by Webb Garrison) (Halley’s Bible Handbook)
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Sunday, February 8, 2015
OH TO BE CHARMING! 2/8/15
HAVE YOU ever attended a beauty pageant? One where the judges took in account the ease, charm and the absolute beauty of the contestant, to the extent that one is better than all the others. A winner is chosen with a first and second runner up! All take a prize; and life goes on.
MOST LITTLE girls grow up with the idea planted into their little heads that they should have gone to a charm school to learn how to be graceful and pleasing in all circumstances. Most little girls wanted to be tom boys but were always scolded with; Sit still; put your legs together; don’t cross your legs; stand up tall, don’t slump your shoulders and the worst of all; act like a girl!
AS ADULTS we are enamored with those who can be graceful; who dress with charm, and walk in and out of all situations with ease. Some make comments like; "A woman of such grace and grandeur" or "She has such grace and always does the proper thing." "Oh to have such grace!" Oh to have these statements made about you. No such luck when you are clumsy!
I HAVE ALWAYS liked the idea of having a grace period. Payment is due on the 1st but you have a 15 day grace period. Of course today with all the bailing out of big business and allowing the government to become involved where they shouldn’t, a lot of rules and regulations are changing within the finance world and the grace period could become a thing of the past.
GRACE ISN’T usually a dinner topic but it is our topic this weekend. Grace in the world stands for posture; manner and a somewhat sense of propriety. The name Grace is one of the top ten most favorite girls names of this generation. And why not; it is a beautiful name and means "God’s favor!" In our church alone; there are at least 4, not to mention those who have the middle name of Grace.
"THEREFORE putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy, and all slander; and become like newborn babes who long for the pure milk of the word; that by it you may grow in respect to salvation." 1 Peter 2:1 Understanding our part in "grace" is to become involved in God’s will. We grow in the grace of God by reading and doing His word. We begin with the milk; learning how to repent, and to follow the Savior. From there we begin to know our God!
"BUT GROW in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen!" 2 Peter 3:18 We are walking in God’s grace from here through eternity. Sounds ominous, but God says we can do this!
WHEN WE continue in growing in God’s grace we can see how the Beatitudes can apply to us. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted; Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth; Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied; Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy; Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of me." Matthew 5:3-11 Can you see the results of God’s grace? When we make every effort to supplement our faith with; virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness and brotherly love; we become more fruitful and affective in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
WHOEVER lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Those who do these things will be richly provided an entrance into the eternal kingdom. We are walking in God’s grace; not by our charming ways! This is the Holy Spirit within us! The road we are on is the road to heaven by way of Calvary. Thanks be to our God for His passion in saving souls! By Jane Ann Crenshaw (3/11/10) Revised 2/7/15
MOST LITTLE girls grow up with the idea planted into their little heads that they should have gone to a charm school to learn how to be graceful and pleasing in all circumstances. Most little girls wanted to be tom boys but were always scolded with; Sit still; put your legs together; don’t cross your legs; stand up tall, don’t slump your shoulders and the worst of all; act like a girl!
AS ADULTS we are enamored with those who can be graceful; who dress with charm, and walk in and out of all situations with ease. Some make comments like; "A woman of such grace and grandeur" or "She has such grace and always does the proper thing." "Oh to have such grace!" Oh to have these statements made about you. No such luck when you are clumsy!
I HAVE ALWAYS liked the idea of having a grace period. Payment is due on the 1st but you have a 15 day grace period. Of course today with all the bailing out of big business and allowing the government to become involved where they shouldn’t, a lot of rules and regulations are changing within the finance world and the grace period could become a thing of the past.
GRACE ISN’T usually a dinner topic but it is our topic this weekend. Grace in the world stands for posture; manner and a somewhat sense of propriety. The name Grace is one of the top ten most favorite girls names of this generation. And why not; it is a beautiful name and means "God’s favor!" In our church alone; there are at least 4, not to mention those who have the middle name of Grace.
"THEREFORE putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy, and all slander; and become like newborn babes who long for the pure milk of the word; that by it you may grow in respect to salvation." 1 Peter 2:1 Understanding our part in "grace" is to become involved in God’s will. We grow in the grace of God by reading and doing His word. We begin with the milk; learning how to repent, and to follow the Savior. From there we begin to know our God!
"BUT GROW in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen!" 2 Peter 3:18 We are walking in God’s grace from here through eternity. Sounds ominous, but God says we can do this!
WHEN WE continue in growing in God’s grace we can see how the Beatitudes can apply to us. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted; Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth; Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied; Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy; Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of me." Matthew 5:3-11 Can you see the results of God’s grace? When we make every effort to supplement our faith with; virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness and brotherly love; we become more fruitful and affective in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
WHOEVER lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Those who do these things will be richly provided an entrance into the eternal kingdom. We are walking in God’s grace; not by our charming ways! This is the Holy Spirit within us! The road we are on is the road to heaven by way of Calvary. Thanks be to our God for His passion in saving souls! By Jane Ann Crenshaw (3/11/10) Revised 2/7/15
Sunday, February 1, 2015
TIME WELL SPENT! 2/1/15
HAVE YOU ever wanted to do something but didn’t do it because of the time factor? It would be too hard or perhaps it would cost more than you wanted to spend right then. How about, what if it didn’t work? Then what would we do? Well a few weeks ago I had a bright idea! Jim is always agreeable and so we began to plan. Then the time we wanted to do it, wouldn’t work because of obligations already in place. So we decided not to do it that week, but do it the next week. And so we did! It worked and even though it was all done in just a few days, and we were exhausted when we climbed into our own bed; it was worth it!
"COMMIT your plans to the Lord and your plans will succeed" Proverbs 16:3 Our plan was to surprise my sister and her husband on their 47th anniversary, and take them to dinner. They live about 9 hours away which meant Jim would be driving a lot, and of course, we would be staying in motel’s a couple of nights. That wasn’t daunting but we would only be able to spend one night there. What if they weren’t home! Of course we didn’t want to call them until we were in their driveway.
SO THE SECOND PLAN was the first, but make arrangements to visit some old friends also. They are not as old as Jim and me but close enough, and we haven’t seen them for many years. We also wanted to visit with their son and his wife! So the plan included spending the night at the bed and breakfast that they are associated with, for a donation only, and have breakfast out with the four of them.
BUT MY PRAYER was that Jeri and Ron would be home, we would go to dinner and have a good time celebrating both of our anniversaries; theirs the week before and ours, the day before we got there. Our cup would run over by being able to visit with old friends later that night, and visiting in the morning over breakfast. God is so good! Because that is exactly what happened. Everything fell into place and Jim didn’t fall asleep at the wheel!
SOMETIMES when we make plans in a rushed way, it comes to pass. But many times when every minute counts, we don’t do it because we don’t have enough time. In 2002, some one said; "We have all the time we need, to do everything God wants us to, in 2002!" Every year I try to say that and make it rhyme. So here goes again; "God has given us time, to love one another, and it is always, time well spent!" Okay, so it doesn’t rhyme!
THIS IS a new year with one month already spent; eleven more to go! How are you going to spend it? If only we could do something similar to what we did this month; every month! How exciting that would be! Should have thought of this 20 or 30 years ago, but then we didn’t have time! Retirement does have it’s perks! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/31/15
"COMMIT your plans to the Lord and your plans will succeed" Proverbs 16:3 Our plan was to surprise my sister and her husband on their 47th anniversary, and take them to dinner. They live about 9 hours away which meant Jim would be driving a lot, and of course, we would be staying in motel’s a couple of nights. That wasn’t daunting but we would only be able to spend one night there. What if they weren’t home! Of course we didn’t want to call them until we were in their driveway.
SO THE SECOND PLAN was the first, but make arrangements to visit some old friends also. They are not as old as Jim and me but close enough, and we haven’t seen them for many years. We also wanted to visit with their son and his wife! So the plan included spending the night at the bed and breakfast that they are associated with, for a donation only, and have breakfast out with the four of them.
BUT MY PRAYER was that Jeri and Ron would be home, we would go to dinner and have a good time celebrating both of our anniversaries; theirs the week before and ours, the day before we got there. Our cup would run over by being able to visit with old friends later that night, and visiting in the morning over breakfast. God is so good! Because that is exactly what happened. Everything fell into place and Jim didn’t fall asleep at the wheel!
SOMETIMES when we make plans in a rushed way, it comes to pass. But many times when every minute counts, we don’t do it because we don’t have enough time. In 2002, some one said; "We have all the time we need, to do everything God wants us to, in 2002!" Every year I try to say that and make it rhyme. So here goes again; "God has given us time, to love one another, and it is always, time well spent!" Okay, so it doesn’t rhyme!
THIS IS a new year with one month already spent; eleven more to go! How are you going to spend it? If only we could do something similar to what we did this month; every month! How exciting that would be! Should have thought of this 20 or 30 years ago, but then we didn’t have time! Retirement does have it’s perks! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/31/15
Saturday, January 24, 2015
GOD'S RESTORATION! 1/25/15
NOT LONG after my son turned 40 he had a heart attack! His body already had replacement arteries, so no stints were needed. Not long after I turned 70 I had a heart attack and had one stint put in. At the time my son and I had our heart attacks the hospital had a rehab program for heart patients, and so both of us were able to go thru a six week, 3 times a week, rehab. We were wired up and connected to a monitor. We were watched, evaluated, and our blood pressure was measure often during our morning visits.
AT FIRST both of us were a little intimidated because we were afraid to do anything for fear it would bring on another heart attack. But we were encouraged to keep moving along, and we had to work hard at it physically, emotionally and mentally! By the time the six weeks were up, our confidence was restored. However, part of us was still in recovery! Little by little we began to live again without apprehension, and life has become good again.
I HEARD a phrase a few years ago that I wrote down and came across it, just this morning. "Let God restore you but don’t stay in recovery all your life!" God’s rehabilitation is full restoration. But we have to discipline ourselves to respond to His program. Now I know most people do not like "programs". But the Church needs programs to get us off the couch! Without them we neither learn how to become transformed, nor to live the life God has created us for! Think about who you were before Jesus and who you became after Jesus!
KNOWING Jesus is not all in the wrist! Knowing Jesus is when you’ve stopped knowing about Him, and become one with Him! When you know Jesus, as you read the book of John, it literally jumps out at you that because we live in this period of Grace we have advantages that gives us the edge that the world would never understand.
"IF YOU love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth (The Holy Spirit). John 14:15-16 When you know Jesus, you know that after He completed His work; the death burial and resurrection, he promised us that He would never leave us and so He gave us the Holy Spirit that lives within us. Acts 2:38 tells us what we are to do and what will happen afterwards. Upon Baptism our past sins will be forgiven, and we would received God’s Spirit!
YOU SAY but what about our present and future sins? "The times of ignorance, God overlooked, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He has appointed, and of this, He has given assurance to all men, by raising Him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31 God has promised that when we repent, He will forgive; likewise we must forgive others also.
WE ARE on a journey! In the days of old when Jesus came they did not recognize Him. Don’t be like them! God gave us His Word, so we do not have the same excuses of those who came before us. Satan hides the beauty of the Word so we will read junk! Don’t let Satan hinder your way! When we allow Satan in, he sets about stealing our peace and our happiness! But let me tell you, Satan may take away your happiness but he cannot take away your JOY, because JOY is the fruit of the Spirit within you! It has come to stay!
MANY talk about works but they are alluding to the law of the Old Testament. We are not under the law! Jesus said he was working just as His Father in heaven was working. We need to work at keeping our lives in tune. God has given us restoration not just rehab! Keeping in the word is how we keep our joints lubed and oiled! I heard a preacher say; "One who wants the perks without the works is a jerk!" Having the rehab after a heart attack was a good thing and Danny and I were blessed to do that. But the program closed after I finished. God’s program never stops. It is His way or the highway; choose wisely! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/24/15
AT FIRST both of us were a little intimidated because we were afraid to do anything for fear it would bring on another heart attack. But we were encouraged to keep moving along, and we had to work hard at it physically, emotionally and mentally! By the time the six weeks were up, our confidence was restored. However, part of us was still in recovery! Little by little we began to live again without apprehension, and life has become good again.
I HEARD a phrase a few years ago that I wrote down and came across it, just this morning. "Let God restore you but don’t stay in recovery all your life!" God’s rehabilitation is full restoration. But we have to discipline ourselves to respond to His program. Now I know most people do not like "programs". But the Church needs programs to get us off the couch! Without them we neither learn how to become transformed, nor to live the life God has created us for! Think about who you were before Jesus and who you became after Jesus!
KNOWING Jesus is not all in the wrist! Knowing Jesus is when you’ve stopped knowing about Him, and become one with Him! When you know Jesus, as you read the book of John, it literally jumps out at you that because we live in this period of Grace we have advantages that gives us the edge that the world would never understand.
"IF YOU love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth (The Holy Spirit). John 14:15-16 When you know Jesus, you know that after He completed His work; the death burial and resurrection, he promised us that He would never leave us and so He gave us the Holy Spirit that lives within us. Acts 2:38 tells us what we are to do and what will happen afterwards. Upon Baptism our past sins will be forgiven, and we would received God’s Spirit!
YOU SAY but what about our present and future sins? "The times of ignorance, God overlooked, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He has appointed, and of this, He has given assurance to all men, by raising Him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31 God has promised that when we repent, He will forgive; likewise we must forgive others also.
WE ARE on a journey! In the days of old when Jesus came they did not recognize Him. Don’t be like them! God gave us His Word, so we do not have the same excuses of those who came before us. Satan hides the beauty of the Word so we will read junk! Don’t let Satan hinder your way! When we allow Satan in, he sets about stealing our peace and our happiness! But let me tell you, Satan may take away your happiness but he cannot take away your JOY, because JOY is the fruit of the Spirit within you! It has come to stay!
MANY talk about works but they are alluding to the law of the Old Testament. We are not under the law! Jesus said he was working just as His Father in heaven was working. We need to work at keeping our lives in tune. God has given us restoration not just rehab! Keeping in the word is how we keep our joints lubed and oiled! I heard a preacher say; "One who wants the perks without the works is a jerk!" Having the rehab after a heart attack was a good thing and Danny and I were blessed to do that. But the program closed after I finished. God’s program never stops. It is His way or the highway; choose wisely! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/24/15
Saturday, January 17, 2015
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 1/18/15
RECENTLY my attention was drawn to a scripture in Isaiah 42. I love reading Isaiah, some of my favorite versus are in Isaiah but this one I had to ask the question; "what does that mean?" So I read the whole chapter and concluded that God was talking about Jesus and the Church. "I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to graven images." in Verse 8 God sort of repeats this verse as follows; "For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another." Isaiah 48:11
GOD will not share His name or His glory with anything or anyone else. He made it clear when He chose the Israelites to be His children, and He has made it clear to the Church. We are to have no other gods before Him and Him only are we to serve. Why is it we listen to man and neglect His Word?
I TOO LISTENED to my preacher, and my Sunday School teachers, but when I was a child, and had so many more questions than I do today, my Pastor said to me; "Janie, no matter what I teach and preach, it is up to you to check out what I have said, in your own bible, to understand the truth! God wants our full attention! God wants us to pay attention to His Word! God gave us His Word so that when we listen to others telling us what we need to do to be saved we can check it out in His Word and know the truth.
OUR GOD is faithful and true! Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Our God’s Word is still the same as it was before it was written. From the time that God gave Moses the 10 Commandments, His rule of thumb has never changed. Oh, the Law, that was given to the Israelites, has passed away, but God’s rule of thumb is still alive and well through His plan of Grace, and the way to Salvation has never changed since the beginning of the Church.
MANY preach that belief is all you need for Salvation; but I ask the question; "what about repentance, forgiveness, confession, baptism? They are all in the Bible as necessary for salvation also! I tell people it is a process. Each scripture given that declares you will be saved is part of the process. I grew up with the five steps of salvation. It was an easy way to understand the process. Hear, believe, repent, confess and be baptized! So simple and yet so controversial. "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe!" 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
WE MUST hear the Gospel in order to believe. From all the methods God could have chosen to reach the world, He chose preaching. "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 Those who hear the message and believe it, are beginning the process of being saved! Romans 10:9 says "Because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved!" Keeping it to yourself doesn’t work according to God’s Word. Believing in your heart brings justification but saying it with your mouth is what saves you here. "And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!" Acts 2:38 Without baptism you forfeit forgiveness of sin and the greatest gift of all; the Holy Spirit! Process is finished with baptism! That is according to God’s Word not me or any preacher!
THE preacher says only believe and you will be saved! If that was the case why did Jesus walk about sixty miles to be baptized in the Jordan? God was pleased with what Jesus did and the angels rejoice in heaven every time a soul is saved! When making plans for your future; consider asking Jesus into your heart, and being baptized! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/17/15
GOD will not share His name or His glory with anything or anyone else. He made it clear when He chose the Israelites to be His children, and He has made it clear to the Church. We are to have no other gods before Him and Him only are we to serve. Why is it we listen to man and neglect His Word?
I TOO LISTENED to my preacher, and my Sunday School teachers, but when I was a child, and had so many more questions than I do today, my Pastor said to me; "Janie, no matter what I teach and preach, it is up to you to check out what I have said, in your own bible, to understand the truth! God wants our full attention! God wants us to pay attention to His Word! God gave us His Word so that when we listen to others telling us what we need to do to be saved we can check it out in His Word and know the truth.
OUR GOD is faithful and true! Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Our God’s Word is still the same as it was before it was written. From the time that God gave Moses the 10 Commandments, His rule of thumb has never changed. Oh, the Law, that was given to the Israelites, has passed away, but God’s rule of thumb is still alive and well through His plan of Grace, and the way to Salvation has never changed since the beginning of the Church.
MANY preach that belief is all you need for Salvation; but I ask the question; "what about repentance, forgiveness, confession, baptism? They are all in the Bible as necessary for salvation also! I tell people it is a process. Each scripture given that declares you will be saved is part of the process. I grew up with the five steps of salvation. It was an easy way to understand the process. Hear, believe, repent, confess and be baptized! So simple and yet so controversial. "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe!" 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
WE MUST hear the Gospel in order to believe. From all the methods God could have chosen to reach the world, He chose preaching. "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 Those who hear the message and believe it, are beginning the process of being saved! Romans 10:9 says "Because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved!" Keeping it to yourself doesn’t work according to God’s Word. Believing in your heart brings justification but saying it with your mouth is what saves you here. "And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!" Acts 2:38 Without baptism you forfeit forgiveness of sin and the greatest gift of all; the Holy Spirit! Process is finished with baptism! That is according to God’s Word not me or any preacher!
THE preacher says only believe and you will be saved! If that was the case why did Jesus walk about sixty miles to be baptized in the Jordan? God was pleased with what Jesus did and the angels rejoice in heaven every time a soul is saved! When making plans for your future; consider asking Jesus into your heart, and being baptized! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/17/15
Sunday, January 11, 2015
A SONG OF CONFIDENCE! 1/11/15
I WOKE up this morning and realized that this last week was filled with so much busyness that I forgot about Morning Glory. As I was perusing face book a friend serving the Lord in Thailand, posted a very timely scripture. I don’t usually just post scriptures, but today I am. It is so timely and so very much needed as a reminder that our GOD is well and alive on planet earth.
"THE LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? THE LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, is that I will seek after, to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent, He will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD!" Psalms 27:1-6
AS I PONDER the message to us in this passage I keep coming back to one thought. Our enemies declare that their god says to kill the infidel. But our GOD says to love your enemies! Pray for our enemies, knowing that they need God and being willing to sacrifice our time to do just that, is something we all must consider throughout our days.
"HEAR, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! "Come," my heart says, "seek His face!" Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help,. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation! If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up. Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage, wait for the LORD!" Psalms 27:7-14
WE OFTEN need to remind ourselves that even though "We are few," We have the Lord on our side! "Have you not known? Have your not heard?" "The Lord is the everlasting God; the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint!" Isaiah 40:28-31
GOD’S people have always been surrounded by enemies. God commands His people to fight the good fight and promises victory over their foes. However, until death, there is no relief from this warfare. We may walk away from time to time. but only to continue the good fight another day. We never fight alone when we love our enemies and pray for their change of heart. Seek His face regularly to pray for our enemies - God says that when we seek His face with all our hearts, we will find Him! That is a promise! We can put our trust in Him and His Word! God’s heart is revealed to us in John 3:16 By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/11/15
"THE LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? THE LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, is that I will seek after, to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent, He will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD!" Psalms 27:1-6
AS I PONDER the message to us in this passage I keep coming back to one thought. Our enemies declare that their god says to kill the infidel. But our GOD says to love your enemies! Pray for our enemies, knowing that they need God and being willing to sacrifice our time to do just that, is something we all must consider throughout our days.
"HEAR, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! "Come," my heart says, "seek His face!" Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help,. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation! If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up. Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage, wait for the LORD!" Psalms 27:7-14
WE OFTEN need to remind ourselves that even though "We are few," We have the Lord on our side! "Have you not known? Have your not heard?" "The Lord is the everlasting God; the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint!" Isaiah 40:28-31
GOD’S people have always been surrounded by enemies. God commands His people to fight the good fight and promises victory over their foes. However, until death, there is no relief from this warfare. We may walk away from time to time. but only to continue the good fight another day. We never fight alone when we love our enemies and pray for their change of heart. Seek His face regularly to pray for our enemies - God says that when we seek His face with all our hearts, we will find Him! That is a promise! We can put our trust in Him and His Word! God’s heart is revealed to us in John 3:16 By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/11/15
Saturday, January 3, 2015
LOOKING BACK! 1/4/15
IN MAY of 2008 I wrote a Morning Glory called "What is your beginning" and posted it January 1, 2009. 8 years ago was a long time back but I would like to revisit that blog with a few touches here and there of updating and remembering. Our world has faced a lot of obstacles since the entrance of the millennium. Remember the chaos of the computerized world facing the upcoming crash as the clock went from 1999 to 2000.
REMEMBER facing the Y2K crisis? Remember the electronic world scrambling to have a program ready just in case the year reverted back to 1900, instead of moving onto 2000. However, the computers carried on into the millennium without a hitch. Business as usual went on! The world went onto bigger and better programs, along with bigger and better gadgets that they could hold in their hands, so they would no longer have to communicate with each other, over the breakfast table. Instead, they hold their gadgets clicking with their thumbs and wonder why they don’t know each other any more. None of us have remained the same since that time!
EVERYTHING HAS A PAST! Good or bad, there is a past! Lots of times we refer to history to help us to remember. For instance, lets take a look at the 7/11 store! Many of you may already know these things but I find some trivia interesting. The 7/ll Store began sometime during the depression which was in the 30's and it’s beginning was as an "ICE HOUSE." This means they only sold blocks of ice to be use in "ice boxes" which were used to keep food cold. We now have refrigerators and only a few ice boxes are still being used. The name of 7/11 was to advertise the hours of the store. They were open from 7:00 am until 11:00 pm. Hence; 7/11!
THROUGH the years they thought of changing it to 24/7 but decided it was best to just leave it alone. When folks would come for their ice, they would ask why they didn’t also sell; milk! So, they sold ice and milk. Then they were asked about eggs; so they sold ice, milk and eggs. Bread was the next selection and before you knew it, they started adding many items that were regularly requested and today they stock well over 4000 different items to satisfy their customers. In 1957 they began to serve "slurpies" and they became an instant success. Many of us are happy to find they are open all night!
EVERYTHING has a beginning no matter how trivial. What about you? What is your beginning? Has it kept you from moving forward, or has it held you back? My Mom and Dad ran an Ice House also! Although I hadn’t made it on the scene yet, it was a beginning for our family. However, their running an Ice House was not the success of their life, but raising a family of fourteen children was. I guess success is measured by your own perspective.
"BELOVED, "I do not consider that I have made it my own (that is obtain eternal life) but this one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead! I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 Paul spent a lot of time in prison! He didn’t have time to relive what he had done to the Christians, but instead he was his focusing his attention on teaching and preaching the gospel.
WHERE ARE YOU today? How does what Paul did, compare to what you must leave behind? What was Paul pressing towards? The prize of the upward calling. "Eternal life!" Paul says that he was not perfect! He was not complete or yet finished here on earth! Paul was saying he had no righteousness of his own. I have discovered that I too have no righteousness of my own. I too am diligent about what I put into Morning Glory and what I teach and preach in Soul Sisters Bible Study. God doesn’t keep a file on my past and He doesn’t keep a file on yours. What He does keep, is a place in His heart for each us; urgently asking all, to consider a life time of service in His Kingdom; His righteousness can be yours! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/3/15
REMEMBER facing the Y2K crisis? Remember the electronic world scrambling to have a program ready just in case the year reverted back to 1900, instead of moving onto 2000. However, the computers carried on into the millennium without a hitch. Business as usual went on! The world went onto bigger and better programs, along with bigger and better gadgets that they could hold in their hands, so they would no longer have to communicate with each other, over the breakfast table. Instead, they hold their gadgets clicking with their thumbs and wonder why they don’t know each other any more. None of us have remained the same since that time!
EVERYTHING HAS A PAST! Good or bad, there is a past! Lots of times we refer to history to help us to remember. For instance, lets take a look at the 7/11 store! Many of you may already know these things but I find some trivia interesting. The 7/ll Store began sometime during the depression which was in the 30's and it’s beginning was as an "ICE HOUSE." This means they only sold blocks of ice to be use in "ice boxes" which were used to keep food cold. We now have refrigerators and only a few ice boxes are still being used. The name of 7/11 was to advertise the hours of the store. They were open from 7:00 am until 11:00 pm. Hence; 7/11!
THROUGH the years they thought of changing it to 24/7 but decided it was best to just leave it alone. When folks would come for their ice, they would ask why they didn’t also sell; milk! So, they sold ice and milk. Then they were asked about eggs; so they sold ice, milk and eggs. Bread was the next selection and before you knew it, they started adding many items that were regularly requested and today they stock well over 4000 different items to satisfy their customers. In 1957 they began to serve "slurpies" and they became an instant success. Many of us are happy to find they are open all night!
EVERYTHING has a beginning no matter how trivial. What about you? What is your beginning? Has it kept you from moving forward, or has it held you back? My Mom and Dad ran an Ice House also! Although I hadn’t made it on the scene yet, it was a beginning for our family. However, their running an Ice House was not the success of their life, but raising a family of fourteen children was. I guess success is measured by your own perspective.
"BELOVED, "I do not consider that I have made it my own (that is obtain eternal life) but this one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead! I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 Paul spent a lot of time in prison! He didn’t have time to relive what he had done to the Christians, but instead he was his focusing his attention on teaching and preaching the gospel.
WHERE ARE YOU today? How does what Paul did, compare to what you must leave behind? What was Paul pressing towards? The prize of the upward calling. "Eternal life!" Paul says that he was not perfect! He was not complete or yet finished here on earth! Paul was saying he had no righteousness of his own. I have discovered that I too have no righteousness of my own. I too am diligent about what I put into Morning Glory and what I teach and preach in Soul Sisters Bible Study. God doesn’t keep a file on my past and He doesn’t keep a file on yours. What He does keep, is a place in His heart for each us; urgently asking all, to consider a life time of service in His Kingdom; His righteousness can be yours! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/3/15
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