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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Pay Attention!

Are you "paying attention"?
... to the people around you
... to the promptings of the Holy spirit
... to His Word

I am truly blessed to be part of a small group of women who meet together to pray for one another, to share our lives, to study together, to hold each other accountable. Oh! I am a blessed woman indeed!
Thank You, , Lord

There are 7 in this group .... by God's design! His perfect number! He Knew!

We are currently reading "Lioness Arising - Wake Up and Change Your World" by Lisa Bevere.
His Presence was so evident with us last night. I am feeling led to share these words with you today! May they speak to your heart!

2 Peter 3:1,7 (The Message)
Hold your minds in a state of undistracted attention...
God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal.

WHOA!
"Undistracted attention" ..... that means not letting anything take my focus off my God! That means seeing HIM in all I do! In all around me!
I am to do this - action verb - "hold your mind".... my choice - my responsibility.... to be focused, alert, attentive; or to be dull and sluggish, distracted and foggy-minded.

This next paragraph is an excerpt from the book:
"Allow the Holy Spirit to assess your strength in the light of God's Word, and allow hardship to become a training session, knowing you might rise up from it invincible. Allow the weight of God's Word and the tempering and training of the Holy Spirit to quicken and develop the weak or injured areas of your life. Shift your focus from how you look in your clothing to who you are in your spirit. Above all, do not fear your strength. Like the lioness, glorify God with it. Remember, when all the earth is filled with fear and is wondering what is going on, the God of heaven and earth, the Creator of all, calls you to display his fearsome wonder in how you portray your life."

Oh Dear Ones,
Ask God to search your heart and allow the Holy Spirit to show you what changes He needs to make in you; focus on your strengths; let Him nurture them and grow them thru whatever way He chooses.
Give it all over to Him - the author and finisher of your faith - knowing that He will strengthen you to then go on to give your strength to others!
My life has been a training ground - oh, how I'd love to sit with you over a cup of coffee and share how God has tempered me, grown me, and strengthened me! Even though times have been tough I would not trade a single moment of today for any of those yesterdays!
I pray you can say the same!

Blessings on you on this wonderful day!
Resting in HIM,
Ruthie

Monday, March 21, 2011

PEACE

Happy First day of Spring!
It's a beautiful day here... chilly but sunny; birds are lovin' it cuz they are singing away! Puppy is running around outside and lovin' that!
And I'm filled with HIS peace!
Hallelujah!

This picture of hubby and puppy - heading towards one of the most beautiful beaches ever - brings me joy and peace....
For God is in control of all!
I rest in His promises and His provision!
He is faithful!
He loves me!
Thank you, Lord!

I pray your day is filled with the peace that passes all understanding! That can only come from HIM!
Blessings and Hugs!!!!
Ruthie

Thursday, March 17, 2011

By Faith....

By faith ........................ - put your name in there.....

Has God ever called you to a "place" where you did not know where you were going but you were obedient to your Father and went anyway? I believe that was what God did with me when I started writing for this blog a few years ago. The "place" was the computer / internet / blogging world. Oh, how He has blessed me thru this adventure. And I trust you have been blessed as well.

I so want to be obedient to Him.... no matter what that may look like to outsiders. My confidence and my strength will only come from a close relationship with my Father. My heart's desire is for women to understand that they are created by the hands of a loving God... one who desires to be in a relationship with them; For them to understand that their value and worth is from Him and Him only! I have tried to use this venue as a means to bring that Good News to the world. I believe we are all called to share the Good News! How exciting it is to do that with one who is searching; one who is hurting; one who is lonely; one who is rejoicing!

Dear Ones,
I pray that you ask God to provide you with opportunites to do just that! And if you are the one who needs someone to come alongside you .... ask Him to bring that person into your life - He will do that for you!

This life we live is exciting - even in the midst of turmoil; financial strain; health issues; conflict; and so on. Let Him be your Guide and your Director - and by faith .... step out and into whatever He has for you today!

Blessings on you!
Resting in HIM,
Ruthie

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

A False Positive

I am currently reading a book by Beth Moore... "So Long, Insecurity".
Actually our Ladies Bible Study class has taken this book on as our study at this time. I find it very interesting that 2 home groups have "sprung up" to join us in this venture! Ummmm...
I highly recommend this as an excellent read!!!!

Beth tells us, at one point, that most of us have what she calls a "false positive"... something that we think would make us more secure in all things if we attained it! As I read this I began to reflect on what my "false positives" might be...
Another ummmmmm!

Here are some examples from the book:
- Financial success / Popularity / Education / A great man / Children / The perfect job / Losing 50 pounds ... would make me more secure.

Does this have you thinking? I hope so. Take a moment and write down what you perceive as your own false positives.

Then KNOW this ... nothing on this earth has the power to make us secure ... our security comes from Christ in us! Hallelujah!

Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:3 - For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

1 John 5:18 - We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.

2 Timothy 1:7 - for God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

KNOWING - BELIEVING - CLAIMING - TRUSTING - God's Word for our identity gives us security.... I'm not saying that those false positives won't creep in - cuz they will. We have an enemy that wants to destroy us so he will use whatever tactic he can to bring us down. We need to be alert to him and have our hearts and minds filled with Christ - then and only then can we walk in security and confidence of who we are!

Dear Sweet Sisters and Brothers in Christ ... I pray today that you will KNOW who you are; that your security will rest in Him alone and not in any earthly thing. May Your hearts be strengthened by His Word filling it to overflowing!

Blessings Dear Ones ..........

Ruthie