Dear Ladies

#1 · February 12, 2003, 2:04 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on February 12, 2003, 2:04 pm
Posted by: amazingraze <amazingraze@...>

Reading the threads that are going on, makes me want to MAKE the time to share a few things with you that God is impressing upon me. I don't even know what is going on in the world. I don't have time to find out, and maybe that is a blessing. However, so many things that have happened over the last few weeks in our lives all point in a general direction. The message that we heard on Sunday was about setting our minds on heavenly things, not the temporal ones here on this earth. If you can touch it, feel it, see it, then it is temporal. We are to set our sights and desires on those things that are unseen. This world is not our home and we are far too attached to it and the things in it. It was a very timely message. It made me think of the song... Turn your eyes upon Jesus.... Look full in His wonderful face.... And the things of earth will go strangely dim.... In the light of His glory and grace.

I think of how much time and effort I and others put into things here. Getting my house to a place I like ( I have gross, plain, concrete floors that are horrible stained... etc. ) However, I have more than probably 80% of the world. I have a warm place to get out of the cold. I have food, and clean water to drink. Blankets, clothing and so much more. Why do I worry so much about an ugly floor. We have all our plans here on earth and we GIVE SO MUCH of ourselves to see them accomplished. I don't think that all those things are bad, but they take way too high of a priority. I here myself saying so often, how I don't have time to do this or that. However, I have time to be on here. That is one of the reasons, I have been spending less time on here. It is a TEMPORAL VALUE!!!! If I have time to be on here and not enough time to read God's Word and spend time praying, then I am in SIN. Wow, God has really been spanking me. I have done much confessing.

Then I read a book called Whom Shall I Fear. WOW>...... Am I off base. It is about a woman who is arrested (this is back in the Inquisition) and thrown in prison. She had 4 children. The baby went to prison with her. She was put in prison for her faith. They tortured her and her prayer was not for the Lord to ease her pain or make it easy, but that she would stand firm and not recant in the face of the horrid pain. Then they made her choose between keeping her baby (if she recanted Christ) and going back to her family or they would take her baby and put it in a family that was part of their mother church. So, they took her baby. One of her other children died while she was in prison. However, all these horrid things made her long for heaven, which she realized she should have been doing all along. She would think of her motherless children until God pointed out that they belonged to Him anyway. He had loaned them to her for a time to help take care of them. He could take better care of them than she could. Then when she was sentenced to die, her prayer was not for a quick and painless death, but that she would die with a smile on her face and a song on her lips so that even in death, she would glorify the Lord. WOW!!!!! What would I do? I have truly NEVER suffered for the Lord. We have it so easy in this country. We take our walk with the Lord for granted so often.

I am trying to keep my mind sober and on things that matter. To get my focus on living what I believe and sharing it with others. I ask that you pray for me in this. That I will remain steadfast and true to the Lord. If this war comes, if we are attacked or bombed or whatever, it is all in the Lord's hands. I need to be right in the center of His will and then I have no need to fear or worry.

Sorry if this seems hard. I know you can't see my face or hear my tones. These are things God is preaching at me. I am simply sharing them. I love you all and appreciate you and your prayers more than you know. May God speak to each of out hearts!!!!

Only by His merciful grace,
Marci

He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.

Posted by: amazingraze <amazingraze@...>

Reading the threads that are going on, makes me want to MAKE the time to share a few things with you that God is impressing upon me. I don't even know what is going on in the world. I don't have time to find out, and maybe that is a blessing. However, so many things that have happened over the last few weeks in our lives all point in a general direction. The message that we heard on Sunday was about setting our minds on heavenly things, not the temporal ones here on this earth. If you can touch it, feel it, see it, then it is temporal. We are to set our sights and desires on those things that are unseen. This world is not our home and we are far too attached to it and the things in it. It was a very timely message. It made me think of the song... Turn your eyes upon Jesus.... Look full in His wonderful face.... And the things of earth will go strangely dim.... In the light of His glory and grace.

I think of how much time and effort I and others put into things here. Getting my house to a place I like ( I have gross, plain, concrete floors that are horrible stained... etc. ) However, I have more than probably 80% of the world. I have a warm place to get out of the cold. I have food, and clean water to drink. Blankets, clothing and so much more. Why do I worry so much about an ugly floor. We have all our plans here on earth and we GIVE SO MUCH of ourselves to see them accomplished. I don't think that all those things are bad, but they take way too high of a priority. I here myself saying so often, how I don't have time to do this or that. However, I have time to be on here. That is one of the reasons, I have been spending less time on here. It is a TEMPORAL VALUE!!!! If I have time to be on here and not enough time to read God's Word and spend time praying, then I am in SIN. Wow, God has really been spanking me. I have done much confessing.

Then I read a book called Whom Shall I Fear. WOW>...... Am I off base. It is about a woman who is arrested (this is back in the Inquisition) and thrown in prison. She had 4 children. The baby went to prison with her. She was put in prison for her faith. They tortured her and her prayer was not for the Lord to ease her pain or make it easy, but that she would stand firm and not recant in the face of the horrid pain. Then they made her choose between keeping her baby (if she recanted Christ) and going back to her family or they would take her baby and put it in a family that was part of their mother church. So, they took her baby. One of her other children died while she was in prison. However, all these horrid things made her long for heaven, which she realized she should have been doing all along. She would think of her motherless children until God pointed out that they belonged to Him anyway. He had loaned them to her for a time to help take care of them. He could take better care of them than she could. Then when she was sentenced to die, her prayer was not for a quick and painless death, but that she would die with a smile on her face and a song on her lips so that even in death, she would glorify the Lord. WOW!!!!! What would I do? I have truly NEVER suffered for the Lord. We have it so easy in this country. We take our walk with the Lord for granted so often.

I am trying to keep my mind sober and on things that matter. To get my focus on living what I believe and sharing it with others. I ask that you pray for me in this. That I will remain steadfast and true to the Lord. If this war comes, if we are attacked or bombed or whatever, it is all in the Lord's hands. I need to be right in the center of His will and then I have no need to fear or worry.

Sorry if this seems hard. I know you can't see my face or hear my tones. These are things God is preaching at me. I am simply sharing them. I love you all and appreciate you and your prayers more than you know. May God speak to each of out hearts!!!!

Only by His merciful grace,
Marci

He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.