Welcome To October!

Fall is here! It won't be long and this will be the type of view
that I'll have from my house. The Appalachian hills will be covered with color! I love Fall. Maybe it's because my Birthday is in the Fall or maybe it's because I hate summer... I don't know but I'm glad Fall is here. My morning walks are now invigorating instead of a drain. I look forward to playing with my wood cook stove and I'm already collecting and pressing fallen leaves with my young son.

I hope you'll find encouragement here, this month. Many of these posts came out the desperateness of my own heart at one time or another. Through those desperate times, I came to know the Lord more. It's my prayer that you will, too.

A friend who cares,

Holly

Faith

~Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ~

Never give up!
Are you saying, "Oh, But it hurts!"
Ahhhh... here's the key:

We all have something that we're praying about and hoping for. BUT don't make the thing you're hoping for into an idol.
Don't make "the thing" more important than your true God.
We shouldn't have the attitude that we can't REALLY be happy until "it' comes true.
Our peace, joy, and reason for living HAS to be in the Lord Jesus Christ-
NO MATTER what's going on around you.
He's the only Way we'll ever truly be happy.

I want to join with you in prayer today-
Whatever it is you're hoping for- if it is truly God's will- that He will bring it to pass.

And then- you press on!
Confidently go on in the knowledge that we serve the God of all creation. And remember- He's REALLY GOOD and He's really good at answering prayers.

Never Let Go Of Your Hand

Please believe the words of this song today.


NEVER LET GO OF YOUR HAND
BY DON FRANSICO


I know what you’ve been hearing
I’ve seen you hide your fears
Embarrassed by your weaknesses
Afraid to let me near
I wish you knew how much I long
For you to understand
No matter what may happen child-
I’ll never let go of your hand


I know you’ve been forsaken
By all you’ve known before
When you failed their expectations
They frowned and closed the door
But even though your heart itself
Should loose the will to stand
No matter what may happen child-
I’ll never let go of your hand


The life that I have given you- No one can take away
I’ve sealed it with my Spirit, blood and word
The everlasting Father has made His covenant with you
And He’s stronger than the world you’ve seen and heard


So don’t you fear to show them
All the love I have for you
I’ll be with you everywhere
In everything you do
And even if you do it wrong and miss the joy I planned
No matter what may happen child I’ll never let go of your hand

Please Don't Give Up!

Please don't give up!
The journey isn't over yet.
Please don't give up the fight.
I know it's hard- It's really, really hard!
But you *can* go on.
You can do it- You really can!
You can do it through Christ.
God really *does* care.
He knows your pain

and He knows your weaknesses.
God loves you, precious lamb.
Keep following the Good Shepherd.
I'm praying for you.

Let God Arise

Let God arise and all your enemies be scattered!

Through your God, you shall do valiantly,
for it is He that shall tread down your enemies!

You are more than a conqueror through Him that loves you- therefore greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!

God always causes you to triumph in Christ and no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper!

If God our Father be for you, who can be against you?
No one!

So be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might because you are on the winning side!

*Faith is the victory- His faith!

Jesus Never Fails

I was reminded of this simple song this morning:

Jesus never fails
Never, never fails
I'm glad, so glad
Jesus never fails

It doesn't matter what it is!
Doubt says "but this is different".
Nope! Not true. Jesus is true and He never fails.
What ever it is today,
let's cast it all over on the Lord.
He can handle it.
He never fails!

Worthy Vessels

Don't think you're not worthy to be used by God.
You are a cleansed vessel for the Master's use.
You are more than a conqueror!
Doubts might come in and say that you are

too much of a failure to reach out to anyone else.
Don't you believe it!
Let our Father, the Father of lights,
fill you with the oil of His Spirit today.
Let Him make you a shinning lamp for His glory.
You are so delightfully precious to God.
He wants to see you shine.

Arise Shine!

Arise shine for thy light is come

Arise shine for thy Light is come

And the glory of the Lord is risen

The glory of the Lord is come

The glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.



Arise people!

We have been given a great Light!

The Light has come!

The things which were hidden have been uncovered.

God's heart and plan have been revealed!

Mysteries have been solved.

We don't have to wait and wait for some great day to dawn!

It is here!

The Forest Floor

My Lord has given me a forest to tend.

It's a secret garden type of forest and I have loads of fun working in it! It seems as though there is more dead wood than live wood there. My young son and I laughingly refer to it as "dead wood forest". But then we tell our selves that we must think positively and believe for the good wood.

Every time I'm working out there, I feel an excitement in my spirit, soul and body. (Until the next day when I'm teeeeribly sore!) I pull down strong, dead branches out of the tree limbs. They have been trapped there for years and years. Sometimes I have to pull REALLY hard before that death looses its hold and then the branch comes crashing down as I tuck my head and laugh. The whole tree is shaken and sometimes other dead branches that were trapped there come crashing down too.

Fun!

Then there are the vines. Vines, vines, vines. They are long, overgrown, bossy vines that tangle and choke the tress and bushes. You can hardly tell the tree from the vine! Although the vines are lighter and never come crashing down, they take even more work because they twist and turn and go all through the trees. They want to become a part of the tree. I pull, pull, pull, and then SNAP! The tree is free!

It is incredibly rewarding work.

Then there's dry, dry, doubly dead branches that are ALL OVER the ground. They have to be collected, too and cast into the fire. You can hardly walk through the forest as long as they are lying around.

Then finally, I rake up all the small branches, bark, twigs, leaves, dead grass, weeds and trash. Ah-h-h-h. The forest is clean from top to bottom!

Now you probably have guessed that the Lord has spoken to me through my work and perhaps HE has already spoken to you, too. Mainly- dead works have to go! They are worth nothing. They weigh on us and the good life that God wants us to have. When the dead works are moved out of the way, the good life can flourish.

The little twisty vines that strangle our life in Christ have got to go, too. They are not so noticeable all the time but they are there. They quietly do their spoiling work and they must be pulled down. Our life needs to be exchanged for HIS.

Then there's the obvious useless, stumbling logs that are in our path or maybe our eye... Yup! Gotta go!
Finally- He wants to plow, and cleanse us down to our very depths so that new life can spring up EVERY WHERE! He wants HIS fresh and invigorating life to flow through every part of our being! He wants us FULL of HIS life - full of HIM with nothing hindering!! Life is so much better than death!

I want to totally yield myself to HIM today and let HIM tend to me; to thoroughly purge me right down to the forest floor.
If you also want this, I must prepare you, you will be shaken but it will be GOOD!

I Have Good News!

I Have Good News! That’s right! I have very, very good news for ALL men! It is a message of hope! It is a message of Life!

An angel told Peter to go and tell the people the whole message of this life! The whole message of this life? What was that? What is that?

Put simply, I believe the whole message of this Life is summed up in Jesus the Christ! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! He is the good news! He is the full gospel!

This good news- the whole message of this life- is so good and so full. It is constantly increasing and bearing good fruit! As the Holy Spirit of God leads me through the scriptures, I see so many promises and so many blessings- So much good news! My friends, what was it that the Apostles preached? What was it that they were showing the people and offering to them? What is it that is being offered to us? What can we offer to others? Are we offering good news?

The angel proclaimed to the shepherds: “I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all people! For today, in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Good news of great joy! Good news for ALL people! Great joy for ALL people! Glory!

What is the good news that we are most familiar with? I would guess that most of us would say that through the blood of Jesus we have forgiveness of our sins. Yes, this is good news!
This is great news! We can be free from the awful feeling of guilt! We can be free from the awful weight of sin! Because of what Jesus did, we can now be holy and blameless and beyond reproach! This is the hope of the gospel. And it is good news indeed. But the good news does not end there! *More* awaits us as we enter into the whole message of this life. Jesus is so full and He does not end!

I could never within the pages of this writing unfold to you ALL that He is. I can only give a glimpse right here and now. But part of the good news is that you don’t need me too!
Part of the good news is that you need no man to teach you!
We can sit at the feet of Jesus- now!
We can sit at His feet and be taught.

What did Jesus do?
Jesus wiped out the law of commandments. He cancelled out the death certificate. He has taken it away and nailed it to the cross! Free! Free from the law and free from death!

Through this message- this good news of life- we are able to be complete- Complete, whole and made new! It is an amazing yet true fact that we died with Him. We were buried with Him. And we were raised with Him!

We are not only forgiven. We are not only set free. But we are a part of him. We are a part of what He did!

God being rich in mercy made us alive in Christ and seated us with Him in heavenly places! Heavenly places- now! Wow! We don’t have to wait… and wait… to “go to heaven” some day. We are in heavenly places- now! Can you see this? Can you feel it?
God used the apostles to bring to light that which had been a mystery! But it is a mystery no more! Christ in you is the hope of glory! We don’t have to travel to Jerusalem or wait for Him to come to us. He is here- now- in us and us in Him!

Christ may now dwell in our hearts by faith- His faith! There is a true wealth that comes- an understanding- a true knowledge of Christ HIMSELF!!! We can now KNOW Christ- Know Him!

All of us can now be sons of God! God can be our Father and we His children. Not only forgiven. Not only set free- But we can be a part of His family. And we can be a part of His body on this earth! He now lives and moves- through us!

The good news is that we can pass out of a life of darkness and into the kingdom of Light! We can be enlightened- we can see! We can be filled with light and be the light of the world! Whoa!

The good news is that we can have His wisdom! We no longer have to rely on our own ability to figure life out. We have His wisdom! We can know His power and be strengthened with it! His power is… very powerful! And it can be known- by us. Whew!

The whole message of this life is that we can now be rooted and grounded in love instead of hate. The God who is love- resides in us! Love multiplies! Love increases! Love is! We are able to know the depth of God’s awesome love- To know it! This is no small thing!

The good news is that we can now walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please Him! And we can be filled with the knowledge of His will! We never have to doubt! We never have to wonder or wander.
Thank you, Lord.

The good fruit of His Spirit is able to abide in us and flow through us. We can be vessels- containers for His glory- Us!
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness and faith can be a part of our very being! This fruit can be a part of our daily life. We never need to go hungry! It is fruit for the nations!

Oh! there is more- so much more. But go, look for it yourself in the scriptures. Approach the scriptures with the eye of the Spirit. Approach the scriptures with an ear open to hope. Look for Him to teach you and nourish you and fellowship with you. Go and enjoy the whole message of His life!

Good Talkin To

Do you ever give yourself a good talkin' to?
No? I do...
I gave myself this one today.
(Or was it the Lord?)
Well, whatever the case,
maybe you need to hear this talk too...

Come on!
Get a grip!
It's just another test.
Yes, it might be a hard one.
In fact, it might be the hardest one yet.
But that doesn't mean you can't pass it.
In fact, YOU WILL pass it!
Don't shake your head, “no."
You will pass it!
It's God's will that you pass it.
You CAN do it.
It is not the end.
You belong to God and you will not give up.
You can't give up.
You've walked with God this long
and you will continue to walk.
Don't think about how you will make it through tomorrow or any other event you might be dreading.
Just live today.
Faith *IS* the victory that overcomes the world.

SO THERE!

Depths Of The Riches

~Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom
and knowledge of God! ~ (Romans 11:33)

Let the following phrase from scripture minister to your spirit.

~ THE DEPTHS OF THE RICHES. ~

Depths- that means deep! And I guarantee you, it is very deep!

Riches- that means rich! And I'm telling you, that's plenty!

God is abundant in all things- ALL THAT WE NEED!

We can rest assured that because of this depth and because of these riches- God knows. HE KNOWS!

God is rich in knowledge.

He knows each step you take

and the steps you'll take tomorrow.

He also has wisdom. He has deep riches of wisdom!

He has the wisdom for *your* situation.

Sometimes His knowledge and wisdom seems hidden from us and sometimes He shares it with us in *His* time.

Whatever the case, God IS in control.

Free!

I rejoice to say to you today that I have been set free!

By Christ Jesus my Lord, I have been set free from the law of sin and death!
If you find yourself tempted, don't give up.

If you find yourself faltering, don't despair.

*You* have been set free- free indeed!

Don't doubt it.

Believe it and your joy shall be full!

In the presence of the Lord there is joy forever more!
Rejoice! Rejoice in the Lord oh, my soul!

Partakers

One quiet morning this week while reading the scriptures I came across something very amazing!

I read that I am able to be a *partaker of His divine nature*.

Wow! Me? Partaker of something divine?
I will admit that there are times that I certainly do not feel divine- rather I feel like a tough, old, battered bird and very much a partaker of the things of this earth.

BUT!

But God has said that through the knowledge of Him,

I am given promises- and that by those promises I might be a *partaker of the divine nature*. (2 Pt. 1:3-4)

So, if I know Him and I know His promises.... I can taste of the heavenlies. I can be holy just as He is holy. Amazing!

I CAN walk in the Spirit and NOT fulfill the lust of the flesh.

I can live a humanly impossible life! And you can too.

Don't fall for the accusations from our enemies.

You can follow wholly after the Lord Jesus Christ just like anyone else!

You *can* be a partaker of His divine nature.

What Is Christianity?

What is Christianity?
What is it?
Is it a belief system?
Is it a Just another religion?
Oh- the world has had their fill of that!

Well, what is Christianity?
It is Christ! It is Christ!
Jesus the Son!
Jesus, the hope of all creation!
Christianity should be- Christ!
All that men should see- is Jesus the Christ.

Christianity is not a *right* way of believing.
It is not a *right* way of being.
It is Christ revealed- in us!

He Has Chosen You

He has CHOSEN you BEFORE the foundation of the world that you should be HOLY and WITHOUT BLAME before HIM. (Eph. 1:4)

What a calling! What a mystery! Me?
Holy and without blame? Yes! Me and you- through HIM.
We should be to the praise and glory of HIM. Whew!
Let's be done with the lower things of selfishness and self– pity, grumbling, complaining, criticizing and judging.
Let's put on the new man and LIVE in HIS glorious truth today. Faith IS the victory that overcomes the world!
And HE will complete the work HE has begun in you.
Amen?!

Do you want to pass this test?

Sometimes, we need a very soft and gentle word.
But then again, there are times when a firm word is what helps us walk.
If you are needing an encouraging, yet straight forward word today, this post is for you:


Alright, we have a decision to make here.
Do you *want* to pass the test?
You know, the test or trial you're facing right now.
Do you want to go forward or go back? Rise or fall?
I know, I'm no different.
I've been in tough places too.
I'm in the same school as you are.
It can be hard.
It can be really hard!
But- dear comrades, you CAN pass this test.
You can come forth as gold! You can!
That's what God wants.
God wants us to be broken- but whole,
weak -but strong,
helpless yet empowered- with His divine help.

Just make the decision.
Do you *want* to pass this test?
This trial and test did not come upon you
without God knowing about it AND allowing it.
He knows exactly why all this is happening AND when it will end.
Just make the decision.
Say, "yes, I want to pass this test" and the victory has begun.
Lift your heart to God and thank Him for this trial.
I know! It's hard- yet easy when we surrender.
Ask the Lord to teach you.
Ask Him to help you to trust Him.
Ask Him to help you to love Him more and above all - worship Him.

Just make the decision.
Do you *want* to pass this test?
Do you?
Of course you do!
Giving up is NOT an option for one of Father's children.
You *must* go on.
Giving up will NOT stop the trial.
You'll just lose.

Come on, child.
Let me take your hand...
There is courage for the fearful,
clarity for the confused,
relief for the heavy,
healing for pain,
beauty for ashes.
God has not given up on you.
Let's not give up on Him either.
Let Him take you by the hand and lift you up and strengthen you.
Let Him lead you on.

Someone who loves you,

Holly

His Temple

We are His New Temple.

We don't have to look up when we pray.

We don't have to gaze off into some far away land to look for Him!

He has already come!

He is already here- in you and in me- if we have received Him.

May the reality of His indwelling presence fill our hearts and the minds of all of God's people!

Following are some verses from scripture that I found concerning His present habitation. Can you find more? If so, please share them with me!

~
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it doth not behold him, nor know him, and ye know him, because he doth remain with you, and shall be *in you*. (John 14:17)

In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I *in you*; (John 14:20)

And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I *in them*. (John 17:26)

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come *in to him*, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)

Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is *in you*, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; (1Co 6:19)

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell *in them*, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2Co 6:16)

...to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ *in you*, the hope of glory: (Col 1:27)

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he *in us*, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1Jo 4:13)

...one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and *in you* all. (Eph 4:6)

And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is *in you* of a truth. (1Co 14:25)

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell *in you*. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be *in you*, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell *in you*, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth *in you*. (Rom 8:9-11)

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is *in you*, except ye be reprobates?
(2Co 13:5)

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son *in me*, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
(Gal. 1:15-16)

Hurting?

Are you hurting?

Are you being persecuted without cause?

I'm so sorry if you are hurting.

May our Father pour in the oil and the wine into your aching heart and bind up all your wounds.

You are loved.

Hear the words of our Lord...


~Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the son of man's sake.


~Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.


~Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! ....


~But I say unto you which hear, love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. ~



If praying for your persecutors proves difficult, ask the Lord to love through you. Stephen's ability to pray for his persecutors at his stoning did not come through some virtue of his own. It came because of his being full of God's Spirit. We can forgive those who have hurt us too if we let Him love through us.

Jesus also asked the Father to forgive those who crucified Him.
And the Father answered that prayer.

Be healed in Jesus' name!

Do You Know Who You Are?

Do you know who you are?

Here are some reminders of who you can enjoy being if you are in Christ!
~

You are a born again believer and you are bought with a price.

You are crucified with Christ and yet you live.

You are dead to sin and alive unto righteousness.

The helmet of salvation is for you and you are risen to a new life.

Old things have passed away and behold all things are become new.

You are a new creation and you can put off the old man and put on the new.

The blood of Jesus Christ, the holy One, has set you free from the law of sin and death.

You are able to walk in holiness, godliness purity and faith.

You are able through Christ, to walk in the light even as He is in the light.

You are able to abide in the vine and walk in the Spirit.

The breastplate of righteousness is yours.

You have believed the truth, you know the truth and are able to be ready with the truth, as you gird your loins with it.

He is able to keep you, lead you and comfort you.

He is able to empower you to live righteously and victoriously as you shod your feet with the gospel of peace.

He will guide your steps and keep you safe from your enemies as you trust in Him and make yourself ready for war.

You do have a measure of faith given you by the Father.

He has answered your prayers before and He will answer your prayers again as you lift up His shield.

You can do all things through Christ which strengthens you and if God be for you who can be against you?

Who can separate you from the love of God? No one!

The choice is yours and you have chosen to stand.
Stand therefore in the power and presence and armour of God.