A Special Thanksgiving Day

They gathered at the old home place
To celebrate another Thanksgiving Day.
They knew it would not be the same,
For dear Grandpa had passed away.

They tried not to mention Grandpa.
It might make Grandma feel bad.
They did not want to take the risk
Of possibly making Grandma sad.

They all gathered around the table.
Uncle John  was asked to say grace.
They secretly pondered the question,
"Who would sit in Grandpa's place?"

Then each of them viewed the scene.
Grandma had set the table with care.
At Grandpa's place, there was no plate,
But his old Bible was sitting there.

"Dear Grandpa loved the living Word,"
Grandma smiled and cheerfully said.
"His soul lives up there with God,
Even though his body is now dead."

Everyone smiled cheerfully at Grandma.
Then they bowed their heads to pray.
They knew that Grandpa was happy too
On this very special Thanksgiving Day.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !

This Poem is dictated to my mother, Hazel Bagwell and to my dad ,Lonnie Bagwell which died in November , 1984 . He died 3 days before Thanksgiving day . 
Please be in prayer for brother Charles Wilson and  for Sister Shirley wells .

Blessed Hour of Prayer

That hour when I fall on my face,
And pour out my heart in prayer;
I perceive in that lonely place,
God's pouring presence and power.

There's no moment like the minute
When on the Spirit's wings I fly;
And from my somberness exit,
Hallowing the Father on high.

Son and Spirit have my worship;
Blood and body tremble at praise.
At the peak of longing, I weep;
Enveloped by compassion's haze

Oh! What favor it is to me,
Fresh grace and mercy to obtain!
Calling on the throne so boldly,
Telling the Master of my pain!

Then I feel His hands on me, ease
Burn my burden which comes lighter,
My heart's plight is exchange for peace--
 Been taken as answered prayer... 

Jan Bagwell 

God Bless !

My reason for writing is for Jesus to be in everybody life . 

Oh , how I love Jesus  !

 

Psalm 5: 3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

The Unused Power

The Unused Power

What would have already been accomplished on this earth if only a handful of people had faith equal to a grain of mustard seed?

Think about it. Mountains jumping into the sea? Demons fleeing? Mulberry trees being uprooted and planted again, untouched by human hands, just because a person told it to? (See Matthew 17 and Luke 17.)

Figures of speech, you say? Jesus didn't really mean those things would happen, you explain?

Then God has news for you: It s just that kind of thinking that has kept amazing things from happening.

The problem with immovable mountains isn't the lack of power available, it's looking in the wrong places. We depend so much on our own abilities, our intelligence, our money, our church, that we have no need to call down the extraordinary power of God.

That dependency on self is also why we have no choice but to deny that Jesus meant what He said in those passages that tell what unblemished faith will accomplish. We don't tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea because we know that those things just can't happen (Matthew 17:20). If we need a mountain moved, we form a committee, plan for years, raise the money, buy the earth moving equipment, and then struggle to move one small protrusion before the brethren get tired, bored, or just plain lose interest. Move a mountain? We can't even level a hill before we give up and change projects. Because our experiences belie the statements of Jesus, we have no choice but to relegate them to the world of the metaphor. Surely He couldn't have meant it for real! Those things do not happen!

And, by our own faithlessness, we ensure the truth of our beliefs. Those things don't happen.

But the fact that they don't happen isn't because Jesus didn't promise them. He did. Oh, how He did. And their lack of occurrence doesn't in any way validate our faulty theology. Just the opposite. It proves the very thing that Jesus taught. When faith exists in a pure form it takes very little to turn the world we know upside down. When it exists not at all or in very flawed form, mountains sit stagnate and trees grow unbothered (Matthew 21:21).

Why do those things require faith? Isn't God able to do what He wishes whether we have faith or not? After all, how many humans with great faith did He need to speak everything into creation?

No, our faith doesn't give God power. Neither is our faith a power unto itself. Faith isn't the generator in the dam making the power; it's the transmission line through which the power gets to where it needs to go. The smaller the line, the less the power. The larger the line, the greater the power. Quite simply God won't bring His power into the lives and dreams of those who won't believe what He does when He does it. He won't work His miracles to have us thank our lucky stars or praise the universal false god called coincidence. Just as Jesus wouldn't work miracles in His home town because of their lack of faith, He won't work wonders for us when our faith lacks just like theirs.

Want to see the impossible? Then forget about hitching your wagon to a star, dragging yourself up by your own bootstraps, or sucking it up to make it through the game. Forget about you and what you can do because as long as you lean on yourself you'll never command mountains or trees or demons to do your bidding. But when you immerse yourself into and completely trust in His power, you will see things the world is convinced cannot happen.

Ready to use the unused power?

Surrender in faith.

With Our Mouths

If with our mouths, we confess,
our faith in God above
then why don't we show others
unconditional love?

If with our mouths, we declare,
Jesus is our salvation
then why with this world
do we still have a flirtation?

If with our months, we admit,
we have been set free from sin
then why does Satan's armies
still end up with the win?

If with our mouths, we profess,
Jesus is the Lord of our life
then why do we still live
with turmoil and inner strife?

If with our mouths, we assert,
we walk with the Lord
then why in our hearts
isn't His Word stored?

If with our own lips, we worship,
giving honor to our King
then why are we so detached
from the lyrics that we sing? 

Jan Bagwell

God Bless !!

"

Forgiveness: It Flows Out Of Love

Forgiveness: It Flows Out Of Love

Definition: Forgiveness means to endure, sustain, pardon of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty, release from bondage or imprisonment. (Original Greek & Hebrew meanings)

FOUNDATIONAL SCRIPTURES
Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Mark 11:25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Romans 5:5, "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

Forgiveness comes from love.
Forgiveness is a free gift from God, but it is conditional.
Forgiveness is a command from God

Unforgiveness is an enemy of Love, it hinders our love walk, it hinders our destiny.
Why is it sometimes so hard to forgive? Unforgiveness is a form of fear. It holds us back from releasing forgiveness because we fear being hurt again and not being able to recover from the damage someone else caused us. Learning to forgive is a process, it’s an act of the will that requires you to make a decision to forgive by faith, just as in healing, you decide to believe the Word of God that you can be healed, and hold onto and confess the scriptures until they produce your healing. You know you have the ability to forgive (love- forgiveness flows out of it) inside you, it was deposited in your heart when you accepted Jesus. Paul says in Romans 5:5, "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Now,

1. Make the decision to forgive (act of the will)
2. Pray for those who hurt or used you
3. not allow the devil to stir up all those bad emotions over and over again, causing you to fall back into the turmoil of unforgiveness, just rebuke satan immediately and remind him, you have already forgiven them and your not taking that stuff back!!!

God would not command us to do something we were incapable of doing. So know, that God has given you the ability to forgive! Start confessing the Word! Start releasing your faith about it! Get rid of those fears. Confess scriptures that lift you up out of that hurt such as: "No weapon formed against me shall prosper, (Isaiah 54:17) and stand on the Word that "God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus", (Philippians 4:19) Let the knowledge of the merciful, protective love of God cast out all your fears, (1 John 4:18).

To forgive, just make a decision now, in faith, don’t wait on your feelings to change, make them change by quoting the Word of God and remember the devil is behind all the negative things people do. Fill your mind and heart with the promises of God that apply to your situation. Always speak and act in accordance with that decision. Don't say anything negative about that person. Do not rehearse the problem in your mind or with your mouth. Look for ways to bless that person...

Jesus says in Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you..." and one more thing, these three steps work when forgiving ourselves for all the wrong things we have done to ourselves and others. Do not allow satan to have control over you through the negative emotion of unforgiveness.

I've told my friends, there's one more thing I wanted to teach them to do when their mind becomes overwhelmed by the accuser of the brethren, another name for the enemy or devil because he accuses us of all the wrong things we do to make us feel bad, guilty or confused and that is when we perfect praise, praising God for how good he is and how much we love him, the devil hates this and will flee. In Psalms it says God will inhabit His praises. So when in need of some peace and or joy in your mind say, thank you Lord for all you do, thank Him over and over, tell Him you love him, sing a praise song or hymn, but be real about it or try to. Release your faith aloud by quoting scriptures, it will build up your faith in Him and stir up your spirit and bring you joy in the Lord.

Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !

Make A Joyful Noise

Make a joyful noise ~
all of God's chosen people
let your praise be heard
from the highest steeple.

Open up your mouths,
and sing victories song
let all His faithful ones
gather and sing along.

Great are His mercies,
awesome is His grace
come one and all
join the faithful race.

He's our mighty fortress,
our everlasting stronghold
He makes the frail and weak
into His soldiers, bold.

Come join His army,
for there's a battle to flight
do not fear the enemy
for you are led by His light.

Make a joyful noise ~
for the battle is ours to win
let your praise be heard
for we have victory over sin!