Church Life
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him - Acts 12:5
A precious scene is placed before us, even in the midst of an otherwise tragic and painful time for the early church. James had just been martyred by Herod, and the apostle Peter is in prison. But neither the threat of persecution nor the darkness of discouragement separated the church from each other.
While Peter sits on a cold, hard floor, the saints of God kneel before God in unceasing intercession on his behalf. It seems the more suffering is inflicted on the church, the more pressure is exerted upon the church, the closer they grow to God and to each other.
It is sad and wrong that so often, in today's prosperous and peaceful Western culture, Christians so easily stumble and divide over petty and unimportant issues. We are oversensitive to criticism or correction; we feel as though others should forebear us, but we are not willing to forebear others. Offenses or differences which would go unnoticed in a time of persecution are made insurmountable obstacles to fellowship in the time of prosperity.
Doubtless James (one of the "sons of thunder") and Peter (who was always putting his foot in his mouth) had at times said and done some things that were disagreeable to others in the church. But those offenses are forgotten now, as the church hears of James' death and Peter's imprisonment.
Brothers and sisters, don't wait until persecution, or loss, or pain comes in order to love each other fervently. Look over faults; forgive wrongs; let go of past grievances. Love, and pray for, each other now!
God Bless
Jan Bagwell
Brothers ans Sisters in Christ , I wish for your prayers. I will be having knee replacement Oct 25 , 2010 So as of Friday of this week . My blog will shut down for a month .
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
God's Ways Can Be Hard to Understand
God's Ways Can be Hard to Understand
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
I learned these verses in my early years as a Christian. I have heard them quoted often, and I have spoken them many times, either to others or to myself. I am not always sure if they are comforting words or if they are confounding words. Intellectually, I know that God's thoughts and ways are not like mine. Of course my ways are not like God's, God is God and I am not. But when I go down a path that seems to make so much sense to me, then out of nowhere, the course dramatically changes: I must admit that I am more confounded than comforted. There are times when we pray for things or people and our prayers are answered just as we prayed them. Then, there are times when we pray and our prayers seem to go unheard, with no answer at all. We can usually handle both extremes because God is God and He can act as He pleases
But what about those times when we pray about something specifically, and we clearly see God's hand in it? We pray, God leads and we are getting it. We can even see what is coming as God reveals things to us. Our faith is being increased and we are finally gaining some spiritual strength and understanding. Even though the course is tough, we are making steady progress. But… then… out of the blue, something happens that changes our course so drastically that we feel the air has been knocked out of us. All of sudden, we find ourselves in a place of desolation and despair. What happened? It seemed like everything was moving along so well.
It is in these moments that we all must glean a deeper understanding that God's thoughts and ways are not ours. God does not play by our rules and God is never in a rush. Keep one thing in mind today as you meditate on these verses. Our Lord loves us more than we can ever comprehend and everything He does is in our best interest. His main desire for us is that we are His, totally and completely. Do you feel as though God has abandoned you or maybe has just forgotten about your needs? Ask Him to help you understand more of His ways. Ask Him to open your mind to comprehend the Scriptures. Go to Him, repent if you have un-confessed sin and trust that His higher ways will always be what is best.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Our [meaning all us ] Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !!
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
I learned these verses in my early years as a Christian. I have heard them quoted often, and I have spoken them many times, either to others or to myself. I am not always sure if they are comforting words or if they are confounding words. Intellectually, I know that God's thoughts and ways are not like mine. Of course my ways are not like God's, God is God and I am not. But when I go down a path that seems to make so much sense to me, then out of nowhere, the course dramatically changes: I must admit that I am more confounded than comforted. There are times when we pray for things or people and our prayers are answered just as we prayed them. Then, there are times when we pray and our prayers seem to go unheard, with no answer at all. We can usually handle both extremes because God is God and He can act as He pleases
But what about those times when we pray about something specifically, and we clearly see God's hand in it? We pray, God leads and we are getting it. We can even see what is coming as God reveals things to us. Our faith is being increased and we are finally gaining some spiritual strength and understanding. Even though the course is tough, we are making steady progress. But… then… out of the blue, something happens that changes our course so drastically that we feel the air has been knocked out of us. All of sudden, we find ourselves in a place of desolation and despair. What happened? It seemed like everything was moving along so well.
It is in these moments that we all must glean a deeper understanding that God's thoughts and ways are not ours. God does not play by our rules and God is never in a rush. Keep one thing in mind today as you meditate on these verses. Our Lord loves us more than we can ever comprehend and everything He does is in our best interest. His main desire for us is that we are His, totally and completely. Do you feel as though God has abandoned you or maybe has just forgotten about your needs? Ask Him to help you understand more of His ways. Ask Him to open your mind to comprehend the Scriptures. Go to Him, repent if you have un-confessed sin and trust that His higher ways will always be what is best.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Our [meaning all us ] Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !!
Friday, October 15, 2010
A Message from Isaiah
A Message from Isaiah
I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. Isaiah 45:2-3
One morning a few years ago, I woke up with the word "Isaiah" in my mind. I personally do not know anyone named Isaiah so I wondered why this name was on my heart. As I opened my Bible that morning, I literally turned to the first page of Isaiah. I immediately began wondering what message the Lord might have for me in this book. Since then, God has given me more messages from the book of Isaiah than I can count, and Isaiah now holds some of my most treasured sections of Scripture. One of my personal favorites is chapter 45.
When I first read that the Lord will make my "crooked places straight" and will "cut the bars of iron," I knew these were messages of freedom. Then to hear that the Lord calls me by my name, this made the message even more personal, as if He was speaking to me directly. I have come to understand that He is speaking to me directly. I took Him at His word and I began to pray:
Lord, please go before me and straighten out those parts of my life that are out of order or where I do not see the path before me. And please break the gates and cut the bars that keep me locked up, that have held me captive. I desire those treasures You have for me in the freedom that You want to give me. You are God and there is none other. I need You to be my God today and forever.
These verses are just a snapshot of this great book. Through Isaiah I learned how to pray God's Word back to Him and through praying God's Word, I have seen His personal touch on my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. Maybe today is the day for you to open your Bible to the book of Isaiah. Who knows how many messages God has for you there? He knows and you will soon find out. May God go before you and bless you.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Our ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Jan Bagwell
May God keep you and your's safe this weekend and be BLESSED !!
I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. Isaiah 45:2-3
One morning a few years ago, I woke up with the word "Isaiah" in my mind. I personally do not know anyone named Isaiah so I wondered why this name was on my heart. As I opened my Bible that morning, I literally turned to the first page of Isaiah. I immediately began wondering what message the Lord might have for me in this book. Since then, God has given me more messages from the book of Isaiah than I can count, and Isaiah now holds some of my most treasured sections of Scripture. One of my personal favorites is chapter 45.
When I first read that the Lord will make my "crooked places straight" and will "cut the bars of iron," I knew these were messages of freedom. Then to hear that the Lord calls me by my name, this made the message even more personal, as if He was speaking to me directly. I have come to understand that He is speaking to me directly. I took Him at His word and I began to pray:
Lord, please go before me and straighten out those parts of my life that are out of order or where I do not see the path before me. And please break the gates and cut the bars that keep me locked up, that have held me captive. I desire those treasures You have for me in the freedom that You want to give me. You are God and there is none other. I need You to be my God today and forever.
These verses are just a snapshot of this great book. Through Isaiah I learned how to pray God's Word back to Him and through praying God's Word, I have seen His personal touch on my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. Maybe today is the day for you to open your Bible to the book of Isaiah. Who knows how many messages God has for you there? He knows and you will soon find out. May God go before you and bless you.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Our ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Jan Bagwell
May God keep you and your's safe this weekend and be BLESSED !!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
To Get The Most From Life
To Get The Most From Life
If you would get the most life ,
You must put something in it ,
And strive to help your fellow man
Each day , each hour , each minute .
An act of kindness done by you ,
Will cheer the heart that’s sad ,
And when you cause someone to smile ,
It makes your own heart glad .
Be friendly with your brothers
And extend a helping hand ,
And each of them will grasp it
In a way you’ll understand .
Then when you travel down life’s road
And round the distant bend ,
There’ll be a host of people who
Will say ,”there goes my friend “.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
If you would get the most life ,
You must put something in it ,
And strive to help your fellow man
Each day , each hour , each minute .
An act of kindness done by you ,
Will cheer the heart that’s sad ,
And when you cause someone to smile ,
It makes your own heart glad .
Be friendly with your brothers
And extend a helping hand ,
And each of them will grasp it
In a way you’ll understand .
Then when you travel down life’s road
And round the distant bend ,
There’ll be a host of people who
Will say ,”there goes my friend “.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
May you always have an angel by your side
May you always have an angel by your side
Watching out for you in all the things you do
Reminding you to keep believing in brighter days
Finding ways for your wishes and dreams to take you to beautiful places
Giving you hope that is as certain as the sun
Giving you the strength of serenity as your guide
May you always have love and comfort and courage
And may you always have an angel by your side
May you always have an angel by your side
Someone there to catch you if you fall
Encouraging your dreams Inspiring your happiness
Holding your hand and helping you through it all
In all of our days, our lives are always changing
Tears come along as well as smiles
Along the roads you travel,
may the miles be a thousand times more lovely than lonely
May they give you the kind of gifts that never, ever end:
someone wonderful to love and a dear friend in whom you can confide
May you have rainbows after every storm
May you have hopes to keep you warm
And may you always have an angel by your side
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !!
Watching out for you in all the things you do
Reminding you to keep believing in brighter days
Finding ways for your wishes and dreams to take you to beautiful places
Giving you hope that is as certain as the sun
Giving you the strength of serenity as your guide
May you always have love and comfort and courage
And may you always have an angel by your side
May you always have an angel by your side
Someone there to catch you if you fall
Encouraging your dreams Inspiring your happiness
Holding your hand and helping you through it all
In all of our days, our lives are always changing
Tears come along as well as smiles
Along the roads you travel,
may the miles be a thousand times more lovely than lonely
May they give you the kind of gifts that never, ever end:
someone wonderful to love and a dear friend in whom you can confide
May you have rainbows after every storm
May you have hopes to keep you warm
And may you always have an angel by your side
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
To Get The Most From Life
To Get The Most From Life
If you would get the most life ,
You must put something in it ,
And strive to help your fellow man
Each day , each hour , each minute .
An act of kindness done by you ,
Will cheer the heart that’s sad ,
And when you cause someone to smile ,
It makes your own heart glad .
Be friendly with your brothers
And extend a helping hand ,
And each of them will grasp it
In a way you’ll understand .
Then when you travel down life’s road
And round the distant bend ,
There’ll be a host of people who
Will say ,”there goes my friend “.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless each one you !
If you would get the most life ,
You must put something in it ,
And strive to help your fellow man
Each day , each hour , each minute .
An act of kindness done by you ,
Will cheer the heart that’s sad ,
And when you cause someone to smile ,
It makes your own heart glad .
Be friendly with your brothers
And extend a helping hand ,
And each of them will grasp it
In a way you’ll understand .
Then when you travel down life’s road
And round the distant bend ,
There’ll be a host of people who
Will say ,”there goes my friend “.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless each one you !
Monday, October 11, 2010
Climb Till Your Dream Comes True
Climb Till Your Dream Comes True
Often your tasks will be many,
And more than you think you can do ,
Often the road will be rugged
And the hills insurmountable , too ,
But always remenber ,the hills ahead
Are never as steep as they seen ,
And with faith in your heart start upward
And climb till you reach your dream .
For nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve
If you have the courage to try it
And you have the faith to believe .
For faith is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill
And many defeats turn to triumph
If you trust in God’s wisdom and will .
For faith is a mover of mountains ,
There’s nothing that God cannot do ,
So start out today with faith in your heart
And climb till your dream comes true .
Jan Bagwell
God Bless
Often your tasks will be many,
And more than you think you can do ,
Often the road will be rugged
And the hills insurmountable , too ,
But always remenber ,the hills ahead
Are never as steep as they seen ,
And with faith in your heart start upward
And climb till you reach your dream .
For nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve
If you have the courage to try it
And you have the faith to believe .
For faith is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill
And many defeats turn to triumph
If you trust in God’s wisdom and will .
For faith is a mover of mountains ,
There’s nothing that God cannot do ,
So start out today with faith in your heart
And climb till your dream comes true .
Jan Bagwell
God Bless
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