Art Work by Consecrated
I'm extremely proud of both of them!!! :)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
My Boys' Techno Music...
Art Work by Consecrated
I'm extremely proud of both of them!!! :)
Friday, June 20, 2008
Blessed By Fire's Love
While soaking in the tub last night, Strongman stuck his head in the bathroom door and said there was a note for me on the kitchen table. This is what I found...
"Chrispy" is one of the many nicknames I have given to Fire. Actually, the nickname in its entirety is "Chrispy Critter."
I love it how Jesus has blessed me with my son(s). If you refer to my very first posting, "My Blessings," you'll read about the fears I had about my boys growing up, that somehow they'd stop loving me. Just one of the many lies the evil one attempted to induce me to believe.
I am blessed by Fire's love!!!!
"Chrispy" is one of the many nicknames I have given to Fire. Actually, the nickname in its entirety is "Chrispy Critter."
I love it how Jesus has blessed me with my son(s). If you refer to my very first posting, "My Blessings," you'll read about the fears I had about my boys growing up, that somehow they'd stop loving me. Just one of the many lies the evil one attempted to induce me to believe.
I am blessed by Fire's love!!!!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tree of Righteousness Bears the Fruit of Obedience
I woke up at 2:40 this morning to hear in my spirit, "The tree of righteousness bears the fruit of obedience." As I lay there, I thought about Isaiah's "trees of righteousness" Isaiah 61:1-3.
Getting out of bed, I decided to investigate the statement that I heard. Righteousness means right-standing with God, which can only come to those of us who have accepted Jesus' sacrificial gift on the cross. The One Who knew no sin, became sin for us, providing for us a way to have the righteousness of God (right-standing with God).
Not only do we accept this free gift, but we choose to allow Jesus to be Lord...meaning He's the Boss of our lives, not us. Each time we are faced with the choice to obey the voice of Jesus, rather than following the dictates of our own souls, the "fruit of obedience" grows, ripens and eventually matures. The root of the righteous will yield fruit!
This fruit, however, will not mature through striving to keep the law! This fruit will only ripen by abiding in Jesus!!! His Spirit provides water for the growth of the tree of righteousness. The sap (blood) from His Vine flows into our branches, providing the required nutrients for the formation, growth and maturation of the fruit of obedience. We absolutely cannot, I repeat CANNOT grow it without Jesus!!!
Many of us have consistently chosen to follow the voice of Jesus, denying ourselves, picking up ours crosses, and following Him, no matter the consequences!
Many of us have yearned for resolution of a particular situation, but the fruit of obedience hadn't yet matured, therefore, the Lord commanded us to wait, wait until the appointed season for fruit. I believe for many of us that "appointed time" has come.
If the Holy Spirit has stirred you while reading this post, then may I suggest to you that your season for resolution has come; His Spirit is pouring out the grace required for it.
The most awesome part of allowing the fruit of obedience to ripen in His time is that while we waited, the fruit became lusciously sweet and juicy. We can now present this fruit as a gift of love to our Beautiful Bridegroom, Jesus!!!
We have chosen Your ways because we love You, Jesus, and we present the fruit of obedience to You for Your glory!!! In the precious name of Jesus! AMEN!!!
Getting out of bed, I decided to investigate the statement that I heard. Righteousness means right-standing with God, which can only come to those of us who have accepted Jesus' sacrificial gift on the cross. The One Who knew no sin, became sin for us, providing for us a way to have the righteousness of God (right-standing with God).
Not only do we accept this free gift, but we choose to allow Jesus to be Lord...meaning He's the Boss of our lives, not us. Each time we are faced with the choice to obey the voice of Jesus, rather than following the dictates of our own souls, the "fruit of obedience" grows, ripens and eventually matures. The root of the righteous will yield fruit!
This fruit, however, will not mature through striving to keep the law! This fruit will only ripen by abiding in Jesus!!! His Spirit provides water for the growth of the tree of righteousness. The sap (blood) from His Vine flows into our branches, providing the required nutrients for the formation, growth and maturation of the fruit of obedience. We absolutely cannot, I repeat CANNOT grow it without Jesus!!!
Many of us have consistently chosen to follow the voice of Jesus, denying ourselves, picking up ours crosses, and following Him, no matter the consequences!
Many of us have yearned for resolution of a particular situation, but the fruit of obedience hadn't yet matured, therefore, the Lord commanded us to wait, wait until the appointed season for fruit. I believe for many of us that "appointed time" has come.
If the Holy Spirit has stirred you while reading this post, then may I suggest to you that your season for resolution has come; His Spirit is pouring out the grace required for it.
The most awesome part of allowing the fruit of obedience to ripen in His time is that while we waited, the fruit became lusciously sweet and juicy. We can now present this fruit as a gift of love to our Beautiful Bridegroom, Jesus!!!
We have chosen Your ways because we love You, Jesus, and we present the fruit of obedience to You for Your glory!!! In the precious name of Jesus! AMEN!!!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Does the Clay Say to the Potter, "What Are You Doing?"
I woke up in the middle of last night because I was a little warm. In the quietness of the night, many thoughts began racing through my heart...
"What did You mean when You told me?"
"What are You doing, Lord?"
Lord, I don't understand. Please help me to understand.
Jesus, I NEED You to empower me to do my part!!! Please, help me!!!
I felt like He answered me by saying, "Does the clay say to the Potter, 'What are You doing?'"
This morning I received this posting from the Elijah List.
Anne Elmer:
A VISION of the MASTER POTTER: GOD SAYS, "YOU WERE MADE FOR ME"
Recently, I was singing a worship song, and the last line in French is, "Je suis née pour toi," meaning: "I was born for you," but I think in the English version of the song, the words are: "I was made for you."
I then heard the Lord say to me, "You see, you were not made to be a wife or mother or teacher or church elder, you were made for Me."
Suddenly I knew that if I received this fact in my heart, that I was made primarily by Him and for Him, then all the other reasons for which I thought I was made - would fall into place.
Colossians 1:16, "For by Him all things were created: things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him."
Do we really understand that we are not the product of our parents, but we are desired and birthed of the perfect Father in order to fulfill His dreams and plans?
A Vision of the Master Potter
Then I saw a vision of the Master Potter making vases. He took a great deal of time and care over each one, fashioning them to exactly the shape He wanted. He moved the vases from the wheel and placed them carefully on one side. I watched as He made several vases, and once there were a few standing near each other, He touched them one by one.
This time His hand was clean and beautiful - no longer the Potter's hand covered with clay. As He touched each one, they were filled with what looked like liquid gold, but somehow I knew He was filling us - His vases with His Glory.
The Glory we were containing seeped slowly through the unbaked clay of each vase until they all began to shine. It was a beautiful picture. I noticed that little by little the vases were moving nearer to each other. And as they did, their shapes changed slightly so that they could fit exactly together.
When they drew closer together, the Glory shining from them intensified. Once they were all touching as though they were molded of the same clay at the same time. The Glory shining from the whole group was so bright, I could hardly look at them; it was like looking at the sun.
I knew I was watching a 3-D jigsaw of the Lord building His Church. I was aware the vases had not been fired, and I realized that was why they could shine their contents - that was why the Glory could traverse the clay.
In the potter's house in Jeremiah 18, the potter doesn't fire the pot, but molds it over again. We need to be as clay in His hands. I think it is our denominations that have tried to put us in the furnace and shape us into their shape so that we cannot be flexible and malleable in the hands of our God. But in our day, He is building the Church that He wants; He is preparing His Bride.
Vases of Glory
I then saw a vase which had some of the Glory but was not overflowing like the others; it had rings of barbed wire around it. It stood apart from the others and couldn't get close because of the barbs on the wire, which hurt the vase itself as well as the others if they came too close.
I asked the Lord for some secateurs to cut the wire, but He said, "Only the vase itself can shed the wires, but you can destroy them with love." I then saw the Glory in one of the other vases overflowing and forming a cushion around the vase so that it would not be damaged when it drew close to the hurting vase. But I also saw that if a vase was damaged or even pierced by the barbs, the Glory flowed out through the damaged part and melted the barbs on the "sick vase."
As I reflected on this picture during the week, I knew that this is exactly what Jesus has done for me. He has been pierced by my barbs and the Glory has flowed from Him to melt my barbs so that I can be a part of His Church, His Body, and His Bride.
He is building His Church in our day, and we as His vases need to stay malleable in His hands. We as His vases need to be overflowing with His love in order to love others as He has loved us.
Anne ElmerBest-selling Author, Transported by the Lion of Judah Email: anne.elmer@editionsdelasource.fr
Jesus, I was made for You!!! Please melt ALL barbs from my vessel of clay and fill me with Your liquid gold, Your glory. Overflow me with Your Love, so that I might Love others with Your Love and melt the barbs that keep us apart. We are Your Bride, we are Your Holy jigsaw puzzle. Form us together the way You will! I love you, Jesus!!! In Jesus' name! AMEN!!!
"What did You mean when You told me?"
"What are You doing, Lord?"
Lord, I don't understand. Please help me to understand.
Jesus, I NEED You to empower me to do my part!!! Please, help me!!!
I felt like He answered me by saying, "Does the clay say to the Potter, 'What are You doing?'"
This morning I received this posting from the Elijah List.
Anne Elmer:
A VISION of the MASTER POTTER: GOD SAYS, "YOU WERE MADE FOR ME"
Recently, I was singing a worship song, and the last line in French is, "Je suis née pour toi," meaning: "I was born for you," but I think in the English version of the song, the words are: "I was made for you."
I then heard the Lord say to me, "You see, you were not made to be a wife or mother or teacher or church elder, you were made for Me."
Suddenly I knew that if I received this fact in my heart, that I was made primarily by Him and for Him, then all the other reasons for which I thought I was made - would fall into place.
Colossians 1:16, "For by Him all things were created: things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him."
Do we really understand that we are not the product of our parents, but we are desired and birthed of the perfect Father in order to fulfill His dreams and plans?
A Vision of the Master Potter
Then I saw a vision of the Master Potter making vases. He took a great deal of time and care over each one, fashioning them to exactly the shape He wanted. He moved the vases from the wheel and placed them carefully on one side. I watched as He made several vases, and once there were a few standing near each other, He touched them one by one.
This time His hand was clean and beautiful - no longer the Potter's hand covered with clay. As He touched each one, they were filled with what looked like liquid gold, but somehow I knew He was filling us - His vases with His Glory.
The Glory we were containing seeped slowly through the unbaked clay of each vase until they all began to shine. It was a beautiful picture. I noticed that little by little the vases were moving nearer to each other. And as they did, their shapes changed slightly so that they could fit exactly together.
When they drew closer together, the Glory shining from them intensified. Once they were all touching as though they were molded of the same clay at the same time. The Glory shining from the whole group was so bright, I could hardly look at them; it was like looking at the sun.
I knew I was watching a 3-D jigsaw of the Lord building His Church. I was aware the vases had not been fired, and I realized that was why they could shine their contents - that was why the Glory could traverse the clay.
In the potter's house in Jeremiah 18, the potter doesn't fire the pot, but molds it over again. We need to be as clay in His hands. I think it is our denominations that have tried to put us in the furnace and shape us into their shape so that we cannot be flexible and malleable in the hands of our God. But in our day, He is building the Church that He wants; He is preparing His Bride.
Vases of Glory
I then saw a vase which had some of the Glory but was not overflowing like the others; it had rings of barbed wire around it. It stood apart from the others and couldn't get close because of the barbs on the wire, which hurt the vase itself as well as the others if they came too close.
I asked the Lord for some secateurs to cut the wire, but He said, "Only the vase itself can shed the wires, but you can destroy them with love." I then saw the Glory in one of the other vases overflowing and forming a cushion around the vase so that it would not be damaged when it drew close to the hurting vase. But I also saw that if a vase was damaged or even pierced by the barbs, the Glory flowed out through the damaged part and melted the barbs on the "sick vase."
As I reflected on this picture during the week, I knew that this is exactly what Jesus has done for me. He has been pierced by my barbs and the Glory has flowed from Him to melt my barbs so that I can be a part of His Church, His Body, and His Bride.
He is building His Church in our day, and we as His vases need to stay malleable in His hands. We as His vases need to be overflowing with His love in order to love others as He has loved us.
Anne ElmerBest-selling Author, Transported by the Lion of Judah Email: anne.elmer@editionsdelasource.fr
Jesus, I was made for You!!! Please melt ALL barbs from my vessel of clay and fill me with Your liquid gold, Your glory. Overflow me with Your Love, so that I might Love others with Your Love and melt the barbs that keep us apart. We are Your Bride, we are Your Holy jigsaw puzzle. Form us together the way You will! I love you, Jesus!!! In Jesus' name! AMEN!!!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Fire's Triathlon Training
Fire found out about a LARA's 3rd Annual Triathlon about two weeks ago and has been training hard, extremely hard. His desire is not necessarily to win the race, but to finish the race...to finish well. WOW!!! He definitely mirrors his Dad with his athletic genetic traits.
We mapped out a bike course for him to ride spanning ~14 miles. He runs ~3 miles on our back roads and swims in my cousin's pool, doing 15 laps a shot.
When I think about Fire's desire, I am reminded about a race run by all those who call themselves Christian. Paul exhorts us to run this race in way that we win the prize and our training consists of temperance and restriction.
Another way of explaining the type of training we undergo is being mindful of what the Holy Spirit says regarding the things of this world and obey Him. Daily, we must crucify our flesh. It is by this act that we become athletes who finish well and obtain the prize...a crown of eternal blessedness.
1 Corinthians 9:24 & 25 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours. Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither."
Jesus, open my ears that I may hear you clearly. I want to run this life's race finishing well and obtaining the crown You give. I want to be able to throw that crown at your feet as an act of worship in Heaven. In Jesus' name. AMEN!!!
We mapped out a bike course for him to ride spanning ~14 miles. He runs ~3 miles on our back roads and swims in my cousin's pool, doing 15 laps a shot.
When I think about Fire's desire, I am reminded about a race run by all those who call themselves Christian. Paul exhorts us to run this race in way that we win the prize and our training consists of temperance and restriction.
Another way of explaining the type of training we undergo is being mindful of what the Holy Spirit says regarding the things of this world and obey Him. Daily, we must crucify our flesh. It is by this act that we become athletes who finish well and obtain the prize...a crown of eternal blessedness.
1 Corinthians 9:24 & 25 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours. Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither."
Jesus, open my ears that I may hear you clearly. I want to run this life's race finishing well and obtaining the crown You give. I want to be able to throw that crown at your feet as an act of worship in Heaven. In Jesus' name. AMEN!!!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Graduation Gratitude
Consecrated 2008Isaiah 61:1-3
Picture by Auntie MA
This past Sunday our family celebrated Consecrated's High school graduation. I presented Consecrated his diploma after briefly describing the requirements for graduation set forth by Pennsylvania Homeschool Accreditation Association (PHAA). Consecrated completed high school with a 3.8 GPA. Great job, Buddy!!!
After passing a placement test and receiving approval of his art portfolio, Consecrated has been accepted to The Art Institute of York and will begin classes in July for the Computer Animation Program.
Of course, we topped off the celebration with food!!!Thank you wonderful family for your support and love. Thank you, Jesus, because ALL of this would have been impossible without you!!!
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