The Twelve Sent Out - Mark 6:7-13

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, It has been many, many years since I was at a youth summer camp. I had gone the year before and was selected as a camp counselor for a few teenage girls. I had the best time of my life doing teenager things in the mountains and seeing how the Lord blessed not only the teens attending but also those who took part in making sure the camp ran smoothly. So when the youth pastor asked me to go again as a counselor my immediate response was YES!. I knew what was expected of me, or so I thought, from the year before. Arriving at the camp and seeing the youth pastor I waited until he was done assigning all the volunteers and when he looked at me I could see the expression on his face. He asked me, "what are you doing here? I don't have you on the roster." I stood there speechless and rather embarrassed but then he said, "you are to walk around the camp and pray." I stood there for a moment digesting what that might mean and thanked him and found my cabin where I would be spending the next week. That night I had a visitor and explained what I thought was going on and got up the next morning going about my assigned task. I still remember all the instances where the Lord led me to crying teenagers both boys and girls, camp counselors and staff, and also just walking around praying for the whole property. In reading today's scripture, Mark 6:7:13, I was once again reminded of this very powerful and miraculous week at summer camp. Mark 6: 7-13, "And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff - no bread, no bag, no money in their belt - but to wear sandals; and He added, Do not put on two "tunics", And He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town. Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them." They went out and preached that men should repent, And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them." Now in many ways my week at summer camp wasn't that extreme but still, each day spent was a miracle. I'm pretty sure that I didn't have to cast out any demons but for the hurting souls who were sobbing over something that they were dealing with and to have someone pray for them changed them from a hopeless and helpless individual. And many of those that I prayed for came forward every night and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I would like to dedicate this post to a dear and precious sister-in-Christ who played a big part in my life and also in the lives of these teenagers for she was a remarkable woman who cherished each teenager when we would attend Wednesday night Youth Group as counselors. Her name, Gayle Fowler, and she was called home on the 21st of April. Let us pray - Abba Father, Glorious God, our Creator who spoke everything into existence. Praise and Glory to Thee. O Lord, so many times in our lives we are sent out and maybe not even aware of it at the time. O, Lord, I pray for each dear and precious sister-in-Christ that in going forward may each one recognize Your Voice and Your leading and Your sustaining power in every encounter and in every situation and know that You have sent them out to do the works You have already planned and purposed for their lives. In Jesus Name, Amen. He still sends us out,

LyndiaSue

On My Knees

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, Today I am going to be on my knees! I have been wanting to prepare the two flower beds in front of the house but because of freeze warnings and rainy weather have not been able to get out and play in the dirt. Yes, I still like playing in the dirt and when I have unwanted weeds the best way to get them out is on my knees. Pulling weeds for me used to be like dusting and washing windows, they were never top priority for me. So if and when you come visit please do not look at my dust! At least I take care of the dangling webs throughout the corners of the house. So back to pulling weeds - it was several years back that we lived in an area where centipedes and spiders and other creeping things lived in the ground and the trees where I wanted to be. As I prepared to get the task done I would ask the Lord to protect me from the bites of the bugs. And while I was on my knees the conversation would lead to my talking about other things that could harm me and then leading further on and including my family and friends. It isn't a task that needs to be over with quickly but now it is time with the Lord. These days I need to lean into Him more and more, bringing to Him my burdens and concerns not only for myself but for my spouse and children and grandchildren and so many more. Today all of you will be included in my prayers of protection and provision and His Peace to overflow in your being. There is a saying that mama used to use, "if your ears are ringing then someone is talking about you." I will be talking about you and thinking of you as I am on my knees this morning. Let us pray - Abba Father, Praise and Glory and Honor to Your Name, O Lord, I pray for each dear and precious sister-in-Christ - It is written, "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word." (2 Thess. 2:16-17). And Lord, It is written, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil.4:7). My dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, may the promises of the Lord continually and constantly and consistently be on your lips and on your mind as you walk through your days. In Jesus Name, Amen. Before Him this morning in prayer,

LyndiaSue

Stepping in Line

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, It is getting very close to the time - only a few days away from sorrow and loss followed by a celebration that continues to be reenacted in the lives of millions. Each and every person will be "stepping in line" to get to the sunrise services or the easter breakfast or maybe the family gathering of searching for eggs to be placed in the baskets. There has been much planning - setting up the venue and making sure that everything is ready. Several years back there was a city wide church sunrise service at a special park. They had the bleachers set up and even the sitting in the front for others that needed assistance. Early in the morning we would gather and wait for the sunrise and then the celebration began. In other places maybe a pancake breakfast was more to your liking and it took much preparation for that too. It seems that everyone has a place to be and by stepping in line with others things begin to happen according to how it was planned. It's wonderful that we already have the play book. It is a glorious plan, but the first one was not that way. The first one was Jesus speaking and praying and healing and forgiving. All the special people involved were "stepping in line" with what the master was saying. He told them where to go and what to say, he said, "pray that you may not enter into temptation." He questioned them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation, and he even said to Judas, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" and then He said, "Stop! No more of this." And He touched his ear and healed him. Yes, as each one of us step in line and ponder on all that led up to the glorious acts of God may we be "stepping in line" with our Lord and Savior and worship Him and thank Him for going to the Cross and taking on ALL of our sins and the world's sins and making us like Him. Let us pray - Abba Father, all praise and glory and honor to Your name, the name above all names. O Lord, as each dear and precious sister-in-Christ honors You this special days and reflects on just what You did on the Cross may their hearts burst forth in glorious Joy and Hope and Love and may they be at peace in knowing that by stepping in line with You their rewards and blessings and tender mercies will never, ever be lost or taken away. In Jesus Name, Amen Stepping in Line,

LyndiaSue

Each Wednesday Morning

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, Each Wednesday morning as we meet together there is something that is so special and astounding, the morning begins with my normal routine BUT as soon as I place my fingers on the keyboard something miraculous happens. It is not forced in any way, I am not frantically searching for some words to amaze or even convince anyone of His Love. He is in our midst! He directs and He guides for when He is in our Presence He knows all of our hearts and our thoughts. He knows how to speak into each individual heart. I have been reading the Chronicles (1 and 2) and yesterday I was reading chapter 5:11-14 of 2 Chronicles. My bible titles this section "The Glory of God Fills the Temple", just listen, "When the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to division), and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, "He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God. As I was reading this and it began to build upon itself I was caught up in the significance of His Presence. The cloud was the glory of the LORD and that cloud rendered the priests speechless. The priests who had just come forth from the holy place and had sancitifed themselves. The priests who the LORD had appointed! And the Levitical singers who were named and wearing fine linen. Such pageantry was done for the Temple and yet how much we take for granted when we enter our places of worship or even when we get together to fellowship. And I know that it doesn't compare BUT still as I post my Wednesday morning prayers and do as an act of obedience He is in our midst. Let us pray - Abba Father, Praise to Thee and thank You that Your Presence is in our midst as we gather together to give You all the honor and glory and Praise. Lord, thank You that each dear and precious sister-in-Christ is precious in Your sight and You know her so intimately and created them so uniquely. O, Lord, as they walk through their day may "Your Shekinah Glory" be upon them as they minister or teach or help those in need. And may they continually be praising You and showing others the Lovingkindness of the Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen. In Awe of His Presence,

LyndiaSue

Welcome to the Month of April

Greetings dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, The month of April and just as I write down the words I get a skippity doo dah feeling. Yes, pictures of a girl and boy wearing rubber boots walking and playing in the water puddles made by the rain showers or maybe a girl walking down the sidewalk carrying a polka-dotted umbrella. And it is special in another way, my daughter was born in April. There were several brothers and uncles and nephews and cousins but very few girls in our family so God granted my prayer. Of course that was several years back. However, I still have special feelings for the month of April. And that brings me to the topic for this post. Whenever I open my weather map to check the day's weather it has an "actual" temperature and "feels like" a temperature which can be drastically different. Today's actual temperature was 41 degrees but the feel like was 23 degrees. There were many factors, like wind and humidity, that were calculated to come to the final temperature. Well... me being me and wanting to bring my Lord into the picture. My thoughts drifted to the "actual" according to what is written in the scriptures and the "feels like" is so very different. I am sure that in your lives there are many times that your "feels like" gets in the way of the "actual". Psalm 143:8-12 tells the actual of just how great is our God. "Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O LorD, from my enemies; I take refuge i You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my god, Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am Your servant." Yes, when it "feels like" the day can't get any worse or the situation seems so dire or the sickness seems to linger the "actual" is His Lovingkindness and His deliverance and He will revive and destroy All that afflicts your soul. Dear and precious sisters-in-Christ, may He be Your umbrella and your rubber boots as you walk into the month of April. Let us pray - Abba Father, Glorious and Majestic and our Creator. Lord I pray that You who made the rain and the thunder and the lightning that bring the April showers to water the earth may Your good Spirit lead each sister-in-Christ on level ground as she walks through each day given by You as a gift and with it shower her with tender mercies and blessings. In Jesus Name, Amen. Blessings my dear and precious sisters-in-Christ,

LyndiaSue