not alone

5 exodus 33:14-17 NIV: the Lord replied,"My presence will go with you and I will give you rest."

Then Moses said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? what else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"

And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

How awesome is that promise? Not only will God go with us, but He knows us by name! Jeremiah 29:11-14 states that He has plans that are good!!! Not just good, but plans to prosper us and to glorify His name. He cares about us so much that He takes great care in knowing us intimately- He knows how many hairs upon our heads Luke 12:7 and He collects our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). Who am Ithat God would take such great care as to know the details of my life so accurately????

Iam not my own, Ibelong to God, but more then anything I know that my completion can only be found in and through Him alone. Mothing, no one, not what I do or who I think I am will ever bring full completion in my life. I must look to God alone to fulfill my everything! Not always easy to do, but a necessity in order to fulfill my purpose here on earth!

Fespite floods, despite torrents, despite the quaking, life changing things that occur.... God is still the one that can make a difference! daily we must spend time in His word- not only getting to know Him- but spending time in His presence makes a difference!

Father God, I ask in Your name for a deeper, more ravenous hunger for YouR word and for being in Your presence! may those that read this blog also desire for a closer walk with you. in Jesus name amen

Wow--- been way too long

I have decided I am going home! Not the home that most of you would think, but to the home of my Father! I have decided that I am going to turn my life back towards His grace and absolutely stop playing games. I have to make some tough decisions, things I really don't want to do, but God's grace is sufficient- for He will deliver me!

There is a coming judgment upon the churches of this world- a shaking of sorts. It has already begun in our leadership, but even more-so it will be among the church members! Those who are not serious about their relationship with the Father will be left behind! Am I truly being serious? Can I really for-see this happening? Let me ask you this- Can I truly afford to be wrong in speaking this? The hearts of many have grown cold, and people are playing the part of Church; outwardly they appear to be white-washed in the blood of Christ, but inwardly, they are self-seeking, self-gratifying, selfish people! Need I find some other way to say that???

I have no idea what is to come in the next few months... But you would think with all the earthquakes- the earth crying out for God's return- the people of Christ would repent and stop playing games. My heart aches, my spirit says stop playing games and get right with God.

I pray that all is well and that those who read this hear my heart! I have seen to much to not speak- heard to much to not know. Peace my brethren- may God's grace reach deep within your hearts.

My beloved Grandpa

Grandpa Constance Butenko 6/15/1917- 1/21/2009

Psalm 103:14-15 For He knows our frame, He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. Ecclesiastes 3:20 All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 1 Peter 1:24 The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God's Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.

What do you say? I am lucky that I had the privilege of knowing my grandfather! It's kinda selfish to think that I wish he was still a live, but I know that he is in a better place. I am blessed for I knew him for the past 36 years and I could not tell you about a better man!

My grandfather left Russia when it became communist migrating to Harbin, China. In time China also became communist so his famiy came to America when he was only seven years old. His wife also followed this same migration to America- both were born in the same hospital in China, both came to our country, and married years later.

They did not know each other prior to meeting here in this country. All the same, God's divine plan and purpose brought them together here. They have five children living in the area, nine grandchildren (two of which passed away years ago), and at least nine great grandchildren.

I rejoice in the fact that my grandfather is no longer sick, unable to walk, and in pain! I rejoice that he is now standing with Jesus in heaven dancing and praising God for His mercy in our lives. I am sad, but at the same time I know he is no longer bound by our human limitations nor suffering in body. My heart longs for him to be here yet at the same time I am at peace because he is no longer suffering.

God bless, may God's joy overflow into your hearts and His peace fill your lives this day.

New Life † ¤ †

Matthew 4:16-17 The people who sat (dwelt enveloped) in darkness have seen a great Light, and for those who sat in the land and shadow of death Light has dawned. From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 18:2-4 And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! God's voice is calling out upon the land- "Come unto Me all who are weary and overburdened and I will give you rest!" All of us were created with a desire to not only be loved, but to love others! Some of us have hidden this desire in order to protect ourselves! What do I mean by this?

When a baby is born it is has two needs to be fed and then to be loved! Without love, this child will grow up disconnected from the rest of the world. This child will have a hard time forming lasting relationships, holding down a job, and plainly functioning in society! He will be lonely and feel forgotten! Which is why a lot of people who lack love in their lives will turn to crime in order to "create" a false sense of love! Or a teenage girl will get pregnant before they are married!!! Love and acceptance is such a strong need in our lives that many people without thinking will reach to the far ends of the earth in order to find it!

A child-like faith is all that God asks of us!! Why??? A baby has faith that it will walk-- right? If the child did not think that he could he would never attempt to walk! Would it? Faith is much like this baby walking! It is seeing the unseen even before it is manifested in our lives! It reaches far beyond what our physical eyes can see. God our Father wants us to take hold of His hand and walk- not looking back, not hesitating for a moment! It's sometimes easier said then done- especially when we can look around our world at all the struggles; wars, famines, pestilences, crimes against humanity... the list goes on and on!

Many of us question how a loving God could allow such atrocities... When we do not choose to live by faith then we choose to live by our selfish desires! This is what allows for the ugliness of our world to prevail! No one wants to seek out the truth and turn from their wicked ways! New life begins the moment we surrender our desires, our dreams, our fears to the One who can make difference. When we are truly willing to let go of the boat and walk on water, then we are truly ready to surrender to God's will in our lives!!!

Father, help me to look at life and this world through Your vision! Help me to receive the blessings that can only come through Your grace. Draw me close to You and help my heart to beat as one with Yours. Lord, for those who do not know You, I pray that salvation will come to their home this day! Help them to put aside the cares of this world and to turn 100% towards YOu. In Jesus name amen!

Rejoice always † ¤ †

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! et all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon]. Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

It's the holiday season and times of shopping, grumpy people, traffic.... But more than just the worldly concept of the Christmas season, there is also the spiritual!

In a world full of craziness it's easy to loose not only ourselves in the rush, but God! We are so blessed as Americans- we live in the land of abundance even though they say we are in a recession. We have jobs... houses... food in our cupboards and clothes on our backs. Rejoice in the Lord always- yes, we even have those time in our lives where we would love nothing more than to just run and hide! Trials come and go, but the word of God stays forever without changing and it says to rejoice!!! Not that you are facing struggles, but that through the grace of the Father you already have the victory.

It's not always easy to take time out just to thank God, is it? "I will praise You, Lord, through this storm" is a choice. To be happy through the thick and thin is a choice. Our joy should not be based on what is going on in our lives, but in the fact that we are saved by God's grace. Have you ever watched those people who have faced horrific struggles in life and yet still appear to be full of joy? Those are people who are confident in who they are in Christ and who they are to themselves... The focus not on the trials, but on the fact that the trial is temporary.

Father, help us to rejoice in all seasons of life and to focus in on Your truth. Lord, we lift up our lives to You this day and claim the victory through Your word in all situations. Move in our hearts and draw us ever closer to You until our hearts beat as one with Yours. In Jesus name amen!!!

Forgiveness † ¤ †

Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. Psalm 103:11-13 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe].
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Forgiveness is a grand idea! When we take our struggles, our faults before God and confess before Him- He lets go! Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. As soon as we confess to the Father, our sins are forgiven! This means that the next time we talk with God to ask about our past- His reply is "What sin?". It's quite a thought isn't it? Total and complete forgiveness, no holding grudges, no holding onto the past! Forgiveness and grace go hand in hand- because we really don't deserve either! But, God, in His love for us grants us amnesty from all our wrongs.

This does not mean that we will not pay the consequences of our actions, it just means that God does not hold against us our sins. If we cut ourselves there will be a scar even after it heals. But, forgiveness is much like throwing a stick into a swift river- you would not be able to retrieve it! The sin is released and we can start fresh. Yes, in another sense we can pick up the pieces, put the puzzle back together and get on with our lives.

I love these verses- as far as the east is from the west--- No limit, no score recorded... David a "Man after God's heart" wrote many of our Psalms and struggled with many sins- including sexual immorality! He loved God with all his heart and did his best to serve Him every day of his life. Through one of his struggles his heart cried out--- Psalm 51:6-7 Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow. We may have to pay the consequences of our sins--- sometimes that cannot be avoided!

As I sit here watching the snow fall outside my window I am reminded that this is similiar to how God forgives our sins... When we ask for His forgiveness in our lives our slate is wiped clean! We are made pure through His grace in order that we may experience the fullness of our Father. When we come to the Father to ask about the fault- His response is "What sin?". It's hard as humans to comprehend this- we tend to hold grudges long after a fight or we hang on to the scars from the struggles refusing to just let go! It's an awesome thought--- Don't you think?

Father, help us to release to You our fears and struggles! Help us to remember that when we come to You seeking Your forgiveness that our slate is wiped clean. I also pray for the condition of our heart! Help us to not only seek Your forgiveness for things, but to also forgive ourselves releasing our past into Your hands. I just praise You for we are fearfully and wonderfully made! Hold us close to You until our hearts beat as one with Yours. In Jesus name amen!!!

God will remain † ¤ †

Romans 11:29-33 For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Just as you were once disobedient and rebellious toward God but now have obtained [His] mercy, through their disobedience, So they also now are being disobedient [when you are receiving mercy], that they in turn may one day, through the mercy you are enjoying, also receive mercy [that they may share the mercy which has been shown to you--through you as messengers of the Gospel to them]. For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!

Change is inevitable, it is what we do with change that affects our character! It's easier said then done-- isn't it??? To change I mean!!! If you are truly honest with not only yourself, but those around us- we really honestly don't like change. We want to remain comfortable... to keep doing what we always did!!! The world calls progress change and we call change progress!!! But there is a saying that goes like this "If we always do what we always did, then we will always get what we always got!" Unfortunately without change in life there would be no progression!!!

The one thing that will not change, though, is God's love for us! He loved us the day that Jesus bore the burden of the cross bridging the gap between us and our Father. God's gift to those who are willing to accept is a changed life--- peace, joy, abundance--- for the present and for the future!

A seed is planted in the ground... But in order to produce fruit good enough to eat, it must first die and be reborn! Once it is reborn, the seed must establish roots deep enough to sustain a tree. This takes time, it takes years of training, pruning, watering, and growing! Salvation is much like this seed... We must die to ourself in order to allow the truth to grow in our lives. Our roots are established in His word... our branches His breath of life breathed into every part of our lives.... Our fruit- rich and abudant reaping of that which was sown! We change... we may be unfaithful... we may struggle with our trials... we may stumble... we may fall, but God is alway faithful to us. He love extends far beyond our minds comprehension! Why? We deal with the here and now... It's hard to imagine eternity!

Change- This is what God's word will do in our lives if we allow Him to be a part of it! For those who are hurting- He brings healing... For those who are struggling, He makes the path straight. For those who are sick- God brings healing! Our world is corrupt and self-seeking which makes it hard for us to accept God's gift of life! But, change is inevitable--- no matter how we feel about change it continually happens. Sometimes this change brings about the good- other times the bad! But the only thing for certain in life is that GOD WILL NEVER CHANGE!!! His love for you is real!!! His peace for you will surpass all understanding!!! His grace will fill you up and take you to higher places!!!

Father, help us to call out to You not only in our time of need, but in all things! Lord, the only thing we are gaurenteed in life is change! Sometimes we get too comfortable where we are and we need to be forced to accept change. But I know this- You are in control and when we rely on You all things will work for the good for those who love you and are called according to Your purpose! Your word will not return void- I just claim that each person who reads this will be touched by Your Spirit.. Hold us close to You until our hearts beat as one with Yours. In Jesus name amen!